Jolinn the Spearbearer, Lord of the Living Seas
| Favored Race | all goodly races |
|---|---|
| Element(s) | water |
| Home(s) | The Fields of Paradise & The Sapphire Throne |
| Alignment | lawful good |
| Symbol | a sapphire spear & a diamond shield |
| Porfolio | seas, protection, unity, purity, life, water magic |
| Worshippers | Lawful and\or good mortals (mostly Ethron, Human, Caladaran and Aelin), water mages, Champions, good-aligned warriors |
History in Avendar
Jolinn is one of the three overgods who created the world of Avendar. When Iandir gave form to the world, it was Jolinn who saw the matter that the Crownbearer had wrought, and gifted to it the spark of life. When the hubris of the Alatharya brought forth the wrath of the Gods in the form of the Sundering, it is said it was Jolinn who saved the world from complete ruin, using a great portion of his divine might. Weakened by this great feat, the Lord of the Living Seas fell into the sleep of ages.
It was not until the height of the War of Fire that Jolinn would be roused. A band of human and Aelin, following the lore of the Titans, traveled deep into the icy northlands. They found the resting place of Jolinn, guarded by servitors of darkness. They slew the devils of flame that Bayyal dispatched to bind the torpid form of the Spearbearer with chains of fire and roused the slumbering God from his eons of rest. Jolinn brought with his awakening the healing and protecting magic of water, which would turn the tide against the Srryn host. In the wake of this war he, and the other Lords of Light, would come to found the Champions of Avendar to protect the realms from such threats.
Such threats came, and still do. Throughout the ages Jolinn and his followers have served as a bulwark against threats to Avendar's peace. Through the War of Night and the Kankoran Wars, the good people of the realm have looked to the Lord of the Sapphire Spear for protection and aid, and it has always been granted.
Goals and Methods
Jolinn seeks to protect the good peoples of Avendar from the depredations of the dark forces that rail endlessly against them. His ultimate goal a world of peace, purity and order, Jolinn encourages his followers to form honest and lawful bodies of worship and governance. He does not support order for its own sake, however, as strict adherence to meaningless laws at safety's expense. The Lord of the Living Seas wishes an order that supports the greater good. By the same token, Jolinn does not wish mindless followers, (Scholars note that if he did, he could have created life as such!) but people who follow him because they believe his creed is right.
Organizations and Followings
The worship of Jolinn is perhaps the most common of all divine beings. Due to his orderly nature and belief in unity, there are countless organized followings. The three most common are as follows.
Knights of the Sapphire Spear
"By the will of the Sapphire Spear, your evil will not be allowed to spread!"
The most actively martial branch of the church of Jolinn, the Knights of the Sapphire spear seek to root out darkness. Just as the inevitable result of poison is the death of an organism, so does evil lead to the death of spirit and those it corrupts. The followers of Jolinn believe that evil must be expunged from the land, before it can corrupt and destroy everything that is good. Organizing themselves militarily, the Knights patrol the realms in search of wrongs to right. Knights often attempt to set aside Iolensday, Jolinn's day, for rest and contemplation of their lord, should their duties allow.
The Order of the Diamond Shield
"Not this day, villain. You shall not pass."
The Order of the Shield's primary belief is that the things worth fighting for we do so because they are worthy of our protection. Above all else, the innocent must be protected against the depredations of those who seek to corrupt and taint life with their evil. The Shieldsworn are often found fighting for those who cannot, either alone or with a cadre of allies. While prepared to defend to the last breath, they do not do so needlessly or lightly, for rare is it that a fallen Shieldbearer is of more aid to the cause of light than a living one. At the highest levels of the order, there are those who have sworn themselves to protect both causes and individuals to their last breath above all other things. Such oaths are not sworn lightly and those who abuse such oaths are quickly declared anathema and those followers of the shield freed from their duty to protect them.
Sons and Daughters of Jolinn
"The threat grows, my brothers. Lend us your swords that we may roll back this tide of darkness."
As an overreaching principle, Sons and Daughters of Jolinn advocate brotherhood in the light -- both in opposition to evil and unity in productive effort to aid the weak. Followers of Jolinn are known for organizing those of good heart, using this unity of focus to accomplish great deeds. Diplomats and warrior-scholars, the Children of Jolinn attempt to mend the conflicts between the assorted factions of good, that they may bring a united front to bear against the forces of darkness. They are sometimes referred to as the Children of the Light due to their reverence for all goodly deities.
Individual Followers
The followers of Jolinn often work hand in hand with the followers of other goodly gods, and have been known to ally with lawful deities as well, Iandir most notably. The followers of the spear and the crown hold a deep respect for each other. Due to their aims to defeat the machinations of evil, the Spearsworn are constantly at odds with the followers of evil gods. Followers of Jolinn are always good and very seldom if never of chaotic ethoi. Due to the paternal nature of their God, they are often deferred to in times of crisis.
Relationships
Jolinn's unyielding view of evil has earned him the undying hatred of the gods of darkness, Ashur chief amongst them. The Dragon has never forgiven Jolinn for despoiling the Darkness Before Worlds with life, and works tirelessly to return Creation to its pristine, untouched state. The gods of light often defer to Jolinn in his aspect as the Creator of Life. Even when in disagreement, the gods of light respect the Lord of the Sapphire spear. The Gods of Law likewise afford Jolinn his measure of respect, even if they might not agree with his vision. Bayyal nurses a special grudge against the Lord of the Living Seas, having been imprisoned for a millenia by him. His followers assault the Shieldsworn with the greatest of vengeful zeal.
