The Emperor of Flame,
Immortal Warlord of Balgashang,
Lord of the Four Horsemen,
Master of the V’Hir,
Breeder of Plague, Squalor, and Decay,
The Reasonless Reaper,
Tyrant of the Foul Chamber,
He Who Knows the 10,000 Ways

Barach is the evil god of war; the breeder of violence for its own sake. He is a deity for those who enjoy rapine, pillage, cruelty, and destruction.

Barach’s element is fire. He was a servant of Manrasusha, the amoral First God of primal fire, he who cleanses yet destroys, comforts yet kills. Early dogma saw Barach as the one who nurtured and appeased Manrasusha through mortal sacrifice, a service that saved the world. Considering the general indifference of the First Gods, it is more likely that the blood of mortals sated the thirst of Barach rather than the wrath of Manrasusha.

Barach is most commonly portrayed as a mighty humanoid figure shrouded in crimson flame, with leathery, scalloped wings, razor shard claws, and cloven hooves. Two claws were severed from his left hand by the goddess Larani in an ancient duel. Barach will never forgive this indignity. Only the terms of the Concordat of the Illimitable Tome deter him from seeking revenge. Some believe he will eventually attempt to assassinate the goddess regardless of the consequences. The enmity carries over to mortal followers of both deities. Otherwise, Barachians loot, pillage, ravage, and torture without religious determination.

Barach is one of the greatest warriors of the gods, although known for his unchivalrous methods. His favorite weapons are Gashang, a flaming mace capable of inflicting “the myriad voices of pain”; Sycanus, the sickle with which he cuts the hearts and souls of men from their bodies; and Armahnh, a great whip which strikes the ground with the sound of thunder.

The mission of the church of Barach is two-fold: the bloodthirsty rituals appease Manrasusha and stave off the destruction of the world, and the constant battle trains warriors for the endless battle on Yashain. Their actions on this world prepare them for the afterlife and eventual victory over the forces of Larani and her allies.

In addition to orks, ogres, and other violent nonhumans, the Barachian Church draws all kinds of bullies, psychopaths, and violent criminals into its ranks. Within the established church and the fighting orders, people who would be outlaws in their own culture find place to thrive and to excel alongside those who could be successful in any environment.

The Church of Barach may be the least unified of faiths, and this has fostered an unusually large number of squabbling Clerical Orders, each of which sponsor its own Fighting Order. The different Orders may differ a lot; some are purely for Orks of Khalag, but some recruit from humans as well as orks, and there are even some human-only orders. For centuries, even during years of relative peace, Laranian and Barachian Fighting Orders have been skirmishing on the borders between the Kingdom and the Empire.

Kerash was a warrior of a tribe of orks, whose village lay on the slope of a dormant volcano. The volcano became active, threatening to destroy the village. The chieftain, who viewed Kerash as a threat, took the opportunity to rid himself of his rival by convincing the tribe that a living sacrifice was required to save the village. Kerash was driven up the mountain path with a half-dozen spears at his back and cast into the crater. An hour later the volcano erupted. Strangely, only the houses of the chieftain and of the six warriors who had escorted Kerash to his doom were destroyed.

The next day Kerash returned from the mountain. Some villagers thought they saw fiery demons at his heels. Kerash spoke from the ruins of the chief’s house, saying that the mountain was a gateway to realm of “...he who appeases the fiery doom.” Kerash performed several miracles supporting his claim to have communed with Barach, including a spectacular self-immolation from which he recovered completely.

Kerash recruited eight acolytes to help him worship. A monthly ceremony of appeasement required that one tribesman “volunteered” to battle Kerash on the crater’s rim; he who fell though the “gateway” was the sacrifice. Kerash was a superb fighter. Eventually, the village grew short of men and ceased to be viable. The survivors dispersed, carrying the tale Kerash throughout the region. Charging his followers with final instructions, Kerash mounted the summit alone and was never seen again. Teachings of the Hierarchy of the Eternal Flame Where did the world come from?

Our world was born of strife. From the Empty Void in the Time Before Time came the First Gods, each seeking to dominate Kelestia, and they created servants, the Lesser Gods, to aid them. And yet none of could prevail and Kelestia trembled from the forces wielded. The First Gods then sought a truce amongst themselves. They agreed to leave the conflict to Lesser Gods, who lacked the strength to undo Kelestia. But there was one among the First Gods who refused the truce; this was Manrasusha, the Pure Primal Fire that Cleanses and Destroys. With Manrasusha unwilling, the war could not end and the utter destruction of Kelestia seemed nigh. But then our lord Barach, servant to Manrasusha, appeared before his lord:

I, the Immortal Warlord of Balgashang, speak to you. I am the mightiest of all the Lesser Gods; none are stronger, none braver. Were you and the other Immutable Ones to withdraw from the fighting, I would soon slay all the other lesser gods who refused to kneel before me. So I ask thee to withdraw, and I pledge my strength will be as your strength, that wheresoever I and my servants go, we shall carry with us your Fiery Essence. We shall open up Gates of Flame on the worlds of Kelestia, remaking them in your image and spreading your Flames Imperishable. Agree to this truce with the other Immutable Ones, for I shall then acquire for you the domination that you seek.”

And so Manrasusha consented to withdraw from the conflict. Since that day, Barach has fulfilled his pledge, increasing the size of his dominion, appeasing Marasusha.

Barach dwells in his great fortress of Balgashang among his attendant V’Hir. Somewhere within his castle is Ak-Syt, the dreaded chamber of tortures. The fortress’ location is uncertain. Some priests believe it exists at the fiery heart of the World, but majority hold that it is located on Yashain. Symbols & Regalia

The numbers eight and the colors orange and black have particular significance for Barachians. Early priests spoke often of the eight corners of the world, and the 888 (sometimes 8888) cairn, but these concepts have lost most of their significance. More recently, the octagonal pit has acquired particular ritual importance. The original pit is said to lie within Balgashang and opens into the heart of Manrasusha. By the same token, the octagonal pits located in many Barachian temples are said to open into the heart of Barach. The pits are site of temple rituals and sacrifices are cast in, sometimes by elaborate mechanisms. Ritual combat is staged on a narrow walkway over the flaming pit.

The best known of semi-divine servants of Barach are the Eight Demons. They were born from eight drops of blood that fell when Larani cut the claws from Barach’s hand. Sometimes called the sons of Barach, the V’Hir are much like Barach in appearance, although smaller and far less powerful. They are often confused with the god by those unfortunate enough to encounter them