Nes (/Nehs/)
"She Who Breaks the Unbreakable"
Summary
For Nes, little remains to be said that has not already been covered in the texts of Pyriel and Merak. She was the sparring partner of the former, and the apostle of the latter, the three of them united in their goal of fighting the Undead. Should the other two have stopped there, there would be no distinguishing them, but the others often come with a merciful backbone, forgiving and healing those who may have participated in the Fallen Ways. Not Nes. In her role as one of the Ones Above, she is unapologetic in her eradication of darkness, and any who practice it must be smote from the face of Eashavar forever.The Canon and the Way
Nes' lessons are clear and unapologetic. There is, however, literarary differentiation of her lessons between the Prime Canon and the Green Way. One difference is that those among the Green Way typically also give favor to Pyriel and Merak, which prevents the kind of religious authority that followers of Nes often carry within civil society. The Witch-Hunters, for example, are Nes' clearest and strictest worshippers, and their opposition to evil and the Undead has often extended to overt xenophobia towards races such as Tieflings - or even Elves. This is virtually impossible among the Green Way.Symbology
For her devout followers, Nes offers the greatest gift of all: immunity from undeath. Due to the volatile nature of magic, a life spent fighting Undead should slowly turn one were they not to wear the rose. Those who do wear it - either one natural or made of silver purified by holy water - typically bear it as a pendant to an amulet, inset in a tiara, or embedded into the hilt of a blade. The white rose is, then, her most prominent symbol. In her holy texts, Nes is never described as anything other than her sword. It is unknown, then, if she has a humanoid form, or if she simply is an incorporeal, serrated sword dedicated to the slaying of the Undead. Typically, most crusaders interpret this as a metaphor: Nes is a humanoid woman of some sort, but she is only relevant insofar as her weapon strikes true. As a result of this, Nes’ Holy Orders have very little prejudice against women, and women are often equally (sometimes even disproportionately) represented, so long as they can prove themselves on the battlefield.Rites and Worship
Nes is properly worshipped upon the battlefield. Among her clergy, there is no place for pacifists. Those who serve in a support role for battle-priests often worship Pyriel in her stead, while those with split duties serve primarily Merak. Still, in most cities, Nes has places of worship which are referred to as chapels. These are often affixes to places of worship for Merak, and tended to by either Merak or Pyriel's clergy - this makes sense, as they are places where Nes' inquisitors go to heal and rest when they are in need of room. Rarely, clergy devoted to Nes have presence within her chapels. This occurs primarily in cities where Undead presence is especially problematic, or in cases where a devout worshipper has gone into retirement. Clerics of Nes are typically battle-hardened, wearing armor of metal and preferring serrated blades even when they are in civil roles. Those with a focus will always have one that represents a rose which has been blessed by her favor.Holy Text: The Triad Song (The Song of Swords)
Tenets |
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Penances | Strictures |
⊕ Slay powerful undead. | ⊝ Never use or condone the usage of dark magic. |
⊕ Uproot groups which worship the undead. | ⊝ Do not place conflict with a sibling in the faith above the ultimate goal. |
Mandates |
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⊜ Wash your hands - and your weapon - in holy water whenever you step into one of Nes' churches. |
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