Stasis
Pronounced [stae' sis]
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What is known of Stasis is
more fact than legend. The once mortal deity guides the heroes, upholds
nobility, and is a constant thorn in the side of evil. His presence can
be felt in those things he did and created as a mortal, and in the yearly
visits he makes to the nation he founded.
Although his fame has spread, the number of clerics and faithful is more prominent in Icefia than anywhere else. His clerics are unwavering and uncompromising. His followers are true believers, unwilling to stand idly by and watch events unfold.
The mortal Stasis made many enemies by his deeds. The Amatine Gnomes despise him for the banishing of Amat. Drow elves know that he was responsible for the defeat of the Spider Queen.
Power: Lesser God
Symbol: A white sword on a blue diamond-shaped field.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Aspects: Cavaliers, Light, Virtue, Monarchs, Heroes
Plane of Existence: Celestia - Mercuria
Domains: Courage, Glory, Nobility, War
Prayer Time: In the morning after sparing or exercise
Favored Weapon: Bastard Sword
Turn Undead: Turn Undead
Back from the Dead: Resurrection
Favored Class: Paladin
High Temple: Messada
High Cleric: Michael Steelsmyth
Number of Faithful: 500,000
Associated Groups: Knights of the White Sword
Dogma: The leaders of the world and the strong must help those who cannot help themselves defend against the evils that threaten them. Everyone has a duty to do what is right in the name of the deities of light and virtue. Death will judge each upon how they used what they were gifted with to help the world. Those who are virtuous and do not ignore their calling will be rewarded. The evil and the selfish will be punished. Only the creatures of the lower planes are incapable of virtue, let nothing stay your blade when they are encountered.
Feast Day: 29th Progonust (Ascension to the Counsil) <![if !supportFootnotes]>
The Church
The Church is led by a High Priest known as a Steward. The Steward is assisted by a Council composed of a Codicer, the keeper of the church history; the Justiciar, enforcer of church dogma; the Herald, the church diplomat; the Executor, director of the church bureaucracy; and the Illuminator, the teacher of the faith. The Steward has absolute authority within their branch of the church and appoint all of the other members of the Council. There is also a Champion, usually a paladin, appointed by Stasis. The current Steward of Habololy is Michael Steelsmyth. The current Champion of Habololy is Nisoru Metakae.
The church is subdivided along regional/national lines with each area having a high temple that supervises the other churches in the nation. The high cleric of each nation/ region in turn reports to the Steward and Council. The high priest is expected to hold a meeting of all the priests of their nation/region on New Year's Day. Once every ten years clerics who are of sufficient power to be a temple priest are expected to make a pilgrimage to the Fortress.
Each temple is staffed by one or more priests, led by the temple priest. The temple will have several guards as well as staff to administer the day to day business of the temple, such as record keeping. Larger temples will have a paladin in residence. The largest temples, like those in Messada, Capetolia and Midyr; will have wizards, bards and an ascetic community (see the Order of the Glorious Path below).
Every temple maintains a library, catacombs, reliquary and armory. The temples act as centers of healing and teaching. The temple priest is expected to take the concerns of the common people to the local ruler. In times of need the temple will act as a bastion against evil, a base from which to strike at the forces of darkness. The temple will aid those seeking refuge from evil or fleeing oppression. Temples rely upon their community members for only a portion of their revenue. Each temple produces goods of some type for sale in the community; armor, weapons, books and horses are especially common. The temples do not stock pile wealth, keeping only enough for the comfort of the temple members. The remaining funds are used to purchase arcane services, magical weapons and provide for the poor.
The church maintains close relations with three groups. The first are the Knights of the White Sword, a group founded by Stasis and dedicated to his ideals but not necessarily his religion. Stasis’ followers make up the majority of the Knights and as such the relationship between the church and the Knights is excellent. Even those leaders of the Knights that do not worship Stasis revere his ideals and rarely find cause to disagree with his clerics. The Knights and the servants of the church work closely together to advance Stasis’ goals. The second group is the Guardians, those who serve the Guardian Temple in central Icefia. The Guardians dedicate their live to defending Habololy from the forces of the lower planes, a goal that Stasis has shared his entire existence. Stasis granted Escalon, the Arrow, the land to build and found the Temple. Stasis has been the Temple’s most vocal patron on the Counsil. His clerics are expected to aid the Guardians whenever the need arises. The last group is composed almost entirely of Stasis worshippers and is virtually an arm of the church. The Order of the Glorious Path is a knightly order, devoted to Stasis in his aspect as light-bringer. They live as ascetics, taking vows of obedience to the church. Some take vows of poverty as well. Among their ranks are paladins, monks, fighters and bards. They have sworn to carry Stasis faith back into those lands that broke from the Kingdom and in doing so restore the Kingdom to what Stasis envisioned it to be.On Habololy, Stasis’ faith is the official religion of the Kingdom of Icefia. It is very popular in Gnarland and Pacyr. It is highly regarded among the people of the Destroytian Republic and Orcish Empire. It is known throughout the rest of Habololy’s nations but is not as widely practiced.
Relationships with the Other Deities
The Church maintains relations with all the churches of the good and neutral deities of the Counsil, as well as the Cult of Hemator and the faithful of Mouser and Allanda. The Church tends to be on excellent terms with the churches of Arsur’anyodel and Gnarion. These deities are Stasis’ closest allies on the Counsil, other than Falan, and he expects his clerics to support these faiths at all times. The Church of Stasis and Falan work together to combat evil, especially fiends and undead. However, the centuries long friendship between Stasis and Falan, does not easily translate to their followers and the two groups have very little in common. Stasis maintains good relations with Han-Sui and their followers are generally on good terms. Under normal circumstances the worshippers of Stasis and Han-Sui work together to uphold law and order and ensure the fair administration of justice. The gladly join forces against evil cults and formed the vanguard of the Counsil’s forces against the Spider Queen. However, in areas where the Cult of Hemator is aggressively persecuted there is tension between the faithful of Stasis and Han-Sui. Stasis openly advocates for reconciliation with Hemator and expects his clerics to aid her faithful in tending to the sick or injured. Hemator’s clerics routinely seek the aid of Stasis worshippers when an organized force of evil is discovered.
Stasis maintains generally positive relationships with all of the other good and neutral deities though he is weary of the oppression of the cults. His church reflects this position. On the other hand Stasis is merely tolerant of Compture, Frostine and Gruweas, mostly because of their seniority. He is not tolerant of Dresta or Sutyr; their presence on the Counsil infuriates him and he is open in his contempt for them. His church opposes their faithful at all times, bringing their crimes to light and searching for ways to discredit them. Their agents are opposed with the sword when possible.
Stasis and his church oppose the cults with the exceptions of Allanda, Mouser and Hemator. Stasis’ temples serve as shrines for Mouser’s faithful and their churches are united in their goals. Stasis and his church had in the past supported Drunnbar, but since the War of Technology Stasis has opposed him, believing his goals to be dangerous to the future of the world. Stasis’ enmity with the evil cults is well known. His church opposes them at every encounter. Stasis expects his followers to act assertively against the cults and expose them when discovered. Arsenal’s cult is treated in the same manner as the evil cults though with less violence.
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