Serriel

Lesser Deity

Symbol: Two Gladius' and a Spear laid across a round steel shield.

Colors: Gold and Grey

Celestial Symbol: The Constellation 'The Guiding Sentinel'

Alignment: Lawful Good

Home Plane: Dome of Heaven

Portfolio: Righteous Warfare, Civilization, Honor, Evolution

Worshipers: Soldiers, bureaucrats, good politicians, lawmakers, knights

Domains: War, Protection, Good, Law

Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, NG

Favored Weapon: Spear (The Soldier's Force)

Other Names: The Golden Soldier, The Coming Dawn, Our Lady of Guardianship, The Guiding Star, Maiden of Battles

A mighty martial goddess who is a beacon of stability, hope and the advancement and betterment of society, Serriel is the goddess of righteous warfare, orderly conduct and the growth of civilization. Those who look to her find comfort in her guiding principles which promote the welfare of the many and the construction of and vigorous defense of lasting methods of peace and government in the civilized world. Chosen as the arms bearer among the gods of good, her banner summons all who would stand stalwart against the corrupting influences of chaos and the growth of societies that spread a corrupting influence over the world. Likewise she is diligent in her spread of the teachings of law and justice and encourages her followers to travel to the uttermost ends of the earth to spread her message and to uplift cultures that are to strongly tied to traditions of the past and unable to embrace the future. Serriel's origins are mysterious and contended over. Some believe she emerged from The Source at the summons of Daeus and others believe she a celestial being or a mortal augmented by aspects of Daeus and Navos that were shed in the turmoil around Animus' death. Her appearance was timely, bolstering the powers of the armies of light and driving back the encroaching celestial chaos that sought to take advantage of the turmoil in the heavens.

Dogma

Serriel's followers are encouraged to uphold the virtues of civilized living and regimented thinking. They are taught to stand in defense of the civilized world and to seek out and change societies that are corrupted or that have not been introduced to forward thinking and stronger methods of government. They are called upon to mete out justice to those who violate the principles of life and structure and to be diligent in pursuit of evil and chaos in all of its forms.

Clergy and Temples

Serriel is strongest in human lands though her temples are few and she is mostly followed by scattered sects that have yet to unify under a single guiding chosen priest or prophet. The varied nuances of different civilizations causes her priests to easily adapt and to be flexible in their thinking and much more contemporary and worldly in matters in comparison to priests of Daeus. Serriel missionaries can be found in all manner of uncivilized lands and in regions where outmoded thinking or barbaric ways are the norm. In these places they aer tasked with bringing knowledge, protection and guidance to these lands even though they risk much and expose themselves to great dangers by their attempts to change the status quo. Critics of the church see their efforts to change other civilizations for the better as an attempt to impose their belief systems on those who simply have a different way of thinking but this is not the common method of the church. Serriel's people abhor such conduct and seek to lead by example and by the distribution of knowledge and the promotion of good and righteous thinking.

Clerical Vestments

Serriel's battle priests, chaplains and missionaries tend to favor colors of varying shades of grey contrasted with gold colors tinted with the gradient hues of the dawn. Their gear is practical but elegant and usually worn beneath sturdy armor often emblazoned with artistic motifs of the goddess in her defense of the civilized world and as the champion warrior goddess of the gods of good. Her knightly order, The Guardian Fathers, favors high plumed helms with long robes of grey and gold and great shields emblazoned wit the symbol of the goddess.

Avatars

Serriel's most common manifestation is as the Maiden of Battle and the Lady of Victory. Here she is an angelic six winged, battle armored and helmed, long robed woman with hair of burnished gold, carrying a sword and shield or sword and spear. Her other manifestations are usually variants on this theme and she favors human and dwarven aspects the most. In recent days it is said that hobgoblins have become increasingly aware of her and they gravitate well towards her tenants and as such their view of the goddess in art and various motifs favors their cultural point of view.