Khalilise, God of Doors

Kah-lee-lee-suh (a.k.a. The Waywatcher)

The gateway is a liminal space, neither here nor there. As we move from one space to the next - be it from this room to that, outside to inside, life to death - the moment of the crossing is cosmologically important. It determines how we are received in the new space, how we apprehend it, as well as how we are perceived in the space we have left. Though we may be in Khalilise's realm for but a moment, we owe him for his blessings in our passage.

— Diarien, Professor of Hallows at the Winter Academy

There are many doors in Samavra, and one might think that walking through one would not be noteworthy. But few Vessuna step across a threshold of any type without a thought for Khalilise, who watches over doorways and boundaries.

Holy Books & Codes

There is no known text of Khalilise. His church is rather small, considering the number of (admittedly casual) prayers he receives daily. The clergy do not hold regular services, but rather preside over blessings of new thresholds - be that the door of a new building, the first official step onto a new ship, or the construction of a new skyroad.
Though he is not the god of death, that is another common time for prayers to the Waywatcher.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

A gap or arch in a wall, often represented simply as a black stripe between two white ones. In the lower, older levels of Samavra, one finds inscriptions in which Khalilise is represented by two mountains side-by-side. Scholars suggest that his origins as a god of passage are rooted in a time before the founding of the city, when the Vessuna were a migratory people and a route through the mountains saved them from depredation. However, these notions are little more than speculation.
Doorways in Samavra have an inset at the base, traditionally a small stone with the first letter of the god's name inscribed. It is considered ill luck to pass through without setting foot on the gate stone. Parents scolding children for rushing through doors without doing so is a commonplace occurrence.

Seka, Herald of Khalilise

Cats, it is said, exist between worlds, slipping through spaces or out of sight when they should not be able to. This is believed to be due to their progenitor. Seka, usually pictured as mottled black and white with bright green eyes, is the god's companion. Cats are sometimes used to represent aspects of the religion. When one is underfoot in the doorway, for example, Khalilise's priests would caution that it is delivering a message from the Waywatcher: be mindful of some threshold in the near future, for it will have more impact than it seems at first.

Tenets of Faith

Khalilise demands little from his followers beyond mindfulness when passing from one space to the next.

Holidays

The moment the year turns from old to new is the holiest moment in Khalilise's church. He is not the only deity to hold the new year sacred, but his brief, quiet ceremony is observed in the midst of an otherwise boisterous celebration. Beginning at midnight, the huge bell atop the government building slowly peals twelve times, each allowed to completely die away before the next is struck. Smaller bells across the city join in from the second chime, and individuals may ring personal chimes. No words are spoken. The time is meant to be spent in prayer and reflection before heading into the bustle and business of the new year. It is considered both bad form and ill luck to disrupt these contemplative minutes, though allowances are made for the young and the mad. (The latter is mostly because Nevaris, god of madness, is said to have a special relationship with Khalilise, ranging from best friend to lover depending on the story one reads.)

Divine Classification

God

Eyes

Dark gold

Hair

His fur is usually depicted as blue-grey.

Portfolio

Doors
Thresholds
Boundaries