The Platinum Champion

The Platinum Champion is the god of honor, justice, rulership, and valor. The Platinum Champion is considered one of the youngest of the gods, only gaining prominence during the Dawn War, and has only been considered a “major” deity since the Sundering. He is the ultimate righteous, honorable knight; he is fearless in fighting for what is right, and a missionary and crusader on behalf of the benign sovereignty of good and merciful justice for evil.

He is sometimes called the Lord of Honor, the Righteous Defender, and the Eye of Justice.

Overview
The Platinum Champion is the pinnacle of nobility, honesty, courage, and justice. He would rather convince evildoers to lay down their arms in honorable surrender than cut them down, but he will wield his mighty sword against those who persist in serving evil. He loathes incorrigible evil, fiend-spawn, traitors, and those who abuse good people in the name of a “greater” good. He is unafraid to point his sword at the greatest evils facing the world—no matter what face or mantle that evil wears.

He is said to show his approval by making mundane objects take on a noble bearing, bathing his chosen warriors in mysterious or golden lights, and exerting a compass-like pull on swords to guide his servants. Common folk pushed to defend themselves may happen upon a rusty blade that still has the strength and edge of a new weapon and grows shinier the more it is used in the name of justice and honor.

Alternatively, the Platinum Champion shows his displeasure by flickering lights, shattering weapons, and turning metal dull. In the rare cases where one of his paladins breaks their oaths and falls, it is said their cloak shifts to black and their shining metal armor and sword turn to dull lead.

Dogma
Followers of the Platinum Champion, from the simplest of smallfolk to knights to kings, are expected to uphold the highest ideals of chivalry and justice, and to treat adversity as a challenge to be met and overcome, just as evil should be overcome. The world is a dangerous place where those who fight for justice and to protect the weak and innocent face a never-ending series of challenges. He exhorts his faithful to act honorably at all times, and to uphold the values of chivalry with deeds, not just words. Those who face danger with certainty and calm will prevail against evil.

The Platinum Champion teaches his faithful to do what is right, no matter the personal cost. One must be humble, kind, generous, honest, and compassionate. The god of knights tolerates neither chaos nor evil, and commands his faithful to stamp them out wherever they arise. Be forthright and do not suffer lying, fraud, or deceit. He teaches discipline tempered with love and respect, and prefers the word over the sword, though he does recognize that situations exist where the sword is the only answer.

He is both fiercely martial and adamantly kind and gentle. Music and art and beauty are to be treasured. Hobbies are important to the Platinum Champion, for they serve as a touchstone and remind us what it is that we fight for. Worshipers are to exercise courtesy and receive the same in their dealings with one another. The Platinum Champion has a strong sense of empathy and is understanding of mortal frailties and weaknesses, and of the costs of oppression. One need not be perfect to walk his path, so long as they do their best, recognizes their flaws or failures, and works to correct them. Temples to the Platinum Champion are havens for the weak and the overlooked, and many who initially come to him for refuge go on to become great warriors.

His holy symbol is the Sword of Valor, a longsword surrounded by a burst of light, whether sunlight, fire, or some other energy. He is associated with lions—his sacred animal—as well as griffons. Those who dedicate themselves to the Platinum Champion often have his symbol or iconography tattooed on them, usually their forearm, chest, or back.

The Church
The church of the Platinum Champion is organized into circles of 10 to 50 priests or knights of similar ability, attitude, and rank. A high priest or priestess of a church is called the First Sword, beneath whom is the Second Circle, which is made up of between 6 to 14 Second Swords (depending on the size of the temple), each of whom leads a Third Circle, and so on. There is much competition to join circles led by famous knights, and it is a mark of honor to be selected for such a company.

Worshipers
A typical follower is a right minded, hardworking person, helpful toward others, and ready to accept help when offered. The Platinum Champion’s followers strongly desire justice for everyone, honorable behavior from each individual, and righteous leaders making good decisions for the welfare of all. Though a Heironean looks to church heroes to reshape the world into a better place, they also understand that fixing the world also depends on every day kindness, feeding one’s family and friends, making one’s environment safer and cleaner, and spreading kindness wherever you can. The faithful’s preference for law and order results in strong church support for marriage, and equally strong disapproval of adultery, abuse, and other activities that threaten a happy and healthy marriage. Even if it goes against local traditions, the church teaches that spouses retain their individual rights and are not property, and temples provide shelter if necessary to individuals seeking divorce. Likewise, it insists children be treated with love and respect, though this does not preclude an appropriate level of discipline. The church’s focus on self-discipline and honor in action and appearance lead most of the faithful to consider poorly behaved children or a family that appears unkempt or unruly to be an embarrassment, both to themselves and the community.

The church of the Platinum Champion is dedicated to eradicating evil everywhere; of all the virtuous churches in Tyrind, the Platinum Champion’s is the most aggressive in seeking out and vanquishing evil. However, church members also believe in a fair fight; a worshiper doesn’t give up tactical advantages in combat, but will rarely strike from the shadows. They announce their presence before a battle begins so that enemies know they are about to experience the deity’s wrath. Foes that are not considered irredeemable are given a chance to repent and lay down their arms. Those beyond salvation—such as undead, fiends, and minions of the Warbringer—and those that refuse the gift of redemption, receive a quick and sure strike. One must never let another suffer unjustly, even a servant of darkness.

It's common for the faithful to bury a small token sword, often an inch or so long ands made of copper, tine, or brass, with their dead. The traditional belief is that this blade symbolizes the protection and strength of their god and will serve them in the Great Beyond. In poorer communities, the dead are buried with carved wooden or stone swords. So great is the church’s fixation on swords that even wedding rings for those married in the faith are forged from the shards of shattered sword, meant as a sign of devotion and fidelity.

Just as swords are generally kept in the hands of the living, it is rare for worshipers to be buried in armor. Most faithful who are wealthy enough to own armor usually bequeath it to close relatives or to their favorite temples so that it may find continued use in the god’s name even after they are gone.

Clergy
Valor, courage, and righteousness are more than mere words to the Champion’s priests—they form the foundation of their life. Champions of the downtrodden themselves and stalwart punishers of evil, they honor the Platinum Champion every time they take a stand against wickedness. Priests act honorably, show courage in battle, uphold righteous laws, bring evildoers to justice, and generally conduct themselves like great knights. Even the most battle-weary stand proud and tall in the presence of the common folk and impressionable youths. Priests have a reputation for trustworthiness that serves them well in political affairs. To a priest of the Platinum Champion, the quest for justice and the need to work hard for the betterment of all is never complete. An average day for a priest varies. For those within military organizations or entrenched in battle, ritual takes a back seat to doing what is necessary to further the cause of justice and light, and for a priest to stand on ceremony at the cost of doing what is right and needed would be highly shameful. As such, priests in war zones tend to act much like chaplains and military commanders than city priests. If there is no sign of active villainy, priests will often travel, perhaps in ways that help local officials, such as transporting criminals from a remote town to a city’s jail or local temple to the Platinum Champion.

The church does its best to insert itself into local politics in a region where they have an established temple. The church uses political contacts to gather information about any evil that taints the local nobility, who view this interest more as meddling. However, it also garners favor with those who can fund expeditions and field armies to root out threats to the land. The fact that servants of the Champion are always doing good in their communities gives their request great weight in the courts, despite occasional accusations by disgruntled nobles of subversive activities.

It is traditional for a young priest of the Platinum Champion to receive a gift of a sword when they leave the temple to enact their god’s will; in some cases, this weapon was one used by a senior priest or other hero of the church. Some blades have passed through dozens of hands, as the Champion believes it is wasteful to bury a perfectly good weapon with the dead. The only time a fallen hero is buried with their weapon was if it was broken or if there was unusual magic tying it to them. Even in these cases, the weapons are said to turn up in moments of great need (such as lying at the bottom of a pool of water, thrust up from beneath a lake, or pulled from an old, tattered hat through an act of faith).

Typically, any group bound to perform some service for the church will include a member of the church, sometimes a Platinum Knight or even a Justicar. They tolerate freelance bounty hunters when they must, but only barely. They trust their own members to ensure the laws of the church are followed to the letter. Members of the church too old or infirm for battle or travel will serve in courtrooms and act as advisors to local nobility and city leaders, or else otherwise train the next generation of crusaders. Layfolk and talented acolytes staff most in-city positions, and see to the auxiliary needs of the church, helping run temple-owned farms, smithies, and shops.

Formal raiment is a whist cassock with gold or yellow trim and matching mitre, but rarely wear such vestments outside of the church. In practice, most warriors are recognized by their shining armor and prominent displays of the god’s symbol. Banners with his symbol are also popular, almost always white or gold.

Temples & Shrines
The church of the Platinum Champion is an implacable force for holiness in the world. The temples dedicated to the god of knights are whitewashed buildings that double as courts and living spaces for holy knights. Each has at least one fortified tower or wing that is easily defensible even if the rest of the structure is razed. Arched entrances, pillared courtyards, statues of knights, high stained-glass windows, and large fountains are common decorations. While priests and knights set aside an hour per day for prayer, the church usually only holds public services once per week for an hour or two depending on local interest.

Temple music is not droning or militaristic, as one might assume. Instead, the music is lively designed to inspire courage and invigorate tired spirits, with upbeat tempos, repeated choruses, and simple harmonies.

The devout often create a shrine of stones on the site of any great battle fought in the name of the Platinum Champion, sometimes capping it with a broken sword thrust into the top of the pile. Flat stones carved with the god’s symbol, sculptures of inverted swords, or simple crosses representing sword hilts mark the graves of the faithful, as well as locations of miracles or sites important to saints of the church.

Holy Texts
Individual churches usually keep a ledger of important names of local heroes and saints, important battles that occurred nearby, and inspirational tales that reinforce the ideals of faith.


 * Book of the Righteous: "Justice and honor are a heavy burden to bear for the righteous. We carry this weight so that the weak may grow strong and the meek grow brave." The one book common to all churches of the Platinum Champion is The Book of the Righteous, usually just called “the Good Book” by the faithful. The book is a recounting of the 11 Labors of the Champion; myths that detail the adventures, deeds, and miracles of the Platinum Champion during the Dawn Era. It extols the virtues of honesty, honor, steadfastness, and strength in the face of overwhelming adversity and provides a framework for his followers to follow his example.

Rituals
Most ceremonies involve the use of a sword, and even the naming of a child requires touching the hilt of a sword, so it’s rare to find a priest without one. These weapons are always suitable for combat, though some become extensively decorated after decades of use; to the faithful, a sword that isn’t serviceable as a weapon is useless.

Before an important battle, a follower of the Platinum Champion will sometimes hang their holy symbol from their weapon, taking a knee and praying to the god for guidance, protection, and strength.

Warriors of the Platinum Champion have dozens of battle cries, some regional and many referring to the Good Book. Outside of combat, one phrase sees frequent use among the god’s worshipers: For victory, for the heart. Whether whispered as a prayer or shouted as a challenge, this saying refers to striking at the heart to make sure a foe is slain. Knights use it in battle, priests use it when baptizing a new acolyte, and farmers use it when cutting a tree stump.

Orders of the Platinum Champion



 * The Brotherhood of Lead: Legend has it that those who betray their oaths and fall from the Platinum Champion’s favor have their armor and weapons dull and turn to lead. But just because they violated their oaths and promises does not mean that their love of their god is any less, nor their convictions any less strong. They wear this fallen status as a badge of pride, and dedicate themselves to stopping evil wherever it might spring up—by any means necessary. They are seen as brutal and ruthless vigilantes who draw steel first and ask questions later—if they ask questions at all. They have been disinherited by the church itself, who have branded them as traitors and dangerous extremists. But the Brotherhood of Lead doesn’t seem to mind, serving what they believe to be their gods’ will to the bitter end. The Order of the Gauntlet is ready to lash out the moment evil acts, and not a moment before. When evil breaks laws, agreements, or commonly accepted codes of conduct, the Gauntlet strikes hard and fast, without waiting for the blessings of distant temples or the permission of rulers. Evil must be met in the field and smashed, or it will swiftly overcome all.
 * The Order of the Gauntlet: The Order of the Gauntlet is a dedicated, tightly knit group of like-minded individuals driven by religious zeal or a finely honed sense of justice. Friendship and camaraderie are important to members of the Order of the Gauntlet, and they share a trust and a bond normally reserved for siblings. Like highly motivated soldiers, members of the Order of the Gauntlet seek to become the best at what they do and look forward to testing their mettle. There are few, if any, “lone wolves” in this organization.
 * Seekers of the Chalice: The Chalice of Elysium is said to be one of the Relics of the Platinum Champion; an artifact imbued with the power of the god of chivalry himself. According to legend, it was used by a paladin of the god during the Sundering. Its presence inspires courage, and drinking of its waters heal wounds and diseases, protect from evil's touch and influence, and even restore the dead. The Chalice was lost like every other Relic after the Sundering. Today, it remains a symbol of courage and righteousness. The Seekers are dedicated not necessarily to finding the Chalice, but in its ideals--protection, courage, nobility, and posterity. They are an order of questing knights and scholars, providing comfort to the needy and gathering information on every spirit, demon, and monster that they encounter for future generations.

Appearance
The Platinum Champion is often portrayed as a fierce swordsman, resplendent in gleaming battle armor with runic markings, and brandishing a longsword and shield. When he is roused to battle his white cloak turns red and his white-and-gold armor turns the silver-gray of adamantine. The light from his shield blinds all evil, the force of his aura causing the corrupt to weaken and collapse.

History
The Platinum Champion is not mentioned by name until the Dawn War, though it is assumed and implied that he had been among the gods from the beginning, and had worked with the Stormlord to patrol the skies and find the strays cracks in reality and shadows left behind by Destruction.

The Platinum Champion was the first god to stand with the Dawnfather during the Dawn War, and it was he who was responsible for destroying The Mountain That Walks. Their battle was so fierce that it clove the Ridgeback Mountains in two, creating the Talos Valley, which is also called the Cloven Valley.

In the Second Age, the Platinum Champion was revered as a hero of the people and sponsored many crusades against the forces of evil—orc strongholds, stray dragons, and the like. He also is said to have led a crusade to the Gates of Hell itself, where he slew Bhaal, the tenth Prince of Hell. Most notably are his many battles against the Warbringer--a twisted, dark reflection of the Champion's own ideals and strength; a dark and evil god of war and tyranny. To this day the Warbringer is the direst and most hated foe of the Platinum Champion. Some tales say that the Warbringer was once the Champion's brother, who twisted and fell to become a Titan.

While tales and myth and song tell of the Platinum Champion’s deeds during the Sundering, much of it is considered apocryphal. There are two major stories that the church considers to be canon, however—the Defender of Seraphel and the Slaying of the Rending Hurricane.

The Defender of Seraphel
The Siege of Seraphel was the event that began the Sundering and revealed the coming of the Titans; a 20 day battle where god and mortal battled side by side. While the city burst to flame and towers crumbled, the gods needed time to rouse their mortal followers, to banish Titans and create wards to protect the people. To buy them that time, the Platinum Champion drew his sacred sword and stood before the gates of the God’s Tower at the base of the Pillar of Eternity. For two entire days, he stood against the might of the Titans and their servants, a radiant symbol of hope and undying courage, inspiring hundreds of mortals to take up arms and stand with him. It was in this act that propelled the Platinum Champion into becoming a major deity among the people of Tyrind.

Slaying the Rending Hurricane
One of the titans, known as the Rending Hurricane, created havoc and powerful storms and winds with him wherever we went. Entire fleets were thrown and scattered into the sky, islands drowned or torn apart, coasts battered and beleaguered. The Wildmother was said to move against the Rending Hurricane, but was injured in the battle, and it was the Platinum Champion who rode to her aid.

For a week they fought, until ultimately the Platinum Champion impaled his opponent through the heart and lopped off his head. Where the head landed created the permanent maelstrom known as the Eye of Abendigo, off the coast of Casmaron.

Relationships
The Platinum Champion is on good terms with the Dawnfather, the Lawbringer, the Everlight, the Allhammer, and the Wildmother. Of these, he particularly appreciates the Lawbringer for civilization’s formalized system of justice, the Dawnfather for his wisom and righteous fervor, and the Allhammer for his military expertise.

He does not deal with fiends of any status, has nothing to do with the Titans, and enlists the aid of angels when appropriate. He holds a particular disdain for the Laughing Knave; many tales exist about the god of tricks and the mischief he makes for the Platinum Champion. The Stormlord is another god of battle, though his ideals and views are quite different from the Champion’s, and the two are said to be fierce, but friendly, rivals.

To all other gods, the Platinum Champion is indifferent.

His faithful are eager to aid members of other good faiths in any organized attempts to stamp out evil or mediate conflicts, and while most attempt not to be overbearing about it, they are certainly willing to try to sway prospective converts. Privately, many find followers of the Everlight and the Allhammer the most rewarding to work with. Likewise, clerics of the Everlight see the church of the Platinum Champion to be one of honesty and courage, and their devotion and compassion and willingness to protect others are something to be admired and emulated. To the followers of the Allhammer, the Platinum Champion is one of the few sensible gods outside of their own and both churches find that they have much in common, even if the Platinum Knights can be a little intense and zealous for their tastes.