Grand Cleric Rayford Cardona

Rayford Elias Cardona

He stood tall before the crowd from the reception balcony of the Grand Temple of Zymmera, looking down on those who came to celebrate and her worshippers fill the open place below. All these years that he faithfully served his Goddess has brought him to this moment. As he raises his staff to the gathered crowd a deafen roar rolled through the air as they celebrated his rise.

- Namor Telando
Keeper of the Record

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

At the age of 68, Rayford is still a strong healthy-looking man. He has never been seen to be sick or unwell. While he still ages, he always seems full of energy and ready to help at a moment's notice.

Body Features

Nothing in particular really stands out beyond that of an ordinary man.

Facial Features

Rayford still sports a full head of hair and long white beard, at once point they are a stunning copper but have whitened with age.

Apparel & Accessories

Rayford, when in public with wears his bright white robes of office with vestments of gold, silver, and bronze. Along with him is always the staff of the Grand Cleric as well. In private he dresses more comfortably, in common clergy robes and sandals.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

A young orphan raised on the street of Freehold, Rayford wasn't always devout to the gods. His young like on the streets led to petty crime to stay alive. Eventually, around the age of 10, Rayford luck ran out and he was captured by the city guard trying to steal food from a stall. He placed in an orphanage under the watchful nuns of the Order of the Lifewarden, a sect devout to the goddess, Zymmera. At the start he was quite a handful, causing trouble to the nun and cleric all the time. Until one day when trying to climb to the orphanage roof, he was started and lost his grip, falling many stories to the ground. He cried out for help desperate to be saved as he pummeled to the ground. In the darkness, a light shone as a figure approached, a beautiful woman halo in the most peaceful energy. She spoke to him about life, how all of it was precious. How sad she was that many of those who followed her were forced to her faith rather than embraced to grace. Placing her hand on his heart, she gave him a duty to bring her light to everyone with love. Rayford awake in pain, hurt but alive. After a long road of recovery, Rayford was a changed teen. He started studying hard, attended masses on a regular basis, and devote himself wholly to worshipping Zymmera. Rayford seemed to have a great charisma that drew people to listen to him and would draw large crowds whenever he spoke in public or was having a conversation. After graduation, he immediately joined the seminary afterward.

Education

Until the age of sixteen, Rayford learned to read and write from his church eduction. He studied the scriptures day and night to point he could recite completely and refer to a passage in a blink of an eye. He graduated from the top of his class and respected whole now by all those around him, even those he used to make trouble for in his youth.

Employment

Through his unstoppable charisma, knowledge, and faith he quickly ascended the ranks of the church by bringing people in the fold with a renewed vision for the church.

Accomplishments & Achievements

The Church of Zymmera started out as a hardline church that demanded the faith of the people who lived in the area of one. Believing that life is so sacred that everyone else should believe the same. The church would demand attendance at every mass, bully those that wouldn't, drove out or disposed of, in secret, any who rejected or spoke blasphemy of Zymmera. This gave the church a very disconnected relationship with the people and left a lot of resentment, mistrust, and shame from the citizens they harassed. Rayford's entrance into the clergy was the beginning of his efforts to work with the people, help those in need rather than for them to capitulate to the church's wants and needs. With his glib and charisma, he prevented those under his leadership from repeating the harsh action the church was known for enacting. He made missions to the churches of Zymmera all over Rinas, spreading her word and his changes, and his pure belief. His faith made him many enemies but he always managed to outsmart them and further his position in the church. His message, charisma, and honesty brought many more to the church of their own will and made the church more prosperous than ever. In the span of 30 years, he had either converted or removed all those who opposed his new ways and changed the entire perception of the church on Rinas. By the age of sixty, he was unanimously voted the new Grand Cleric of the Zymmera, the youngest elected ever to the post.

Morality & Philosophy

Rayford believes in the sanctity of all life and strives to do all he can preserve all life. He will bring people in off the streets, heal the sick no matter who they are, protect the people with his life if necessary.

Alignment

Lawful Good

Current Location

Freehold

Species

Human

Date of Birth

5th of Aron

Year of Birth

9653 AC 68 Years old

Gender

Male

Eyes

Dark blue, piercing

Hair

Short, brushed back hair

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Deep tanned

Height

1.9 m

Weight

95.2 kg

Known Languages

Rayford in his time of study he learned to speak most of the major languages on the continent and even a few more obscure ones. It helped him to communicate in his travels and understand people and their needs better.