The Cudgel, The Lord Of Justice
The deity of retribution, St. Cuthbert (saint cuhth-burt), takes many forms. He often masquerades as a common yokel or whitehaired, mustachioed man in plate mail. He usually carries his famous mace. St. Cuthbert exacts revenge and just punishment on those who transgress the law. Because evil creatures more commonly and flagrantly violate laws than good creatures do, St. Cuthbert favors good over evil, though as the embodiment of law and justice, he is not good himself, rather the embodiment of neutrality and justice. The only credo of Saint Cuthbert, law must always preside over evil.
Originally, Saint Cuthbert was granted the position of "saint (a quasi/hero deity)" by Primus and allowed to enter The Divine Isles and The Endless Sea and take residence on the isle, Brythunia.
He is the first mortal to ascend to divinity, and did so only after proving his bravery, devotion, and piety during the Twenty Year War. After stopping the Vecna from destroying the Natural World and the Upper Planes, Saint Cuthbert was once again "promoted," this time to the position of minor deity, where he enjoys the adulation of tens of thousands of followers, worshippers, and sycophants.
The cleric's holy symbols are are made of steel and adorned with rubies.
The words of St. Cuthbert are wise, practical, and sensible. Among his followers, the Word of the Cudgel is law, and his followers take pains to spread the word so that may all may benefit from St. Cuthbert’s wisdom. Weakness in faith and acting against the Saint’s teachings are intolerable, especially in believers. St. Cuthbert exhorts his followers to make increasing efforts to bring unbelievers into the fold. Honesty, truthfulness, practicality, and reason-ability are the highest virtues, says St. Cuthbert.
Temples of St. Cuthbert are always solid and imposing. Their entrances or facades invariably feature inscriptions of quotations attributed to the Cudgel. These can be inspirational, such as: “Chaos and evil prevail where good folk do nothing.” Or even threatening, such as: “Obstinacy brings lumps to the heads of the unfaithful.”
Cuthbert's Judgment Day is a solemn day dedicated to the principles of justice and order. It commemorates Saint Cuthbert's teachings and his role as the arbiter of law in the realm. On this day, courts across the land hold special sessions to hear important cases and deliver verdicts. People gather in town squares to witness the administration of justice and to reflect on their own adherence to the laws of the land. It takes place on the Solar Equinox which is the 15th day of the month, Solara.
Clerics and knights of the Cudgel are stern folk who speak their minds plainly. They do not suffer fools and disapprove of those who backslide in faith. They train in the arts of war and keep themselves physically fit. Their blood-red cloaks and plate-mail armor have become synonymous with the priests of justice. Many serve as constables, detectives, judges, and bounty hunters
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