Sigune - The Defender
We face a seemingly endless army of the worst horrors the lichlord can dream up, yet as I stand here, I see before me an army of men from every corner of Lechia, every nation, every tribe, all united in purpose. And that is why we will be victorious!
Sigune is a god dedicated to the defense of the weak and the destruction of evil, preaching that the strong have an obligation to the weak and the defenseless. A powerful warrior from the Lechian Peninsula at a time when the region was filled with warring kingdoms, Sigune is credited with uniting the peninsula against an invasion by The Lich Lord. Following her ascendance, the forces that she had brought together sat down and formed the modern Republic of Lechia, where she is worshipped by the majority of the population.
Mortal Life
Sigune was a powerful warrior from the Lechian Peninsula, a region which was in turmoil as various kings and warlords sought to secure their kingdoms. In the midst of this turmoil, the common folk were under constant threat from both banditry and monster attacks, and Sigune stepped forward to defend them. Preaching that strength should be used to defend the weak, she assembled a force of like-minded followers and moved from kingdom to kingdom, clearing out bandits and monsters and entreating the rulers to take an active role in the defense of their citizens. The kingdoms which worked with her prospered, bouyed by their more productive serfs and peasants, and those which ignored her began to be absorbed by their more prosperous neighbors.
United Against Undeath
It was onto this stage that The Lich Lord known as Lord Negutesco entered, taking the southern end of the peninsula as his own, his undead legions seemingly endless. Each ruler who tried to face him on their own fell, and his victory seemed inevitable until Sigune appeared at the head of a force of her followers, the armies of her allies with her. The battle that ensued has become legendary, undead crumbling to dust under the light radiating from Sigune and her followers and the final heroic charge of her allies winged hussars into the flanks of the army of the undead.
As his armies crumbled, Lord Negutesco and Sigune met in the center of the battle, and as they clashed, titanic forces washed over the battlefield. Waves of dark magic flew from every swing of his mace, and bursts of light healed her allies and burned away the nearby undead. As their battle reached it's peak, shafts of golden light slammed down from the sky, enveloping both of them, followed by a blast of blinding radiance which knocked everyone for hundreds of yards off of their feet. When it cleared, both combatants were gone, and without his influence, Lord Negutesco's armies of the undead began to crumble where they stood.
Worship
While Sigune is worshipped across The Shattered Continent, she is particularly beloved in Lechia, where temples dedicated to her can be found in nearly every settlement and most lechian towns come to a complete standstill for several hours every monday when weekly services are held. Worship of The Defender is the official state religion, and it's very much expected that third sons will enter Her clergy. Within the camps of the Zaporozan Horsemen the the worship of Sigune hasn't totally displaced their traditional ancester worship, but The White Rider as she is known to them is considered to be an honorary ancestor and holds the place of prominence in their religious ceremonies.
Outside of Lechia, she tends to be worshipped by individuals with a strong sense of duty to the commonfolk, and who believe as she does that the strong should protect the weak and have a duty to seek out and destroy evil. She, along with Siegmund, are the two dieties most popular among champions who are inclined to be crusaders against evil, and are sometimes known as The Champion Gods. In Galacia, where knighthood is closely tied to martial religious orders, Sigune is particularly popular and there are a number of orders dedicated to her.
Sigune
The Defender
Alignment
Lawful Good
Edicts
The strong have a duty to protect the weak and stop evil wherever it is found.
Anathema
Use strength to oppress the weak, perform evil acts
Areas of Concern
Strength, Protection, Cooperation, Duty
Follower Alignments
LG, NG, N
Devotee Benefits
Divine Ability
Strength or Wisdom
Divine Font
Heal
Divine Skill
Athletics
Favored Weapon
Longsword
Domains
Zeal, Duty, Might, Protection
Cleric Spells
Comments