Veric

Star of Heroes Veric Fortein

Veric is the star of heroism and protection of the common folk. Patron of guardians, adventurers, and heroism, it blesses people who defend the weak. Legend says Veric was once a great mortal hero of old and was the first mortal to achieve apotheosis.

Divine Domains

• War. Veric is the patron of guardians and protectors. Priests who embody this train to handle any conflict so that they can defend the weak.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

The sacred symbol of Veric is a simple longsword behind a shield. The sword is always behind the shield to show how might is always second priority to the first duty: protect and save the innocent.

Tenets of Faith

• Act with wisdom and purposeful thought.
• Stand between the innocent and danger.
• Have the courage to act and to face the darkness.
• Remain serene and balanced when experiencing strife.
• Guard the innocent and keep them safe.
• Never become the monster you fight.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Little is truly known of Veric Fortein's past as a moral human man. Largely, though, this is agreed:
Veric was born in an uncertain nation state in Whohe Dvuha thousands of years ago. He was raised in a loving family and community with many siblings (some accounts say three brothers and four sisters, others say he had only one sister). He learned to be a soldier for his country, then was chosen to be a paladin for Allathra.
Veric performed many feats of heroism and was the pinnacle of paladinhood. There are numerous legend about him, including an assortment of companions, but the most common legend tells of his eight great feats of trial:

• Stopping an evil mage from enslaving a borough to summon a demon lord.
• Slaying a rampaging beast (usually a boar or bear of some sort).
• Performing the laying on hands to cleanse a village of an unknown plague.
• Besting a demon in single combat.
• Rescuing children from a roaming hag.
• Slaying a sea monster who was polluting a fishing bay.
• Performing a rain miracle for a drought-stricken farm.
• Slaying a rampaging dragon to protect an isolated hamlet.

In each feat of trial, his legend emphasizes how Veric Fortein always acted with humility and respected every innocent he came across, no matter their stature. In addition, Veric learned more about his motivations and grew unemotional about his tasks. Each action he performed was reasoned and thought out, not clouded by emotional bias.
At the start of his failed ninth feat of trial, a sophos (sage or wise man) spoke with him and Veric told his life story. In return, the sophos helped Veric shape his personal philosophy and conviction, which is where many loremasters believe Veric began the path of apotheosis with his spiritual enlightenment. The details are hazy, but it largely involves being fettered in all things.
The ninth feat of trial, which resulted in Veric's death, is most commonly told as a city in the now-islands of Quairi. A rift into the land of shadow and death was torn open and Veric had to stand alone against a wave of undead to buy time for the city to evacuate. For nine hours, Veric fought against waves of shades, ghosts, shadows, and other horrors. Finally, it took Erto the Zealous to wield his fellsword and cut down Veric to begin the siege on the city. In the time that Veric bought through his sacrifice, the city successfully evacuated.
While Veric did die in combat and was unable to defeat the horde of undead, his sacrifice was honored by the gods and his death was marked as the final step of his apotheosis. Veric's spirit now shone with a divine spark and he became a star in the sky, forever watching over the world to help fight against the encroaching darkness.

Morality & Philosophy

Veric shaped one of the first paladin oaths and is considered a foundation of many paladins since. His oath stood on four pillars of virtue:

• Courage. The darkness is ever pressing on the light of hope. Stand tall and fight against the monsters outside and within. Do not falter, for you are the last line.
• Justice. The world may have wounds in it, and there may be things we are unable to change. But we must try to spread the light where we can and right what wrongs we find.
• Wisdom. Each swing of a blade is as permanent as all of history. Act with purpose, clarity, and certainty, and above all know why the blade must be shown or the shield worn. Let rational thought guide you over emotional fire.
• Sophrosyne. Excellence of character, moderation of temptations, purity of spirit, and soundness of mind are amongst our most valuable assets. Do not let your soul be weighed and twisted by the world. Be serene when facing strife and peaceful of heart when facing violence.

Social

Family Ties

It is said that Veric had a wife when he was a mortal man and there is a lineage of his children reaching to today. It is unknown how true this is or how widespread it is, but a few heroes have risen up in the past claiming to be of Veric's blood.

Religious Views

Veric was devoute to the Celestial Pantheon, especially Allathra.

Mannerisms

Veric was a stoic, gentle man outside of battle. He was soft-spoken, kind, and largely reserved.

Relationships

Erto

killer (Important)

Towards Veric

-4

Subversive

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Veric

rival (Vital)

Towards Erto

-5

Honest

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Divine Classification

Demiurge

Species

Stellar Divinity

Church/Cult

Celestial Pantheon

Circumstances of Death

Veric died holding the line from a plague of undead so a city could evacuate.

Parents (Adopting)

Koren

Spouses

Siblings

Gender

Male

Hair

Blond

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Pale white

Height

6'6"

Weight

2.0 mi (~310 lbs)