-=⇔=- Kreys, Kreysneothosies -=⇔=-

The Winged Fury, Golden Protector of the Tsarven, the Righteous Emperor

Domain: protection, valor, duty, honor, justice, truth, battle, skill, tactics, paladins, home

Symbol: a sword crossing a sheaf of wheat

Sacred Items/Creatures: gold, malachite, sapphires, horses, sphinx, grains, fruits and vegetables, holly, good dragons, hawks, eagles, falcons

Alignment: LG

Spell domains: good, law, protection, war, strength

Allies: Jarmila, Lysara

Enemies: The Faceless One, Nilith, Khyron

History: Little is known of Kreysneothosies before his appearance just after the Sundering, appearing to rally the scattered Tsarven armies to victory. Again, during the First Kinnesaruda War of 421-424SG he appeared to turn the tide of war, battling Intruder himself, though the death knight was believed to have proven too strong. For more than seven centuries, he has been upheld as the guardian of the Tsarven Empire and its emperor. During the Silence of 737SG, he was again sighted in the skies above the Tsarven armies, acting as a rallying force to inspire them against their foes. In the final battle across the outpost of Azha, he was sighted at wing above the city, in pursuit of the injured stormlord Talos. A later ritual among the highest of the Tsarven elite, along with the most senior of the faithful, revealed that the dragon Kreysneothosies and the immortal Tsarven Emperor were one and the same, and assured his ascension into the new pantheon as protector of all civilized lands.

Regards to Undead: Followers of the Golden Protector make active efforts to purge undead creatures wherever they are found, seeing them as a threat to all civilized settlements.

Regards to Outsiders: Followers of the Golden protector seek to banish all outside influence related to shadow creatures, demons and devils, including those who have blood tainted by these influences. Followers also typically detest Fey outsiders or those with fey blood, seeing them as chaos incarnate. Devas and greater celestials, such as Archons are revered by this faith.

Vestments: Ceremonial vestments for both genders consist of a white serwal, covered by a black thawb robe. The collar should bear a long v-shaped cut down the front, and be lined the full length of that cut with a thick, stiffened golden collar. A matching circlet of gold is worn by all senior priests.

Dogma: In all matters, uphold what is just and fair, and never betray your trust. Seek the truth, and use it to right wrongs and punish transgressors. Protect your home, your homeland, and your temple, and defend your brothers and sisters in arms. Heed and obey the wisdom of the law and your leaders, for it is only with respect given to righteous authority that civilization can be upheld. Be vigilant in your observations and anticipations, to detect corruption and chaos before they can threaten the order of society. Deliver vengeance to the guilty for those who cannot do it themselves.

Faith-based groups:

The Virtuous: A gathering of respected senior faithful, who serve as mediators and judges across the realm. They are known for their unbiased insights, and are often called upon to resolve legal disputes where other avenues have failed.

Blades of the Emperor: The faith order of paladins, charged with defending the interests of the church and its followers. They are tasked also with the reasonable defense of any civilised lands through which they pass, actively seeking out dens of beasts and monsters to cleanse, so that nearby towns can exist unthreatened.

The Crypt Stalkers: An elite force of rangers specialized in the hunting and destruction of the undead. This group first arrived from the Tsarven Empire in 751 SG to help fight the undead invasion of the Dagger Region.

Crimson Templars: An order of heroes who, in the wake of the Long Night, dedicated themselves to making sure that such a calamity would never happen again. Taking inspiration from The Holy Phoenix and Deva of Jarmila, Mal'Kor, the Crimson Templars ceaselessly fight all threats to the world, from without and within. This group, many of whom are veterans of the Long Night, consists of both Jarmilans and Kreysneothosians.

The Rose Crusade: Launched by the Jarmilian deva, Rosalind de Montbard, the crusade left the realm for unknown lands in 761 SG where it was reinforced by champions of Kreysneothosies. While official numbers are not known it is estimated that ten thousand soldiers, reinforced by silver, bronze, and copper dragons, as well as lesser celestials, battle in the sands of the Tsarven Empire. Under the command of a deva, they are almost to a person inflexible in their duties to wipe out evil wherever it hides, and to wage war on whoever would harbor such corruption.

See also: deities, deva