Author: Dennis

Along the street of King Augustine in Eastminster, inside the fortified monastery devoted to Paladine, is the final resting place of Dame Catherine of Dunagore, Lyrian knight in the Order of the Shield and famously the woman who gave her life to save Sir William of Garamond at the Battle for Blue Harbour.

Legend has it that she was the first chaplain of her order, and that she shielded the leader of the Silver Crusade with her body as it rained hellfire upon her and the troops around her. Paladine blessed her for her faith, heroism and sacrifice by letting her withstand enough of the damage to keep Sir William safe while all around her scores of knights roasted and boiled in their armours.

Her charred bones have been laid to rest in the impressive chapel, and her soot-covered armour has been crafted in the lid of her tomb, not showing any signs of deterioration, despite the countless centuries. Pilgrims, devotees of Paladine and Lyrian knights come from all around to touch her plate armour, be witness to her sacrifice and pay their respects.

The monastery is the home of the Monastic order of Saint Catherine, who have devoted their lives to Paladine and the virtues that Saint Catherine represents to them. They are the custodians of the tomb, and their red robes and tabards are a common sight in Eastminster.

Chauntea is the largest and most worshipped deity in Lyria, after Paladine. Even so, the temple in the Steward Square ward of Kingsport is modest, consisting of a building with a large open court in the middle in which a beautiful, lush garden has been planted. The priesthood dedicated to Chauntea prefer to dedicate their efforts and spread their word around the farming communities around Kingsport and throughout Northshire.

The leader of the congregation is Mother Gwendolyn, a warm and nurturing woman in the twilight of her life. She is grooming a replacement, a younger woman by the name of Lilly of Fairfields, whose connection to the Earthmother is reported to be boundless. They often tend the gardens together and talk about fertility and nourishment. Women who are with child often sit nearby to learn about motherhood while their husbands lend a hand tending to the garden, simultaneously learning about how best to provide for their new families.

Right behind the enormous Cathedral of the Platinum Father stands the modest Temple of Light, the primary place of worship of Pholtus. It is also the foremost place to go in order to be treated for injury and illness. Mother Superior Arwyn runs the clinic, while High Priest Selwyn is the spiritual head of the congregation. The clinic and the temple are two separate buildings, with separate entrances, so as not to have the treatment of the sick interrupt the worship of the healthy.

There are several selfless priests who tend to the spiritual and physical needs of both the congregation as well as the patients, but one stands out to anyone who has ever had to be tended to; Father Devon. While the wealthy and fortunate are able to call upon the services the temple at their homes or estates, the poor and dispossessed are required to come to the temple of aid. Father Devon has made it his duty to treat those who are unable to make it to the temple and don’t have the coin to pay for a visit. It has made him an immensely popular individual throughout large parts of Kingsport, especially Lewisham and The Lace, where he regularly tends to the lads and ladies of the night.

Right on Steward Square sits the enormous cathedral dedicated to the worship of Paladine. It’s open to the public for worship and usually quite busy, no matter the time of day. The leader of the congregation is high bishop Aldred Grey, younger brother to Lord Edgard Grey, the head of House Grey of Ashenvale. It is the largest congregation in Kingsport, as well as Lyria, and it regularly gets large donations. As a result, the building is magnificent and awe inspiring, with bright silver threaded flags billowing from each the corners of its two towers and the tips of the flying buttresses.

Its interior is equally awe-inspiring, with its high, vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, and intricately carved wooden doors and pews. Several dozen special chapels are available for worshipping specific saints. There is even a special section for those who worship Paladine in its draconic form of Bahamut, but it hasn’t been actively used for as long as anyone can remember. It’s more a curiosity than anything else.

The Raven Queen is the goddess of fate, destiny and death. Despite her ghastly portfolio the residents of Kingsport have a comfortable relationship with the clergy because of the grief counselling and funeral services they provide, even to the poorest of families, free of charge. The large, dark building dedicated to the Raven Queen sits upon the river in the ward of Steward Square. Acolytes of the Raven Queen have taken a vow of silence giving the entire place an even more solemn atmosphere. Priests, who regain their voices after they are anointed and reborn in the service to the Raven Queen, are available for counselling and funeral services day and night. The head of the clergy is a man by the name of cardinal James Roark.