The Last Sentry

Essence of Elaidei, Protector of the Lost, Herald of the Embers, Devourer of Challenge

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The Last Sentry is the Ailan responsible for the Shard of Elaidei. He's praised as a divinity of fire and the occult, but his main role is that of the guide, the one people resort to when the night is bleak, the one whom they pray to when they are lost or powerless, the one that brings dire news and solutions.
But he's also they look at with happy eyes when they think of the paths traversed, the people met, the fights to be remembered fondly and all the extraordinary things to be seen while traveling.

Popular Perception & History

Relationship with Elaidei

From the first contact back with the people of Barenae, the Sentry has been a stalwart defender of Elaidei and the protection of the innocent wherever they may be. While Elaidei is largely regarded as one of the more inhospitable Shards, many people have taken this as an opportunity to harden and become more confident in themselves, granting them the chance to work on helping others.

In matters of history, he has never taken sides when both sides were on the right, but he has always been wherever those undeserving were punished, often dueling those with ill intentions. During the Zephyr Empires' reign, he was one of the few Redeemers who put his people before his land, intently raiding work camps at night time and leading the prisoners toward their families and homes. While the Elaideian empires tried to find a way to expose his actions and capture him without compromising the health of the Shard, the Sentry always managed to escape to safety and fade away, only to shortly reappear on the opposite side of the Shard.

Currently, his actions have become more careless. He spends his days feasting in his halls and, while he's still of great help to the citizens who live near the city of Hen Post, his unwillingness to move as often has left a lot of citizens on the other regions of Elaidei feeling left behind, finding comfort instead in the direct aid of the Shard Minister and the Church of the Redeemers.

Book of Savan

The book of Savan talks of the Sentry as the quietest of the Redeemers. It pleads that he was so silent that wherever he was, the only thing to be heard was the flames under his feet. While there are many passages that speak of him leading the innocent out of danger, the authors mostly leave the Ailan as a background helper, using him as a narrative resource to explain those fortunate events that could, within reason, be justified with the influence of a benevolent, mysterious force.

The image painted by the book is that of a tall, lean, individual, wearing long and torn tunics that would lead down his legs to feet made of smoke and cinder which would leave prints for the lost to follow his steps. With his three-fingered hands, he would carry a long staff made out of unknown wood, decorated with all kinds of small gifts and three mighty lamps made out of insect hide, known as the Bane of Claws.

However, his face was the main point of focus. From his long, striped horns (one broken halfway) to his mechanical eye, set on a rail around his head, which he could use to scan his surroundings thoroughly. Many have theorized as to how the Sentry lost his eye and horn (although the latter ended up growing back, indicating that it was possibly the Sentry's idea). As a last notable trait, his image of silence is further emphasized by the authors through sewing his mouth shut, a custom which his followers have continued in a symbolic way, by utilizing facial covers, such as masks or shawls.

Present Time

The Sentry currently occupies the Gei'ns Spires within the city of Hen Post, which he founded on the central part of Qe'Meyh to set a crossroads for every major path going through the region. There, he spends most of his time in the good company of his children the Vivacious, and attends the demands of the people of Elaidei.

Aside from the restoration of his left horn, the most noticeable change in the Sentry on the current Era is that caused by his more hedonistic philosophy, which contrasts greatly with the more austere aspect given to him as head of the travelers in the book of Savan. This shift has lead to the Sentry taking great pleasure in wearing expensive robes and jewelry, which has shifted its theological perspective slightly into the Commerce aspect of all traveling, making him a great patron of tailors, artisans, and all guild related individuals (to the Eternal Breeze's annoyance).

Due to staying in his castle most of the time and having found a hobby in eating extravagantly, the Sentry has also become quite large, again entering in conflict with the more contained nature of his origins. His mouth, no longer bound, is open in an amusing and sharp maw, lit from the inside by the incandescent light of his seed.

Divinity & Cult

Divine Domains

"Sentry, Hide the paths!" "Rgha Op Arijhol"
"Cremate the weak!" "Rgha Op Arijhol"
"Reveal the ignorant!" "Rgha Op Arijhol"
"It won't be like this, hasn't been, never will"

-Greetings of the Purple, The Twisting Tale 

As an Ailan, Sentry is son to the very concepts of Guidance, Fire, and Mist, among many others. As with any other, this has made him an object of praise for his many facets:

· The Beacon: The main patronage the Sentry brings is to the many travelers of Barenae. Any who pack their belongings and set their destiny far from where they are, often commend themselves to the light of the Sentry. Children lost in the woods and wanderers stray from their paths alike, while enveloped by the many dangers of the night, seek the light of the Sentry, for they know that as soon as the lamp is in view, they can finally let relief filter into their hearts.

· The Ember: The light of the Sentry goes far beyond the concept of illumination. His attitude, while usually contained, becomes unleashed when those who mean harm attack the defenseless. For the vile he offers untamed fire, burning away their malice. He stands for the right for everyone to live as they please, burning bright, strong, and fast, as long as they are burning, feeling alive.

· The Concealer: Rogues and all who, under fair pretenses, are forced to hide their intentions, find aid in the many powers of the Sentry. Their fire shall not burn nor reveal them. Sometimes the truth is best hidden in plain sight, under the veil of darkness. Mysterious are also the methods of the Sentry, who crafts artifacts and puzzles of inscrutable nature for anyone to discover, for anyone to learn through the trials and the uncovering of the truths of the world. He does not encourage ignorance, he teaches the courage to dive into the darkness to achieve knowledge.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

The Sentry does not have any regular symbols of faith, as he's one of the more laidback gods, in terms of following. Any pilgrims that end up under his tutelage often pay respects by making offers of small trinkets or objects of great significance, that they hang from the staffs usually used to relieve the weight during extended travels.

Related to this object, in particular, is the Gni ArchBeetle, whose exoskeleton is usually interpreted to be the main component of the lamp dangling from the Sentry's Staff (formerly known as the Bane of Claws). This leads to the animal being kept as a companion, a good omen. When the Beetle dies of age, its shell is carved out and repurposed as a container for light sources.

On a more extended note, it's easy to recognize the presence of a shrine to the Sentry wherever fire is lit, to be exact, any flame that burns with an unusual tone through the use of magic or any other method.

Holidays

Every 7th of Towa it's the day of the Lampan Eiene, a celebration of the Sentry's deeds.

On this day, we remember the tale of little Cradza, lost in the woods, and all that like them find their way back home led by the Sentry's guidance.

On this sacred day, when night falls, children all over Elaidei are left to roam the streets of their villages, looking for the adults, hidden with treats and sweets for them to find. The cities are surrounded by countless lamps, to indicate the way back and to serve as a limit for those too curious for their own good.

Of course, as overseer of Elaidei, many do cherish the Sentry's name each 9th of Erze, the anniversary of the relative independence of the Elaidei Shard from the Zephyr Empires.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

As of the present day, none of the Redeemers' intentions are well known beyond what's observable in their actions. The Sentry specifically has spent most of the time where he doesn't strictly attend to his duties as overseer of Elaidei eating and sending some of his followers all around the Shards to look for new and flavourful things to devour.

Being the god of the Occult, this is especially suspicious, since it raises the question of what his plans actually are, and many believe that he is, in fact, playing dumb. Some of the more skeptical of the real influence of the Ailan have begun to create theories and rumors concerning his schemes but, as he's historically never been recorded to do anything purposely harmful to any undeserving of harm, most of the population welcome this change of outlook, even being quite fond of his now open and happy-go-lucky attitude.

Index

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Divine Classification

Ailan Superior, Overseer of Elaidei

Age

Unknown

Current Residence

Gei'ns Spires, Hen Post, Qe'Meyh, Elaidei

Gender

Male

Eyes

Deep Purple

Hair

Short, slicked back, dark brown

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Pale, lavender color with bone-like tones

Height

Around 5 meters

Weight

Around 900 kg

The Cristalline Conflux

The seed of the Sentry, as with any other Ailan, was given special shape by Life and lies in the middle of his chest, pulsating with decision. This artifact, known as the Cristalline Conlfux, is theorized to be made of an agglomeration of the metal the Redeemer is made of, in addition to a group of volcanic rocks, which has been a matter of debate, since Elaidei is not known for its volcanic sediment.

However it may be, this artifact has been highly regarded as a jewelry reference and its outline has been absorbed as a symbol for the Sentry and the union and support of all who travel, becoming integrated into popular culture.