The Gladiator

You look up at the night sky, gaze straying to the stars shimmering in the north. There, so low that they almost sit on the horizon, is the Gladiator. The constellation shines brighter than the stars around it.

On a night like this one with not a cloud in the sky, you can make out the wings and the dual swords.

You have never really been one for praying. Or for believing in the gods at all - and oh how glad you are that Ronan cannot hear your thoughts, cannot hear the heresy of implying that there are more gods than Van-Hael - but looking up at the Gladiator you can feel your heart pounding with something. Hope? Determination? Fear?

Alternative Name(s)

The Northern Sign, The Warrior, Lover's Crusader (a more recent addition)

The Gladiator. The northern sign. The brightest constellation in the skies of Ma’rune.

Named for Rielik, Warrior Goddess of the Elryvian pantheon. The constellation depicts the Goddess in mid flight, her wings spread full behind her, one blade thrust high in the air and the other at her side.

It sits to the north and hangs so low that sometimes it is impossible to make out the full picture of the constellation. Most nights, parts of the constellation are covered by clouds.

The Gladiator is also known as the northern sign - a name created by travellers and adopted by the common people. As it sits directly north and contains some of the brightest stars throughout the whole of the sky, it is an easy focus point for travellers making their way across the country. As long as they followed the Gladiator, they knew they were heading in a northward direction.

To see the Gladiator in all of its glory is considered a blessing, even amongst the men and women who do not believe in Rielik. They say that should you gaze upon the Goddess and see her as she was on the eve of her final battle, her fury will blaze within you until the full moon fades. The reason for this is that most full sightings occur on or around the full moon, typically because the stars burn brighter on such a night.

For those that believe in Rielek - whether they worship the whole of the Elryvian pantheon or not - they will often pray to the constellation as a way of honouring the Goddess. Typically, this is done on the eve of a battle and those that pray will hope for good fortune.

The Gladiator and Love

Perhaps, the most surprising development in recent history, is that of young lovers claiming the Gladiator as a sign of their love.

Many see Rielek, in all her strength and combat prowess, as a warrior and nothing more. But for the young lovers of a modern Ma’rune, they see past the warrior. They use her strength as a sign to strengthen their own love for each over. A sign to be brave and confident. To face their fears when confronting and confessing to a loved one.

Followers of the Elryvian pantheon believe such thoughts to be sacrilegious. That Rielek is a warrior and that there are other Gods within the pantheon which these young lovers should be praying to. Those that follow Rielek and her teachings more closely though are more lenient. They believe that, although Rielek is a warrior and the Gladiator constellation is a warrior’s symbol, this does not mean that others cannot use the Goddess’ gifted strength for other things.

Some devout followers of Rielek even believe that seeing these young lovers pray to her and ask for her blessing in love is more likely to get them noticed than the average man or woman asking for glory in battle. Their reasoning is simple: these young lovers share a trait with Rielek’s greatest champions - they are interesting in the Goddess’ eyes.