Rallos Zek

History

Rallos Zek was present at the first meeting and pact between Brell Serilis, Tunare, and Prexus.  He kept his distance though, not trusting his fellow gods, and did not agree to the pact.  Despite this, he went on to create the giants on his own.  They were created in his likeness, consumed with a passion for conquest and war.  Zek eventually agreed to a pact with Brell, and what followed was the creation of Orcs, Goblins, and possibly his greatest creation, the Ogres.  All of his creations were of the utmost intelligence as well as wielding immense brute strength.  Much to the liking of Zek, his creations quickly conquered much of the world of Norrath led by the mighty Ogre known as Murdunk.  When contemplating their next continental conquest, they were challenged by an invading force from the undiscovered continent of Kunark, the Shissar.  Murdunk met with Emperor Ssraeshza and convinced him that a war between their empires would get them nowhere.  Murdunk had much bigger plans.  The Rallosian Empire set forth a plan to invade the planes of the gods themselves.  While the Shissar took to the lesser planes of now forgotten demigods, the Rallosian armies went straight to the top, the elemental Plane of Earth.  Zek watched with pride as his creations challenged the greater gods, but even Zek did not fully comprehend the power of the elemental gods such as The Rathe.  The Rathe consisted of thriteen members of a council, and each time the army defeated a member, another would immediately sprout up from the ground.  The army retreated in defeat much to the dismay of Zek.  Zek himself led a second invasion of the Plane of Earth, flanked by the powerful Orc brothers, Vallon and Tallon.  They captured one of the Rathe councilmen and brought it back to Norrath.  The councilman was tortured and eventually slain, and as he fell to the ground, a massive range of mountains sprang up from the earth, thus creating the Rathe Mountains.  The tears of the mourning twelve Rathe members rained down, thus creating the largest lake on the continent, Lake Rathetear.  Rallos Zek's actions angered nearly the entire pantheon of the gods.  The Rathe and other gods combined their might to curse Zek and his creations with limited intelligence.  Thousands of Ogres were slain and the Rallosian Empire collapsed.  The Giants were scattered across the globe as the gods struck their lush lands with deadly ice, thus creating the Everfrost Peaks.  The Goblins lost all of their written language and history.  A barrier was erected that would keep mortals from ever attempting an assault on the Planes of Power again.  Thus ended the Age of Monuments and began the Age of Blood.
 

Followers

Rallos Zek's followers believe in the idea of only the strong shall survive.  War is the only venue to earn the favor of the gods and achieve enlightenment.  They believe the universe was created in the midst of battle and so too shall it end.  Those who fall in battle are quickly forgotten by Zek's faithful, for the dead were too weak to pass the test.  Most  warriors are devout followers of Zek.

During the Age of Turmoil, the most devout followers of Rallos Zek were the giants of Kael Drakkel on the continent of Velious.  They constructed a massive temple to the Warlord that took up much of their city.  A towering statue was created her in Zek's perceived likeness.  Other devotees included the Steel Warriors guids in Freeport and Qeynos, the Ogre city of Oggok, and some of the Crushbone Orcs.

Appearance

In most lore, Zek was depicted as towering, muscular man with skin like magma, clad in golden armor, and crowned with a spiked helm with horns protruding out either side.  This is also how the Avatar of War appears when summoned in the city of Kael.  He is also depicted this way by the puppets in Bristlebane's theater within the Plane of Mischief.  Rallos Zek may have looked like this at one time, but it is believed he was heavily scarred due to the curse brought about by The Rathe and the rest of the pantheon.  During the invasion of the Planes of Power in the Age of Turmoil, Zek confronted the intruding mortals in a full suit of plate armor black as night and wielding an immense battle axe enveloped in fire.  Only his glowing red eyes could be seen through the grille of his horned helm.

Among the Pantheon

Rallos Zek makes his home in Drunder, the Fortress of Zek, which is a massive stronghold within the Plane of War.  It is sometimes referred to as the Plane of Tactics.  Zek is allies with Innoruuk and Cazic-Thule, and an enemy of Quellious and Bertoxxulous.  He is one of several gods who have returned to Norrath in the Age of Destiny.   
 
Zek has one real son, Eriak, who he stripped of all power after failing to warn him of the wards placed on the Plane of Earth before the Rallosian Empire invaded it during the Elder Age.  Eriak is left to toil eternally in the forge beneath Drunder.  Rallos Zek has since adopted four others as his children.  The Orc twins, Tallon and Vallon, reside alongside their father in Drunder.  He adopted a fierce Barbarian woman named Sullon and proclaimed her the Mistress of Rage, giving her her own plane to govern.  And there was also a kobold, Rolfron, who caught the eye of the Warlord and became the god of despair.