====== Cevahir ====== {{:cevahirmore.png?400|}} Lady of the Battlefield, the Warlord, Stratagem's Perfection **Domain:** war, strategy, wisdom, battle, soldiers, tactics, games, puzzles, the wounded, the fallen in battle\\ **Symbol:** a battered crested helm\\ **Sacred Items/Creatures:** amethyst, diamond, gold, vultures, horses, dogs, bees, weapons, game pieces\\ **Resonance:** Twilight\\ **Followers:** Cevahir accepts followers of all resonances, but only bestows her divine powers upon those of the twilight\\ **Spell domains:** [[strengthdomain|strength]], [[war]], [[knowledge]], [[repose]]\\ **Allies:** None\\ **Enemies:** None\\ ===== History ===== Long had the mysterious force known as Cevahir waited in the shadows, watching the rise of the old deities and anticipating their fall. As the Silence of 737 SG approached, Cevahir prepared but did not strike, sensing that a better opportunity was yet to come. Following the elemental storm and the months of eternal night of 750-751 SG, Cevahir sensed the shifting currents and finally made his move, weaving together strategies long centuries in the making. While he had been gathering followers in the south and west for a long time, Cevahir was first heralded in the Shadow Region by one known as The Singing Soldier. The deity's most distinguishing feature is a battered, crested helm without even a slit for the eyes. The slender, androgynous figure has given rise to countless rumors about the deity's origin - and gender. Was she once a shieldmaiden from a long-forgotten island nation? Did he rise through the ranks of the never-ending battles on Laerad or from the tribal feuds of the wild lands? No one knows from whence the deity came, but Cevahir's presence and might are irrefutable. It is said that her deva fly above fields of battle, choosing the fallen, who have proven their skill and bravery, to ascend and join their ranks. ===== Personality ===== Cevahir is a god of war and loves the glory of battle. She admires heroism and bravery over all other traits and has a disdain for those who do not possess those traits. Her love of battle is only matched by her love for song, and her followers can often be heard singing battle songs or dirges to those heroes lost in battle. Cevahir followers also have a work hard/play hard mentality and many drinking songs have been written by bards in her name. ===== Regards to Mortals ===== Cevahir is relatively no-nonsense in her interactions with her followers. She will not interact with anyone who is not a proven warrior, and her greatest clerics have lived a long life of battle. When asked by her clerics for guidance, she will usually simply impart the knowledge they need directly into their minds, rather than speaking to them. Usually this knowledge is related to some long-lost lore or history that is particularly pertinent to the topic the petitioner is asking about. A warrior who has lived a life of bravery and dies heroically in battle may be chosen by her to join her Einherjar, to fight for her for eternity. ===== Regards to Undead ===== The faithful of Cevahir do not have a unified view on undead. Some see the creatures as a tool to use much like any other, while others avoid undead due to their own personal beliefs. ===== Regards to Outsiders ===== The faithful of Cevahir are largely indifferent to outsiders, though they greatly revere the Einherjar. ===== Vestments ===== Priests of Cevahir are often warpriests who dress in the armor of their homeland. They work the purple and white of Cevahir into their garb in some way, and many have amethyst set into their scabbards or weapons. During ceremonies and on feast days, priests wear trim white pants and shirts topped by a purple tabard bearing the holy symbol of Cevahir. The color of the piping along the tabard indicates rank, with newly initiated wearing brightest white and increasing rank darkening toward gold. The high priest of Cevahir is granted the honor of having piping made of thread of gold. ===== Dogma ===== Luck is for those unable to plan. Place your faith in strategy and devote your energy to learning all you can. Do not focus only on your enemies for that way lies folly. Learn your own strengths and weaknesses and determine how they fit with those of your enemy. Honor those fallen in battle and give them the recognition they deserve. Every battle must have at least two sides, so learn to recognize your allies and never hesitate to aid your fellow soldiers. Trust in the inevitability of battle and conduct yourself according to the teachings of Cevahir if you want to assure your victory. Know that sometimes losing a single battle is necessary to win the war. ===== Followers ===== Cevahir accepts followers of all resonances, but only bestows her divine powers upon those of the twilight. =====Faith-based groups ===== * __The Gambit__: Not a single group, this name is used by countless war councils in service to the Lady of the Battlefield. They form and dissolve as needed, often gathered to advise rulers who seek to expand their domain - or defend their realm. As such, they are often pitted against each other, which the faithful take as a delightful challenge. * __The Warlord's Blade__: This mercenary group is made up of members of all trades who offer their services to the highest bidder. Known as a nearly unstoppable force in the land, the Warlord's Blade is sought-after by the wealthiest nations, but they refuse to commit to a single nation or cause permanently. * __The Stratagems__: A convocation of intellectuals, the Stratagems dedicate their lives to perfecting strategy. They study battles and militaries, reading first-hand accounts from soldiers and generals alike. They travel far and wide collecting and searching for lore, all to the greater glory of the Stratagem's Perfection.