Those Who Stand

Faithful of Soralyn

In the realms of the celestial the Empyreal Lords look over those things that the major gods miss in their portfolios. Some are warriors, some art artists, and others are protectors. Soralyon is the Empyreal Lord of guardians, magic, and monuments and this week we’re gonna take a look at three possible sects for this powerful angel.

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 Soralyon. The character does not need to be a divine caster, just a devotee of The Mystic Angel. What character do you make?

For more information on Soralyon

Soralyon’s Pathfinder Wiki Page 

Soralyon’s Archives of Nethys Page 

The Momumentalists

In most of the world Empyreal Lords are worshiped like saints, as servitors to the higher gods. In Magnimar there are numerous cults dedicated to these elevated celestial beings, and one of the three most revered of these beings is The Mystic Angel. The Monumentalists see the city as their holy protectorate with all of the statues and structures new and old strewn around the city for them to keep watch over. The cult believes that all the monuments are somehow connected but only Soralyon knows how and thus far has been unwilling to share his secret.

The sect takes the study of the monuments of Magnimar very seriously. They are one of the few mystery cults that practice out in the open. Membership requires little more than an affection – some would say obsession – with the city’s historical structures. Those who join can come from any class but often all have a background in history, engineering, art, or the arcane.

The Star-Struck

Soralyon is said to be the keeper of magical secrets, things even Nethys doesn’t know. Although it is said he shares these secrets with a deserving few, what ‘deserving’ means is up for debate. The Star-Struck believe that The Mystic Angel will only reveal these secrets to those who seek it themselves and get close. The answers, they posit, are in the stars and so to the heaven’s they search for their patron’s secrets.

Because The Star-Struck seek their answers in the heavens they are all astronomers of one sort or another. Many casters join the group seek a means to expand their power, but also more mundane star seekers can find a home within the sect as well. Their leader is actually a Lunar Naga named Hexilcris who claims to have felt the touch of Soralyon personally.

The Storm Dogs

The Empyreal Lord’s home is Steward’s Stone which watches over the chaos of the Maelstrom. It is said that Soralyon is a guardian of the world against that chaos, specifically chaotic magic. The Storm Dogs hunt down creatures and spellcasters that attempt to subvert reality.

The sect is a small group hardly ever growing more than a dozen members at a time. They work in small to covertly to contain situations they deem unstable. Although all members have been touched somehow by magic, not everyone is a caster. Most in fact specialize in countering magic in one form or another.

Like the monuments they revere these worshipers stand tall against adversity. Who is your disciple of Soralyon? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to The Mystic Angel? Where does their devotion to this Empyreal Lord come from? Let me know in the comments.

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Exiled in Shadows

Devotees of Count Ranalc

Count Ranalc, the exiled fey lord, the only member of the Eldest who does not reside in the first world. The Eldest have many goals, almost all of them inscrutable. We have already look at Ng and The LostPrince, but Count Ranalc is even more of a mystery. Exiled to the plane of shadows for reasons unknown, his clerics still receive power but not so much guidance. Why has he been banished? Where is he hiding in the realm of shadows?

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

For what little information there is on Count Ranalc search here

Archives of Nethys Page 

Pathfinder Wiki Page

The Second Men

Although not all men, this small sect of Count Ranalc worshipers in Taldor boasts some of the most well trained duelists in the country. They specialize in being the second to those who have been betrayed. Whether it is by a business partner, or a lover, or a political rival it doesn’t matter to the Second Men. What matters is they help right the wrong committed upon those they take up the blade for.

Becoming one of the Second Men isn’t just about learning to swing a sword. Each of the Second Men have faced major betrayal in their own lives and have sought Count Ranalc to help ease their pain. It is only through the divine guidance of the Count that the wronged can even find the Second Men to begin with. They offer training so that the injured party might right the wrong and when they succeed they may join the Second Men. Those who fail, usually aren’t around to complain about being denied entry.

The Fangwood Elves

This enclave of elves are a holdover of surface elves from before Starfall. They did not flee Golarion like many of their kin, they burrow deep to hide in the darklands, and they did not lower themselves to seek succor among the shorter lived races. Their choice to remain in their ancestral home, however, has seen them become exiled from their people, albeit self-imposed. They have also turned their back on the elven gods and embraced their fey roots by seeking to follow Count Ranalc among the shadow-draped trees of the Fangwood.

One does not so much join the Fangwood elves are born into it. These elves lead a very strict and regimented lifestyle, eschewing the more carefree ways of their kin. The Fangwood has become the home to a great green dragon named Zedoran and more recently bands of orcs from the Hold of Belzkan that have taken to worshiping it. The wood has also seen a blight that has corrupted many a fey, including a powerful dryad, Arlantia. The Fangwood elves fight a battle on two sides and to this end their people live an act in a militaristic fashion.

The Shadow Seekers

The Count has been banished for thousands of years from the first world and the Shadow Seekers aim to find out why. This small sect within the church of Count Ranalc know that they continue to have their prayers granted and their spells bestowed upon them, but direct communion with their patron has ceased. This group of hunters searches the shadow plane looking for Count Ranalc to find answers to their questions.

Hunting on the plane of shadow is no easy task. Avoiding the many insubstantial monsters that exist there is a difficult proposition; and beyond the roaming shadowy beasts there are the great umbral dragons, the Kyton Demagogues who are near gods in their own right, and the unofficial ruler of the realm of shadows Zon-Kuthon himself. The groups of Shadow Seekers included more than just clerics, but shadow wizards, rangers who specialized in the outer planes, and those who have mastered the art of the shadow dancer. To survive the plane of shadows one must understand the darkness.

You’ve seen my sects and maybe they’ve inspired you in your creation of a worshiper of Count Ranalc. Who is your devotee? Why have they chosen to dedicate himself to the Count? Where did they even learn of the Fey Lord? Let me know in the comments.

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With Everything Turn - Gnome Seasonals

It’s Saturday and it's time to talk about a god. 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

Ng, True Neutral Fey Eldest of secrets, wanderers and the seasons

Ng’s Pathfinder Wiki page 

Ng’s Archives of Nethys Entry 

Now the eldest aren’t necessarily gods, they are for the most part just incredibly powerful fey creatures. Although some believe that Ng may be the herald of an actual god, he himself does grant divine powers to his own followers. Although mostly worshiped by fey stuck on Golarion, he is sometimes revered among the elves and gnomes as well.

Of his gnomish followers there is one group called the seasonals. The seasonals are a group of gnome wanderers who’s personalities, appearance and even powers change with the turning of the seasons. Intensely effected by these seasonal changes they don’t do well living in large groups and thus move from place to place.

Spring

In the spring the seasonals are at their most inquisitive. Everything seems fresh and new about them and to them. When spring rolls around and they throw off the cold darkness of winter the seasonals will usually find a gnome village to attach themselves too for a little bit. In their spring mode they will help sow the field, work with craftsmen to get the projects started for the year, and be an all-around joy to be around.

Summer

The heat of summer brings forth the passion of the seasonal gnome. In some this passion is focused on mating as the seasonal woos everything in sight. In others this passion leads to rage and the seasonal gnome will seek out battle wherever he can find it. In some of the seasonals this passion can be turned inward and you’ll find them in intense study in libraries, wizard schools and alchemy labs.

Fall

As the seasons turn and harvest begins the seasonal gnomes complete their projects for the year. They prepare to leave society behind for the long cold days of winter. Some seasonal gnomes turn to pranks and tricks during the fall seasons, a prelude to their darker selves. The fall seasonals will take this time to celebrate with their peers and are known to be the life of the party and gnomish harvest festivals.

Winter

During the winter months the seasonal gnomes lose a lot of their color. Sometimes they are mistaken for bleachling gnomes. In truth this temporary form of bleaching saves seasonal gnomes from the true bleaching. Winter gnomes are grim and dark, representing both the harshness of winter and dual nature of the fey first world. Winter seasonals can be downright evil, which is why the separate themselves from others before the change takes them over.

Although I don’t always talk mechanics you cannot remove mechanics from the game. The seasonals are hard to represent with just the core mechanic for gnomes in Pathfinder. My suggestion, and really how this idea came to mind, is that seasonal gnomes should be allowed to swap out alternate race traits in each season. The player should work with the GM and come up with a set of traits the gnome gains in each season. Fey Magic and Fey thoughts are both good choices, switching out just the druid spell and the skill choices at each season. Eternal hope is a good choice for spring, Pyromaniac fits well with summer, dirty trickster would do for a fall seasonal and Fell Magic seems appropriate for a winter.

Like the seasonal gnomes? Then tell us your idea for one. Or maybe you have a very different idea for worshipers of Ng in general. No idea is a bad one and the way we expand upon the game is by sharing. So tell us about your Ng worshiper?