2025 Apr 26: Kertoi, Lord of the Winds

 Kertoi, also known as the Windfather, Bringer of Storms, Master of Whirlwinds, and a hundred other titles is one of the major gods the Orcs worship. He has dominion over winds, helping or hindering travellers, ships, and even farmers can lose their precious fruit or olive trees to his wrath. He is a capricious god, one to be feared, flattered, and swayed with frequent sacrifice. As such, most major ports have at least one temple dedicated to him.

He is also the patron of those who have lost limbs, be they people or animals, and will look out for them. This is why it is forbidden in most places to hurt or mock the disabled, as his vengeance can destroy entire cities with ease. This is also why disabled people sometimes land unharmed after being picked up by whirlwinds, of typhoons.

He is depicted as an old, grey-bearded Orc made entirely out of cloud-stuff, with his long hair and beard flowing in the wind. In most depictions he is blowing a wind out of his mouth. His holy symbols are the eight-pointed star, the three-legged dog, and the spiral. His holy days are the second weeks of spring and autumn, when the winds turn.

To his priests, Kertoi bestows the power to command the winds, and to protect those that need it.

 Image by James Jean