Adalci
Dispenser of Justice, Granter of Mercy, Protector of the Innocent: Adalci
Friends, I want to tell you about a man I met recently. I was on my way back from Uborum, and had stopped at a roadside inn for the night. I went into the common room for a meal before turning in, and I saw a crowded room, with one table off to the side that was an island of emptiness in a sea of people. The only one at the table was Urdok, the man I mentioned. He's an Orcan, raised by his orcish mother, and definitely favoring that side.
I made my way through the crowd until I got to his table, and asked if I could sit. I'd like to say that I could sense he was a good man and wanted to join him, but ultimately there was nowhere else to sit, with other tables already overcrowded. He looked at me, taking in my garb that marks me as a member of the Church, and shrugged. I signaled the innkeeper for my meal, and sat down to wait for it.
I tried to make some small talk with the man, while he remained focused on his food and ale. The third time I broached a subject, he quietly said that I should just ignore him. That it would be better that way. Well, I took this as a bit of a threat - he was quite large, and he wore a sword like he knew how to use it. I'm sure we've all been told at some point in our lives how the Orcs are a creation of the Devils, and that half-Orcs are not any better. But the entire time I sat there, even when he told me to back off, I never got the feeling that I was facing evil. I pushed down my initial reaction, and I asked him what he meant.
He kept his head down, but raised his eyes to look at me. You're just asking for trouble, he told me. No good can come from the two of them talking. I told him that Adalci is a fount of good, and I'd never been steered wrong by following the instincts He gave me. He started to lift his head, then suddenly dropped it back down. I stopped, and felt the looming presence of people behind me.
I looked, and found three Humans, each as large as the Orcan. The asked me what I was doing with that thing, and said I must have stolen a real priest's clothes. When I tried to speak, one of them clamped a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it in a vice like grip. I reached for my mace, but Urdok raised his hand, then closed his eyes and gave a small shake of his head. I didn't know what to do, but I decided to follow his lead. The men ignored me, and focused on the Orcan. They started by dumping his food in his lap, then emptying his mug over his head. Through it all, Urdok sat stoically. He took what they did, until they got bored, and left. I tried to get more food for him, but he shook his head. He'd had enough, and was going to his room.
After he left, I reflected on what Adalci wanted me to learn - Adalci often puts things in our path that he wants us to learn from. But the more I thought, the more I came to believe that this wasn't about me. This man was not an object lesson, he was a sapient being that endured so much simply because of who he was. I sensed no evil in him - the three men were much closer to the Devils than the Orcan was. But I'm sure that they went home that night, and were convinced that they had stood up to a monster.
So I learned something anyway, even if this was not a lesson set in my path. Two things, actually - the first the knowledge that sometimes things are not a divine lesson, they are just evidence of people not living up to the ideals of what they can be. And that we all make our own decisions as to who we want to be. We choose whether we will be the person who weathers the worst and comes out strong, or whether we are the people who try to become strong by taking others down, and ending up the poorer for it. I know who Adalci wants me to be, and I hope you all do, too.
The Truth of Adalci
Adalci is the facet of goodness that aligns with order. As such, he anoints paladins of good,and has an active branch of adventuring clerics as part of the church. Adalci's laws focus on elevating good above all, and their followers will always uphold Adalci's laws over any others if they conflict. Adalci seeks to ensure that the innocent are protected and justice is served, but also to show mercy to all who are willing to take it.
Adalci is open to all who seek His truth. When someone calls upon Adalci for minor aid, it is often granted the first time, even if the person praying has no previous relationship with the God. Once someone has brought themselves to the God’s attention, however, they will be judged for how well they uphold the virtues of goodness, justice, and mercy. The closer one holds to those values, the more likely one is to receive more aid in the future. Typical things the God will answer for people are the strength to persevere in the face of injustice, or an insight into what of multiple choices serves the greater good. He does not deliver gifts or help in combat to people not in the church, but rather gives them feelings of peace or relief.
Divine Domains
Holy Books & Codes
Physical Description
Body Features
Identifying Characteristics
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Adalci is the facet of goodness that aligns with order. As such, he anoints paladins of good,and has an active branch of adventuring clerics as part of the church. His primary concerns are just laws and caring for the poor.
Comments