The Tale of the Lizard Brigade

It’s Saturday and it's time to talk about a god, or in this case goddess. For those of you who haven’t been a part of my explorations into the religions of Golarion here’s how it works.

Imagine if you will you're making a character for a group. Your only instruction is that you must be a worshiper of a specific god. You do not need to be a divine casting class although you can be, but the groups purpose is going to be working toward the goals of this specific divine being. And I'd like not just a race class combo, but a little bit about why the character would choose to dedicate him or herself to this god. Feel free to make up secret or not so secret orders within the church. Or even sects outside of the church you think might be interesting. With only this one piece of information that must be true let your imagination go wild with the rest.

Today's god

Chaldira NG halfling goddess of Battle, luck, mischief

Chaldira’s Pathfinder Wiki page 

Chaldira’s Archives of Nethys Entry 

Usually I’ve written up a few sects for the god or goddess, ways for her worshipers to find place within the hierarchy of the deity’s faithful. But today, I’m going to tell you a story.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The night sky was full of stars as the troupe settled in after a good meal. Although the halflings travelled with the Varisians they usually took to themselves after the eating. A small fire was burning and the little folk were sitting around it laughing and joking as Cleteus strummed a twanging off-beat tune on his little banjo.

As the melody filled the ears of the travelers Cleteus began to hum to himself. He smiled and bit down on his corncob pipe. When the music stopped all eyes turned to the portly fellow and he tilted his little straw hat up and with a wink began.

“Let me tell you a story youngins. A story about the faith of our goddess Chaldria. Let me tell you a story of the Lizard Brigade.

Everyone knows Chaldira is an impulsive goddess always runnin' off to battle, pickin’ fights too big for ‘er. And everyone knows that Densa would come along and bail ‘er out. The two goddesses always together, which is why we walk the road with her chosen folk here in Varisia.

But even the calamitous turn has ‘er day. And that day came when folk least ‘spected it to. Chaldira was there when the dawnflower and the other gods put down the old Rough Beast. She fought ‘long side Desna in the battle to put The Destroyer down. Some say the first notch in ‘er sword is from that battle.

But few talk ‘bout the second notch. Few talk about the day Chaldira pulled Desna and Sarenrae’s butts from the fire. The day the Lizard Brigade helped put down one of The Unmaker’s mightiest o’ beasts. The day five little halflings helped put down the Tarrasque.”

The small crowd of mostly young Halflings were rapt in the words of the storyteller. Even some of the human children pulled themselves up next to the fire to hear his tale. The occasional strum on the purposefully off key banjo chords punctuating the portly fellow’s words.

“The Rough Beast’s greatest pet had laid waste to the ancient city o’ Ninshabur and was workin’ its way 'cross the land. Many warriors fell to the creature’s anger, weakenin' the forces o’ good. Entire armies littered battlefields from the Castrovin Sea to what we know as Qadira. Nothin' seemed able to stop the beast, but Sarenrae and her crew had a plan.

The plan was simple, lure the beast into the deeps of the Darklands an' use its bulk to trap it in the caves and seal it away forever. The shining knights of all the gods stood afore the beast but couldn't gain its ire long enough to make it follow ‘em. Even shutting out 'er own starlight to blind the death machine did naught good.

As the battles began to take their toll and all seemed lost, the sounds of yipping came across the field. Five of the little folk charged the scene with such hootin’ and hollerin’ that even the old Tarrasque set its eyes on the little warriors. Now some folk will say what I’m ‘bout to tell you is untrue but I knows fer a fact it happened.

Five little halflings rode up on the beast and began to poke and prod at the creatures heels. All the armies of the gods stood toe to toe with the big ol’ scaly ball of anger but not Chaldira’s chosen. Try as it might our kin were too small for the big thing to hit. Always underfoot but unable to hit at them the Lizard Brigade infuriated the spawn of Rovagug. Some even say that its weakness was in its big toe, but we’ll never know.

The giant thing took off after the five little fellers and chased 'em deep into the hole in the ground that Sarenrae had made. Deep into the darkest most secretest corner of the Darklands. And there mighty Wizards and Priests used all the power they could muster to seal the beast away. But if it weren’t for five little halflings that monster would probably still be topside layin’ waste to every corner o’ the land.

Least that’s the story I heard.”

The children all gasped as Cleteus took one last strum of his banjo to punctuate his point. He took a drag on his pipe then leaned back, pulling his straw hat over his eyes. Just as enthralled as the children were some of the older Varisians had stood on the outside of the circle, and when the little storyteller finished shook their head and walked off. Sure the story was just a fanciful yarn they thought. But what if?