Araquil

Keeper of Laws

Brandishing a glowing sword, Araquil is often depicted charging headlong into ranks of fiends, bringing their numerous conquest to an quick end ensuring that these fiends remain in their dark domains. Many assume that this undying hatred originated from events in The Age of the Planar Conflict, and is closely tied to the demise of the The Aurorans, the creations of the The Great Abyss and in emergence of the The Nine Hells.
Araquil is the Goddess of Natural Laws, and as such has the ability to shape the world in major ways, from the force we call gravity to the boundaries placed between the planes. These laws were written down by Araquil, and are kept in the Library of Natural Law, at her Golden palace at Mount Arthum. These laws and decrees are enforced by a combination of Divine power stemming from Araquil, Enforcement by those that do her bidding and Acceptance of those laws which have been in place since time immemorial. One of these laws has clearly been formed from a personal grudge, the Rules of Planar Traversal.

The Deceit of Hogesh

Following The Age of the Planar Conflict the six Elder gods had established themselves at the head of the blossoming world, now more powerful than ever. But being wary of the primal essence that still lingered all over, Which could easily tip the fragile balance. The new gods convened at the top of a massive mountain, which would become their forum. This mountain we know today as "The Thundering Summit", located at the heart of the Glam Bly Regions. Araquil stepped up as arbiter for the following discussion, the role she still serves. Here the gods agreed on an armistice, for as long it would take for them to clean up the world, and they decided that no other being would rival them in power, firmly ensuring they would remain the second most powerful beings in the world. It was also decided, to the annoyance of Enthraeim that this Primal essence would be used to create six new races, one for each of the gods to be shaped at they saw fit.

• Araquil created the Aarakocra, to be her shield and sword.
• Enthraeim created the Firblog to replace her previous caretakers.
• Troirin created the Tabaxi, to be his hand in the Material Plane.
• Hogesh created the Yuan-Ti, to be his ace in the hole.
• Itzehiel squandered his by accidentally creating the Beholders, to be forever his curse.
• Grynza created the Lizardfolk, to be the perfect being of her ideals.

All the Elder-Gods did abide by these agreements, but Hogesh just by the letter, and when it was decided that the world was cleansed of the primal essence Hogesh wasted no time and struck, endeavoring to decimate Araquil, who he had deemed the weakest, seeking to claim her power as his own. It seemed that Hogesh would get his way, as his race, the Yuan-Ti were created with this goal in mind, and where the most numerous. But not expecting an alliance, projecting his self-centered mind of the other Hogesh' conquest was stopped by the combined forces of Arquil, Grynza and Troirin, after the smoke cleared and Araquil learned that Hogesh had fled to the The Shadowfell she, with the acceptance of her allies enacted a law which prevented Hogesh from ever leaving his place of refuge.
The Rules of Planar Traversal where enacted sometime after Hogeh's incursion, and decreed that the only way for creatures to move from the The Nine Hells and the The Great Abyss to the other planes is via the Gates of Binding, or risk immediate repercussions. Ensuring that the denizens of these planes will need to face the Stoic guardians at these Planar crossroads.

The Faith: Araquil's Justiciars

These divine protectors are renowned for their warriors clad in golden armor brandishing flaming swords is only partially true. These are the "Winged Swords", the branch Araquil's faith wholly devoted to rooting out Demonic incursion on the material plane. But as these occurrences uncommon, these warriors also serve as mercenaries to causes they deem just. They, however, serve as a bastion against the fiends first and foremost and will abandon any contract if their divine duty calls them. Alternatively, these knights spend their days of inactivity hunting down common treats, with the main goal of maintaining their combat prowess.
A secondary order: "The Vigilant Wings" is wholly devoted to ensuring that the Devotees of Hogesh don't cause major harm to the actions of the Justiciars. To this end, this order consists out of people in high places as well as those with an ear to the ground, and serve as a spy-network wholly devoted to preventing sabotage and enacting sabotage of their own.
The most experienced members of this order are inducted in a different order: "Araquil's Exalted", who have the divine privileged of venturing to The Golden Gate, bolstering the defense against a Demonic onslaught, this journey is seemingly one way, as none of the Exalted have returned to the The Material Plane.
The Justiciars also have members in high ranking offices all over the world, connected by a network of mages ensuring that any Demonic incursions are detected as soon as possible. After which the Winged swords are rallied and send out to deal with it.
People keep the Justiciars in high esteem, as they create a spectacular sight. They also benefit from the support of many in places of power. As such their ranks are filled with the best fighters of the land. As such the "Winged Swords" are sought after in times of war as they can swing the tides of battle, however when deploying these divine warriors one needs to be wary of the possibility of their divine duty calling. Many a general did find themselves in a difficult situation when news of a Demonic incursion reached their lines.

The Temples to Araquil

Commonly present in a large settlement, these large majestic buildings made from white marble, are decorated with gold. These temples comprise out of three separate buildings, in a circular shape around a courtyard with a gate on one side. The First of these buildings serves as a barracks and training hall, the second one is the main building where the services are held, the final building is where the faithful can find respite and that branch runs their branch intelligence network. This is also where the diviners reside.

Aspects of the Religion:
Structure: Hierarchical
Activities: Hunt down Demons, Fight for just causes, Keep tabs on Hogesh' disciples.
Religious Gesture: Keep one hand before your forehead, palm facing left. Keep one hand before your abdomen, palm facing right. bring these hands to each-other, and when they meet spread your arms.
Mantra: The fiends are at the gates, we fight, we are the laws.

Conflicts

During Hogesh' deceit Araquil proved too powerful, and played a pivotal role in his defeat, as such Hogesh still holds a grudge towards this architect of his downfall. And as such the Devotees of Hogesh attempt to undermine any and all actions undertaken by the Justiciars. On rare occasions devotees of this snake god had managed to infiltrate the "Library of Natural Law" attempting to destroy the law that bound their god, but haven't been successful, but one day. In cities, both faiths cannot co-exist without a sufficient powerful presence of the Chosen of Cawelt.
Araquil has the entity who enacted the law which put a limit on the live giving ability of Enthraeim, and even though it was demanded by Troirin and a necessarily for the status quo the Seed of Life has never forgiven Araquil, but her devotees are not as aggressive in their attempt to lift his limitation as the devotees of Troirin. Diplomacy Diagram not available

The fiends are at the gates, we fight, we are the laws.

Ever Vigilant, Araquil sits atop her golden throne on Mount Arthum, overseeing the ever-raging onslaught at the Golden Gate.

Name: Araquil
Ally: Grynza
Nemesia: Hogesh , Enthraeim
Domains: Light, Knowledge and War
Core Concept: Order by Law and Justice
Divine Symbol: A winged sword
Alignment: LG

Alternative Names

Araquil's Justiciars