Bane

The Lord of Tyranny - The Iron Tyrant - The Black Lord - He Who Commands

Bane is the lawful evil god of tyranny, domination, fear, and hatred. He teaches that order is valuable only when it serves power, and that power belongs to those strong enough to seize and maintain it. His followers believe that freedom produces weakness, while obedience creates stability.

Bane rarely demands chaos or senseless destruction. He prefers systems that function perfectly while serving cruel ends. His greatest victories are achieved when people accept oppression as necessary, just, or even protective.

Portfolio and Names

Bane’s portfolio includes tyranny, domination, fear, hatred, conquest, obedience, authority, punishment, and the use of law as an instrument of control.

He is known as the Black Lord, the Black Hand, the Iron Tyrant, the Lord of Fear, and He Who Commands. His symbol is an upright black hand, often displayed against a red or dark field.

Bane is not merely the god of rulers. He governs every relationship in which one person seeks unquestioned power over another. A tyrant, a cruel commander, a corrupt magistrate, and an abusive master may all serve him, whether openly or unknowingly.

Who Prayed

Bane is worshipped by conquerors, tyrants, despots, ambitious officials, cruel soldiers, and those who believe that the strong have a duty to rule the weak. His clergy also attract people who seek protection through authority or who wish to rise above their neighbours.

Some followers pray to Bane for victory, discipline, or the strength to impose order upon a dangerous world. Others come to him out of resentment, believing that fear is the only language their enemies understand.

Open worship is uncommon in lands where Bane’s name is hated. His followers may instead present themselves as reformers, lawkeepers, military officers, or guardians of public order. Not every servant of Bane considers themselves wicked. Many believe that mercy, compromise, and personal freedom are luxuries that society can no longer afford.

When They Prayed

Bane is prayed to before battles, trials, interrogations, political negotiations, and acts of punishment. His worshippers call upon him when demanding obedience, confronting a rival, or accepting a position of authority.

They also pray at dawn before beginning a day of command and at night while reviewing those who have failed them. A common prayer asks Bane to reveal weakness, reward loyalty, and make resistance costly.

His followers often pray in private before making an important decision. They seek not guidance, but certainty: the confidence to act without being troubled by pity or doubt.

Holy Day and Devotion

Bane’s principal holy day is the Day of Submission, observed at the beginning of winter. Worshippers renew their oaths, kneel before their superiors, and publicly declare the names of those who serve beneath them.

The ceremony varies by rank. The powerful accept renewed loyalty, while the powerless demonstrate obedience through labour, tribute, or military service. In some communities, prisoners and defeated enemies are forced to participate.

Personal devotion to Bane is shown through discipline and control. His followers maintain strict routines, punish disobedience, keep careful records, and ensure that their authority is visible. They may demonstrate faith by enforcing an unpopular order, refusing to forgive an insult, or making an example of someone who has resisted them.

Bane does not value kindness unless it strengthens obedience. Mercy may be granted, but only when it creates a deeper debt.

Ways of Pray

Bane’s prayers are usually spoken while standing rigidly or kneeling with the head lowered. Worshippers may recite oaths, present written plans, or name those they intend to command.

Offerings include weapons, legal documents, chains, military standards, tribute, and the written confessions of defeated enemies. Some followers offer the surrender of a personal desire, proving that their will can be mastered before they attempt to master others.

A successful act of control is considered the highest prayer. Winning an argument, compelling obedience, silencing dissent, or turning a rival into a servant may all be understood as acts of worship.

Shrines and Temples

Bane’s shrines are commonly hidden in fortresses, prisons, court buildings, military camps, and private chambers. They are spare and orderly, containing little more than a black hand, an iron chain, a brazier, and a place to record names and oaths.

Larger temples are called Houses of Command. They resemble administrative halls, barracks, or courts rather than places of celebration. Their walls display laws, ranks, victories, and the names of those punished for disobedience.

The poorest worshippers may find food, employment, or protection at such temples, but assistance always carries a cost. Every gift creates an obligation, and every obligation strengthens the temple.

Clergy and Organization

Bane’s priests are known as Black Ministers, Handbearers, or Keepers of the Oath. They are expected to be disciplined, organised, and difficult to intimidate. Each temple is arranged according to rank, and a priest’s authority depends upon the number of people who answer to them.

The highest-ranking clergy are called Commanders of the Hand. They oversee regional temples, direct political schemes, and decide when force should be used openly. Beneath them are ministers who administer punishments, collect tribute, conduct interrogations, and maintain records of loyalty.

Bane’s clergy compete constantly for advancement. They are encouraged to expose weakness in their rivals, though a successful accusation must never leave the temple without competent leadership. Failure is tolerated only when it can be turned into a lesson for others.

In Summary

Bane teaches that fear is more reliable than love, obedience more useful than freedom, and authority more important than justice. He does not seek disorder. He seeks a world in which every person knows who commands them and understands the cost of resistance.

His worshippers may speak of safety, duty, reform, or stability. Beneath those words lies Bane’s central demand:

“Submit, and the world will be made orderly. Resist, and you will become an example.”