Alastair

The Gentle Flame, Patron of the Hearth-Forged Bond

Domain

Strategy (Defensive), Hearth, Home, Festivals, Gatherings

Origin

Alastair is a post-Shattering deity who emerged during the early years of Orthyian empire formation and the rise of Valdarian city-states. His divine presence arose as mortals turned from the ashes of war toward rebuilding—finding strength not in conquest, but in kinship, celebration, and shared safety.

Depiction

Alastair is often depicted as a broad-shouldered, portly man with twinkling eyes, a thick beard, flour-dusted hands, and the scent of spice and smoke clinging to his robes. He carries no weapon—but wears an apron embroidered with protective runes.

Symbols and Heraldry

Primary Symbols:

A cast iron cauldron with a stylized flame inside
A round wooden shield etched with a loaf of bread
Three rising lanterns representing hearth, hope, and hospitality

Heraldic Colors: Deep red, warm bronze, and honey-gold — evoking warmth, defense, and joy

Personality and Themes

Alastair embodies gentle, protective strength. He is soft-spoken, deeply kind, and quietly watchful. He represents resilience through joy, and defense through care. He defends the vulnerable not through dominance, but through presence—a god who sees what must be healed, not what must be destroyed.

He is beloved by cooks, peacekeepers, tavern-keepers, festival organizers, and defenders who fight only to protect.

Worship and Offerings

Devotees honor Alastair with meals shared in community, festivals thrown in honor of survival, and offerings of preserved food for the hungry. His temples often double as communal kitchens or shelters.

Common Offerings:

Fresh bread and warm soup
Lanterns left at crossroads for travelers
Songs of welcome and peace sung around hearths

Divine Relationships

Seifer: Alastair rose during Seifer’s withdrawal, embodying strategy not of conquest, but of shelter and defense. He is a spiritual foil—a wall to Seifer’s blade.
Isolde: Where she offers strength to complete at the cost of life, Alastair offers strength to continue living. Their tension defines the moral landscape of the post-Shattering age.
Peregrine: Compassion and care walk together—Alastair protects what Peregrine consoles.

Thematic Purpose

Alastair exists as a divine answer to the question: *What comes after survival?* He guards the fragile peace that follows war, the joy after mourning, and the laughter that binds wounded people back together. His presence stabilizes. His kindness is not naive—it is deliberate, radical, and sacred.

Additional Context

Alastair may appear as a traveling cook or an old man at a festival whose presence no one expected but everyone appreciated. He rarely reveals his divinity, but those who break bread with him speak of comfort that lingers.

The Hands of the Living Gods:
He forms part of a mythic triad of walking gods with Peregrine and Isolde, referred to collectively

Peregrine – Emotional presence
Isolde – Unfinished justice
Alastair – Communal restoration

Children