Arvoreen (ARE-voh-reen)

The Defender, the Vigilant Guardian, the Wary Sword

Arvoreen the Defender, fiery guardian of the home, is the nearest thing to a halfling war god. He is a god of stern defense and aggressive watchfulness, who is always preparing for incursions into halfling lands and making ready to repulse hostile creatures at the first sign of trouble. Arvoreen is venerated primarily by halfling fighters, but also by fighter/rogues who prefer the former set of skills over the latter.
Arvoreen has cultivated good relations with most of the good and neutral deities, particularly of the dwarven, elven, gnome, and human pantheons. Of the halfling gods, Arvoreen is most closely aligned with Yondalla, Cyrrollalee, and Urogalan, although he has strong ties with the entire halfling pantheon. The Defender has little patience or understanding of the principles or priorities of unreliable rogues such as Brandobaris and Tymora, but he does value their contributions in defending his charges from external threats. As a large fraction of halflings live in and among human communities, Arvoreen finds that most of the divine threats to his charges are a result of the plots of the evil deities of the halflings' human neighbors.
Arvoreen is anxiously protective of the halfling race, and he is always alert to impending dangers. The Defender, although quite powerful, is not a particularly aggressive deity. He only engages in combat if he is attacked, though he does seek out his enemies and actively confront them to get them to desist from their evil practices. He does not go very far out of his way to avoid combat if it occurs, however, and fights to the finish. Although he stops short of advocating war, Arvoreen is not shy about pointing out folks who are acting suspiciously — after all, they just might be evil in disguise. He is more serious and less carefree and joyful than the typical halfling (or halfling deity) and serves as a reminder that the safety they currently enjoy was hard won and can be easily lost.
Arvoreen sends avatars to defend and patrol halfling communities very readily. Arvoreen may reward warriors who have defended halfling communities with a minor magical item, even if of another race.
From time to time, halflings must fight to defend their friends or their village. In those moments, the tales of Arvoreen come to the fore in every halfling’s memory. Every youth hears over and over again the stories of the hero’s bravery and cunning, his clever tactics in battle, and his ability to use speed and smallness to defeat a much larger foe. The elders know that the world outside is dangerous and that their kin must understand how to deal with those dangers. Stories about Arvoreen are told in such a way that youngsters are inspired to act out his epic battles. In this way, the halflings get practical experience in executing measures that are designed to help the halflings defeat kobolds and goblin raiders, or even take down an ogre. When the time comes to put those tactics to use in earnest, everyone will be ready.
Cooperation is a fundamental principle in how halflings fend off their enemies. Every community practices its own version of Arvoreen’s favored tactics:
Scatterstrike. The halflings run in every direction as if in a panic, but then they regroup and circle back to attack with a concentrated effort.
Turtle Shell. Halflings cluster together and cover each other with shields, washtubs, wheelbarrows, coffer lids, or anything else that can deflect a blow.
Troll Knocker. A few halflings act as bait to lure a troll or other large creature into a clearing where the rest of the group can hurl stones at it from concealment to confuse the monster, persuading it to seek other prey.
Swarming Stickwhackers. Halflings rush an intruder in waves, swatting the enemy with sticks on all sides.
Fiddle and Crack. A halfling fiddler lures the monster into a trap, usually a net or a pit, followed by several burly halflings wielding large sticks and hitting the monster from a safe vantage.

Manifestations

Arvoreen appears as a handsome young halfling warrior, muscular of build and generally dressed in unencumbering and lightweight clothes and fine chain mail. He commonly carries twin short swords or, more rarely, a short sword and gleaming shield. He favors spells that aid in combat but can cast spells from any domain.
He wields a pair of twin short swords called Aegisheart and Hornet and his chain armor possesses potent magical protections. He is also always accompanied by one of the Keepers (see below) and can summon many more if desired.
Other Manifestations
Arvoreen manifests as a nimbus of silver fire that envelops a being, weapon, or object. This radiance typically gives any or all of the following aids to affected beings, for ten minutes: haste or enlarge (as the spell, but tripling the affected being's normal size). It typically gives an affected weapon the attack and damages bonuses and the special abilities of a Defender sword for ten minutes.
If the object enveloped is a pool of water, Arvoreen manifests as a scrying effect. Any devout worshiper who stares into the pool can scry the most pressing threat to the local halfling community. Otherwise, Arvoreen manifests as a glyph of warding or a symbol of hopelessness placed upon an item or portal to be warded.
Arvoreen is served by Keepers, elite halfling warriors (fighters of 6th-9th level) who died in battle and now defend and patrol the halfling burrows of Green Fields in the Outer Planes. In some situations, the Defender dispatches a small group of Keepers to the Realms to protect an embattled halfling community. Arvoreen is also served by aasimon; archon; bloodhounds; brownies; dobies; einheriar; guardian nagas; hybsils; incarnates of courage, faith, and justice; lammasu; marts; noctrals; owls; pers; silver dragons; silver falcons; sunflies; and war dogs. He demonstrates his favor through the discovery of amaratha, rustine, trios of stones suitable to be used as sling bullets, figurines depicting halfling warriors formed from dlarun, and crossed sticks (which are seen as representing his symbol). The Defender indicates his displeasure through thunderclaps suggestive of two shields smashing together. His omens to his priests are usually direct warnings of impending danger and the need for battle readiness.

The Church

CLERGY: Clerics and Trueswords
CLERGY’S ALIGNMENT: LG, NG, LN
DOMAINS: War and Truesword

Arvoreen is not exactly a popular power among most halflings and his priests are often perceived as overly serious and "grumpy as dwarves" by the Small Folk. However, the Defender and his clergy are respected and revered for their teachings and their role in protecting the halfling way of life.
Temples of Arvoreen are usually small fortified redoubts built partially above and partially below ground in strategic locations in regions inhabited by large numbers of halflings. The Defender's houses of worship serve their communities as armories, training grounds for the local militia, and as sanctuaries of last resort if the region they guard is ever overrun. Although the defensive fortifications of such temples vary widely so as to best suit their location, most are characterized by a maze of narrow, low hallways large enough only for a halfling or gnome to fight comfortably, cellars filled with weapons, supplies, and other stores, and large numbers of subterranean tunnels exiting far from the central structure through which halfling guerrilla fighters can launch lightning raids behind the lines of any besieger.
Novices of Arvoreen are known as Shieldbearers. Full priests of the Defender are known as Arvoreen's Marshals. In ascending order of rank, the titles used by Arvoreenan priests are Warder, Guardian, Defender, Protector, Magistrate, Sheriff, Marshal, and High Marshal. High-ranking priests have unique individual titles. Specialty priests are known as Trueswords. The clergy of Arvoreen includes hairfeet (55%), stouts (30%), and tallfellows (15%). Males (54%) slightly outnumber females (46%). Arvoreen's clergy includes specialty priests (34%), clerics (26%), fighter/specialty priests (22%), and fighter/clerics (18%).
Dogma: Keep the community's burrows secure, and always be prepared for threats and attacks. Prepare an active defense, drill continuously, and leave nothing to chance. Put down danger before it even rears its head. Seek out allies, no matter how unorthodox. Those who give aid against a mutual foe are friends to be rewarded and trusted. Stealing from other halflings and allies is never acceptable, but thieving is not necessarily dishonorable, as long as it is employed against enemies to better the odds in combat later.
Day-to-Day Activities: Arvoreen's priests are the protectors and defenders of halfling communities. They spend their days constructing defensive barriers, signaling systems, beacons, and traps, and reviewing defenses already in place. Priests of the Defender regularly patrol their communities, always investigating the slightest hint of a threat. Many priests organize the local militia, procure weapons for volunteers, and train every able-bodied halfling in the use of weapons and other defense strategies or at least in how to best seek safety. Many of Arvoreen's Marshals regularly adventure to gain magical weapons and defensive items of all kinds.
Important Ceremonies/Holy Days: If time permits, Arvoreen's priests and lay followers come together prior to every battle (either in a temple or at a makeshift altar in the field) to ask for the blessings of the Defender. After a brief, inspirational sermon and a period of private prayer, the Battle Hymn of the Keepers is sung in unison and silvered weapons — at most one per worshiper — are sacrificed to the god by placing them on the altar. If Arvoreen is pleased with the diligence of his followers' preparations, the Defender receives the silver plating from the sacrificed arms, leaving behind the actual weapons. For the next 24 hours, all such once-silvered weapons are enchanted to strike at a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
The Ceremony of Remembrance is celebrated annually on the Feast of the Moon. During this holy day, Arvoreen's followers gather in his temples and on battlefields where their comrades have fallen to remember the names of those who gave their lives in defense of the community. Close friends and relatives often report a brief, wordless encounter with the spirit of a fallen loved one during Ceremonies of Remembrance, but no evidence of such, aside from the statements of individuals who report such spiritual visitations, has ever been found.
Major Centers of Worship: All throughout the Flanaess, wherever halfling communities arise, the worship of Arvoreen is present. They are most common in the central and western Flanaess, but are most populous in the Sheldomar Valley, the Urnst States, and the Ulek States. There are many thousands of halflings dwelling within the Vesve Forest, where worship of Arvoreen is more common due to the perilous nature of the northern woods and incursions from Iuz's forces.
The halfling communities throughout the Good Hills and the Little Hills are where the largest temples dedicated to Arvoreen can be found. Here also can be found the oldest and wisest priests and Trueswords dedicated to the worship of the Defender. The cities of Woodsbridge and Blacktop each have major churches that are well-attended.
Priestly Vestments: The clerical raiment of Arvoreen's Marshals includes silvered helms and suits of chain mail, dark blue tabards with the god's symbol displayed prominently in silver, and twin short swords. The holy symbol of the faith is a miniature silver buckler that is typically worn on a medallion hung around the neck.
When adventuring, priests of Arvoreen wear the most appropriate armor available, whether it be leather or studded leather in situations requiring stealth or chain mail or plate armor when straight melee combat is expected. In times of peace when simply patrolling, the most common armor worn by members of Arvoreen's clergy is chain mail. Although they are trained in the use of a wide variety of weapons appropriate for their diminutive statures, most priests of Arvoreen prefer short swords, short bows, and slings.

Truesword Domain

Clerics of Arvoreen may select the Truesword Domain instead of the War Domain if they choose.

DOMAIN SPELLS

Cleric Level	Spells
1st	shield of faith, warning shout*
3rd	enlarge/reduce, weapon shift*
5th	magic weapon, spirit guardians
7th	blazing sword*, guardian of faith
9th	destructive wave, hold monster

*indicates a new spell described below.

Bonus Proficiencies

At 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy armor.

War Blessing

From 1st level, your god delivers bolts of inspiration to you or your allies while you are engaged in battle. When you or a creature within 30 feet of you makes an attack roll, you can use your reaction to grant that creature a bonus to the roll equal to your Wisdom modifier (min +1). It does not take up a reaction if this is used on yourself. You make this choice after you see the roll, but before the DM says whether the attack hits or misses. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Channel Divinity: Halfling's Sting

Starting at 2nd level, the cleric can use Channel Divinity to imbue a strike with the will of the gods. When the cleric hits a creature with a melee attack, the cleric can use Channel Divinity to deal extra damage of their weapon's type to the target. The damage equals 5 + twice his or her cleric level. You may only use this feature once per turn.

Channel Divinity: Veteran's Focus

Beginning at 5th level, the cleric can use Channel Divinity to attack one extra time than normal whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. This ability lasts for one minute.

Divine Strike

At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 damage of the same type dealt by the weapon to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

Truesword Defense

At 17th level, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Truesword Spells

Warning Shout

1st level alteration
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

The cleric who casts a warning shout can project a single word loud enough to be heard outdoors approximately one-half mile away. The sound is magically amplified so that it is the same volume close to the spellcaster as it is at the edge of the spell's radius. Only one word may be projected using this spell (such as "Intruders!" or "Help!"). As a side effect of the noise, this spell automatically awakens sleeping creatures within the area of effect who can be naturally awakened by noise.

Weapon Shift

2nd level alteration
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 minute

This spell enables the caster to transform a particular weapon in a way that allows them to deliver a different physical damage type than the one normally dealt. For example, a sword that does slashing damage can be made to deliver bludgeoning or piercing damage instead. The weapon is otherwise treated as normal and can be wielded in the normal way. This spell can be cast on magical or non-magical weapons alike.

Blazing Sword

4th level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 minute

You touch a nonmagical weapon. Until the spell ends, that weapon becomes a magic weapon with a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls. Additionally, it causes +1d6 points of radiant damage when it hits.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the bonus increases to +3 and the radiant damage increases by an additional 1d6.

Intermediate God

Halfling Pantheon

Titles
The Defender, the Vigilant Guardian, the Wary Sword
Sphere of Influence
Martial defense, war, vigilance, halfling warriors, duty
Alignment
Lawful Good
Symbol
A pair of shortswords
Home Plane
Celestia
Venya/Green Fields

Superior
Yondalla
Allies
Clangeddin Silverbeard, Haela Brightaxe, Heironeous, Gaerdal Ironhand, Gorm Gulthyn, Gwaeron Windstrom, the halfling pantheon, Trithereon
Foes
The goblinkin pantheons (orc, goblin, hobgoblin, bugbear, kobold, etc.)
Worshipers
Halfling warriors and defenders
Worshiper's Alignments
LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
Domains
War, Truesword