With a Frozen Heart - Those Dedicated to Kostchtchie

It’s Saturday and thus time to talk about a god. For those of you who haven’t been a part of my explorations into the religions of Golarion, here’s how it works:

Imagine, if you will, you're creating a character for a group. Your only instruction is that you must be a worshiper of a specific god. You do not need to be a divine casting class, although you can be, but the party’s purpose is working toward the goals of this specific divine being. I'd like not just a race/class combo, but a little bit about why the character would choose to dedicate themselves to this particular deity. Feel free to make up secret or not-so-secret orders within the church, or even sects outside of the church that you think might be interesting. With only this one piece of information that must be true, let your imagination run wild with the rest.

Today's god

Kostchtchie, Choatic Evil demon lord of cold, giants and revenge

Kostchtchie’s Pathfinder Wiki page 

Kostchtchie’s Archives of Nethys Entry 

As we get into what should be the bitter cold of the winter months, except for here in the northeastern United States for some reason, we look to a god of cold. Kostchtchie has been outlined but not as extensively as the major gods, as an important figure in the lore of Irrisen and among the Ulfen people. Many a frost giant has turned from their traditional god to worship this demon, once an Ulfen man, whose hatred of giants was only matched by his hatred of women. But can such a chaotic entity that despises all mortals have organize sects and cults? My answer is yes.

Winter Bear Cavalry

A small sect of disenfranchised men who have been driven from their tribes over a woman, the Winter Bear Cavalry find solace only in the warmth of their mounts. The would-be bear rider feels an itch in his mind as his battered ego draws the attention of Kostchtchie. The demon lord feeds this desire for revenge by promising to help right the wrong of a mere woman turning the supplicant away. Revenge which is granted through dedication to destroying everything Kostchtchie hates.

The rejected suitor can’t just become a member of the bear cavalry simply by being scorned; he must first be initiated. To become one of the ursine riders the supplicant must hunt, fight, and defeat one of the great ice bears that reside in the crown of the world. If he cannot bend the bear to his whim then he was never worthy of the woman he prized anyway. But should he return to the camp of the Cavalry with the wild ice bear in tow, he is accepted as one of the riders.

The Winter Knights

Kostchtchie’s hatred of Baba Yaga and her daughters knows no bounds. The thing that burns hottest in the cold heart of the demon lord is hatred for the witches. Even though he despises humanity many, Ulfen flock to his banner due to the predations of the witch queen and her minions. These Ulfen, all men, are reluctantly given power by Kostchtchie so that they might take the battle to the witches of Irrisen.

The Winter Knights are mainly made up of Antipaladins, inquisitors, clerics, and rangers who are granted their power at the whim frost demon. For a group of hateful, chaotic loners they are surprisingly well organized. Mainly acting as an insurgent group within the borders of Irrisen itself, the Knights do whatever it takes to disrupt the governing body of the winter witch’s realm, even sacrificing their own lives if the gain is great enough.

The Bitter Wind

The Bitter Wind is a small and unique group of Kostchtchie’s followers; four white dragons who have given themselves over to the demon lord and are dedicated to his goal of wiping out mankind. Kostchtchie’s hatred for his former people, the Ulfen, and his loathing for the frost giants whose form he now takes are legendary. The quartet of dragons uses their considerable power in the attempt to wipe out both humans and giants, using the gifts of the deathless frost to lay claim to the lands gained by their destruction.

These four young wyrms have carved out a healthy territory in the crown of the world and are beginning to make moves into both the Land of the Linnorm Kings and the Land of the Mammoth Lords. The dragons especially seek to garner power in the Ulfen territories of the Linnorms, as they consider these pseudo-dragons less than worthy of having an entire region named after them. Kostchtchie seems to be willing to back the lizard’s play, so long as their goals continue to coincide with his need for destruction.

So these are those who dedicate themselves to a god that most likely hates them. Could you do that for power? Who would your follower to Kostchtchie be? What biting frost flows through that character’s veins?