Nestor the Pious

Flamefather Nestor (a.k.a. The Pious)

Every Bronthan knows the words of Nestor the Pious, even if they don't know it. When Kalor the Prophet called the Phoenix and saved Brontha from the Raveners, Nestor was by his side. When Kalor proclaimed the laws and holy governance by which the new City of Zeilar would be ordered, it was Nestor who put Kalor's words to script. And when the Phoenix Knights raised the Aerie of the Sun on the very parapets of Brontha, it was Nestor's ashes they mixed with the mortar.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

By all accounts Nestor was reasonably hale, handy with a warhammer and shield, and a decent warrior. It's thought he had a bit of asthma or some other respiratory condition.

Body Features

Over time his posture got worse, especially as he stopped fighting and focused more on building up the Phoenix Knights.

Facial Features

Wide eyes, filled with energy (frantic or zealous most of the time). In old age his cheeks sagged a bit and went "hollow."

Physical quirks

His first response to any unknown threat or danger is to brandish his Holy Symbol of Zeilar at it.

Special abilities

• Clerical Magic (Sun Domain)

Apparel & Accessories

His holy symbol, a golden insignia of Zeilar bearing the Four Pillars aloft.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Childhood & Origins

(6377-6395)
The seventh son (perhaps, even, of a Seventh Son? History does not tell) of a pre-Bronthan settled family, Nestor grew up fairly happy with many friends and an incredibly busy and loud house. His father was never part of his life, leaving his mother and her relatives to raise the entire clutch of eleven children. Because of this, Nestor was easily able to vanish into his own fascinations. At times he got left behind when the family was going on a short trip because he'd found a scroll or image or interesting picture and was lying behind the cushions of the family room obsessively pouring over it.
Already obsessed with the cosmic powers of the universe, the Sovereigns and Titans and origins of Anacra, all it took was one sermon from a wandering Zeilarian holy man, Aglham Tohsaka for him to beg his mother for permission to become an acolyte and learn the worship and rites of the Sun Rider. With so many mouths to feed, Nestor's mother was only eager for one of her children to have a good life, and Nestor left with her blessing at the age of 11.
He was already a voracious learner, soaking in every teaching, rite, ritual and secret Aglham could bestow upon him. Seeing that his pupil was rapidly consuming everything he had to offer, Aglham prepared Nestor for a holy pilgrimage to a natural stone altar in the desert--a place where the rising sun carved through a niche in the rock, shining like the symbol of the Holy Pillars.
For one complete cycle--dawn, day, dusk and darkness--Nestor remained in solemn prayer, and as the sun reached its zenith and beat down on him from above, he saw in the shimmering mirages a vision. His own reflection, a grown man, wading into the sand as though it were the watery tides, and just before the water passed over his head, he reached up to catch the sun and bring it with him beneath the waters.
After beholding this sign, Nestor's faith bore fruit, and through his studies and his determination he became a Cleric, a vessel for the magical power of Zeilar. Led by this vision he traveled to Masru and beyond, leaving the deserts behind him to seek his destiny.

Brinemire & Beyond

In a sleepy, run-down coastal town, Nestor learned of a house afflicted by evil spirits. The undead--an affront to the Cycle? It was to be his first true test of faith, so he joined with other adventurers to cleanse the evil. Dorothy Dobbins, a halfling gourmand; The Magician of the Mists, a mysterious but socially awkward wizard; Athena the Untrusting, a surly and suspicious warrior, and another companion left unnamed, deliberately, in the legends.
Creeping through the eerie abandoned halls of the old mansion, Nestor called upon Zeilar's power every time he heard a floorboard creak or the wind rustle against the outside. But it was not supernatural evil that haunted this place, but the greed of mortals--a band of smugglers using simple illusions to trick the locals so they could use the manse as their base of operations! The adventurers brought the smugglers to justice and found a havette elf they'd imprisoned on a ship offshore. It led to a deeper conspiracy, a peace treaty with a tribe of lizardfolk (based entirely on Dorothy's impeccable cooking), a battle against a black dragon, and ultimately a confrontation with Baron Sostresek, a Sauhuagin war leader plotting the downfall of Brinemire and its surrounding lands.
Now hailed as heroes, the party set off in search of more adventures. It was Nestor's true desire, when his adventuring days were done, to gather his fellow heroes in service to Zeilar, traveling the land doing good deeds. Though his companions each took their own paths in the end, Nestor could not shake the idea of a great temple of holy warriors all emblazoned with the sign of the Sun.

The Khara Exile

Nestor led the companions back to the lands of his upbringing, confident that they could help many lives (and collect some fine treasure along the way to advance his cause). Unfortunately, they came across a very unfriendly Dunerider clan. Due to internal power struggles the leader of the clan did the absolutely unthinkable--blamed the machinations of his rival leader on the adventurers, and exiling them into the desert. To do so was unheard of among the Duneriders, the first clue that something may have been wrong. Nevertheless, the companions rode out defiantly into the blazing hot sands of the desert. They freed an imprisoned genie, stumbled into a fey oasis and barely escaped, and returned to confront the Dunerider leader with Sirocco's blessing.
Now wealthy beyond reckoning, Nestor bade his companions a fond farewell and promised to reunite after he'd fulfilled his own hopes and dreams. With a caravan of treasure, he made the long trek back to his home, to establish the holy order of heroes he'd always dreamt of guiding.

Vourauk's Vortex

Even as the stones of Nestor's temple-fortress began rising above the springs of his home oasis, evil raised its head anew, and the reunion of the companions came far earlier than expected. The sorcerer Vourauk decided that no other mortals were worthy of the gift of magic. His minions stalked the land for fledgling sorcerers, dragging them back to his caves and casting them into a swirling vortex that consumed both them and their gift. With each sacrifice to the Vortex, Vourauk became more powerful.
The Magician of the Mists rallied the companions when one of her apprentices went missing. They rode forth and battled against Vourauk, ultimately defeating him and casting him down into his own vortex. The Magician of the Mist promised to protect that arcane place, and the companions bid eachother another farewell.
But Nestor's long awaited retirement was not to be, for the bloody blade of Uzhul was about to change the world forever.

The Prophet

With the death of Erecura in 6412, Nestor's home came under attack far before his temple was completed. With only a few ragtag recruits and zealous acolytes, he rallied the very first Knights of the Phoenix to battle. They fought bravely and Zeilar's sunlight shone upon them, but hordes of Raveners emerged as if from nowhere, driven by the vengeful mutated remnants of Vourauk and the long-since vanquished Dunerider Elder who'd forsaken Sirocco so long ago.
Loss after loss and devastating battle after devastating battle drove Nestor and his Phoenix Knights away from their partially completed temple. Still, the now middle-aged cleric was determined to face death like a true servant of the Phoenix--fearlessly, embracing change, making sacrifices. Broken and wounded, he held his ground, spear in one hand and shield in the other, preparing to die for the glory of the Sunrider.
That was when Nestor met Kalor. In almost the reverse of his decades-old vision, he saw the Prophet walking out of the desert, rising from the shimmering mirage like a man stepping onto the shores from the ocean. It was an obvious sign. Nestor's faith roared anew in his heart and he rallied his wounded knights. Kalor walked through the deserts, wearing a cloak adorned with feathers in every color of fire and a censer bearing fragrant incense. By the light of the Noonday Sun he walked through the battlefields surrounding the red-brick city unharmed, for the sun's glare was too bright for the Raveners to behold him.
And when he emerged unscathed, he stood before Nestor and the terribly injured knights. He extended his hand, blessed and anointed them with incense, and bid them rise and follow. Together they returned to the walls and Nestor stood beside Kalor as he rallied the people, calling upon all of them to pray to Zeilar for deliverance. Nestor stood vigil for four days and four nights with all the people of the city and with the Prophet, and on the fourth day he witnessed the First Miracle. The Phoenix descended upon the battlefield, the sand beyond the city's walls melted to glass, and the people were delivered.
From that moment forward, Nestor and the Phoenix Knights swore to serve and honor Kalor and his decrees. Nestor immediately became the Prophet's right hand, recording and disseminating his teachings, leading the construction of four great temples raised in Zeilar's name, personally anointing the newly converted with incense, and setting forth the laws and precepts by which Kalor instructed the people to live.

A Quiet Death

Nestor lived to see his Phoenix Knights become the de facto military commanders of the new city-state of Brontha. He remained Kalor's loyal disciple for the rest of his days, and when the prophet laid down his burdens upon the pyre, many expected Nestor to become the second Priest King. But he refused the title--forever more, the Phoenix Knights were to remain loyal protectors of the Priest Kings and the faith, and Nestor could not both serve and lead that way. Instead, by his hand the second Priest King was anointed with incense.
Years of construction, training, teaching and organizing remained. Rebuilding a city surrounded by Infernals and their minions is no small matter. In time, Nestor codified everything Kalor taught him into the Benediction of Kalor, the holy texts that would henceforth guide the people, governance, faith and leadership of Brontha.
As the years wore on and Nestor grew more and more tired, he found a great struggle between his urge to continue building, and the inevitable weariness of life. In his own heart he wondered if he had the faith to accept that the cycle applied to him, as well, and that his Noon was long gone. Perhaps a quiet Dusk would be acceptable for him, a natural part of life. Some say it was Zeilar's secret kindness when a roof tile fell from the incomplete Temple of Dawn and struck him on the head. As he lay bleeding in the street, surrounded by acolytes readily wielding their healing magic, he laughed. Not by any of the great beasts he'd feared in his childhood, but by humble clay would he rejoin the cycle. He gazed directly into the sun, blessed those around him, and died with a wry, peaceful smile on his face.

Legacy

The city mourned and celebrated the pyre of Nestor the Pious, honoring his deeds and contributions to the wellbeing of the people. The Phoenix Knights took the ashes from his pyre and mixed them with the mortar of the foundations they laid for the Aerie of the Sun, their stronghold on the very battlements of the outer walls. Though the Knights always maintain one Grandmaster and one High Chaplain, whenever they talk about The chaplain, they mean old Nestor the Pious.
Thousands of Bronthans utter Nestor's blessings each day, and most of them know it. Praise be to Zeilar, the Light that banishes the darkness, the fire of Hope that protects us from the chill of despair, the Great Phoenix Lord who redeems us in death, the Warrior and Protector who guards us in times of trouble, the Purifier who cleanses our imperfections in the fires of his own glory. Through his eyes, death is humbled and gives way to rebirth.

Gender Identity

Male

Sexuality

Ace

Education

• Apprenticed to Aglham Tohsaka, a Zeilarian priest of the pre-Kalorian rite
• Self taught until his middle age, when he learned directly from Kalor himself

Employment

• Acolyte of Zeilar in his childhood
• Adventurer in adulthood
• Chaplain of the Phoenix Knights in his middle to old age

Accomplishments & Achievements

• Explored the haunted house of Brinemire
• Discovered the smugglers of Brinemire
• Slew the black dragon Kerzenlang
• Thwarted the machinations of Baron Sostresek
• Vanquished the sorcerer Vourauk
• Co-founded the Order of the Knights Phoenix
• Scribed Benediction of Kalor, the holy text of the Zeilarian Faith

Failures & Embarrassments

• Early in his career, became a laughingstock while exploring a haunted house
• Exiled by the Duneriders into the Khara wastes
• Watched his former companion join the ranks of The Iron Empire
• Died in a simple construction accident

Mental Trauma

The loss of his companion to Uzhul's cruelty weighed heavily on Nestor, but he never looked back.
He had a bit of a hangup about being called "Nestor the Chicken" though he worked hard on getting over it.

Intellectual Characteristics

Zealous, impulsive, enthusiastic

Morality & Philosophy

• Zeilar is a role model to be emulated
• Faith is a virtue and the Titans will intervene on our behalf
• We must protect and help each other and be the warmth of the sun in their lives
• We must shine light into dark places, that they may be healed or cleansed

Taboos

• Creating Undead

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

• From a very young age, Nestor wanted to establish an order of warriors consecrated to Zeilar who would help other people. He ultimately realized his objective when he became the chaplain of the Phoenix Knights
• Nestor's eagerness to explore and see the things he'd only read about in his books was tempered by his fear of actually encountering the things he read about in his books
• Above all, faith moved Nestor, faith in Zeilar, faith in Kalor, faith in specific people.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

• Extremely knowledgeable about the world and its creatures, the threats that dwell within it
• Very bad at estimating his odds of overcoming said threats
• Excellent at faith-based magic and organizing people and events
• Had to work on his judge of character, especially where it concerned people he grew up with

Likes & Dislikes

Likes

• Ceremony & ritual
• Staying warm
• Learning new things
• Helping people
• Organizing people & groups

Dislikes

• Dangerous monsters he's read about but never actually fought
• Tyrants
• The Undead
• Chaos

Virtues & Personality perks

• Curiosity
• Compassion
• Duty
• Big picture thinking

Vices & Personality flaws

• Cowardice (a little)
• Easily frazzled
• Obsessive

Personality Quirks

Reflexively holds out his holy symbol at any unknown threat

Hygiene

Pretty good for a guy who spent all day wearing robes under the hot desert sun

Social

Contacts & Relations

• Personal disciple of Kalor the Prophet
• Chaplain of the Phoenix Knights 
• Elder Flamefather of the Zeilarian Faith (Kalorian Rite)
• Close friends with his old adventuring party, Dorothy Dobbins, The Magician of the Mists, and Athena the Untrusting

Family Ties

It's believed that later in life Nestor reestablished contact with some of his family, but the Death of Erecura and rise of the Demonic Imperiums meant he never found out what happened to everyone--not in life at least.

Religious Views

Co-founder of the Kalorian Rite of the Zeilarian Faith.
Incredibly devout, his life revolved around his faith.

Social Aptitude

Very learned and good at dealing with people from different cultures, loved talking to people but a bit reluctant to assume authority among others.

Speech

Prone to mighty speeches and sermons in a deep booming voice, but in his personal life talked at a much higher register and faster pace.

Wealth & Financial state

Nestor acquired significant wealth, including at least two modest dragon hoards, during his adventures, but funneled everything he collected into establishing and bolstering the Phoenix Knights

Alignment

Lawful Good

Current Status

Dead

Species

Humans

Ethnicity

Bronthan

Honorary & Occupational Titles

• Flamefather, Elder
• Chaplain

Life

6377 6445 68 years old

Circumstances of Death

Killed by a falling tile from the temple of birth

Pronouns

He/Him

Sex

Male

Gender

Male

Presentation

Masculine

Eyes

Brown

Hair

Bald

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Dark olive

Height

6'2"

Quotes & Catchphrases

Praise be to Zeilar, the Light that banishes the darkness, the fire of hope that protects us from the chill of despair, the Great Phoenix Lord who redeems us in death, the Warrior and Protector who guards us in times of trouble, the Purifier who cleanses our imperfections in the fires of his own glory. Through his eyes, death is humbled and gives way to rebirth. May I rise from the ashes of my own folly and blaze with the knowledge that you have granted me, oh Phoenix Lord, that I might become a torch casting your light into every corner, expunging the shadow of ignorance from all the faithful.

--The Pious Benediction

Belief/Deity

Zeilarian

Aligned Organization

Phoenix Knights

Other Affiliations

• Kalorian Rite

Known Languages

• Common (Bronthan & Dunerider Dialects)
• Primordial (Ignan Dialect)

Related Historical Events

• 6445
  Death of Nestor the Pious
• Zeilar's Day, 6412
  The First Miracle
• 6377
  Birth of Nestor the Pious