Hestus, the Storm Lord

Hestus, also known as the Storm Lord or the Great Sea King, is one of the eldest deity of Eina, having been born alongside his sister Neria and the rest of the material Plane when Einas split in two. He is the god of the Sky and Sea, commanding the winds and the waves and watching all those that traverse his domain.

Sacred Attributes

Hestus’s symbol is the Double Spiral, also called the Didelos, representing the movement of the waves and winds. His favoured animal is the Albatross, king of the sea birds and his personal emissaries. His favoured colour is the Dark Blue, the colour of the sea raging and. His favoured weapon is the Longsword, the weapon with which he carved his domain from the rock of Eina, and which he uses to strike those that displease him.

Description

Hestus rarely appears before mortals, but when he does he mostly takes on the form of a bearded man with blue eyes. He also likes to scour the sky in the form of a great blue-eyed albatross, guiding faithful sailors to the nearest ports or creating tempests with each flap of its wings.

Personality

Hestus can appear as a stern deity, similar to his children, the giants. But while he shares their taciturn nature, Hestus is not as monolithic a being as one could think. As an embodiment of the sea and sky, he is dangerous and ever-changing but helpful to those that know to respect him. He is famous for his fickle mind. Like lightning, he will strike hard and fast, sometimes seemingly randomly, at those that he perceives as a nuisance or enemies. But Hestus is also known to help those that follow him faithfully, sending his birds to guide lost ships and splitting a tempest in two to allow a lone ship passage. More so than any other deity, he can be unpredictable and that makes many wary of him. Perhaps that is why he values bravery above all other qualities. Those that dare approach despite the danger, and face what others would run from.

Worship

The worship of Hestus dates back to the Giants, long before even the dragons arrived on Eina. To the giants, Hestus is venerated alongside his sister as their progenitor, and the two of them are the only deities they concern themselves with. This worship evolved during the millennia, from open adoration to fearful respect following the choice of Hestus and Neria to side with the dragons as a punishment for the Giants’ arrogance.
In contrast, the modern cult of Hestus in Kaladea is more concerned with not angering the divinity rather than appease him. Unlike his sister, Hestus managed to stay completely relevant in modern times, as sailing still represent the main transport options of many, and coastal cities know better than to ignore him. Sailors in particular represent the main bulk of his followers, seeking his favours to fill their sails and guide them across the waves.
No surprise then, that in every harbour a tower is erected in honour of the deity. In major cities, they serve as lighthouses guiding the ships alongside the coast, but even in small villages, a small tower is built on the shore to show appreciation to the god. His Great Temple in Olyria is the same. A great lighthouse erected high above any other construction in the city, on a cliff looking down on the cities massive harbour, its metal roof catching lighting during the frequent storms while the god sculpted directly into the cliff’s and temple’s side looks out into the sea. Similarly, it is not uncommon to see the rough shape of the god carved into the main mast of a ship in hope of earning the god’s favour.
As for the clergy of Hestus, they distinguish themselves as guides and interprets of their deity, deciphering his words and moods in the clouds and waves and predicting the weather accordingly. As such, every harbour and sailing company seeks to employ one of them to help in their endeavours and if necessary, appeal to the god in their favour. The clergy of Hestus is famous for counting many hermits and misanthropist in their ranks, people who heard the call of the sea or found themselves otherwise entranced by it. Drowning and shipwrecks survivors can sometimes find themselves overwhelmed by the experience of facing the might of the winds and waves, ending up searching for answers in the worship of its master, and quite a few men of science have found faith while gazing at the sky trying to understand its ways. In any case, the priest and priestesses of Hestus value their duty above all else, serving as interprets to many seeking a path across the waves.

Divine Domains

Sea

Tempest

Holy Books & Codes

The Sea-stones Tablets

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Symbol: Double Spiral aka the Didelos

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Favoured Animal: Albatross
Favoured Colour: Dark Blue
Sacred Weapon: Longsword

Tenets of Faith

Always show bravery against adversity and the unknown.

Respect the sea but do not fear it.

Protect what you cherish and never allow yourself to become what you despise.

Holidays

- 1st Week of Hesteos: The Imperial Regatta (Celebration of the sea, ships and sailors)

Divine Classification

Deity

Alignment

Chaotic Neutral

Realm

The Misty Isle

Church/Cult

Kaladean Pantheon