Válastog, The Rowan Crown
“I am the clamouring of the jury. I am the dwindling candles burning too close to your back. I am the scribbling of quill on parchment, the cold look in your eyes, and the words that leave your mouth, sending him to the gallows.”
Divine Domains
Holy Books & Codes
The Word of the First, is the only tome recognised by the Válastan faith. It was written by Aleksandra Sobieska, the First Witch of the Empire, and initially consisted mainly of notes and conversations between herself and her patron (widely accepted to be at least a servant of the First, if not Válastog himself). After the woman's untimely death, her notes were turned into the one and only book used by the Church of the First. Four additions have been made to the tome since its first conception, all of which had to be unanimously agreed upon by the leading members across the church in all Imperial territory. Thus far, the book contains the dogma of the First, rituals, and direct copies of conversations between Aleksandra and her patron, which serve as 'food for thought' for the Válastan faithful.
In the recent time, members of the Válastan Church in The Empire have brought forward a new tome, and have been calling for its 'canonisation' for the past ten years, with steadily growing support. This book, a set of memoirs by an Vajkieri cleric of Válastog named Darvan, is an extremely comprehensive telling of his work as a demon hunter. Notes on how demons come about, their behavioural patterns, strengths and weaknesses and how to most effectively banish them back to The Pit. Some clerics have called for the introduction of the book to the Válastan canon as the faith's equivalent of the Klaszian Kasi Unamarłych. Some of the older authorities of the church have been adamantly against this change, claiming that the best way to learn how to slay demons is through shadowing other clerics and hands on experience.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Válastog sees himself as the eldest of the Divine Tetrad. As such, he often presented himself himself to his followers as a figure adorned with a golden crown. After the imprisonment of Decieravnas, he has began appearing not with one, but two crowns, encircling him akin to a halo. A symbol of Válastog's ownership of his insolent child. A such, follower's of the First see the Golden Crown as his symbol, and wear it around their necks, or display it in his churches. Around the halfway point of the Expansion Era, a small village on mainland Ewarice suffered a tragedy when a large group of children from the town were poisoned and died after consuming a particular type of rowan fruit, believing it to be simple berries. The fruit, much darker than regular rowan, was after this time named 'the Devil's Berry,' and became a symbol of Válastog's punishment for stupidity.
The First demands a more intimate, more permanent sign of his most entrusted followers however. Clerics of the Rowan Crown are marked with an Infernal rune; a symbol akin to the number five with a small pronged tail. This symbol translated to the word "mine" in Infernal. The symbol is burned into the skin of the cleric as part of their vows, and infused with a small amount of Infernal energy.
Tenets of Faith
- Without order and rigour, man is but a beast in waiting.
- There is no king without his subjects, no god without followers. Those beneath you are in the perfect place to topple your throne.
- Defend what is yours. Forever, and always.
- A good leader does not have to force servitude from others; they follow with passion and zeal no tyranny could inspire.
- Fire cleanses the strong, and eliminates the weak. The choice is always yours.
- Take what you desire, lest a soul braver than you take it first.
Holidays
After the red handmaiden phenomena, it has become custom for a female member of the clergy to be chosen based on their mental wellness, spiritual and physical well-being, and hints of any druidic magic. The chosen woman stands at the bottom of the pyre whilst the sacrifice has its throat slit, and she is coated in its blood.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
The Vajkieri tell a story of Vàlastog and his bride. They claim that when the world was young, Vàlastog walked the forests and mountains until he happened upon a creature most divine. A cunning woman with a sharp tongue, and magic unlike anything he had ever seen. In Vajkiera, tales are told of how this creature, remembered now only as the Bride of the First wooed and enchanted Vàlastog with her skill, and warmed his heart with her compassion. The two were to be wed; an occasion of joy and unity.
In most telling's of the tale, Decieravnas slays the Bride as she walks down the Isle. In his rage and grief, Vàlastog strikes him down and drags him down to the Pit. The gods, grieving and shocked, help to create the prison which cages Decieravnas to this day, but the bride cannot be saved.
It is said that since the death of his beloved, Válastog has been on a ruthless mission to wipe demons and followers of Decieravnas from the face of the continent, until all that remains is a sour memory of a god lost to the mortals; forgotten and powerless.
Subdomains: Legislation, Arcane, Deception, Ash
Favoured Weapon: Mace
Symbol: Crown, a rowan branch
Sacred Animal: Hare
Sacred Colours: Gold, Black, Red
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