Paragons of Order
To Balance the Scales
Standing in opposition to the Lords of Chaos, the Paragons of Order consist of Rashker, Paragon of Justice; Stesthus, Paragon of Valor; and Bektalah, Paragon of Hope.
Mythology & Lore
The Paragons of Order is the collective name for three demigods, beings of supernatural power created by the gods to stand in opposition to the demonic trio known as the Lords of Chaos. In legends, the Paragons have traditionally used mortals as vessels acting against the Lords of Chaos, rather than interacting with them directly. Simultaneously more powerful than their counterparts but more limited in their interactions on the material plane, the Paragons are more directly involved in mortal affairs than the gods themselves but rarely manifest an avatar directly, instead acting through visions and speaking through representations of themselves.
Divine Origins
Though considered to be divine beings, the Paragons of Order only recently appear in stories, in a cosmological sense. The three demigods were specifically created to act against the Lords of Chaos and stories of their struggles against each other only appeared within the last five centuries or so. Each contains some essence of each of the nine major deities which they in turn channel into individuals and objects to aid mortals in their centuries long struggle against the chaotic forces.
Ethics
Small shrines and representations for each of the Paragons can be found in most population centers, though no formal tenets or rituals are typically observed. Instead the shrines are used by people to pray for or to bolster the three ideals most identified with the Paragons, those being justice, hope and valor.
Granted Divine Powers
The divine powers granted to individuals by the Paragons tend to manifest a similar way to those termed Paladins by the general populace. Though each of the Paragons has those who pay homage to them, there are no full blown churches giving direct access to granted clerical powers. The exact natures of granted powers are at the discretion of the Paragon granting them. Certain artifacts have been endowed with the power of two or even all three of the Paragons, and these are mighty weapons indeed against the Lords of Chaos. Only one individual, according to myth, was granted power by all three of the Paragons and his ultimate fate is unknown, though it is said that the divine power was too much for him to handle and his mind broke under the strain.
Comments