Temple of the Peace-Maker

Rao the Peace-Maker, god of reason and mercy, is revered by those who wish to refine their spirits. He teaches that by leading a well-disciplined life, letting go of irrationality and aggression, and giving aid to those in need, people can become the best versions of themselves.
Temples of Rao are therefore places for contemplation and aesceticism. They have plain, clean architecture, with a lot of open space, but little in the way of physical comforts. The air is filled with incense, quiet chanting, and the occasional earnest philosophical discussion. Every temple has an extensive library, and cloisters where devotees can go to spend hours (or even days) in undisturbed meditation.

Sects

• Mainline Raoan clerics are quiet, studious people. They often serve as impartial negotiators and peacemakers for the community, and work together with the clergy of Ioun to promote a life of peaceful learning.
• The Order of the Gentle Hand are an ancient monastic order who study martial arts as well as philosophy. While this may seem paradoxical, they believe that martial arts are a good way to focus and refine the mind. Accordingly, their fighting style focuses on grappling, dodging, and redirecting the opponent's force rather than striking. Monks of the Gentle Hand follow Rao's principles of pacifism closely, but if pressed, their opponent will find that while their touch is gentle, the cold, hard ground is not.
• The Order of the Serene Heart are Rao's paladins. While they prefer peaceful solutions as much as any Raoan, they joined this order because they know that sometimes the only way to win peace is by strength of arms. Even so, these paladins will still try every other trick in the book before picking up a weapon if they can help it.

Peace is Reason and Reason is Peace

Type

Religious, Sect

Demonym

Raoan

Parent Organization

The Twelve

Deities

• Rao

Divines

• Rao