Deities of Valt pt 1

This is the first part in my weekly series, the Deities of Valt.  Since the game I am currently running stars my girlfriend’s character, I thought we would begin with her druid’s god.  If anyone sees any gods mentioned in a game synopsis, these deity descriptions, or some other material I have posted up, and would like to suggest or request a god to be ‘moved up’ in the queue of gods to be detailed, please let me know.

Lolmoro (lowl-MORE-oh, lahl-MORE-oh)

The Protector, Lifegiver, Cloudlord, Skyking

NG Greater power of the Elemental Plane of Air

 

Pantheon: Nature

Portfolio: Clouds, protection, agriculture, farmers

Domain: The Cloud Court

Allies: Birsin, Sulsel, Kogorak, Loris, Propyior, Silthen

Enemies: Scorce, Therea, Boljur

Superior: Toben

Symbol: A cloud

Worshipper Alignment: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN

Favored Weapon: “Protector’s Wrath” (Heavy Mace)

Cleric Domains: Good, Air, Family, Plant, Protection

Summary:  It has been argued by some that Lolmoro is the most important god on Valt.  Before Lolmoro came, the majority of Valt was dry, vegetation was sparse, and the heat of the world was a very real danger even for a healthy person.  Lolmoro provides the almost constant cloud cover that Valt enjoys, which enables the world to support large and abundant plant life.  Without him, large portions of it would be totally uninhabitable.

                Lolmoro protects the weak, while allowing the strong to stand on their own.  He does not turn down requests for aid, even from those he may consider an enemy.  He is kind and gentle to the downtrodden and the suffering, but he is unflinching on the battlefield.

                He is usually depicted as being a human man in his early twenties, clean-shaven, with short white hair.  He is often depicted as a paladin, with his mace and his shield (hammered from a cloud), riding atop his faithful steed, Bori (the first asperi).

History/Relationships: Scorce, the deity of the sun, was very powerful in Valt.  When he first arrived with Toben and the other nature deities, he found the power in being a sun deity was immense, and this enabled him to grow stronger.  The first sunlight in Valt was harsh and deadly, and the mortals could barely stay alive under its dominance.

                In order to keep the mortals alive, and to spread life throughout the world, Sulsel and Birsin birthed a son.  He was formed from a little of each of them, and became the deity of clouds.  Lolmoro spread his shielding clouds throughout the sky, providing a vital shelter for the living things of Valt.

                He has remained largely unchanged as a god, although his church has grown in power and size.  He himself claims rulership over the skies, if not the air.  It is a fine line, but one his mother has never challenged.  He is ever the loving son, indulging his mother’s whimsy and his father’s compassion with equal duty.  He will aid either of them without question.  He serves Toben as the head of their pantheon, and has sought a greater kinship with the head of their family.

                Loris, Propyior, and Silthen all share similar goals with him, and their methodology is different enough that the Cloudking rarely finds himself overlapping with them.  One would think that Ianor would be a natural ally of Lolmoro, but such is not the case.  Since their goals, methods, and followers are so similar, each considers the other to be a rival from another pantheon (which is true).  Although they will not voluntarily go to one another’s aid without first being asked (and neither would ever ask the other for assistance) they will work together to defeat a common foe.

                Scorce desires Lolmoro’s death, so that he could be free to torment the mortals of Valt.  Scorce’s son, Boljur (who is Lolmoro’s cousin) hates him with an unrivaled passion, but the two have such dissimilar domains that their conflicts are fought entirely by their churches.

                Lolmoro himself despises Therea, especially since she is not above asking for his assistance if she is in too far over her head.  He longs for a chance to catch her in some act which would justify his annihilation of her.  He asks that his clergy investigate clerics of Therea as fully as possible, showing them no mercy when they can get away with it.

Manifestations: Lolmoro is rarely seen on the material plane.  The last time an avatar of his was there, a sorcerous creature from outside of this reality attempted to imprison Lolmoro’s avatar and use his divine energy to breach the planes and return to its alien home.  Through the creature was defeated, Lolmoro has been far more cautious in sending out his emissaries.

                When an avatar of Lolmoro is seen on the material plane, it is usually to conduct a meeting with another deity, under cover of mortal guise.  The Protector does not fool or test mortals as some of his brethren do.  Rarely, he will be seen bringing cloud cover to an area that has seen too much dry weather.

                When he does appear, it is in the guise of his most favored clergy member.  This is usually a human paladin, although in the past he has appeared as a dwarf, a woman, and once an orc.  He always carries his mace and his shield, and when he reveals his divine power, clouds appear far overhead and radiate out from his location.

THE CHURCH

                The church of Lolmoro is the largest in Valt.  Although he is not the most powerful deity, and his church may not be the most powerful church, it is certainly the most populous.  Fully twenty-five percent of humans belong to his flock, and of the non-racial deities, he is most popular choice for elves, halflings, and half-ogres as well.

Priests: The Protectorate (singular Protector)

Alignment: LG, NG, CG

Classes: Cleric, Paladin, Monk

Dogma: Protect those weaker than you.  You who are made strong are like the shield, which is made of steel to protect the softness of flesh.  But always remember that without those whom you protect, you are nothing, just as a shield is useless with no arm to wield it.  Cherish life, and preserve it whenever possible.  Even a wicked life may yet come to realize the value it has, and the harm that it does.  Do not allow wickedness to roam free, however.  It is the evil act that must be punished, not the evil thought.  Assist even those of impure heart, for by your example you may yet lead them to righteousness.

Day-to-day activities: Members of an established church of Lolmoro spend their time between two activities.  The first function of their churches is to protect farmers and farmland.  They help in planting, tending, and harvesting.  They also help provide irrigation or to acquire additional land for a community to use as farmland.  They often purchase large areas for farmland which they themselves will tend, and use to supplement the stores of the community.

                The second type of church dedicated to the Skyking is a more martial type.  These churches are usually found in embattled lands, or in areas where the people are under a constant danger from giants, orcs, or some other persistent threat.  These temples tend to focus around protecting the local citizenry from these threats, so that they can go about their daily lives without having to worry about the monsters lurking at the border.  The clergy of those churches do patrols, reconnaissance for militias, and provide materials and training for those who would help defeat the threat.

Worship Locations: Temples to Lolmoro can be found in almost every human city.  Most communities with a population of more than a thousand people will have more than one, especially in areas with a high focus on agriculture.  Temples can also be found in areas with dangerous terrain or persistent threats from monsters and rival nations.  They can also be found along popular trade routes, so that they can protect travelers.

Temples to Lolmoro tend to be grand buildings, built with lots of room inside.  Sweeping arches and high ceilings prevail.  Murals on the ceilings depicting various scenes of the Livegiver are common.  Silver and platinum gilding are favored in the more lavish temples.  Ones in extremely impoverished areas, or very small communities, tend to be constructed with the ceilings open to the elements.  Sky themed paintings, sculptures, carvings, frescoes, and friezes are popular in all of these.

Affiliated Orders: The Brotherhood of the Shield is an order of paladins dedicated to Lolmoro.  They travel extensively as adventurers, doing what good they can.  The senior members of the order co-ordinate efforts of roving paladins, sending more of them (or more experienced individuals) into areas where they are more needed.

                The Fists of Mist are a secretive order of monks that venerate the Cloudking.  They often work side by side with clergy, and travel with sages or scholars to protect them from people who would try to take their knowledge with force of arms.  The Fists are also common additions to very poor temples, where they blend in seamlessly with the hard-working populace until their martial prowess is needed.

Apostasy: There are no deep religious schisms within the Protectorate, all though those outside the faith of Lolmoro often tell stories of a secret which could incite deep conflict.  They claim that Loris is actually the son of Lolmoro, rather than Ianor.  The clergy scoff at such claims, and dismiss them as the spiteful gossip of those who would slander both the Cloudking and the General in White.  The churches of Silthen, Loris, and Ianor all deny this as well.

Vestments: Clergy of Lolmoro wear light colors, favoring white, light grays, or blue.  Most clergy carry maces with the heads painted white, even if they do not use them.  Holy symbols of the deity vary in size and shape, although they are usually worn on a light chain around the neck.  High priests frequently wear symbols carved from alabaster.

Holy days/Ceremonies: The beginning of planting season would seem like a celebratory time for the Cloudking, but the church emphasizes it as a time of dedication and hard work.  Instead, they celebrate during harvest time, in a festival known as the Blessing of Bounty.  The Blessing of Bounty is celebrated for a variable length of time, beginning on the night the last harvests are brought in, and lasting longer in proportion to how long the harvest lasted: communities that made only a meager harvest might celebrate only a single night.  Those that experienced a surplus may celebrate for a week or more.  This festival includes feasting and family oriented community events.

                The other major ceremony of the church is called the Weeping.  It is held on the first day of rain in a given year.  In places like Fassett and southern Numbrar, this can occur as early as the first week of the year.  In Cadram, it can occur as late as mid-autumn.  It is a day of melancholy and nostalgia, as those members of the faith reflect on the promises they failed to keep, the responsibilities they were unable to live up to, and the cost that their actions have had on others.  It is usually marked quietly, with the church giving counsel to those most ashamed of their failures (or in need of reminding of them), and encouraging their flock to face the next year with strength and resolve.

Oath: The Oath of Defense.  A Protector who takes this oath may not allow anyone to bully, take advantage of, harm, or oppress someone weaker than them.  This only exception to this is defending themselves or others.  This means that the Protector cannot slay a retreating enemy.  They must always accept an honorable surrender.  They may not attack someone just for being evil.  A cleric with this oath may kill a troll who is attacking him or someone else, but may not attack a troll he happens to see wandering through the forest.

                A Protector with this oath gains a +1 bonus to all ability checks and saving throws against heat based effects (both environmental and magical).