Pyriel (/Pir-ee-el/)

"They Who Bring the Living Mercy"

The White Lamb

Pyriel is a deity of mercy and healing. Their followers are primarily distinguished by their white robes and staunch commitment to pacifism, mutual aid, and charity. Pyriel themself is often depicted as a white lamb bearing a wooden cross, a symbol that simultaneously stands as a message of peace (the lamb) and a condemnation of evil (the cross).
Followers of Pyriel are referred to as his flock, and his physical centers of worship are typically known as folds. Folds are particularly common in cities, near battlefields, and in areas stricken by plague or disaster. They offer medical services, food, and comfort to victims.
Pyriel's teachings can be found in The Triad Song; more specifically, in its Song of Souls. Pyriel is an apostle of Merak and the peer of Nes. They speak out their frustrations before the mirror of Orovas, who is perhaps their closest companion. To Karnathra, they are a tepid rival, forever attempting to redeem her as she strives to defeat their hopes and spirits, with neither ever abating. Pyriel has a less serious rivalry with Rieloch, for he dislikes the war-god's domains.

Alms for the Dead?

Pyriel represents one anchor of the three deities of The Triad Song, and as such, is often closely associated with Nes and Merak. Heated disagreements exist about whether Pyriel's mercy extends to those which the Triad stands in defiant opposition to - namely, the undead. Most flocks resolve this conflict by neither fighting nor aiding practitioners of the dark arts, though this compromise is by no means universal, and some believe that even the undead may be redeemed.

Controversy of the Cross

The lamb has always been a symbol of Pyriel and a symbol of peace throughout all of Eashavar. Today, however, the lamb seems inseparable from the cross with which Pyriel is often pictured. Often, this cross is held up much like a flagbearer would bear his army's colors, signifying the white lamb as the leader of his flock.
The cross, however, is a more recent addition to Pyriel's symbolism, and it has a somewhat darker history. In wars against the undead, where Pyriel's flock often served as healers for the armies of Merak and Nes, the embedding of a wooden stake into the chest was a simple and effective way of preventing the dead from rising once again. As a matter of practicality, this stake became a cross, which was easier to drive into the flesh. The task of staking was often deferred to the flock, which would handle last rites and burial on behalf of dying soldiers, leading to the association of their duties with the grim symbol.
While most followers of Pyriel view the cross as a representation of duty and a reminder of the abhorrence of undeath, some view it as a disturbing perversion of his core beliefs. In some flocks, then, the cross is replaced by a shepherd's crook.

Pyriel, The White Lamb

Deity of Mercy and Healing

Tenets

Penances	Strictures
⊕ Heal those hurt in body or spirit.	⊝ Do not aid in the practice of the dark arts.
⊕ Show mercy to those who seek repentance.	⊝ Do not use violence to attain your goals.

Mandates

⊜ Contribute to the fold according to its needs. Always provide aid. Maintain faith in the fallen, they will yet be redeemed.