Religion: Saints

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The Saints in Trinity.

Overview

The Scions were the direct servants of the True Gods, in the time before the Fracture. After that time, they exist as the highest source of Divine power in the world, and it is from them that paladins, priests, and their ilk draw power.

When the True Gods shaped the Scions, they created two distinct groups - the Saints, and the Lucavi. The Saints were mortals, drawn from their ranks because they received great praise from their peoples, which the True Gods saw as a form of worship. The Lucavi were crafted to seek out power by offering things in exchange for worship, such as goods or favors. In this manner, the True Gods believed that the Divine presence in reality would not die out, as at least one of the two sets of Scions would prevail in the face of adversity.

Scions require faith to continue their Divine existence; without it, a Saint or Lucavi reverts to its natural form. Even so much as a single person with true faith in an individual Scion is sufficient to grant the being Divine power, thanks to the bridge formed between that individual and the Metaphysic itself.

In the absence of the True Gods, the two groups of Scions eventually set to feuding with one another; while the presence of the True Gods managed to give them a shared sense of purpose, the collapse of an overarching Divine hierarchy has left them to their own devices, and no longer do the two groups work at least in tandem. Since the Fracture, the two groups have vied nearly constantly, though their very natures prevent either group from winning entirely.

Scions: The Saints

Throughout the whole of history, there have been individuals who rose above their peers, performing deeds thought impossible or performed against overwhelming odds. The "hero worship" these people were given, especially after their deaths, paved the way for the True Gods' creation of one of the two groups of Scions - the Saints.

Unlike their peers, the Lucavi, the Saints are not simply made; instead, Saints are drawn up from the ranks of mortals, their peoples' belief and faith in them rising to the level of true faith, in a Divine sense. When a soul attains its first true believer, the soul rises from the rank and file of the afterlife and becomes a Saint, their essence becoming metaphysically linked to the Metaphysic itself. So long as the Saint has at least one true believer, that link cannot be severed, and the Saint can utilize the power of the Divine.

Worship of Saints is protected almost everywhere, regardless of which Saint is worshipped; this is primarily due to the belief that Saints are or were people deserving of such trust, and that even an evil Saint must have some redeeming qualities if there are those who choose to believe in them.

Also unlike the Lucavi, the Saints are much greater in number, not feeling the need to maintain a strict internal order as the Lucavi do. Given that heroes rise and fall in the passage of time, new Saints arise now and again, while some are forgotten and their worshipers dwindle in number. As such, the number of Saints that are active varies over time; not only that, but Saints have a tendency to have their worship focused in a given geographical area or from a specific race or culture, meaning that differing cultures will often revere different Saints. This leads to a number of Saints having overlapping portfolios, though their approaches and dogmas may differ radically.

List of Saints

What follows is a list of the Saints.

Saints

Name Title Rank Ethos Favored Weapon Portfolio
Tracy Vannieu Of the Gun Intermediate GRw Pistol Vengeance, orphans, self-sufficiency, protection
Sardon Of the Lightning Lesser Wg Lance  
Konoe Ishikaru Of the Blade Lesser WGu Katana  
Uriah Morodov Of the Road Lesser Rg ??? Travel
Ajriquexl The Lightning's Hand Lesser R Longsword Architecture, lightning, storms
Tamerlane The Metal Lady Intermediate URg Greatsword War, combat, swordsmithing, technological armament
Luna Lorne Of the Night Lesser Bu Dagger Assassination, stealth, contracts
Iocus The Manifest Destiny Lesser WB Quarterstaff Humanity
Jareth Larin Of the Labyrinth Intermediate Ubw Darts Games, laws, rules
Rashida Of the Moons Intermediate RU Longbow The moons, emotions
Darien Hofstadter The Eternal Braid Intermediate Uw Chakram The mind, analogies, intelligence
Tevra Mistress of the Engine Lesser U  ??? The analytical network, communication
Godellion Of the Primes Lesser U  ??? Mathematics, unsolvable problems
James Prochaska Of the Vault Lesser Ugw  ??? Chemistry, ingenuity, experimentation
Tella'mejis Of the Feather Lesser Gw Shortsword Chocobos
Ashe'soleil Tamer of Beasts Lesser Uw Whip Trainers, mementos, animal handling
Arcostes Germonik Of the Book Intermediate Uwg  ??? Writing, literature, knowledge
Samahtar Of the Mind Lesser Bu None Psionics, the blind, revenge, secrets
Calixte Of the Muse Lesser Gu Rapier Music
Libitina Lady of Graves Lesser Ubw Dagger Burial, death, rebirth, water
Mongrel The Stray Dog Lesser RG Bastard Sword The homeless, the destitute, the poor
Ayratha Sister of Fire Intermediate Wb Warhammer Trial, transformation, the discovery and pursuit of purpose, hidden beauty
Sela Sister of Stone Intermediate Wb Unarmed Strike Lasting accomplishments, stone buildings, unity
Shurassa Sister of Storms Intermediate Rg Trident Storms, hurricanes, catharsis and forgiveness
Russna Sister of Mists Intermediate U Dagger Wisdom, mystery, diplomacy, language, study, writing
Ulura Sister of the Moon Intermediate UR None Moonlight, love and lovers, secrets, the night
Ahrianna Sister of Prophecy Intermediate BR Flail Madness, insanity, aberrations, enlightenment

 

The Saints

General overviews of each of the Saints follow.

Tracy Vannieu

Tracy Vannieu

The Gunslinger, Lady of Noon, The Huntress

Intermediate Saint

Title: Of the Gun

Symbol: Bullet in a shot glass

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Portfolio: Vengeance, orphans, self-sufficiency, protection

Worshippers: Orphans, gamblers, gunslingers

Priest Alignments: NG, CG, CN

Domains: Tracy Vannieu

Favored Weapon: Pistol

Organizations: The Gunsai

Prestige Classes: Gunsai

Description

Tracy Vannieu is a young, vaguely xianese, female human, dressed in typical Coldlands garb (denim jeans, plain shirt, boots), along with a well-made black leather trenchcoat. On her left hip is holstered a pistol of exquisite make, which her followers know to be called The Saint, and a simple but well-constructed acoustic guitar is slung across her back.

Some say that Tracy had halfling blood, which gave rise to her skills with guns and her somewhat short stature.

Tracy is the patron saint of orphans, protectors, and those who proclaim self-sufficiency. Her name is invoked by those seeking vengeance, as well as those protecting or harboring orphans.

Dogma

What can be done by many can be done by one, with enough effort. Children are to be protected at all costs, as they are precious and cannot protect themselves. Let your vengeance be swift, but only once you are assured that your mark is deserving of it. Be prepared for the unexpected; ensure that you never lose your cool. Be reliant only upon yourself, but do not refuse the help of others if it is necessary. Travel light, aim true, and be ever vigilant.

Clergy and Churches

Symbol of Tracy Vannieu

Tracy's followers are often dressed much like gunslingers, garbed in leather trenchcoats and typically armed with pistols, when not in one of their churches. Their appearance does not readily indicate their priesthood, though some wear clerical collars. They do not usually wear holy symbols, as their weapons function in that regard.

Tracy's churches are often small and straightforward, with little decoration. Oftentimes, a Vannieuan church doubles as an orphanage and a bar (though most priests try to keep those two functions separate), meaning that newcomers to a city may visit one of her churches and not even realize it.

While Vannieuan dogma holds that her priests should uphold the weak and seek vengeance against wrongdoers, Tracy does not advocate working with law enforcement in pursuit of this goal - she encourages self-sufficiency. While this may sometimes lead to difficulties with established governments, Tracy's followers revel in this disobedience.

The primary Vannieuan church is located in Mechanicus, constructed of black marble and featuring gothic architecture. It is by far the largest and grandest of the Vannieuan churches in the world, and the only one decorated so lavishly. It is said that, beyond the main hall, there are dozens of twisting and turning passages that lead to various locations throughout the city, and that there are a good many rooms that could accomodate hundreds of children.

Rites and Rituals

Tracy has little patience for wasted words or actions, and so she has minimal rites and rituals attributed to her faith. The cleaning of one's firearms in the morning is amongst her rituals, and her priests recite prayers during this time. Another of her more commonly-practiced rituals is drinking - her clergy have narrowed this practice down to a shot of whiskey before sleeping or in celebration of successfully executed vengeance.

Holy Days
Torian 17: Tracy's Ascension

Legends

Many bars in the Coldlands Territory claim to have been visited by Tracy Vannieu during her life, though fewer have the audacity to claim that they are her preferred bar. These claims are often ignored by Vannieuan priests, who keep the truth secret. They know precisely which bar in the Coldlands Territory was the one Tracy called home, and - for them - it is sacred ground; they do not tread there, but they keep a watchful eye over it, ensuring that nothing happens to it.

Sardon

Title: Of the Lightning

Appearance: A young, bearded male human, armed with a heavy lance and geared in mithril plate.

Worship: Main church on the Isle of Thunder, featuring high spires and surrounded by water.

Titles: Son of Thunder, The Sunderer, High Dragoon

Organizations: The Dragoons

Prestige Classes: Dragoon


Luna Lorne

Title: Of the Night

Appearance: Young, breath-takingly beautiful human woman, clad in black plate and armed with a katana.

Worship: Main church in Wayveris, kept dark at all times and consisting of mainly empty space.

Titles: The Assassin, She Who Kills, Keeper of the Eclipse

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: Assassin of the Eclipse


Konoe Ishikaru

Title: Of the Blade

Appearance: Aged male clavat, clad in black samurai gear, wielding a katana.

Worship: Main church in Elmdor Castle in Colianth, crafted of wood and made to resemble a training hall for samurai.

Titles: The Last Samurai, Keeper of the Genji, Yojimbo

Organizations: The Genji

Prestige Classes: Genji

Long ago on Distarin, there arose a clavat whose skills with weaponry were unequaled. When he came of age, he went into hiding to master his arts, as there were none who could teach him, and to build his weapons, as there were none who could craft them. He emerged again five years later, garbed in black great armor and wielding a katana. At this time, the clavat people were fighting amongst each other. Konoe rode singly against their armies and cut down those who did not surrender, and he singly united the clavat peoples into a single nation.

He was offered a position of power in the newly-formed nation, but refused - instead, he once again vanished from the sight of common folk. This time, however, he took a small number of clavats with him, who he trained in the ways of war and weaponcraft, should the need rise again. These he named the Genji, and they protect the clavat people to this day. They were forbidden to teach the more intricate secrets of their craft to any but their own lines, though they were allowed to teach others the ways of defense. These lesser Genji became known as samurai.

Since then, Konoe has been idolized as a folk hero; however, when Tracy Vannieu ascended, the clavat people recognized that Konoe, too, was a saint, and began worshipping him as such. It is said that, when all the samurai and Genji have perished, Konoe will ride again.

Uriah Morodov

The Anarch, The Traveler

Lesser Saint

Title: Of the Road

Symbol: A chaos star mounted on a signpost

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Portfolio: Travel

Worshippers: Travelers, wanderers

Priest Alignments: NG, CG, CN

Domains: Uriah Morodov

Favored Weapon: (none)

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

Description

Coming soon.

Dogma

Coming soon.

Clergy and Churches

Coming soon.

Rites and Rituals

Coming soon.

Holy Days
Coming soon.

Legends

Coming soon.

Ajriquexl

Ajriquexl

The Stormchaser, Daughter of the Skies

Lesser Saint

Title: The Lightning's Hand

Symbol: A pair of crossed keys over a lock

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Portfolio: Lightning, storms, architecture

Worshippers: Architects, sailors

Priest Alignments: CG, N, CN

Domains: Ajriquexl

Favored Weapon: Longsword

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

Description

Coming soon.

Dogma

Coming soon.

Clergy and Churches

Coming soon.

Rites and Rituals

Coming soon.

Holy Days
Coming soon.

Legends

Coming soon.

Tamerlane

Tamerlane

The Swordsaint, Valkyrie of the East, The Iron Maiden

Intermediate Saint

Title: The Metal Lady

Symbol: A metal spiked gauntlet

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Portfolio: War, combat, swordsmithing, technological armament

Worshippers: Einhanders, generals, tacticians, engineers, warriors

Priest Alignments: LG, LN, LE

Domains: Tamerlane

Favored Weapon: Greatsword

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

Description

Tamerlane is an older half-elven woman, garbed in armor of blue, green, and grey, often wielding an oversized greatsword. She is often depicted with a disinterested look on her face, as though bored with whatever view she is afforded.

Tamerlane was a great tactician in her time, winning a number of difficult conflicts. She is remembered well for having fought a number of battles that needn't be fought, but were against an adversary she found particularly interesting due to their tactical skill. When she finally fell in battle, both sides of the conflict stopped to pay homage to her memory, and thus she ascended as a Saint.

Tamerlane is the patron saint of einhanders, of conflicts for conflict's sake, and well-executed warfare. Her name is invoked by those entering battle.

Dogma

Conceive, plan, and execute. Consider alternatives, weigh your options, and choose the most efficient path to success. Fight a battle of attrition only if you must. Be strong where your enemy is weak, and accept that you must sometimes be weak where your enemy is strong. In the case of victory, do not gloat - instead, ensure your success and press your advantage. In the case of defeat, do not despair - instead, review your plans, find the flaws, and learn from them.

Clergy and Churches

Tamerlane's clergy is taught the art of war, and most of her priests are capable in combat. Their armor is often given the same blue, green, and grey color scheme of her armor, and as such they are almost always easily recognizable.

Tamerlane's churches are usually relatively small and efficient. They are generally built to be easily defensible in a siege, and are also designed to serve as a command post in a combat situation if the need arises.

Rites and Rituals

Coming soon.

Holy Days
Lisyllan 3: Tamerlane's Ascension

Legends

Coming soon.

Iocus

Iocus

Savior of Man, The Martyr

Lesser Saint

Title: The Manifest Destiny

Symbol: A silver starburst

Alignment: Neutral

Portfolio: Humanity, manifest destiny

Worshippers: Humans, Ronkans

Priest Alignments: LN, NG, N, NE

Domains: Iocus

Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

Description

Iocus appears as a middle-aged, relatively nondescript human, often with plain brown hair and blue eyes. He is depicted as being dressed simply, but always bearing a necklace with his holy symbol and often bearing a book.

Iocus was the primary Saint of the Ronkan Empire, and made the focal point of the Glabados Church in the Empire's first incarnation. Before his ascension, Iocus had fought for the freedom of humanity from the elves, and sought equality for humanity alongside the elves; later in life, this turned to guerrilla tactics against the elven aristocracy, crimes for which he was executed. This event directly led to his ascension and the formation of the alliance that would overthrow the Woodland League.

Iocus is the patron saint of humans and the Ronkan Empire.

Dogma

Follow your own path, and let no other direct you. If oppressed, rebel; if rebelled against, quell it. The human spirit can never be diminished: never give up, never surrender.

Clergy and Churches

Iocus has an exclusively human clergy; while other races may recognize Iocus' free spirit and determination, Iocus also represents humanity's eagerness to overthrow other governments and put themselves in the spotlight, and as such rarely do other races revere him.

Rites and Rituals

Coming soon.

Holy Days
Sellixian 28: Iocus' Execution
Quellosian 12: Iocus' Ascension

Legends

Coming soon.

Jareth Larin

Jareth Larin

Keeper of the Labyrinth, The Grim Dealer

Lesser Saint

Title: Of the Labyrinth

Symbol: A black king chess piece over a white maze on a silver background

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Portfolio: Games of skill

Worshippers: Assassins, mages; those who play games of skill, occasionally gamblers

Priest Alignments: LE, LN

Domains: Jareth Larin

Favored Weapon: Darts

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

Description

Jareth is the saint of games. The games he favors are those that are one-on-one that require a great deal of skill; however, he looks upon all games as his domain. He takes each game seriously, be it a childish game of marbles or the 'game' of an assassin hunting down his prey. He has a great dislike for those who mock games, or those who flaunt them.

When he appears on the prime material plane, Jareth appears as a well-groomed gentleman with sleek black hair. He often carries implements of gaming: a travel-sized chessboard with exquisite pieces, a deck of ivory playing cards, a set of mithril-tipped darts, and the like.

Jareth is the patron saint of gaming.

Dogma

Pay well and to win. Never give quarter your enemies. Watch the movements of those who oppose you and learn from their ways; in this way can you gain advantage over them. Never underestimate the power of a game. Be cunning in all things, and never let your guard down. When a game is won, honor the winner, regardless of whether he is friend or foe. When judging a game, be impartial in all things - do not let personal bias interfere with a game. Obey all the rules of a game, but always remember to look for the loophole.

Clergy and Churches

The clergy of Jareth are almost always dressed in robes of black, white, and silver. They are easily identified by the black metal chess piece they wear around their neck, which is indicative of their rank in the church hierarchy: those who wear pawns are unimportant, but those who wear bishops or knights are more powerful. Only the high priest of Jareth is allowed to wear a queen; none are permitted to wear a king, as that is Jareth's personal symbol.

Jareth's priests are allowed to build temples in most places, so long as they obey the laws of the land - which they always do. His temples are often stocked with a variety of gaming implements, similar to the ones Jareth himself carries when he vists the prime material. His priests are also relatively common in places where gaming is a major trade, as they are highly useful in their ability to impartially judge all games they observe; they are usually carrying an assortment of gaming implements, though not usually of the same quality or quantity that Jareth carries.

Rites and Rituals

Coming soon.

Holy Days
Coming soon.

Legends

Coming soon.

Rashida

Rashida

The Lunar Maiden

Intermediate Saint

Title: Of the Moons

Symbol: A silver crescent moon

Alignment: Neutral Good

Portfolio: The moons, emotions

Worshippers: Space-travelers, night watchmen, psychologists

Priest Alignments: NG, N, CN

Domains: Rashida

Favored Weapon: Longbow

Organizations: None

Prestige Classes: None

Description

Rashida appears as a tall, attractive human woman, garbed in white with gold trim, often accompanied by a silver crescent moon fans out from the back of her dress, framing her head.

Rashida's story of ascension has been lost to the ages - she has been a Saint for as long as anyone can remember, and her origins are shrouded in mystery. There is a legend that she was once a True God, but voluntarily stepped down from that post during the Fracture, saving herself in the process; in the modern world, this story has little support, but there are some who hold to it.

Rashida is the patron saint of those who travel by night.

Dogma

Coming soon.

Clergy and Churches

Coming soon.

Rites and Rituals

Coming soon.

Holy Days
Coming soon.

Legends

Coming soon.