Cults of Alaethia: The Faith of Akaleya

The Blooming of the Rose

A Sermon delivered by Baur Ghaz-im, Paladin of Akaleya and Sheriff of Outland. 

I’d like to thank all of you for taking the time to be here, today. We’re awful busy, here in Outland. Rhom is a hard, sometimes dangerous place to live and that’s doubly true of life in our town. But it’s worth it. Outland is worth it. Civilization is worth fighting for!

For us, Civilization begins in the old world. In Yuvedor. That’s where humankind first began to plant crops, build cities and work together for mutual strength and support. It’s where people learned to hope and plan for a better future. Where we first enacted Laws. Laws meant to protect ourselves and insure that our hopes had a chance of being realized. We learned the importance of community, the benefits of working together towards a common goal. And Yuvedor grew strong, to the point where almost all of humanity joined together and swore their loyalty to one king, one land and one body of Laws. But, there was something wrong.

Justice was served, but was seen as more important than the people, he was supposed to serve. This was also true of the king. The heart had bled out of civilization, so that when the last king died, the works of humankind were beginning to rot and became ripe for collapse. The evil of Prince Zaegra and the chaos, accompanying his self-destruction, may have spelt the doom of Alaethia’s citizens, but for the seed of a promise, a Red Rose, planted centuries before.

There was a man, a warrior of old Yuvedor, named Bethias. Bethias served his king and he served Odin. Bethias was proud. Proud of his heritage, proud of his nation. Proud of his deeds. But Bethias was made of more than just pride. He believed in his country, in his king, in his god. In his fellows. Bethias believed in Civilization.

He fought and slew many of humanities enemies, most especially the various humanoid tribes, which were then, as now, a constant threat. Thousands of orcs, fell beneath Bethias’ blade and a like number of Hobgoblins. Even giants learned to fear the name Bethias.

One day, Bethias led an army against a tribe of orcs, defeating them handily. As he set about to burn the remains of the encampment, he happened upon a small hut. Checking inside, to ensure that there were no captured humans trapped within, he instead found two small, half-orcish children. Barely old enough to toddle. Taking pity upon them, Bethias returned to the city of Gaeven, hoping to find a religious order, willing to take the two unfortunates. Instead, his commanding officer took custody of the children and ordered them to be condemned. To be burned alive.

Bethias protested! The children had human blood and were free of the curse, which condemned orcs to damnation! They were innocent, as deserving of life as any free being. So, he went to the church of Tyr, seeking justice. But there, he found none. The warrior-priests told him that the children were “casualties of war,” that it would be best if they were quickly disposed of. They then sent one of their own warriors, to oversee the execution.

In the middle of the night, Bethias defied his commander and stole out of the city, the two small half-orcs in tow. He hoped to make his way north, far from the reach of the king. Into barbarous lands, were he might find some sanctuary for his two charges. But, this was not to be. The magic of the priests insured that pursuers were able to find Bethias, forcing him to cease his flight and stand his ground. Hopelessly outnumbered, he was defeated, but left alive, so that he might witness his former comrades put the two children to the sword, right then and there. The priest ordered Bethias left in that place, cast-out and defeated, stripped of his rank, his land and all of his possessions. And as they turned and left, Bethias cried out in anguish, discovering that caring for the two children had awoken something, long buried within him.

Civilization, was supposed to help people protect their loved-ones. If this is what his civilization had become, then why continue at all? What had he been fighting for, all those years?

And Bethias then saw the oddest thing. In the pool of blood, which had poured outward and formed between the two small, still bodies, a single Red Rose had grown.

For years, Bethias wandered. He devoted his life, to protecting the innocent and banishing evil. Where before, he had been known throughout the corridors of power, as a mighty warrior and military commander, he now became famous amongst the common folk of the land, as a savior, protector and foe of the wicked. And as he traveled, Bethias noticed that he never felt alone, even when seemingly traveling by himself.

One day, Bethias entered the town of Axa, a small place on the outskirts of civilization. The local Lord was ostensibly a Cleric of Baldr and Bethias called upon the Lord, to see how he might be of service. The man was genial, friendly and seemed genuinely interested in Bethias’ work, for by this time, the latter’s renown had grown to the point that once again, his name was mentioned amongst the great. But, upon grasping the Lords hand, a great feeling of wickedness and laughing malevolence seemed to emanate from within the Cleric. And Bethias knew what the Lord was, a servant of the foulest evil. And Bethias heard a woman speak to him, in a voice of compassion, love and strength. “Hesitate not!”

A mighty power filled Bethias’ soul and body. He drew forth his sword and a great burst of red light poured forth. Bethias slew the Lord and his men, all of whom were worshippers of abyssal powers, freeing the town from the evil, which had oppressed it for years.

Afterwards, Bethias carried out his mission with more strength and devotion than ever, for he now knew that Akaleya traveled by his side. Men and women began seeking him out, wishing to join his cause. And the Paladin Bethias, preached unto the people of Old Yuvedor, as did his new found fellows in the Faith. They taught that it was Love, which made Civilization possible, or even worthwhile. That all life was created by Akaleya, to share in its wonders and work together, to create a brighter future. That evil was to be faced without fear and fought, to protect life, first of all. They taught that cleaving to the Law, was cleaving to one another, but that the Law was meant to serve Life, not the other way around.

It is these teachings, which will insure our survival here, in this hard land, in this hard time.

May the blessings of Akaleya, be upon you all.