Islios God of Purity

The Healed God Islios (a.k.a. The Burdened One, The Watcher in White)

Beneath the sun's untainted gaze, Zriegast stands, a beacon pure, Walled against the creeping stain, where shadows dare endure.
Remember, child of Islios, the darkness that consumes, The gnawing hunger, cold and vast, in festering tombs.
Let not its whispers tempt your ear, its touch defile your skin, For in the slightest breach of ward, corruption worms within.

Guard your thoughts, a watchful hawk against the tainted breeze, Lest doubts like dust infect your mind, and sow disease.

Abstain from flesh unblessed by flame, from waters fouled and strange, For in their rawness lurks decay, a soul's eternal bane.

Keep pure your touch, your garments white, your dwelling free of blight, For in the temple of your form, Islios shines ever bright.

Should shadows dance beyond the wall, or whispers fill the night, Seek solace in the cleansing pyre, and bathe in sacred light.
Remember, child, Islios' gaze upon your every deed, For in your vigilance and purity, our city's hope takes seed.

Divine Domains

Core Domain:

Purity: This encompasses both physical and spiritual cleanliness, representing the central focus of Islios' teachings and the obsession that fuels his power. It embodies concepts like hygiene, dietary restrictions, isolation from "impure" influences, and emotional control.

Sub-Domains:

• Isolation: This sub-domain stems from the fear of the undead and the belief in Zriegast's complete separation from the outside world. It grants Islios power over barriers, protection from external threats, and the ability to enforce isolationist policies.
• Healing: Though overshadowed by purity, Islios retains a connection to his initial role as a healer. This sub-domain grants him limited healing abilities, often with purifying connotations, and empowers his followers to tend to the sick within Zriegast's walls.
• Vigilance: The constant watchfulness against external corruption manifests in this sub-domain. It grants Islios and his followers enhanced perception, detection abilities, and the power to ward off unseen threats.

Artifacts

Core Artifact: The Masked Helm: This imposing golden helm serves as Islios' signature artifact, concealing the monstrous visage beneath and symbolizing his dual nature: the benevolent healer and the vigilant protector against corruption. Wearing the helm amplifies Islios' divine power and grants him access to the full spectrum of his domains. Its removal, perhaps as a plot point or challenge, could have significant consequences, revealing his hidden form and potentially altering his power or influence.
Sub-domain Artifacts:

1. Purity Chalice: Crafted from polished silver and imbued with potent cleansing magic, this chalice allows Islios and his chosen champions to perform powerful purification rituals, healing ailments, and even banishing minor forms of undead corruption.
2. Watcher's Eye Pendant: This intricately carved jade pendant grants enhanced vigilance and awareness, allowing the wearer to perceive hidden threats and dangers. It embodies Islios' watchful gaze and could be entrusted to key followers tasked with guarding Zriegast's walls or uncovering internal threats.
3. Broken Healer's Staff: A simple wooden staff imbued with fading healing magic, it represents Islios' initial role as a healer before his transformation. While lacking potent healing abilities, it holds symbolic significance and could resonate with individuals questioning the current focus on isolation and yearning for a more compassionate approach.

Holy Books & Codes

Recordings of Islios' Will:

1. Purity Edicts: These are not divinely dictated words, but rather pronouncements and interpretations of Islios' will delivered by the Archfather or his predecessors. They are recorded in scrolls and chanted ceremonially, forming the core tenets and rituals of the faith.
2. Purifier Directives: Detailed manuals outlining procedures for maintaining purity, enforcing isolation, and punishing dissenters. These are practical guides used by the Purifiers to maintain order within Zriegast.
3. Healer's Compendiums: Passed down through generations of healers, these contain herbal remedies, spiritual techniques, and Islios-infused healing methods approved by the religious authorities.

Personal Interpretations:

1. Sermons and Teachings: Prominent religious figures and scholars offer their own interpretations of the Purity Edicts, weaving personal reflections and historical context into their sermons. These are compiled into books and scrolls, fostering diverse perspectives within the faith.
2. Testimonies and Confessions: Individuals record their personal experiences with Islios' power, including healings, visions, or encounters with undead threats. These offer emotional connection and reinforce faith but are carefully reviewed by the authorities to ensure adherence to established interpretations.
3. Hidden Texts: Whispered stories and forbidden writings circulate amongst those questioning the rigid interpretations or yearning for connection with the outside world. These texts might contain references to forgotten gods, alternative interpretations of purity, or even accounts of Islios' pre-godhood past.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Diamond within the Enclosed Circle: This combines the symbol of Zriegast's isolation with the purity and perfection represented by the diamond, further emphasizing the importance of maintaining their protected community.

Tenets of Faith

Purity in Daily Life:

• Physical Cleanliness: Frequent bathing, laundering of clothes, and meticulous cleaning of dwellings are paramount. Any sign of dirt or grime is seen as potential contamination.
• Dietary Restrictions: Consumption of raw meat and unpurified water is forbidden. Only cooked food prepared according to specific rituals is allowed.
• Isolation from Outsiders: Contact with anything or anyone from outside the walls is strictly prohibited. Even trade is conducted through elaborate decontamination procedures.
• Emotional Control: Public displays of strong emotions, especially negative ones like anger or despair, are discouraged. Maintaining emotional serenity is seen as crucial for inner purity.
• Rituals and Observances: Daily prayers, offerings to Islios, and participation in communal rituals like chanting and cleansing fires are mandatory.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Primary Goal: Maintaining Purity and Isolation: Above all, Islios strives to preserve the absolute purity of Zriegast and its inhabitants, both physically and spiritually. This manifests in the strict isolation from the outside world, rigid control over rituals and daily life, and the relentless pursuit of cleansing any form of corruption or imperfection.
Secondary Goals: Protecting His People: Having witnessed the devastation caused by the undead, Islios prioritizes the safety and well-being of his followers within Zriegast. This goal fuels his vigilance against external threats and his desire to maintain their complete isolation, even if it comes at the cost of individual freedoms. Healing and Restoration: Though overshadowed by purity, Islios retains a connection to his initial role as a healer. He desires to heal not just physical ailments but also the spiritual wounds inflicted by the undead apocalypse. This could involve finding a cure for undeadism, restoring hope and connection within Zriegast, or even seeking redemption for his own past actions. Evolving Domain: As a relatively new god, Islios' domain remains dynamic. If challenged by internal dissent or external forces, his goals could evolve beyond isolation. He might embrace themes like connection, seeking a way to protect his people without complete seclusion. Alternatively, he could delve deeper into his darker past, leading to a more authoritarian and ruthless pursuit of purity.

Divine Classification

Deity

Religions

• Islios Clergy

Species

Deity

Ethnicity

Zriegrasion

Realm

Elysium

Church/Cult

Islios Clergy