Shield of Faith

Chosen of Mazludeh

Many celestial beings fall under the heading of Empyreal Lord. There are some of these divine beings that are head-and-shoulders above the rest and can claim to be gods, albeit minor, in their own right. This week’s example is one of these deities who takes on aspects of the Azata, Agathion, and Archon. I present to you Mazludeh, goddess of balance, community, negotiation, and twilight. Here are three possible sects for this divine entity.

As always, let us imagine we are sitting at our theoretical gaming table. Our imaginary GM sets out the rules for the game that we will play. In this game, we are to make a follower of Mazludeh. The character does not need to be a divine caster, just a devotee of The Mother of Hearth and Wall. What character do you make?

For more information on Mazludeh

Mazludeh’s Pathfinder Wiki Page

Mazludeh’s Archives of Nethys Page

The Warriors of Stone

In the far of land of Holomog in southern Garund, Mazludeh is the patron goddess of the matriarchy. The Warriors of Stone are a sect of warrior women who are tasked with protecting leaders of the nation. After years of militaristic expansion, the armies of Holomog were turned into statues by the wizard Geb in the area now known as the Field of Maidens. This small group of specialized fighters takes their name in honor of these lost soldiers.

After generations of military offense, The Warriors of Stone have taken a more defensive stance. They choose not to go to war and to only protect within the bounds of their native land. Each is trained in the use of a heavy shield and carries no other weapon on their persons. Although they are considered a religious sect, their membership is mostly made up of fighters.

The Clutch

Among the tribes of the Mwangi Jungle, history is passed down from one generation to the next in stories that have been told for time immemorial. These stories are meant to protect the tribe’s children from the dangers of the jungle in the form of morality tales. The Clutch is a group of storytellers that comes from among the tribes to share tales to bring back to their own people. They meet at twice a year, starting at twilight on the equinoxes, for a week-long storytelling competition.

Becoming a member of the sect is done by being taken as a protégé by an existing member of the sect. Training begins within the tribe and a mentor may have two or even three students. When a pupil is ready he or she is brought to one of the two gatherings of the sect where they are challenged to tell a new tale. A group of elder storytellers judge the story and decides whether to accept or reject a supplicant.

Whispers in the Night

Magnimar sees many cults dedicated to the Empyreal Lords. Among these are a group of worshipers of The Mother of Hearth and Wall. The Whispers in the Night is a small sect – less than a dozen members – that follow their deity in her aspect as negotiator. They can be hired to represent a person in almost any form of parlay and can be found as a representative for those who must go through Magnimar’s (often convoluted) court system.

Membership tends to attract bards, clerics, rogues, and investigators. Although anyone can petition to be represented when taking on a client who is facing Magnimar’s justice system, the sect will scrutinize their client on their own as they will only represent those they believe are being treated unfairly. They do, however, have an excellent track record of proving their client’s innocence.

The defenders of those who cannot defend themselves come to worship this being. Who is your disciple of Mazludeh? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to The Mother of Heath and Wall? Where does their devotion to this Empyreal Lord come from? Let me know in the comments.

If the CRB has helped you take a closer look at those inspired by the divine, please consider showing support and become one of my patrons by donating to my Patreon or making a donation to my Paypal. Looking for more out of the CRB? Then you’re in luck! Facebook, Google +, Tumblr, and Twitter all have a CRB presence. And if you’re as impatient as I am, have the CRB pushed directly to your Kindle with every new post by signing up for Kindle Subscriptions.