Gatherion

(a.k.a. The Hooded Hero, Mayhems Mercenary, The Bastard)

Divine Domains

Areas of Concern: Anti-heroes, Redemption, Rebels, Vengeance Domains: Good, Luck, Trickery, Travel, Strength

Holy Books & Codes

The Adventures of The Good Doctor Vol 1-30 A series of penny dreadfuls (with very nice artwork) originally they were produced in Zophor and follow the life of a vigilante who dons a plague doctor's garb and fights the machinations of a rogues gallery populated with evil cultists, criminal scum and evil men of every shape and kind. None are sure if the Good Doctor was ever real but the books are treasured by the faith who claim that the good Doctor was a Zealot Vigilante of Gatherion and it was the first Good Doctor who published the books himself as a hidden tool of the faith. Some evidence of this is clear in that there are messages to the faithful and words of wisdom hidden in the pages of the early editions of this penny dreadful series. The older the volumes the more holy and valuable they are to the faith and these graphic novels are often enshrined at his reliquaries.
Lament of a second born son The first and foremost of the faith's holy texts is an autobiography written by a mercenary in Gatherions service about the life and times of Gatherion. The Writer who chose to remain anonymous was very close to the Hooded Hero and the book details much of Gatherions life and times with countless footnotes regarding his personal thoughts feelings and excerpts from Gatherions personal Journal (A lost artifact the faith has been seeking for centuries)
The Black Book of Names This holy text was once the property of Inquisitor Hudson Ross of Paladius and was his journal of those who deserved vengeance. Over the years it also became a Journal of how he enacted vengeance and in some cases accepted their redemption. It's notes contain Husdon’s thoughts and personal prayers in various footnotes and has been reprinted as a treasured work by the faith for nearly a hundred years.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Favored Weapon: Bastard Sword (The Bastards Blade) Symbol: A featureless hooded face with red eyes. Sacred Animal(s): Nocturnal birds of Prey (Owls especially), Small Wild Cats, Black Panthers, Night Griffons Sacred Color(s): Dark Grey and Dark Purple

Tenets of Faith

Aphorisms
“When you have nothing left, that is when you truly learn something”
“Walking away takes courage, only cowards run”
“Actions matter more”

Mental characteristics

Personal history

The Birth of Dracos was heralded as a divine portent and rejoiced by the forces of good, yet for the forces of evil was not so beloved. As all good must be balanced by evil, Sindra suggested that Draco’s mother Shalanna be the vessel for Draco’s counter (Many say she said this to stop her offspring from whining and had little real interest in the matter). Several Evil gods attempted to Seduce her all failed, it was Sal’Zen who became frustrated and simply forced himself upon the then ruler of Paladius in her dreams impregnating her with a tiefling child, a spawn of evil. There was no fanfare when Gatherion was born, there was no joy or songs from the heavens, only a weeping mother and a realm forced to accept a bastard princeling. For her own part Shalana tried to treat both her sons well and be a loving mother but always did it seem to Gatherion he was the unloved bastard and a living reminder of his mother's pain. Often did he try to impress her only to find his methods tainted by evil and only made his mother cringe or grow frustrated at her boy's wicked nature. Though much of their childhood Dracos did his best to treat his brother well but more often than not the adoration and love heaped on Dracos for his successes was a bitter pill to the younger brother who faced the opposite with every failing being magnified by the people around him. Frustrated and disillusioned with the world he and his brother parted ways after a heated argument on their 20th and 19th birthday respectfully. Gatherion would travel far north to eke out his life as a nameless mercenary secretly hoping he would find death and end his suffering. It was scant twenty years after their mother joined Ovearon in the heavens that the land was plunged into the darkest days of the Mage War. They said that Gatherion was eager to work for forces fighting the undead invasion on some level trying to impress his mother and on another because he still harboured some love for his brother and their homeland. While there are many stories of his Bastard band of Brothers and their deeds, many of which are tales not fit save for a bawdy tavern in the end they always did the right thing, more or less. During the invasion of Zophor on the eastern front Gatherion became a local hero, his mercenaries proving victorious against the undead horde and evil forces on numerous occasions. Though the people called him a hero Gatherion would always reply that he was just doing the job he was paid to do. Though it is recorded a number of times when he did the right thing for next to no payment, in one case avenging a child's death for the price of a handful of dirt that he claimed had special properties. It was his brother's self sacrificing death against Hordain that caused the largest shift in Gatherions life. While he had never gotten along with Dracos they were brothers and his loss struck the grim mercenaries heart deeply. Refusing to take his brother's crown he set aside his greed, his personal desires and he and his mercenary band became devoted to one cause, vengeance for his brother's death. In the decades that followed Gatherion and his Bastards hunted down and put the followers of Hordain they found to the sword, though it is said that in honour of his brother he allowed those who had been forced to serve or were willing to honestly repent their deeds to be spared.
The campaign of vengeance lasted for nearly a century after the end of the Mage Wars, a ceaseless war of vengeance that lasted a generation with the descendants of Hordains living followers being hunted and punished if they did not forsake their ancestors' evil allegiances. Gatherion than rode into Hell itself to challenge Ruzel the Infernal Duke of Undeath, Humor and Blasphemy. The witty Infernal Duke had been responsible for the theft of countless souls during the war and many of his faithful had aided Hordain using the war as an excuse to harvest.
The battle with the witty Infernal Duke was Legendary with Gatherions bastards cutting down devils and defying the very laws of hell breaching its domains, his own tiefling blood allowing him to strike down fallen angels protected by ancient celestial law that rose to oppose him. When at last he and Ruzel faced off the sharp tongued devil assailed Gatherion with taunting jibes, vile insults and words so sharp they could slice a soul in twain. Without banter, without laugh nor response the Hooded Hero struck as a cold machine of vengeance and with an armor of righteous anger shielding him from Ruzels masterful taunts. The battle lasted days before Gatherion finally fell. Ruzal snarled as he leered down at the dying tiefling and it is said he proclaimed “What good has your defiance and willfulness gained you?You who now lay broken before me, you whose soul I shall devour!” For the first time since the battle started Gatherion cracked a smile and he replied through blooded lips “It gave my men time to do what had to be done” As Gatherion laughed Ruzel only then noticed that his home was in shambles, and the mercenaries and thieves who had come with Gatherion had stolen and destroyed the contracts for the souls he had diligently worked to gather. It was said that Ruzel himself started to laugh with Gatherion as it dawned on him that he had been outfoxed by a mere tiefling. As their mad laughter echoed throughout hell and the devils overwhelmed the mercenaries a peel of thunder roared across the realm and a host of angelic knights in the service of Shalana and Dracos arrived claiming that as Gatherions Mother she had a lawful right to retrieve her living yet dying son from hell. The devils having no desire to fight two gods nor their legions had little choice but to give up Gatherion but they did negotiate a dark price. They would keep the souls of his mercenaries with them, It was at this moment that Gatherion told his mother as he died that he was ready to accept his duty to his family. Shalana embraced her dying son as she rode from hell's gates and Gatherion passed away in his mother's arms.
It was upon his death that the divine spark that had been a part of Gatherion since his birth (like his brother) had matured enough to allow Gatherion to embrace his nature as one of the divine. As he arose he smiled grimly for as he did his army who suffered in hell faded away from that vile domain for each and everyone had sworn first an oath to serve in the Bastards until they were done fighting and they were not yet done. In one last act he spat in the eye of tyranny and deprived the wicked of their unjust price. It was not long before a cult started to venerate him in Zophor, the nation he had been a hero to in life, a cult that spread as many started to venerate him and pray to him for justice when none could be found. For many he and his brother and mother as the triad of good risen gods from Paladius sometimes referred to as the Queen Mother, The Prince and The Bastard.
The Church
Gatherions faithful are nothing if not independent minded, most tend to have a do as you will and as you please so long as you do no harm to the innocent, offer redemption to the honest and bring vengeance to the dishonest, cruel and tyrannical by any means possible. Never a widely popular god, his faithful have always remained small operating more akin to a mystery cult. His followers act as they feel is required to do their gods work with some being open avengers and others masked vigilantes who stalk the shadows. In any case they often prefer to work in small elite numbers over large bloated gatherings. Conflicts within the faith are not uncommon and settled via duels to first blood typically although it is just as common for disagreeing parties to fracture into new smaller cells as they both stubbornly walk their own path. What holds the faith together is that when a great evil is committed they agree that there must be vengeance, just how and what manner of vengeance is where many theological debates occur, though if such debate would hinder vengeance being done the highest ranked member of the clergy has a final say unless he can be bested in a ritual duel in which case the victor has the final say. Suffice to say many cults of Gatherion prefer to work in small like minded cells rather than waste time arguing over the finer details. This said it is considered poor form to argue or waste time if two separate cells encounter each other on the same mission. In such circumstances both will try to find an equitable outcome often using divination to determine their gods preference for the mission. Many keep a Holy Coin or Die to quickly determine such matters when time is of concern.
The Rite of Sin Eating While sin eating inquisitors of many faiths practise this rite among Gatherions faith this ritual is a common last rites among the entirely of his clergy, Symbolic of granting a soul a chance at redemption and the clergy who are sworn to their god carrying the sins of the dead with them. This rite can vary slightly but is often a sombre prayer followed by eating a small meal and drinking (often sacramental alcoholic beverages though this is not required and water works fine)
The Redeemers Rebirth Redemption and rising above a debased or wicked past has always been important to the faith of Gatherion and when someone of wicked nature fully embraces Gatherion and leaves their former life behind it is custom for them to undergo the Rebirth. This Rite is quiet and often personal with a member of the clergy acting only to observe the event. The Reborn, as the aspirant is called, enters a quiet chamber with only a holy symbol, a holy text, the clothes on his back and semi-magical brew created by the faith called Sinners Tea. Few Speak of the Rite of Rebirth but rumour abounds that the Sinners Tea is a magical hallucinogen that evokes visions of the person's former life and in some cases visions of tainted or evil ancestry. For some the rite lasts minutes for others hours, all who endure the rite seem shaken and haunted by this test but none who are reborn are left without a new found strength and sense of purpose.
The Mark of Vengeance Sometimes a villain, tyrant or criminal is such that death is either difficult or deemed not worthy by the faithful in such cases even a magical brand will not suffice. There are horror stories among the underworld, murderers and thieves that say underworld bosses, abusers and corrupted politicians alike will awaken from slumber chained to their own bed frames while masked hooded worshipers say a dark prayer and heat iron brands in braziers. The Brand’s location is often done in relation to the severity of their crime with the worst always having their face branded with the Mark. Others tell of an attractive person luring them into chains or ropes only for their lover to dawn a hooded mask and their cell of worshipers appear ready to brand the helpless victim. Some yet claim hooded masked men assailing them to beat them with saps or tying heavy black bags around their heads to take them to a hidden shrine where the branding follows. No good cleric and few neutral ones will heal the scars left by the Mark and even some dark gods will not interject lest they draw the attention of Gatherions faithful.
Temples
Small Shrines and hidden temples are the norm with many having fronts as legitimate feast falls and businesses or mercenary recruitment offices. Open temples are uncommon but not unheard of. More often a personal shrine located near a temple of his mother or brother is the method by which the public offers its prayers. The most elaborate of his temples are typically underground with a front of some kind above. They act as training grounds, cells for holding wrong doers and interrogation chambers as well as armouries and supply caches for the faithful and their vengeful endeavours. Some wealthy vigilantes often have secret temples built under stately mansions and the homes of their socially acceptable alter egos.
A priests role
Gatherions faithful is a strange one with a very fine line between its clerics, Inquisitors (referred to as The Hooded one or Hooded Brother or Sister), its Purifiers (Hooded Slayers), Zealots (Masked Avengers) and Warpriests (The Bastards Swords). They may freely act as mercenary and crusader travelling the land to avenge wrongs and hunt dangerous beasts but just as often they work in the shadows with guile and wit. What is important is that they strive to bring vengeance to the wicked, route out the corrupt and accept willing acts of redemption. Like many aspects of this chaotic deity's faith Gatherion is less concerned by an individual's methods so much as their results. His priests do tend to the daily needs of the faith and it is not uncommon for some who feel guilty to seek Gatherions Shrines and confess their guilt to seek divine forgiveness. Often hidden or in disguised priests (Some do this openly) listen to such confessions of guilt and will advise (if open) or leave a message for the confessor to find that detail how they might seek absolution, make their wrongs right. If the guilt is unwarranted or minor they often only receive only silence.
Adventurers
Adventure is second nature to most of Gatherions clergy from wandering the land facing evil, undermining corrupt regimes, battling the machinations of crime lords and laying low evil cultists they are rarely far from adventure. A few also work as travelling Sin Eaters and Confessors offering their services at a reasonable fee. When the faith requires large sums of money for an operation they sometimes sponsor entire holy mercenary companies and hire them out to worthy causes. Clothing
Holy garb consists of a heavy dark cloak with a cowl and or a dark purple mask or heavy scarf, in fact some cells are not even aware what their high priest and members actually look like. The faith teaches that one should always be ready to fight and carry some kind of weapon on hand even if it is just a small knife. His faithful acting openly wears the scarf or mask open but still present and the hood may be substituted for a suitably well made dark hat (As is becoming popular custom). It is also custom for them to collect subtle means of protection and armour to wear even when not engaged in battle. If combat or travel is expected the faith stresses that practicality and function are important but personal expression and taste are also encouraged or at the very least of no consequence to the faithful. For those who have developed an alter ego while working their gods will the costume or alter egos attire is entirely acceptable as holy garb as well. Holidays
The Sinners Feast Falling on the first Duskday of Evenfall the Sinners Feast is a large gathering of local cells of the faith where disagreements are often settled, duels are not uncommon and spirited debate is often accompanied by games and friendly contests. The day's main event though is the Sinners Feast, a huge feast where the faithful gather in prayer for every sinner who was not all bad, every glorious bastard who did the bad things for the right reasons and dead friends and loved ones taken too soon. Food is often prepared at the request of the priests or made by the faithful with the names of the honoured dead baked into it or worked into the goblets and casks of sacramental booze. The Feast always ends with the high priests raising one last drink and stating “They shall be avenged!” to witch the gathered faithful reply “and we are the avengers” Nights Vigil Winter Solstice falls on the 21st of LongNight and is a sacred day to Gatherions faithful. The daylight hours are spent fasting and an hour before sunset his faithful meditate and pray seeking visions of vengeance (his more potent clergy use magical divinations). Many however often already have targets in mind for the Nights Vigil and is one holy day rightfully feared by criminals and murderers for it is when Gatherions faithful hunt. Each seeks out a target deserving of vengeance and from dusk until dawn they will pursue this holy target until they are made to pay or repent for their wicked deeds. Any treasure gained from the Nights Vigil is tithed 10% to the needy and if the priest does not find or defeat their mark by sunrise they continue the hunt when the sun next sets until they fall or the deed is done. The Hooded Heroes Rise Celebrating his ascension to godhood on the last day of ShimmerSun this is one of the least dark or grim holidays in the faith and for many of his followers a necessary release of pent up emotions. It is a day of prayer and meditation in the early hours of the day but this is all while the festivities are prepared. If the Sinners Feast is akin to a party then Heroes Rise is a debauched celebration of life where the drink flows, the food is plentiful and the worshipers collectively gather to blow off steam during the night time hours. However this is not universal as some of the faithful prefer to release their pent up emotion in other ways and the real point of the day is for the faithful to ease such feelings as relieve anger, frustration, sorrow and other negative emotions often occurred during their grim tasks. Just as many engage in quiet meditation, seek counsel from friends or enjoy quiet evenings alone. When the hour strikes Midnight however all of his faithful take a minute of silence and peace regardless of activity in honour of their god, his life and his rise to divinity.
Relation with other religions
Gatherions faith is feared or hated by nearly every evil deity, cult or philosophy with few if ever willingly and knowingly working alongside them, however it is also not uncommon for them to give the faith a healthy dose of respect. The Lords of Hell however have a very special hatred for Gatherion and cults devoted to the Infernal dukes often go out of their way to wage subversive unholy wars on the faithful of the Hooded Hero. Gatherions fel father Sal’zen the god of Destruction, Hatred and Strife holds a special degree of bitterness for the traitor son but his faith refuse to allow any but theirs to kill Gatherions often waging wars against other evil doers who would dare take their right to slay the faithful of the Hooded Hero. Strangely Gatherions Grandmother Sindra has a cordial relationship with Gatherion and the goddess of evils cults are quite content to lead those not truly devoted to her cause to Gatherions salvation rather then let their weak hearts poison the purity of the faiths dark devotion, Rumors abound she secretly encouraged Gatherion towards the path he was on for the very purpose of culling the weak and worthless from the ranks of her and other evil gods faiths. Many Lawful Neutral faiths disdain Gatherions faithful as reckless and criminals themselves, most chaotic and neutral deities approach the faith carefully learning where they stand with them before acting. Many Lawful Good aligned faiths are distant and distrustful of Gatherion’s faithful as some among these religions feel Gatherion has no respect for just authority and his law breaking followers cause more harm than good. Neutral good and Chaotic good faiths tend to have better relations, some even happily aiding the faith when their goals align.
El’sair, Dracos and his Mother Shalana’s faiths have the best relations in spite of their differences and ideologies. In fact in spite of their differences the Hooded Heroes faith will often go out of their way to aid them. In spite of his dark heart Gatherion himself cared dearly for his Mother and Brother and his unrequited love for El’sair is famous. This translates as a strange alliance and aid given (sometimes in secret) to these faiths by Gatherions faithful. Ovaeron, his mother's husband and god of kings grudgingly accepts Gatherions faith as a stepfather would an adopted son who they are not overly fond of but still respect. Realm
Where the plane of Purgatory borders Elysium there is a demi plane that was once a border fortress realm used by the abyss to plan an invasion. One of the first acts Gatherion did as a god was crash the gates, slay the nascent demon lord who ruled the demi plane and mount its head on a pike. He then claimed the fortress demi plane as his own. Renaming it Vigils Rest it is a place of grim and gothic beauty, dark but gorgeous vistas dot the landscape and all seem to frame the city of Vigil. A place of tall gothic spires and grimly beautiful artwork, it is a place where petitioners can rest if they desire or continue their work writing down the names of the wicked who escaped them so that their god can whisper them to his living followers. At the heart of the city is said to be a tower with seven floors with each being where sins are drained and stored through various processes and that if one gives their sins to each level of the tower they are left cleansed (This is the final series of trials many of his petitioners undertake) It is also another example of his willingness to spite planer law as the demi-plane has a quality of keeping souls that enter inside the realms borders regardless if their mortal sins would drag them to another plane. Some souls who call Vigils Rest Home sold themselves to evil or committed such evil they would normally be destined to the pits but Gatherion often steals them away to his realm. Here it is said they are able to cleanse their souls or simply remain out of the reach of the lower planes. Such deliverance is only granted though if Gatherion feels that it is deserved.
Allies
The Bastard Brothers Brigade Better known as Gatherions Bastards or just the Bastards are his favourite and most terrifying planer agent. Each and every man and woman who ever served in his mercenary company willingly swore an oath to fight by Gatherions side until they were done with fighting. Near all have remained loyal and true to their leader and their oaths have been held long after death. This is not any single entity but an army of hard bitten Einherji mercenaries who dole out divine punishment at the behest of the Hooded Hero. As it is common for his most faithful to share the same oath as his mercenary brothers once did, this army has only grown in number over the centuries. Issimere the Black Swan Sometimes referred to as “Izzy” by the brave or Gatherion himself Issimere is a Valkyrie queen and once served as Gatherions second and leader of his cavalry. A half-orc woman in life she presents a powerful and foreboding yet beautiful visage as she descends on her dragon horse; Skyfire. She is a stern military minded woman a bit rough around the edges and prone to playing mother bear her charges. She may work alone but it is not uncommon for her to ride with the Bastards Cavalry now made up of Valkyrie and Einherji riders. Roksana Salko, The Divine Whore, The Song of Vengeance For many Gatherions true and only love is El’sair but for others El’sair is not the woman who he deserves, these few claim she has his heart only because he is too blind to see whom he truly loves stating that in life he has was quite famous for his disastrous love life choices. This all comes to a head when the faith discusses one of his planer allies, Roksana Salko. In life Roksana was a prostitute and leader of his mercenary band's camp followers. Very much a whore with a heart of gold the Dhampir woman was Gatherions best friend and more often than not the woman to share his tent on cold nights. Many are the stories of their flirtations and her joining him on his misadventures lending her bardic prowess to turn the tide of an ill thought out plan. Inseparable in life when she perished during his attack on hell they say it was that which gave him the grim determination he needed to steal victory from the devils. Rather than allow her to simply languish in purgatory he personally demanded that Scarcon not purge her of her mortal memories and pain (She had not been devoted to any god or goddess and had no divine realm to be called to). The Reaper challenged Gatherion to a contest of wits (Gatherion barely won by posing a riddle with no answer, which the reaper found amusing) and won the soul of Roksana which he had personally reforged into his right hand arch-angel; The Song of Vengeance. Unlike most others was left with her mortal memory and personality fully intact and has the curious ability to shift her soul and aura with her shapeshifting appearing as whatever alignment she desires that nothing short of divine power can detect. As an angel she is much like she was as a mortal, snarky, sexy and sharp of wit. A lover of life’s indulgences living on the razor's edge between light and dark, she can turn from a smiling face with bedroom eyes to a fury of dark rage when her vengeful ire is roused. Some say she whispers her name to the mightest of Gatherions spellcasters (and others) eager that they might summon her to walk the mortal realm.

Religions

• The Most Holy Inquisition of the Western Church