Few primitives have ever achieved sainthood, though Quivvar Nog is one of the rare exceptions. Hailing from the feral world of Fedrid, he was a warrior of one of the great plains tribes who told stories of long ago, when men were star-walkers. It is said he was present to witness the first failed attempt by the Imperium to recover his world. A group of missionaries came to Fedrid to spread the Emperor’s word and bring it back to the fold. No sooner had they made planetfall than they were set upon by the locals and almost wiped out.
It was Nog’s tribe that gave the survivors shelter and listened to their tales of the Imperium. So inspired was the young warrior, he knelt beneath the stars and swore an oath to the Emperor that he would bring Fedrid back to him. For sixty long years, Nog made war on the tribes of Fedrid in the name of the Emperor, finally as an ancient and scarred old man unifying his people. It was not until two hundred years later that the Imperium returned, prepared to once again turn the wayward tribes of the world to the light of the Emperor. What they found was a world more devout than most, which honored both the Emperor and his saint---Quivvar Nog. When tales of the primitive that had brought faith to the world reached the ears of the Ecclesiarchy, a delegation was sent to investigate. The results were that Nog was recorded as a hero of the Imperium and made a saint.
Shrines to Quivvar can be found dotted throughout the sector, especially on primitive or feral worlds where the inhabitants identify with him. There has been some dispute over the best way to revere Nog. On civilized worlds, marble or granite statues are built to him depicting the saint as a cleanshaven giant dressed in primitive but well-made armor with strong and handsome features. On primitive worlds, clay or wooden idols made in his likeness show him as a squat ugly man with dirty hide armor and a ragged cloak.
It is argued that the former is a fantasy concocted by the Ministorum to make him more palatable to more civilized citizens, but one that ultimately betrays the saint’s memory. This has lead to the unpleasant practice of befouling statues and shrines that promote this “false” image by those who claim to honor the “true” Nog. In either case, Nog enjoys a broad following as the saint of perseverance and final victory through faith. He is often revered by those with long, thankless tasks ahead of them. Nog is also associated with those too stubborn or too stupid to give up, an aspect many Acolytes can readily relate to.
Rags of Nog[]
“Behold! A fragment from the cloak of Saint Quivvar, still stained with his holy blood! For such a holy sir as yourself, I would not ask more than the pittance of one hundred Thrones, lest the Emperor Himself smite me where I stand for my greed.”
— Final words of Fenex Plorb, Purveyor of Relics and Religious Paraphernalia
Saint Quivvar Nog is often depicted as wearing a long tattered cloak that swirls heroically around his shoulders. In many illuminations of his deeds, he uses the cloak to soak up the blood of the faithful, as well as, that of his own wounds. Whether or not Nog ever wore a cloak, thousands of fragments of cloth, stained and ancient, can be found in the hands of those that claim they come from the blessed saint himself. These fragments are purported to do miraculous things, ranging from protecting the bearer from wounds and disease, to making them more fertile or granting them superhuman endurance. Many missionaries also carry these pieces of cloth on their travels, believing that whatever powers it possesses, the determination and stubbornness of Nog resides within the rag and can aid them in their holy duty to the God-Emperor.