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email: Aelor |
Vesta
Goddess of the Sun, Dawn, Healing, and Renewal
Known as the Dawnbringer, the Radiant Lady, and the Shining Healer, Vesta is the goddess of light, the protector of newborns, and the bringer of new beginnings. She is probably the faith with the most worshippers in the Kingdom of Aris, and by far the favorite of the common people of the land.
Associations
Vesta is payed homage by anyone who is thankful for the rising sun, healers, midwives, and even pacificts, though not all her followers are opposed to conflict if it is necessary, and they maintain that cleansing and renewal can come from such things. A good number of her worshippers were former criminals, given a new life to follow the Dawnbringer.
Followers of Vesta hang small symbols of her faith in the windows and doorways that face the rising sun as a sign of their love for her, and all of her temples are built so that the front entrance is struck with the light of the morning sun.
Alignment
Vesta is Lawful Good.
Representations
Vesta is universally portrayed by all races as a beautiful, young, blind human woman in shimmering white robes. Her eyes cannot see, but despite her unfocused stare, she often seems as if she can. She has a kind smile and a soft voice. She carries a staff with a giant diamond set at the tip, called the Eye of Vesta.
Her symbol is a rising sun which is almost always made of gold.
Purpose
Vesta is primarily concerned with the constant cycle of the dawn and its symbolism to the endless renewal of the universe. She fights a neverending battle with her sister Aluvia and the forces of Chaos to ensure that the dawn shall never cease to come and that Aelor is forever. She takes great interest in the comings and goings of mortals from the world and keeps a close eye on the Balance of Souls, and those who are to be returned to life are of her utmost responsibilty.
She believes that no matter the level of corruption in a mortal soul, there is always an avenue for rebirth, both in life and in death, to something untainted by Chaos and its forces, and this is what she strives to acheive each passing day.
Servants
Lucier, the Morningstar - Known as the Herald of the Dawn, the Morningstar guards Vesta as she enters the morning sky, ever watchful for the minions of Aluvia who might seek to heed her progress. Her first holy warrior, the Morningstar helped spread the word of Vesta in the time when Man was young. He was rewarded for his devotion with service as head of her Eternal Guard and as her messenger.
The Church - The Houses of the Rising Sun
Church Description
A traveller in the Kingdom of Aris would immediately notice one thing in each city in which they arrive. That thing would be that city's House of the Rising Sun, the temple to Vesta. Often placed at the highest point in the city, or at its center, the single tower which rises from each temple is a myriad of colored glass. At the top is a balcony on which a nightly vigil is sat by a single priest until the dawn. The entrance always faces east towards the rising sun, and each temple has but one window facing west with which to watch the goddess depart Aelor each night. In smaller settlements, the temples are scaled down to fit with the size of the local buildings, but still maintain the same structure.
The temples of Vesta are often bustling with activity, both from the priesthood and the worshippers. The clergy is often sought for advice on matters of all kinds, by anyone from a local farmer to even the King himself, and the Stewards of Vesta are always happy to give advice to those who seek it.
Church Structure
The church of Vesta is divided into two orders, the Stewards, who are the mind of Vesta, overseeing all church matters, and the Heralds, who are the body and strength of Vesta. The heirarchy is quite simple, with each temple run by a High Steward, who all report to the Supreme Steward in Arstelon. The High Stewards have under them three Honored Stewards, who are each in charge of one specific matter; one is in charge of the House itself, one is in charge of the congregation, and the third is in charge of the clergy.
The Heralds are run similarly, although the High Heralds of each House are of equal rank to the High Steward, and both work closely with each other to ensure smooth execution of Vesta's will. The Honored Heralds duties at each church are slightly different than their priestly counterparts. One is in charge of defense and security of the House, one is charged with overseeing the safety of the local city or town and its inhabitants, and the last is in charge of the Heralds which are responsible for matters in the countryside and beyond.
In some of the smaller Houses in more remote parts of Aris, the roles of the Honored Stewards or Honored Heralds may be held by the High Steward or High Herald when personnel is not plentiful enough to fill such positions.
Doctrine
Give Aid Freely - Give willingly and freely what you are able to those who are in need, as Vesta does with her gifts to those who are her servants.
Renewal - Everyone deserves a second chance; a being can never be redeemed otherwise. Mortal beings always have a chance at a new beginning, no matter how slim.
Keep the Balance- The followers of Darkness and Chaos seek to disrupt the natural cycle of both the day and the cycle of birth and death. It is of utmost importance that such a thing should never take place.
Holy Days
Midsummer Night is the most important day in the holy calendar of Vesta. The longest day of the year, celebrations run from dawn until dusk, including feasting, performances, and a giant marketplace. On this day is also the Midsummer Tournament, held in Arstelon, which is the largest in the Kingdom of Aris, bringing knights and spectators from all over the land. At dusk, the winner of the Tournament carries the torch from the fairgrounds to the House of the Rising Sun to light the night's vigil, and is given Vesta's blessing as her champion against darkness for the coming year.
Preferred Weapon
Her followers often carry the spiked mace for its resemblance to the sun and its shining rays.
Clerics - The Stewards of Vesta
The Order
The Stewards of Vesta are the most well known priesthood across Aris. They work with both noble and commonfolk alike, whether it be healing the sick, overseeing childbirth and blessing newborns, or counsiling criminals in the error of their ways. They are everpresent in the communities across the lands, and purposefully so. They are ever vigilant for signs of Chaos and Darkness and their influence, and the more they know and see of the people, the more chances to disrupt the behavior of their enemies. Thus, many of the Stewards take to adventuring as a way to spread the light of Vesta to less civilized lands where her foes more often gather.
The Stewards work closely with the Justices of Tyr in helping to maintain order as well as the comfort of the people of the Kingdom. They are also on good terms with the Church of Lyr, though the unstructured method by which they operate makes dealing with them on a close-knit level difficult. Conversely, the Stewards are always at odds with Accuris and his followers, and the Nightbringers of Aluvia are their swarn enemies. The minions of Bael and Nergal are much less evident, but they are no less dangerous to the aims of Vesta and her priesthood.
Titles
At 1st level, a cleric of Vesta has the rank of Steward and is usually addressed as "son" or "daughter".
At 7th level, the Steward is addressed as "Father" or "Mother" and is eligible to become an Honored Steward. This is also the time when some Stewards choose to follow the Path of the Dawnbringer.
At 10th level, the Honored Steward is eligible for appointment to High Steward. This appointment is made directly by the Supreme Steward. High Stewards are addressed as "High Father" and "High Mother".
The Supreme Steward is elected from among the High Stewards upon the death of the previous Supreme Steward and is addressed as "Holy Father" or "Holy Mother".
Domains
Stewards of Vesta may choose two of the following domains: Good, Healing, Protection, Renewal, and Sun.
Spells
The spells of the Stewards may be found here.
Alignments
A Steward of Vesta may be lawful good, lawful neutral or neutral good.
Holy Warriors - Heralds of the Radiant Dawn
The Order
The Heralds of the Radiant Dawn are some of the most revered warriors to walk Aelor. They are the strength of the Church, and are tasked with battling the forces of Darkness and Chaos, and defending the people of Aelor from their corruption.
In times gone by, the Heralds were small in number, with little organization amongst them. Since the coming of Aris and the establishment of the Kingdom, Vesta's influence has spread and the Heralds stand among the largest contingent of holy knights who dwell under her guiding Light.
Titles
Heralds are addressed as "Sir" or "Madam" by those outside the church, but are addressed as "Brother" or "Sister" by those within the church.
At 10th level, a Herald who has completed a special task in the name of Vesta set out by the High Herald or High Steward is eligible to be given the rank of Messenger of Vesta. This honored rank is held in high esteem by all within the Church as well as among the general populace and other faiths.
Holy Warrior Class
Prestige Classes
Messenger of Vesta
