Heironeous

The god of valor, Heironeous, is lawful good. His title is the Invincible. Heironeous promotes justice, valor, chivalry, and honor. The domains he is associated with are Good, Law, and War. His favored weapon is the longsword, and he is worshiped by paladins, good fighters, and good monks. His archenemy is Hextor, his half-brother.

Heironeous’s teachings focus on promoting good through the use of armed force. Those among Heironeous’s servants, both clerics and paladins, who aspire to become weapons in their deity’s unending war against evil hope one day to enter the shining blades. The shining blades of Heirone ous is an order of knights dedicated to prowess in melee combat, which is achieved through prayer, devotion, and asceticism. Members of the shining blades have an austere and simple lifestyle, forsaking all worldly wealth and many earthly pleasures in their quest to become but a blade in the hand of Heironeous. Most shining blades of Heironeous are clerics or paladins. Some members of the order believe that a minimum of training as a cleric, combined with the intense martial dis cipline of the fi ghter is ideal to achieve the goal the shining blades seek, while others follow a single class exclusively. Very few multiclass arcane spellcasters, rogues, or monks feel drawn to the shining blades. NPC members of the shining blades are probably the most devout, single-minded, and driven crusaders in the world. Consumed with passion for the path they have chosen, they have little patience for those who are “blinded” by desire for material goods or personal power. All that matters, they believe and preach, is the fi ght against evil; as long as evil remains strong, there is important work to be done.

Cleric Training: Many of Heironeous’s clerics begin their training as pages to a cleric or paladin of Heironeous, absorbing the code of chivalry as they see it lived before their very eyes. Pages that show promise become squires, then full-fl edged clerics. Quests: The traditional chivalric quests are the bread and butter of a follower of Heironeous. They joust against the mysterious Black Knight, rescue the princess from the dragon, and lead the vanguard of a shining army of good. Prayers: Many of Heironeous’s teachings are collected in a series of numbered analects, which worshipers are fond of quoting: “The 34th Analect states, ‘Never die easy; strive always for a valorous end.’ ” Temples: A typical temple to Heironeous looks like a for tifi ed castle. Most feature a large, grassy area where knights can joust and soldiers can drill. Most temples provide heal ing and other spellcasting for those fi ghting the forces of evil. Rites: Heironeous’s followers are eager to recognize brav ery, chivalry, and other battlefi eld virtues in a ceremony that culminates in a medal or other decoration given from the clergy to a warrior—sometimes posthumously. Herald and Allies: A solar is Heironeous’s herald. Allies are hound archons, trumpet archons, and hound archon heroes. Relics: Helm of the purple plume, sword of virtue beyond reproach. Heironeous leads his crusades against evil from the Radi ant Arsenal, near the heavenly city of Yetsiraon on the sixth layer of the mountain. Souls there see Heironeous reward his faithful followers, honoring them for their virtue and chivalry.

Valor, courage, and righteousness are more than mere words to you—they form the foundation of your life. A champion of the downtrodden and a stalwart punisher of evil, you honor Heironeous every time you take a stand against wickedness. The Fist of Valor—Heironeous's church—is an implacable force for holiness in the world. A temple to Heironeous is one of the most magnificent structures in a city. Each temple of the Fist is a self-contained fortress, even within a wellfortified city, and sentries patrol its walls day and night. The Fist of Valor always attempts to become involved in the politics of any region where it has established temples. The church uses political contacts to gather information about any evil that taints the local nobility, who view such interest as meddling. However, it also garners favor with those who can fund expeditions and field armies to root out threats to the land. The fact that the Heironeans are always doing good for lawful communities gives their requests great weight in the courts, despite occasional accusations by disgruntled nobles of subversive activities. As might be expected, the Church of Heironeous governs itself efficiently. Members who transgress against the laws of Heironeous are tried in the Court of Thunder. Local governments encourage the Fist of Valor to dispense its own justice, since taking care of its own problems represents a significant savings in time and gold for the community. The Fist of Valor is dedicated to eradicating evil everywhere. However, church members also believe in a fair fight. A worshiper of Heironeous doesn't give up tactical advantages in combat but rarely fights from the shadows. He typically announces his presence before a battle begins so that enemies know they are about to experience the deity's wrath. Foes that are not considered irredeemable are given the opportunity to repent and redeem themselves. Those beyond salvation (such as undead, fiends, and occasionally, minions of Hextor), and those that refuse redemption, receive a quick and sure swordstrike. Typically, any small group engaged to perform a service for the church must include a member of the Fist of Valor. The Heironeans tolerate freelance bounty hunters, but only barely. They trust only their own members to ensure that the laws of the church are followed to the letter. The church also believes that storms, especially those that include lightning, are harbingers of Heironeous's wrath and portents of great meaning. Regions that frequently experience such storms are considered holy places, and the church often builds small forts at such sites to house the clerics who go there to study the omens. These "storm forts" bristle with lightning rods, both to protect the inhabitants and to draw more strikes so that the clerics can better interpret Heironeous's will. The church views lightning bolts as the sword of Heironeous touching the earth. Those who die from natural lightning strikes clearly deserve their fate, but those who are struck and live are considered blessed by the deity. Though they are often mentally damaged, such individuals are consulted nonetheless by the clergy of Heironeous, who seek wisdom and guidance in their ravings. But storms are not the only sources of the Invincible One's voice. Members of the Fist of Valor are very superstitious as a group and are constantly on the lookout for signs and portents that show their deity's touch. Enemies and Allies: Evil in every form is the enemy of Heironeous, but the forces of his dark brother Hextor truly enrage his followers. Thus, the Herald of Hell is a prime target for missions involving members of the Fist of Valor.

The deity of valor, Heironeous (high-roe-nee-us), appears as a tall human male with coppery skin, auburn hair, and amber eyes. He wears a suit of exquisite chain mail and carries a longsword. He wages war against evil of all sorts, especially his half-brother and nemesis, Hextor. Dogma Heironeous expects his followers to uphold the highest ideals of chivalry and justice and to treat adversity as a challenge to be met and overcome, just as evil should be overcome. The world is a dangerous place where those who fight for justice and who protect the weak and the innocent face a never-ending series of challenges. He exhorts his followers to act honorably at all times, and to uphold the virtues ofjustice and chivalry with deeds, not just words. Those who face danger with certainty and calm will prevail against evil, Heironeous advises. Clergy and Temples The religious hierarchy of Heironeous is organized like a military order. It has a clear chain of command, lines of supply, and well stocked armories. Clerics of Heironeous fight against worshipers of Hextor whenever they can and spend the rest oftheir time protecting the civilized lands from the threats of evil. Older clerics work as judges, strategists, and military instructors. The church as a whole is very militant, always championing some cause or embarking on a crusade to against evil or injustice. Though some find their high ideals and intense devotion to their cause a little intimidating, the church of Heironeous is widely admired. This admiration comes mostly because the followers of Heironeous battle genuine evils, usually with little thought of monetary reward. "Glory is the reward for defeating evil,while virtue is the reward for upholding the tenets of Heironeous," saythe clerics. Heironeous's clerics also oppose clerics of Hextor wherever and whenever they can. Temples to Heironeous always have a slightly militaristic look to them. In unsettled areas,they double as fortresses. Even in settled or urban areas they usually contain open, grassy courtyards where soldiers can train.