Grim Harajat of the Shadows -

Major God of Darkness

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Physical Description:

Harajat is depicted as an old man, hooded and cloaked, with a long white beard and staff, usually depicted in gnarled wood, though occasionally as a ornate, haematite sceptre. He is usually depicted hunched and standing, but sometimes in a seated position on the ground. He carries an extinguished lantern in his left hand and is often followed by a lingering trail of shadow. The theologians of Salenheim assume he carries some sort of weapon, but it has never been seen, concealed within the folds of his robes.

Teachings:

Harajat's teachings are centered on those of stealth and darker magic. His priests teach the art of silent movement, killing and shadow magickes out of a journal of experiences, supposedly written in Harajat's own hand. This book and, in many ways, encyclopaedia is known as the Olathi Codex. Indirectly, the Grim is seen and taught as the embodiment of death, as illustrated in the common childrens warning song - '...The sword and the spear may inspire your fear, but the hand of the Grim hides in the dim, and you never can know when it draws near'

Followers:

The followers of Harajat are fairly rare, though he is worshipped as one of the household pantheon. The main body of his supporters are represented in the religious order/assassins cult, the Talons of the Grim. He is also worshipped by some exiled members of the Battle-Mage order found in the Islands of Beltar, who have found solace in the shadows.

Symbol:

The symbol of Harajat is his extinguished lantern, usually represented as a haematite or black stone (often onyx or marble) sculpture in a dark alcove of his temples. In many cases, this lantern appears to consume light, as it were, an 'anti-lantern'. In more suspicious societies, a shrine to the Grim may simply be a small alcove of the room, entirely empty and masked in shadow.

Avatar:

An avatar of Harajat is said to be any person who can steal a lantern from his own temple. On achievement of this feat, a prospective avatar is said to face three challenges, before he is proven worthy of the honour. A well-known historical figure who claimed to be an avatar of the Grim include Pagius, legendary assassin of the first Emperor of united Salenheim.

Appearances:

Appearances of Harajat are incredibly rare, but there have been three recorded sightings of a 'hooded man' over the recent millenia of Salenheim's history. The most well-known of these is General Ostumus's final diary entry before his death, telling of a '...shadowy, bent and be-robed figure crept across the sand before me. He beckoned and I stumbled up, fighting to cross the desert, my legion in tatters behind me. I could not survive much longer. Tell my concubines I love them. Except Otillia. She's a bitch...' This entry peters out into scribble and was found on the chest of the decomposed general. The second sighting was a recount from a speech at the trial of Pagius, in which he states: 'I saw him. He came from the dark. He spake. He spake of death. Of dark. Of the Emperor. Strength and Sacrifice for Harajat! Strength and Sacrifice from Harajat!' The final report is that of the High Priest of Tiagarath in the Time of Massacre. In his memoir he justifies the genocide of the slave classes and elves, by reporting that: 'The divine forces that I usually cast my eyes to and bow before have all but forsaken this land. I look to forces now that are darker, the dark that is the powers of Harajat. Only darkness may bring the light. Only suffering may bring us peace.'

See also the Talons of the Grim