Prince of the City

The Founder

THE DEITY

Name(s): THE FOUNDER, THE GREAT BUILDER, THE UPHOLDER, PRINCE OF THE CITY

Spheres of Influence: The Founder is the god of law, order and cities.

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Spells Returned: At Dawn

Favored Weapon: Warhammer

Appearance: The Great Builder appears as a commonly dressed mason carrying a chisel and hammer.

THE CHURCH

Worship: Temples of the Great Builder are found in all major cities. Many smaller towns have congregations as well. Weekly services revolve around discussion of civil and community projects. The clerics, who might also have positions within the government, consult with their volunteer worshippers to discuss recent work and future plans. The clerics praise their worshippers for their work, giving an unusual feel to the service—instead of paying homage to the god, the clerics, representing The Founder, make the worshipper the center of attention. Many followers love the feeling of companionship at the service.

Holy Symbol: Red bricks and sword on a blue background.

Holy Days: Each congregation has its own holy day known as the Founding. It is the anniversary of the establishment of that temple. New construction or additions are begun on this date, under the belief that it has proven fortunate before, so it must be a lucky date. Another annual service celebrates the Founding of the First Temple, which is long lost. Most temples in Kalamar and the Young Kingdoms celebrate this date as the 12th of Reaping, while the Brandobians place it at the end of Famine.

Holy Colors: Blue and red.

Holy Animal: A bee.

Raiment: Clerics of the Founder’s Creation are workers and laborers. As such, they tend to wear durable, comfortable clothes suitable for hard labor. During ceremonies, these Builders of Law wear blue or red robes made of simple materials. Their robes tend to be of durable linens or even canvas, never high quality material. A badge on the left shoulder indicates level. In some smaller communities, these robes may be forgone altogether, with ceremonies and services performed in “civilian” attire.

Special Requirements: The current Master Builder is considering establishing a great contest to identify the Four Great Marvels; that is to say, the four greatest mortal made structures of Tellene. He plans to appoint a commission of Constables from various nationalities and races and send them on a survey of all Tellene. The effort should curry favor or solicit donations with nations who wish to have such a landmark within their borders and to increase the visibility and reputation of the church. A current rumor says that he has already determined the finalists for the contest, but many local rulers are looking to find suitable structures for inspection and ensure they are presentable in time for the visit of the commission.

Advancement: Advancement is gained through architectural achievement and/or experience in maintaining law and order.

A Builder reduces the time and cost required to construct any building whose construction he oversees by 5% per rank.

A Stonemason must have at least 5 ranks in Profession (stonemason).

An Architect’s follower is an expert instead of an adept. The expert has maximum ranks in Craft (bricklayer).

An Upholder must have at least 5 ranks in Profession (engineer). An Upholder gains a +2 competence bonus on all Profession (engineer) checks. The Upholder gains immunity to civil law in most civilized nations as well, a privilege normally reserved for clerics of rank 7.

A Lawman must have at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (local), and gains a +2 competence bonus on all Knowledge (local) checks in regards to local laws.

An Enforcer gains a rogue or ranger for his second follower. If the follower meets the requirements, he should have levels of either the Bounty Hunter or the Justicar.

Sacrifices: Every Founding, the Builders of Law melt silver coins and objects and reform them into bricks.

Friends and Allies:

The House of Solace: “Healers perform a great service to the community, acting as a strong support for its people.”

The Hall of Oaths: “Truth is said to be the foundation of all law. Even if it is not, it is a good place to start.”

The Home Foundation: “The law is the foundation of each community, and each community together forms the foundation of the world.”

The Courts of Justice: “Law is the cornerstone. Without law, society crumbles and falls like a house built on sand.”

Foes and Enemies:

The House of Shackles: “The foundation of their beliefs is the enslavement of others – surely a shaky platform on which to build.”

The Courts of Inequity: “They make a mockery of the legal system, undermining the basis of all society.”

The Conventicle of Affliction: “They foul our irrigation and sanitation systems, using them to spread disease. They must be stopped!"

Major Temples: Important centers of worship for the Founders exist in Cosolen, Premolen, Bet Kalamar, Rosaleta, and Basir.

The sturdiest of temples, these buildings usually require solid stone, even if that construction incurs great expense. These edifices are extremely durable and rely on complex architecture and months of planning. Temples are almost always built atop a hill, even if the builders must construct the hill first. Temples follow a base square shape, with a round or square tower at each of the four corners, much like a castle. The walls taper with height, allowing for very tall structures.

Cathedrals demand at least five stories, with towers extending for at least two levels higher. They often feature flags or statues atop the towers to achieve even greater height. The worship services take up the use of the first to third floors, and higher floors often serve as headquarters for architectural guilds or schools.

The holy seat in Anowhizh has eight full floors and several merely decorative levels above that, rising to over 120 feet where its four round towers meet in one design. Followers polish its surface to a high gloss daily via ropes, ladders, and scaffolding. Between the well-kept stone surface and the gold trim and inlay, the building is a beacon of reflected sunlight during the daylight hours.

Borli the Bald, Master Builder since 493 IR, has become obsessed with rediscovering the First Temple, which he claims to have seen nearly 100 years ago. He has spent vast sums of the faith’s funds on maps, histories, and even bardic tales in search of the fabled building. He spends long weeks at a time absent from his post in search of the temple and church rumors say that the Council of Elders (an assembly of Commanders and Enforcers that elects each new Master Builder) is searching for a legal means of removing.

Sayings: “Build for tomorrow.” - “Law is like a big building, hard and tough to ignore.” - “Something built correctly need not be built again.” - “Without a firm base, anything will crumble.” - “As bricks are the foundation for a strong building, law is the foundation for a strong society.” - “He is as trustworthy as a good brick.”