[PillowChalk]

Saint Kraus

The Priest-King of Aen

"Not to be confused with the divine archangel Kraus Eternia, this mortal king was crowned in the capital city at the age of fifteen, following the death of his father at the hands of rebellious vassals and the nefarious occultists that fed on their lust for the crown. He was described as a charming rapscallion with a penchant for turning literal concepts on their head for his advantage, tutors and even his own mother, serving as regent until he reached maturity, found it exhausting to argue with him on trivial matters. In spite of this, he had the peculiar habit of speaking the truth and a disdain for liars in his presence.

As a mature adult, the king dissolved recurring conflicts with some of his realm's most powerful nobles, who were compensating for more power after the annexing of several provinces within their respective territories. Simultaneously, fending off invasions from a notorious fel-dragon said to have housed itself in the northland mountain tops. For his victories, it was Pylae that first blessed with a divine right to rule ("Gras Gobaith yw Brenin/Brenhines" The Grace of Hope is King/Queen) legitimizing his legacy as the first saint in the Church of Twelve and his successors as conduits for Pylae's will."

Canonized/Celebration Day: 30th of Geist ⚶
Gemstone of the Month: Sapphire
Major Shrine: Within the capital city where the Church of Twelve is erected; the crown itself is considered a holy relic.
Cause of Death: Natural causes
Attributes: Keys to the Golden Land, King holding a golden-winged scepter while seated on the throne, the royal family crest, crown with halo in the background and the words "Arweinydd y Cwnsler Aur, gweddïwch drosom eich gobaith i Pylae." (Leader of Golden Counsel, pray for us your hope to Pylae)
Patronage: Leaders, philosophers, theologists, strategists, nobility, afflictions regarding the head, mental resilience.

Saint Celestine

The Hawkeyed Trobairitz

“As a girl we were introduced

Fifteen is when our love begun

Hopeful arrows could never be outrun

To these golden wings my heart profused

Sunlit visions guide my fingertips

Sweat drips down my forehead and my vision narrows

Hesitation breaks skin as I bit my inner lips

Eyes tightly shut I let go of the arrow

My mark is hit.

The heretic's ichor taints the soil red

His loud screams begging to keep head

Hope's love can erase any sins

Magitech breaks apart when a new life begins

Ever since that day I've seen this apparition

O Pylae, I understand my mission

War is where your love shines through

My bow I dedicate to you”

Canonized/Celebration Day: 22nd of Sae ♎︎
Gemstone of the Month: Amber
Major Shrine: The Church Forest of Dyfnant, north in the Aenite Highlands, where a sacred grove is protected from deforestation and Barsburg conflicts.
Cause of Death: Bled out on the battlefield by a chopped limb courtesy of a turncoat.
Attributes: Archer notching a golden arrow with the spirit of Pylae guiding her; archer with sword protruding through her torso courtesy of nondescript traitor; priestess holding out the sun with incorporeal wings outstretched; pierced heart.
Patronage: Love, mentally ill, against eye afflictions, dawn, marksmen, happy marriages, battle acquaintanced couples, and amputees

Saint Aquilina
The Mystic Doctor

"A rare and unfortunate circumstance, Aquilina was born a non-magi to a prestigious family, and often lived in the shadows of her magically gifted siblings. While she lacked innate mana circuitry, she made up for her curiosity of the world around her and book smarts; sufficient enough to forgo the traditional route of being married off to a nobleman and pursue a higher education in the field of medicine.

This was during the time after the defeat of Lord Moros, and he was cast into the depths of Helheim. Yet, his loyal followers and Hel-beasts continued to act. The field of medicine and sanitizations were not refined as they are today, and a plague began to sweep across the lands. Bacteria from our plane evolved from within the poorly disposed corpses of Hel-touched entities, and many began to die. Once infected, victims began to succumb to negative emotions, such as hatred, grief, despair, jealousy, and sometimes apathy that may lead them to unconsciously killing others; a dark mist veils their body and a black, tar-like ichor pours from their orifices. In its final stages, the mist will engulf them entirely and they vanish. This phenomenon was called Moros’ Spite.

The finest of doctors and scientists scrambled to find a cure, while religious scholars believed it to be a punishment from the gods because of their weakness of faith as deaths began to climb. Aquilina enlisted in the efforts by examining samples and studying victims in the last stages of the supernatural pestilence. It was then that a stroke of eureka came to her when she noticed a parishioner performing a prayer over a loved one; seeing the effects lessen if only for a little. Why not fight the occult with faith? She experimented with a form of penicillin blessed by the priests to administer to patients. The plan forced religion and science to collaborate wherein a treatment was created. It was during this time that Aquilina came into the faith and, as the Plague was counteracted, spearheaded the efforts for universal medical care and funding towards experimental research projects benefiting mankind."

Canonized/Celebration Day: 3rd of Hiero ♐︎

Gemstone of the Month: Bloodstone

Major Shrine: Saint Aquilina’s relics are kept in the sanctuary of the nonprofit, clinical teaching hospital that shares her name; located in the Aenite aligned city-state of Dunwich

Cause of Death: Natural causes

Attributes: Those who cultivate the natural sciences, medical technicians, philosophers, scientists, alchemists

Patronage: Book, quill, Aenite medic holding a sick person, plague mask.

Saint Faustina

The Fatebreaker Paladin

“Born in an Aenite territory in Gehenna, Faustina went on to join the Royal Imperial Guard in her mid-twenties. It was in spite of the cultural and racial divisions that she quickly rose amongst the ranks to become an esteemed General leading a division of holy knights that jointly protected the royal family from aggressors. During her service she had uncovered a prophecy wherein the great Helheim Knight known as Goethe would be summoned to lead a siege upon the imperial castle and bring about a period of darkness to the Empire. Unlike other Hel-borne entities, Goethe attacked from the realm of dreams, drawing from one’s greatest fears to bring about endless torment before killing their dreamselves– also leading to the death of their actual selves. To counter this, the Guard were split between two groups: one fending off the occultists in reality while the elite transcended into the realm of dreams to confront Goethe. Faustina spearheaded the latter.

In spite of their efforts, Goethe fed upon their deepest fears and insecurities with Faustina being the last one remaining. Channeling her faith to overturn this fate, Pylae bestowed her with blessed armor that allowed her to grapple his metaphysical form and bring him to the waking world. There were several accounts by soldiers that once Goethe was forcibly dragged out of the dream world he delivered a spine-chilling scream that snapped Faustina awake without skipping a beat to deliver the finishing blow; her armor said to have shined a radiant golden hue granted by the divinity of her unwavering Hope. After the dispatch of occultists and Knight, the prophecy had been overturned and Faustina hailed as a hero.”

Canonized/Celebration Day: 7th of Syph ♈︎
Gemstone of the Month: Beryl
Major Shrine: Located in Gehenna within the Aenite military base where she was born; shrine’s upkeep is managed by chaplains.
Cause of Death: Died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 120.
Attributes: Golden paladin armor; sleeping with hand clutching onto her spear; piercing through a knight shrouded in darkness with mentioned spear; Shasta daisies
Patronage: Wards against nightmares; military personnel; Guardian of the Royal Imperial Guard, longevity

Saint Illuminata

The Sorrowful Sibyl

"A seer who became a nun at an early age, Illuminata conducted many missions wherein she aided foreign neighbors often displaced because of the conquests of the Aehokar Empire. During an era of Reformation within the Church, a radical sect splintered from the main and encouraged an ethnic cleansing of these peoples. Disguising herself, she coordinated between the main church body and the displaced people to repel the unjustly crusades by opposition. She foresaw her demise by the sect’s hands and said to have wept deeply; not because of the fear of her death, but from it people unified to stamp out the sect. She was eventually captured, tied, and thrown into Lake Mercuil with stone weighing her ankles to drown. Aftermath of her death led to many converting to the Church of the Twelve and sparking socio-religious conversations on the leniency of views towards foreign nations."

Canonized/Celebration Day: 13th of Iberl ♒︎
Gemstone of the Month: Aquamarine
Major Shrine: Saint Illuminata Monastery located in a disputed border city of Baerney between Aen and Barsburg near Lake Mercuil, historically of the Aehokar Empire.

Cause of Death: Execution by drowning

Attributes: Purple loosestrifes, nun crying with hand obscuring her face save for one eye peeking through the gaps of her fingers, Lake Mercuil; martyrdom

Patronage: Revelations; epiphanies; peaceful council; missionaries; mediation; invoked against conspiracies and deception; immigrants; victims of water-related incidents

Saint Paschal & Saint Cosmas

The Father of Ingenuity; the Integral Son

"Saint Paschal & Cosmas were a father-son duo that began the still present stance against cybernetics and Barsburg synthetics. They were master and apprentice, father and son, and together they helped establish Aen’s stance on progress under Pylae’s guidance. Activists against the Coalescence and Barsburgian perspective on technology to the point they were targets of many powerful enemies within the fascist rival empire. Many everyday appliances and the origins of the modern nature of Aen can be traced back to their efforts in balancing technology with religion and the world."

Canonized/Celebration Day: 18th of Ios ♓︎
Gemstone of the Month: Alexandrite
Major Shrine: Parish of Paschal & Cosmas in Port Tanis, one of the largest ports in Aen and a region where artifice and construction is highly regarded. Many priests are also capable of enchantments and study some form of artificing.
Cause of Death: Assassinated by Barsburg agent for widespread activism against their method of technology and lack of religious care.
Attributes: Carpenter’s square or tools; Paschal holding his son as an infant; Adult Cosmas embracing his elderly father
Patronage: Creativity; caution in innovation; Magitechnicians that respect the human purity; inventors; wise solutions; anti-cybernetics activists; artificers

[PillowChalk]

Saint Ignatius
The Savior of Caershire

"The tale of one long passed. Saint Ignatius was one of many Sentinels of the Aenite Empire. Serving the fringe town of Caershire in a time of peril as Hel-Beasts ravaged the lands. Many like his own had been found razed before, whether abandoned before the creature had arrived or slaughtered in a hopeless fight against the demon, however such a fate would not befall Caershire. When the time came for its fight for survival most would opt for leaving the town… escaping with their lives at the cost of the settlement. Though Sentinel Ignatius would not follow the example of superiors. He would stand their ground and live or die alongside the place he called home for so long. When the Hel-beast arrived? He would be there.

Man against beast. Sentinel against demon. To many it would seem a hopeless fight for the sentinel… but not to Ignatius for he had Pylae on his side. It is within the fields outside of Caershire that a battle of legends would take place. Many argue just what happened behind the veil of smoke and fire surrounding the two, but one thing can be known. Those that remained with the town throughout the fight claim Ignatius could be heard proclaiming his/her love and devotion to Pylae before succumbing to his wounds. Caershire stands to this day thanks to this sacrifice. The scorched armor of Saint Ignatius is kept as a relic within the village and all over the Empire where gargoyles once stood Saint Ignatius keeps watch, ever vigilant with lance and torch to ward away evil."

Canonized/Celebration Day: 25th of Leo ♌︎

Gemstone of the Month: Agate

Major Shrine: The Shrine of Ignatius is located within the town of Caershire, where he kept vigil in life.

Cause of Death: Death by Hel-beast

Attributes: Nondescript armored knight bearing a sword and shield knelt in prayer.

Patronage: Honour, Valour, and Loyalty. Defense of one’s home. Warriors of Faith. Sentinels of Aen.

Saint Rembrandt

The Pope Saint, Apostle of Pylae

“St. Rembrandt was the bishop of Portwenn before being anointed Pope of Pylae to the capital city, serving for thirty-seven years. A renowned theologian and prolific writer, he was also a skilled preacher and rhetorician. He is one of the Founding Fathers of the Church of Twelve and, in the religion of Pylae, is formally recognized as a doctor of the church.


More than five million words of St. Rembrandt’s writings survive, ranging from sermons to theological treatises. Of these, two have had particularly lasting influence: The Golden Empire and Revelations. The former is a philosophical defense of Pylanism that outlines a new way to understand human society, and the latter is largely a spiritual self-examination.”

Canonized/Celebration Day: 9th of Twe δ

Gemstone of the Month: Peridot

Major Shrine: He is buried in the Vatican Grottoes, a massive spread of papal tombs situated right below the Church of Twelve’s Basilica.

Cause of Death: Died when Barsburg besieged Portwenn while visiting, quoted to have said an old Aehokar proverb ‘Repay evil with good, and Hel will not claim thee.’
Attributes: In prayer with golden embroidered papal wear; solar crown; outstretched hands with holy book hovering close; is holding a papal ferula or book 
Patronage: Theologians; Portwynn, Aen; papacy, called for aid in religious studies; problems revolving around the digestive system; those of the working class

Saint Malachy

The Anchoritic Navigator

"A reputed hermit and renowned navigator, the seafaring Malachy is known for his legendary (albeit reluctant) voyage to find the elusive “Isle of the Blessed” under the orders of King Gareth. Gareth, well within his seventies at the time, had become obsessed with finding one of the Pylae’s golden feathers there, said to bestow eternal youth to whomever wielded it. He set out to the ocean with a nondescript crew of sixteen. For a period of seven years, they traveled the seas and major events are chronicled including:

• Happening upon a flock of man-eating seagulls, the crew hastily covered their ship with a makeshift boarding net made out of all the cloth and ropes on board. Said boarding net was coated with peppermint oil and a holy magic to ward their avian assailants away.
  

• Water jousting with the ghost of a Barsburg naval captain Bram McAllister, whose haunted ship had been said to attack passing vessels indiscriminately on stormy nights. Malachy won, but a chunk of his stomach was gouged out during the skirmish; awarded with a map alleged to lead towards the Isle of the Blessed, but unable to understand the language and chart structure.
  
  
• Befriending a clan of nomadic Sirenians of a dolphin variant who understood and translated the chat for the crew; coming to discover that the location of the isle changed based on the phases of the moon and weather that month.
  

After a period of seven years the crew found the Isle of the Blessed, abundant in vegetation and fauna … only to discover that the isle is actually a large, blind sea turtle. They are welcomed lukewarmly by the beast and allowed to moor its back in order to select one treasure for their efforts; coming to find that a plethora of relics apart from Pylae’s golden feather awaited them. Malachy wanted nothing but his solitude after the journey and wisely selected the feather, but a greedy crewmate smuggled several items when they reboarded their ship. It was not long after they were attacked by the sea beast in a rage for their greed, stirring the currents with its fins that knocked some few overboard. In order to placate the beast, Malachy suggested they forfeit all treasures, including the feather, and he remain to guard the treasures while being the beast’s “eyes,” guiding him to new areas and avoiding being found again. And out of all of them, the turtle found him worthy– the remainder of the crew leaving with nothing but their lives while Malachy remained on that isle to be granted the virtual solitude he desired."

Canonized/Celebration Day: 17th of Yiel π

Gemstone of the Month: Cairngorm

Major Shrine: St. Malachy's Abbey is on the small port island of Llanddwyn near the coast of Aen, where he was born and raised.

Cause of Death: Unknown

Attributes: Golden compass, map, priest celebrating religious sacraments while atop a great turtle, one of a group of monks in a small ship

Patronage: Boatmen, mariners, sailors, travelers, ward against malevolent sea creatures, hermits, and treasure hunters.

Saint Lilybet

The Maiden of Miracles

"During her short lifetime, the young Lilybet was renowned for acts that could not be explained by the laws of nature; this caused her to mature quicker than her peers and utilize Pylae’s gift to aid others such as:

• Said to have preached to a species of bird around her hometown and taught them a hymn that became their trademark call.
  
• With the aid of Saint Faustina, repelled an invading Barsburg army by holding up a monstrance containing the consecrated host of a minor saint.
  
• Brought a drowned sailor back to life, restored the ability to walk to a crippled man’s legs, and saved an innocent man from execution.
  
• Encountered a battered spouse wherein she had a vision of Pylae directing her to the local church to have the marriage annulled, which was unheard of during the time, and introduced divorce rights for women.
  
• Foresaw and aided in the recovery of Saint Malachy’s compass, its authenticity confirmed by religious officials and serves as the sole holy relic in Port Llanddwyn."
  

Canonized/Celebration Day: 21st of Uner ♅

Gemstone of the Month: Tourmaline

Major Shrine: Saint Lilybet’s Chapel is located in her hometown of Ebbw Vale; attached to it is a well-known orphanage.

Cause of Death: Captured and burned at the stake for accusations of witchcraft by a local “hero” at eighteen.

Attributes: Martyr’s palm, little girl holding onto her apron which is full of goldenrods, rosary, Pylae whispering into her ear as she guides a crippled peasant back to his feet

Patronage: Miracles, is called upon for recovery of lost items, memories, etc; faith in the Blessed Sacrament, children, harvests, animals, the disabled, the sick, poverty, the oppressed, counter-revolutionaries, and the innocent

Saint Bors

Liberator of the Northlands

"Long before the entirety of Aen was claimed proper by the light of Pylae, the old North was a place of savage proportions. Bands of nomadic tribesmen and Drakanites seemed to claim such a home despite their smaller populations. In reality they were subservient to a vile spawn of Felyraxes that held the old North in a vile dominion. It was Ser Bors, crusader against demonkind, that tracked and relentlessly pursued the dragon Elmthir. Weeks upon weeks did the cunning man whittle away at Elmthir’s vitality with cunning traps and expert tracking culminating to a final showdown in Elmthir’s den atop Mount Venthril. When it seemed that the Felyraxes spawn prevailed, crushing Ser Bors in his maw with razor sharp fangs, the hunter’s bow resisted the pressure and pieced through its soft palate; this caused the dragon to gag amongst trying to devour Ser Bors, ultimately succumbing to choking to death on the man’s body. The Draknites who he freed recover his remains and are inspired, thus making the memorial of their Liberator of the Northlands."

Canonized/Celebration Day: 15th of Neoi ☌

Gemstone of the Month: Fluorite

Major Shrine: Bors’ Rest sits upon the peak of Mount Venthril, the highest peak in Northern Aen.

Cause of Death: Died in the maw of the wicked dragon Elmthir, atop Mount Venthril.

Attributes: Two arrows tied together by crimson fabric, a dragontooth necklace, kneeling atop a mountain to bask in the sun. Eagles.
Patronage: To ward away untamed forces, to liberate the natural from darkness; huntsman, trappers, dragonslayers, and those of the Northlands, Aenite Drakanites.

The Penitent One

The Receiver of Redemption, The Nameless Saint

"Little is formally known about this enigmatic figure – despite having interacted with Pylae Himself during their final moments on this mortal plane. Depending on which region, there are significant alterations regarding the occupation, gender, species, and even location of where the Penitent One operated; some depict them to be a cruel criminal while others paint them in a gentler light, turning themselves in from the guilt of their crimes weighing heavily on their soul. Regardless, they are condemned to be publicly crucified in a large arena, openly mocked and chastised for their egregious sins by their audience. It was Pylae who silenced the onlookers and offered the Penitent One’s soul salvation. Truly feeling, believing that they can be absolved of their crimes in His golden land did they dedicate their fleeting thoughts to the Hope, dying at peace as they heard the chirping of birds-of-paradise in the distance."

Canonized/Celebration Day: 2nd of Biblos ☊

Gemstone of the Month: Diamond

Major Shrine: There is no major shrine containing their relics, but a collection of churches and prison ministries across Aen dedicated to them.

Cause of Death: Crucifixion

Attributes: Cloaked figure cradling a golden feather of Pylae, sometimes depicted being comforted by the god as they are crucified, ashes, Bird-of-paradise
Patronage: Prisoners (especially condemned); social pariahs; repentant thieves, murderers, necromancers, etc.

• Sorores Poenitentes:
  

“Hope for forgiveness and remain ever repentant.”

One of the many sects within the religion of Pylae is the ‘Sorores Poenitentes’, a sisterhood composed of repentant criminals; be they would-be necromancers or occultists, thieves, murderers and even those borne unto ‘cursed bloodlines’ who, though condemned for life owing to their sins or crimes have been offered salvation though an eternal vow to serve the saints as repentant martyrs much like the Penitent One, whom they tend to above all others. From the moment one joins the Sorores there is no turning back, for though many have thought such might be an easy way to escape death and live a moderately comfortable life, the reality of such a creed is much more bleak, for while many women that join become fanatics by their own volition, many are ‘helped’ by the hand of the inquisition that oversees the sect to become the pristine creatures that seem ever kind and helpful to those who need their aid. Though non-combatants, the Sorores is often used for diplomatic means and as a way to spread the faith of Aen unto other kingdoms, alas, despite the fact the Sorores is composed of true-believing fanatical women they are rarely volatile and more than capable of enduring the ever stubborn-lords of newly conquered lands. As they are reborn unto the Sorores they abandon their previous names and are offered new ones, christened after past heroines or maidens that served the kingdom, though it is important to state that many choose to remain nameless and instead only heed to the word of ‘sister’, a thing meant to make them resemble the penitent one further who shall ever remain nameless. (Provided by Nana)

[PillowChalk]

Tentative miscellaneous headcanons:

The Hand Prayer

• Symbolizing Pylae's golden wings, the fingers are splayed outwards while thumbs touch. All the while making contact with the chest while praying. Right over left is the tradition, as left over right is reserved for the deceased.
  

• The popular mode of baptism into the faith is baptism by submersion, but not by water. It is performed early in the morning wherein the priest and person to be baptized go through the sacramental process of admission. All windows are blackened out save a stained-glass ceiling window depicting the Twelve Saints on the outer rim and the Constant of Hope in the center; as the sun rises and casts its rays through the window, the person steps and submerges themselves into the sunlight, being born again as a Hopeful in the religion.
  

• The current bible in circulation of Pylae's scriptures is Queen Irene II's version, a major endeavor Her Majesty with the Pope of Pylae as editor. Its powerful, majestic style promises to make it a literary classic with many phases and expressions embedded in hundreds of languages.
  
• The ancient Aenite language (or Old Brittonian?) is inspired by the Welsh language as Latin is for Sabbath chants and witchcraft.