Basilicus

Basilicus

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  • Religion: Magnaphar
  • Name Of Followers: Magnaphar

Beliefs[]

  • "Epistarin is good all the time."
  • "Embrace in his goodness and sing."
  • "Love your fellow man."

Rituals[]

Loud singing in praise to Epistarin stating how he is perfect in a flawed world. People let themselves be "overwhelmed" by Epistarin's goodness, through mass prayer. The clergy occasionally organizes alms for the poor.

History[]

Epistarin, a god of philosophical disposition, wanted to be loved by beings with free will. To this end, he created Julaenna, Froderi, and Ilenx in Virtus. Over time, with Epistarin's guidance, they grew independent of their god, eventually founding the Virtus Kingdom as its First Atriarchs. With the founding of the Virtus Kingdom, the First Atriarchs formally gave up their dependence on Epistarin at last, changing their name from the Epistarene, or children of Epistarin, to the Magnaphar, or friends of a god.

The Magnaphar learned to master magic. However, to prevent themselves or their heirs from becoming tyrants over the other peoples of the world, the Magnaphar fixed white magic so that every healing or beneficial spell came with a terrible cost. For example, healing spells released teratogenic energy, and spells to make fields fertile diverted water from other areas.


A legend of the Magnaphar tells that, one day, Epistarin was talking with another god about the goodness of the Magnaphar. Epistarin boasted about Strummerford, a righteous man and powerful white mage who loved him. The other god suggested that Strummerford only loved Epistarin because Strummerford was healthy and prosperous. Provoked, Epistarin killed Strummerford's family and stripped him of his magical abilities.

Strummerford went to see Hough, who was at that time the Leftward Atriarch of Virtus, to mediate his grievance with Epistarin. Hough sided with Strummerford, rebuking Epistarin sharply, "Is this how you treat your friends?" Epistarin apologized for his misdeed, and three of his temples in the capital city were burned as weregild for Strummerford's family.

In time, Epistarin made amends with Strummerford, the Atriarchs, and Virtus, but the ruins of the Burnt Temples still stand as a reminder and a warning that even a god may overstep his bounds.