Cayden Cailean

Chaotic Good god of Ale, Wine, Bravery and Freedom

The Drunken Hero (a.k.a. The Accidental God, The Lucky Drunk)

Don't let rules get in the way of enjoying what is truly good in life.

-Placard of Wisdom

Once a mortal human, Cayden Cailean is now one the few deities known as the Ascended. In his mortal years, Cayden was a sellsword of no small fame, known for his boisterous manner, skill with a blade, and fearless resolve. During a particularly rowdy night of drinking, a series of escalating dares led the wandering mercenary to attempt to challenge the gods themselves. He emerged from this challenge, laughing, a fully realized god (and with no memory of how he accomplished this feat). Divine responsibility did little to change Cayden’s attitude from what it was in his mortal life. He continues to crave adventure, drink, and pleasurable company while abhorring bullies, tyrants, and cowards.

Cayden has no formal churches or structured clergy but simple shrines to him appear in almost every tavern and roadside inn. Many of his priests own such businesses and offer healing to patrons, some of whom may have been injured during a drunken brawl. While Cayden’s faith is a charitable one, Caydenites still seek payment for such services—at the very least, the injured party is expected to purchase a round of drinks for the house. Only in places where worshippers of the Accidental God are in direct opposition to the local powers, such as where a rebellion is forming under a tyrant’s nose, is his church out of the public eye. Caydenites can bring themselves to be quiet in the face of oppression only for so long, however, and once a rebellion reaches full bloom, the god’s silver tankard is often proudly displayed across every bar.

As a mortal, Cayden often found himself at odds with the work he was hired to perform and abandoned jobs that went against his conscience. This gave him a reputation for being unreliable among his more unscrupulous employers, but it garnered significant respect from clients with stronger morals. Legends tell of him taking contracts to free entire crews of slaves, undoing the operations of predatory business owners, and other rebellious deeds for the good of the common folk. His worshippers often involve themselves in similar matters: safeguarding the freedom and prosperity of working-class people, overthrowing tyrants, and helping the oppressed relocate to freer lands. His champions, in particular, embed themselves in nations with harsh laws and stir up rebellions—often from the back room of a tavern.

Members of Cayden’s faith also maintain many orphanages in urban areas, arranging them to receive funding from local pubs and other Cayden-friendly establishments. Not much is known about Cayden’s childhood as a mortal, but given his patronage of such houses, many have inferred that he spent at least some time in an orphanage when he was young. While the children in such orphanages are not expressly raised in the faith, most adopt the god’s teachings when they grow old enough to leave. These individuals often take the surname Cailean to honor him, adding to the number of gregarious rebels in the world.

While the consumption of alcohol is central to most of Cayden’s worship, drinking to excess and dependency on drink are seen as misuse of the Accidental God’s gifts. Clergy who develop such an addiction are encouraged by their community to take a large role in the faith’s other works, such as maintaining orphanages or supporting rebel efforts, and those who recover often work to assist others with their own recovery from alcoholism. Though being the god of alcohol is a popular aspect of Cayden Cailean, members of his faith often find personal freedom and rejection of tyranny just as appealing as a strong drink, and it is not uncommon for teetotalers to number among Cayden’s followers.

Cayden is not particular about who worships him, so long as they abide by the simple expectations of freedom, bravery, and enjoying a good drink. As such, he has followers from almost all ancestries. A good number of his worshippers are half-orcs, who find the casual tenets and welcoming nature of the faith to be a good fit for those who have been ostracized from more stringent communities. His followers are typically good natured, boisterous, and optimistic. Life simply holds too much to take in for anyone to spend it gloomy. Many adventurers find Cayden’s tenets to be a natural fit, taking jobs when they can and bucking cruelty wherever they find it.

Relation with Other Religions

Cayden doesn't go out of his way to provoke fights with other godly beings, but isn't afraid to take a few swings if challenged. He avoids evil dieties unless they directly cause trouble at which point he is all battle cries and heroic charges and inspiring speeches followed by lightning quick cuts of his blade. The exception to this is Asmodeus, who is the antithesis of Cayden, and the Drunken Hero rarely passes up a chance to tweak the devil's nose.

He is on good terms with Desna, Sarenrae, and especially Shelyn(whom he delights in serenading). He enjoys swapping brews with Torag. Erastil is a little too somber and dutiful for Cayden's tastes, Irori too stuffy, and Abadar tolerable but too forgiving of oppression in the name of progress. Bahamut has little patience for what he sees as Cayden's poor discipline and shirking of responsibility. He occasionally trysts with Calistria but remains wary of her; on more than one bitter occasion, the beautiful goddess of lust has gotten the best of him, and those who imply that Cayden only made his challenge to the gods in an attempt to impress Calistria quickly find themselves on his bad side.

While many other faiths recognize Cayden Cailean's worshipers as a force for good, many of the lawful gods and The Seven are leery of his faith's destabilizing influence, as it encourages people to shirk responsibilities. Still, most folks are happy to share a drink with a Caydenite, and even happier to have one on their side in a fight.

Holy Books & Codes

Cayden rarely spent enough time in one place to read a book, let alone write one, and he prefers to keep his message simple. Placard of Wisdom: This simple document condenses Cayden's divine philosophy into a few short phrases suitable for hanging on the wall. Though the specific wording may vary from city to city or even tavern to tavern, the general message is "do good, enjoy life, have a drink now and then, and stand up for what you believe in"-easy words of common sense that appeal to all. In areas more focused on abolitionism, worshipers may add lines to that effect, and it's not uncommon for philosopher-priests to add a few comments of their own, as Cayden himself doesn't seem to mind.

Tenets of Faith

Edicts: drink, free slaves and aid the oppressed, seek glory and adventure
Anathema: waste alcohol, be mean or standoffish when drunk, own a slave
Follower Alignments: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral

Holidays

The church believes that every day is a good reason to celebrate-life, good friends, good wine, and so onand thus only acknowledge a few holidays that merit extra festivities.
Ascension Day: The actual date of Cayden's transformation from mortal to god is irrelevant even to him, but the church celebrates this event on 20th of Sarenith (June) with a toast of thanks to him for his gifts. Typically this is a cold alcoholic beverage with a sweet bread pastry of some kind.
First Brewing: After the first harvest, a small amount is set aside to create ale, wine, or stronger drink. When his is ready for tasting, the community comes together to sample the first brewing of the year and toast Cayden's name. Because of local variables in the date of the harvest and different brewing times, this holiday has no set date but is normally about i month after harvest-time.
Merrymead: Started in Blackmoor, this holiday corresponds with the Last Night (new year's eve) on the 30th of Rova (February) is about sharing the last of the year's mead with the community, and is celebrated through either sharing stories and drinks around a fire or (especially for the less pious) extensive pub crawls.

Worship in Taldor

As a Non-Seven god, Worship of Cayden Cailean is officially illegal in Taldor.  However worship of the Drunken Hero is usally tolerated, with officals and Templars turning a blind eye to symbols and tellings of the Ascension of Cayden Cailen .  
Worship of Cayden is usually tolerated, with officials and many templars looking the other way Cayden has no formal churches or structured clergy in any part of Tengaria, not just Taldor. Simple shrines to him appear might appear in taverns and roadside inns disguised as a special silver tankard kept in a place of honor behind the bar or over the mantle in such places.
However due to Caydenties intolerance to tyranny local lords and officials often use illegal worship of Cayden Cailen as a justification for arrests of peoples fomenting revolts against tyrannical lords.  
Often those charged with illegal worship of Cayden Cailen are sentenced to fines and/or short jail sentences.

Aphorisms

Caydenites are usually not much for formal and composed speeches. Using Cayden’s name as a swear, frequently accompanied by colorfully perverse language, is common. However, some sayings are recognized among all his followers, usually originating from tavern ballads that were popular enough to spread through the faith. I’m great, but not so great as Cayden Cailean: A means to turn down challenges or contests that have gone too far—this phrase traditionally follows one of the competitors suggesting another challenge the gods. This dare and response allow both parties to end contests that have gotten too heated without shame, usually with the refusing party buying a round for everyone involved.
May your life be as free as your taps: A popular line to end a toast or use as a fond farewell. It expresses Cayden’s belief that both people and drink should be unfettered. It is frequently used as a slogan among rebels.
Sweet barley brew!: An expression of amazement, frustration, or a simple curse. It can be used as easily to react to something wonderful, like the taste of a cool ale on a hot day, or something displeasing, like the approach of a looming monstrosity.

Religions

• Gods of Tengaria
• The Ascended