Heironeous

Heironeous
Heironeous is the god of Chivalry, Justice, Honor, War, Daring, and Valor. His holy symbol is a silver lightning bolt, often clutched in a fist.

Description
Heironeous appears as a tall human man in fine chainmail with auburn hair. His skin is a coppery shade, and impervious to all but the mightiest weapons due to a secret solution known as meersalm. His signature weapon is a great magical battleaxe, though he has recently taken to the longsword.

Relationships
The half-brother and sworn enemy of Hextor.

In general, Heironeous considers all other gods who stand against evil to be allies, while those deities who promote suffering and evil he regards as foes.

Heironeous has a strong alliance with Pelor.

Dogma
Heironeous sees the world as a deadly place, filled with perpetual challenges and trials for those who battle for justice and defend the weak and innocent. His followers should always act with honor and chivalry, and to uphold justice. Danger is to be faced head-on, with calm and resolve. Those who defeat evil are rewarded with Glory, while those who uphold the tenets of the Arch-paladin are rewarded with Virtue. The Arch-paladin's teachings have been codified in a chivalric code known as the Heironean Code.

The Heironean Code
The Heironean Code consists of three sets of duties:
 * Duty to the People. This duty stresses courage, justice, mercy, valor, protection of the weak, and faithfulness to church superiors of officer of righteous law.


 * Duty to the Church. This duty stresses obedience to Heironeous himself, devotion to the church, generosity, championing good against evil, putting the needs of the church and the faith above those of mortals.


 * Duty to a Lady. This duty pertains to the concept of courtly love, devotion to one's beloved, and respect toward all women in general.

Worshipers
The faith of Heironeous is a very militaristic one, launching crusades against evil and championing causes. As one would expect, many soldiers, city watchmen, mercenaries, and others who make their living by the sword find themselves honoring Heironeous.

Paladins
Large numbers of paladins follow Heironeous, as he himself is one. Because of this, and his utter dedication to Law and Good, paladins of Heironeous can be among the most devout, albeit overbearing, people on the Material Plane.

The greatest order of Heironeoun Paladins is the Order of the Blade, whose sole purpose it to defeat the evils of the Chaos Lands.

Clergy
Priests of Heironeous often travel the world on orders from their superiors to seek out and destroy evil. Older priests often work as strategists, military instructors, or judges.

Novices of Heironeous are known as the Blessed. Full priests are called the Glorious or, collectively, the Valorous Host.