List of Religious Figures: Difference between revisions

Basilos was born shortly before the exodus of the [[Evintarian]] schism to the land of [[Etosil]], and grew up in the rough terrain of the early settlement his family called home. A brave, handsome youth, he became a local fixture to the community, fending off hostile predators, as well as bandits and other nerdowells, from the flocks of animals his community relied upon. By the time he was twenty, Basilos’ path was confirmed to him after a period of consideration, and he worked to become a Celate. He remained skilled with a weapon however, and when some of the first [[Undead]] attacks began against the [[Aetosian]]s, he was at the forefront striking them down. His militarism against the Undead raised his rank among the priesthood, and he achieved the rank of Arch-Celate before he turned forty. It was then that he faced his greatest challenge, yet, as the entity known as the Bone King first began his assaults on the Aetosian people. Basilos worked tirelessly to reinforce the faith, and took up the sword himself as in his younger days, leading men in the field, but also coordinating defenses when the Undead attacked the walls of his home city, and other neighboring settlements. By the time of his elder years, he had grown into a renowned leader of the faith, and a published general, whose tactics for dealing with the Undead were among the most common spread across Etosil. Married twice, with a large family, he ultimately died of old age as a well respected Arch-Celate to the Evintarian [[Unionist]] faith.

*'''Claim to Fame:''' A highly notable [[Ailor]] Arch-Celate of Evintarian Unionism who saw the rise of the Undead of the Bone King and worked to fight this threat for decades.

These two unique figures, named for the twin gods of art and protection, were born into hardship and turmoil of heresy from their earliest days. The Vultragon were hounded for their fringe beliefs, and the twins’ parents were of this sect. The two [[Half-Elves]] thus grew up in a culture of fear and suspicion, hiding in the [[Daendroque]] lands of the south but also frequently on the move across the arid lands they called home. The twins ultimately embraced the calling of the faith when they had a joint dream, which called them to the teachings of Vultragon. While Niallan learned sufficiently before taking more to the polesword in order to defend his sister and community, Nolanna was the twin to dive deep into theology and became a true philosopher. The pair thus became a formidable team, and by the time the faith was reformed into [[Guided Unionism]], and they were free to live their lives, the pair had been recognized as respected Eleries. They began to travel across Corontium, engaging in debate and helping foster the growing seeds of the newly legal faith, and this process has continued into today. The Half-Elf twins remain notable, likely in part due to their appearance and roles, with Niallan the inquisitor who asks blunt questions and defends his sister with aid from his followers, and Nolanna artfully discussing a range of religious and philosophical points after being given a reply.

*'''Claim to Fame:''' Twin Half-Elves who are well known figures in the faith of Guided Unionism; one is a warrior and cuts right to the point, the other a philosopher and eloquently speaks.

Born to what were now minor [[Wirtem]] nobles in [[Corontium]] following the collapse and absorption of the [[Wirtemcaller Kingdom]], Armin grew up promised to the faith. The youngest boy of four, with two elder sisters as well, he was sent off to begin his studies at a young age, and quickly disconnected from his wider family as he was drawn deeper into learning. His piety was immense, but he was also politically astute and diplomatic. Unusually well traveled for a Celate, being familiar with half a dozen [[Cultures]] of Ailor both in Corontium and elsewhere, Armin worked diligently for years. His progress to higher office was blocked by allies of Arch Chancellor [[Morgann Kade]], who had many positions in the Concilly Council. However, when Morgann was removed from power, the [[Regalian Empire]] dismissed hundreds of Morgann loyalists from their positions, seeing dozens of Council seats open. Armin worked hard to earn the nomination and ascension to the position of Supreme Reverend, at the shockingly young age of 60. He spent the nearly two decades that followed seeking to reduce the excess of wealth which he felt had corrupted the faith’s leadership. When the [[Regalian Pessimism]] came, he openly preached frugal living, charity, and caring, forcing a number of flagrantly wealthy Arch-Celates to commit huge donations to benefit the public good. While some today insist he was assassinated because of this, in the end, he simply died of old age, far outlasting any Supreme Reverend who had sat before him or who would come after.

*'''Claim to Fame:''' The Ailor Supreme Reverend of the Unionist faith with the longest tenure, who worked hard to remove the corruption of Morgann Kade from his institution.  

The child who would grow up to be a great figure for the [[Old Gods]] faith came from humble, though obscure, origins. Trenne is believed to have originated from the scattered northern islands of Corontium. Surviving the [[Cataclysm]] with their family, Trenne’s faith compelled them to explore the newly shaken world, and seek out the names of those lost or forgotten from the recent disaster. While they started close to home, exploring the ancient grave sites of the islands, they eventually reached the now changed territories of [[Ellador]] and [[Northbelt]], still suffering from the seismic shift of the world. They worked with great diligence to record all names possible, as well as refound as many shrines and temples as possible where they had been forgotten or allowed to fall into disrepair. They traveled far and wide across the Velheim world, and it is sometimes claimed Trenne may have helped start the Skagger Horde, indirectly, by speaking of the relative stability of their homeland to a broad audience. However, others state the safe harbor that was Corontium was already drawing attention from struggling groups in lands surrounding the Archipelago. Regardless of this legacy, by the time they returned home, aged yet still devoted to their task, they had recorded an astonishing number of name scrolls, and carried on the task right up until their final months, when age compelled them to rest, and then pass away peacefully.

*'''Claim to Fame:''' A diligent and caring Old Gods worshiper who helped the Velheim people remember the names of the fallen and maintain their faith.

The [[Teledden]] priestess named Menvaela was never clear in her origins, beyond that she came from a western territory of [[Altaleï]] which fell during the collapse of the [[Allorn Empire]]. However, it is commonly rumored she was a survivor of the [[Night of the Weeping Stars]], and so was one of the few faithful to experience the terror of the birth of the Kathar firsthand. She traveled during the early decades following the Cataclysm, and would later prove that she had been walking the Long Way, the ancient pilgrimage route through the great temples to each [[Estelley]] deity. While she had to settle with getting as close as she could to some sites lost or inaccessible, by the year 100 AC, her powers as a [[Mage]] and her oratory skills were at their peak. She used these skills to prosthelytize and reinforce the faith across the rebuilding Allorn world, as well as refound a series of temples across the various principalities. Unlike those she came to train in each region, who often became entangled in the politics of their respective homelands, Menvaela remained impartial, driven to reunite the Teledden and indeed, all Elves, in the one true faith of Estelley as well as violently resist the Kathar and vulgar, lesser Races who she considered worthy of re-enslavement. This put her at odds with the Teldden of [[Ithania]] and the [[Solvaan]] of Corontium, but she did not care, continuing her missions across the homeland, and world, until her death shortly after the new century began.  

Born shortly after the [[Eronidas]]’ arrival to the former lands of the Allorn Empire, Iddin was born a [[Half-Eronidas]] with an [[Ailor]] mother. Despite this heritage, which marked them out as unique in a society just becoming acquainted with the myriad Races of the wider world, Iddin was studious and devoted to the faith of his people, [[Asaredu]]. They followed the path of light, and were drawn to travel across the Eronidas world, seeking sites to engage in visions, as well as looking to understand the developing divergences between the Eronidas cultural groups. He was open with all, and understanding, returning home after three decades with notebooks of his experiences, and writings on the various systems of belief from across the developing Eronidas world. He spent the last few decades of his life compiling these notebooks into formal works, as well as noting his further visions, and helping to shape the Eronidas faith in their continued rejection of [[The Beyond]]. It is commonly held that Iddin had an interaction on his voyage which scared him into this hardline stance, and some modern Shamans blame Iddin for how strongly he spoke against efforts to better include them in the refoundation of Eronidas society. Despite this, he remains well-regarded for his theology, and many of his descendents have taken the same path he did.

Neyin lived through the greatest period of upheaval and transformation for her people, and took a surprising role in shaping the modern world of the [[Sihai]]. Born to the northern kingdom of the Sihai, her early life was simple and quiet, and from a family of six, she left the home soon after she matured to follow the life of a priestess. She languished in this role for decades, competent but never shining. However, in the final decades before the Cataclysm, it is claimed she saw visions in her dreams, powerful, vivid imaginings of lands far away, and chaos incarnate. She redoubled her work ethic, and rose to rule over a great temple just as the Sihai’s world changed forever. Their [[Dragons]] were dragged into slumber after protecting their chosen Race from the evils of the [[Akula]], and Neyin stood as one of their most steadfast supporters, helping to secure three notable Dragons in three temples, including her own. She then traveled to the Jade Wall itself, and rallied the people of the north to its defense several times over the coming decades, while also working with other Sihai leaders to establish new routes of supply and avenues of cooperation. Sometimes also called the Jade Priestess for her fervent support of the Jade Wall, she died in its defense, though her body was recovered and prevented from being twisted by the tainted flesh of the Akula.

Bareen Kaarpäla has served the [[Esteley]] gods for over a century now, being born to a minor noble family and originally training in the art of combat and tactics. However, he embraced a spiritual calling upon seeing a comet one night, and the dream which followed. He initially remained undevoted to a single group, and traveled the mountains of the north for a decade, schooling himself in philosophy and keeping his body in rigorous shape. However, he ultimately devoted himself to the cult that maintained the Temple of Starsight, an Estelley sanctuary that focused its intellectual pursuits on studying the stars and performing divination. In his many travels, he had collected knowledge which aided him at the temple, helping him to improve the optical devices the Temple made use of, as well as repairing some of their damaged equipment. These handy skills, and the thankless wordload taken without complaint, soon raised Bareen to a place of note in the cult. Since then, he has continued to rise in stature, noted for not directly tracking [[Astronomy|Crystallum]], but instead focusing on the activities of the Home Fleet of the [[Maraya]], apparently having begun a new train of study for acolytes in seeking out their ships, or falling ships in a few rare cases, to help map their motions across the heavens. He believes this will one day let them confirm the nature of Crystallum, but beyond this task, he is a respected Estelley philosopher as well, and has read many thousands of fortunes in his time.

Many would say if evil has incarnated in Aloria, it is as Menzot Manneztel Olziirn. With the start of her life a huge mystery, she emerged after the Cataclysm as a great leader of the [[Kathar]] faith of [[Void Worship]]. Often said to have been one of the very [[Mage]]s who helped create the Kathar Race on the Night of Weeping Stars, Menzot would travel the [[Dread Empire]] for decades, engaging in power plays with many rising families, other faith leaders, and battling as many as a hundred challengers to her power. Then, when that got “boring,” she vanished, and later reappeared as a close friend to the [[Centaur]]s, making a triumphant return to Dread Empire society atop a huge Centaur warrior named Ov’ar. She then held a Game of Blood that was not topped for decades, and carried on her life as if she hadn’t been gone for three decades. Her greatest claim to fame, as one might call it, was playing the Great Kaahls off each other in a marvelous, heinously complex intrigue that allowed her to summon and bind an unusually powerful [[Demon]] named Paldrax to her service. This took place in 260 AC, and shortly after, around 270 AC, she vanished, and has not been seen since. Her death would have been trumpetted to high heaven by her killers, and many believe she is on another “walkabout” like her quest into the wilds which resulted in her ties to the Centaurs. But where this journey is taking place, or with who, is impossible to say.