Koroibos (pronounced coh-ROY-bose) is a saint of Mithrai. Originally a legendary Hellean figure, he is seen as the patron of athletes, athletics, and sportsmanship.
Edicts and anathema
- Edicts
- Participate in competitions of strength and physique, be graceful in both victory and defeat, maintain your physique
- Anathema
- Win using unfair methods, lose motivation in the face of adversity
Description
Koroibos was born around Y7220* to a family of farmers in a now long-gone village in southwestern Hellea, located near the modern Halakran city of Ketros. From a young age he displayed incredible physical prowess and no shortage of a desire to put it to use. When he was fourteen a raging minotaur attacked his village, rampaging through the peaceful farming community. Separated from his fleeing family, the young Koroibos faced the minotaur alone. To the surprise of all, he not only survived but won handily, disarming the minotaur and wrestling his foe to the ground.
From then on, Koroibos embarked on a series of impressive feats, demonstrating his strength as he went and challenging others to match him. He wandered Hellea for years attracting fame along the way. Among many other oft-repeated legends, it is said he tamed the fire-breathing horses of Aethon, stopped the collapsed roof of a temple from falling onto worshipers at Odenai, and without weapons single-handedly fought off sea serpents that attacked his ship traveling to Pandosia. Whenever he entered a new city he told stories of his own exploits to those he met. In reaction to their often incredulous responses, he challenged any person in the community to a physical competition of their choosing, to demonstrate he could best any and all. Koroibos never lost one of these competitions, though he was graceful in victory, nearly always holding a feast in honor of his defeated challenger.
When he was approaching thirty years of age, Koroibos’ journeys brought him back to his village. For days the villagers celebrated his return, honored by the presence of the renowned hero that came from their own community. But the celebrations were cut short. A tribe of giants led by Damysus, the fastest of all giants, had heard of Koroibos' arrival, and had made the trek down from the Greenwall to see him for themselves. Their intentions were not good - years prior Koroibos had fought and killed two of their own when they had attempted to waylay him in the mountains, and they now saw an opportunity for revenge. The giants laid siege to the village, forcing its inhabitants into refuge in their temple to Mithrai.
Koroibos knew he could not face foes of that strength and number alone, and so came to a different solution. He strode forth and challenged Damysus. A race would decide his fate. If Koroibos won, the giants would leave the village alone forevermore. If he lost, he would surrender to them. The race would begin at the village and end at the mouth of the Charados Rive, over five hundred miles away. After considering the offer, Damysus agreed. He was legendary himself for being fleet of foot and with an endurance to match - surely the human could not best him.
The racers set off in the early hours of the next morning. They ran through the day and into the night, keeping pace with each other all the way. The other giants tried to keep up in order to watch, but were quickly forced to fall back, tired and out of stamina. For days Koroibos and Damysus ran. The giant resorted to increasingly underhanded means to gain an advantage, throwing boulders at Koroibos to force him to dodge and attempting to trip him as he went. But still, Koroibos continued. Finally the pair closed in on their goal. With the river in sight, both giant and human collapsed and expired, exhausted and spent by their efforts. In some recountings Koroibos crawled into the river before dying from exertion, while in others he never made it to the riverbank. Regardless of the details, he had succeeded in his goal. He had pulled the giants away from his village and kept its people safe, and attained perhaps his greatest feat in the process.
Or at least, these are some of the stories among many told by his faithful today. Legends about Koroibos continue to grow and spread, slowly morphing into more and more fantastical forms. To his followers, the truth of these fables matter little - far more important are the morals and values they impart, of using one’s strength to the benefit of others and respecting the importance of fair competition.
Followers
Athletes are the most typical follower of Koroibos, but not the only ones who pray to the saint. He is also popular with soldiers, especially in Hellea and Thadria, as well as among others who value physical might and prowess.