Jula

Committing acts of violence within the sacred grounds of Jula's temples is considered a grave sin. Those who break this taboo are excommunicated and must undergo a rigorous process of atonement to be readmitted into the faith.

Violating a peace agreement that was sanctified through the Rite of Peaceful Union or the Rite of Submission is considered a betrayal of Jula's teachings. The offending party is subjected to divine retribution and must make significant offerings to regain Jula's favor.

Dishonesty during peace negotiations is viewed as an affront to Jula. Clergy who engage in deceitful practices are stripped of their rank and must prove their commitment to peace before being reinstated.

Clergy are obligated to offer their services in mediating conflicts, whether they are interpersonal, within communities, or between nations.

Temples must provide sanctuary to those fleeing violence, regardless of their faith or background.

When peace is achieved through the clergy's efforts, an offering must be made to Jula, usually consisting of white roses or doves.

Nashan was a devout follower of Pollaran, the father of Jula. When Jula was born and matured in a single day, Nashan bore witness to her miraculous transformation from infancy to adulthood. Pollaran presented Jula to Nashan at the temple, declaring her his divine daughter. Nashan, captivated by her ethereal beauty, pledged his unwavering service to her.

Jula, acknowledging Nashan's heartfelt devotion, whisked him away to an undisclosed location. They spent several months together, during which Jula realized that Nashan, being mortal, could never truly be her equal. This realization saddened her, for she had genuinely fallen in love with him. When she asked him what he desired most for the world, he replied, "World peace." Inspired by his noble wish, Jula dedicated herself to becoming the deity of peace, and Nashan established her first temple. Throughout his years of service in the temple, Jula often visited him in various forms. Upon his death, Jula herself appeared to guide his soul to the afterlife.

Francess was a humble halfling farmer who, along with his family, cultivated flour in the lowlands where they resided. When a dispute over water rights erupted among the local farmers, Francess found himself in the middle of a brewing conflict. One farmer, located closer to the mountains, claimed the right to use and pollute the water as it passed through his land first. This claim incited a mob of downstream farmers, who were ready to forcibly remove the offending farmer.

Distressed by the impending violence, Francess positioned himself between the mob and the accused farmer. He delivered a heartfelt plea for peace and called upon Jula for guidance. Recognizing his solitary stand for peace amidst the brewing chaos, Jula granted him the wisdom to mediate the conflict. Following this event, Francess left his farm to dedicate his life to Jula and the pursuit of peace, working particularly with farmers throughout the lands.

Lord Arragon presided over a small outpost on the fringes of a kingdom. The outpost was a frequent target of local warlords, leading to a constant state of unrest and loss of life. Driven to his wit's end by the relentless raids and resistance, Lord Arragon resolved to establish peace.

Initially, he attempted to negotiate with the warlords, but his efforts were in vain. In a moment of desperation, Lord Arragon decided that if peace could not be achieved through dialogue, it would be enforced by any means necessary. He requested and received a group of spies from the king, who infiltrated and pacified some of the smaller warlord factions. However, the larger factions remained unmoved.

In response, Lord Arragon assembled a substantial militia and sought Jula's blessing to end the violence as swiftly as possible. The militia successfully routed all the remaining warlords, finally bringing peace to the outpost.

Anara, a renowned diplomat from centuries past, was celebrated for her ability to resolve conflicts and foster peaceful resolutions. A devoted follower of Jula, Anara attributed her diplomatic prowess to Jula's divine guidance. She journeyed extensively, disseminating Jula's teachings of peace and harmony. Anara's legacy endures as a symbol of peace, and her name is often invoked in prayers seeking harmony and understanding.

The White Rose Legion stands as the martial embodiment of our faith, a beacon of order amidst the chaos of conflict. This regimented military force is summoned when diplomacy and peace talks falter, and the sword must speak where words have failed. Their approach to warfare is swift and decisive, aiming to quell strife with minimal bloodshed. They also serve as a neutral buffer, maintaining peace between warring factions. Though their numbers may not rival the armies of vast kingdoms, their reputation carries a potent message: cross us, and the entire White Rose Legion will rise in retribution for their fallen comrades.

Their heraldry is a single white rose, adorned with eleven thorns, each symbolizing a rank within the Legion's hierarchy.

A seemingly peculiar relic for a faith devoted to peace, Nashan's Cranium holds a special place in our order. Blessed by the divine kiss of Goddess Jula, it serves a pivotal role in the initiation rites for those ascending to the higher echelons of our clergy. Each aspirant kisses the skull, pledging their eternal service to Jula.

The skull lacks its lower jaw, leading initiates to kiss its crown. Legend whispers that should the missing jaw be found and reattached, those who kiss the skull on the mouth would receive a unique divine blessing.

These miraculous roses bloom outside our temple at the darkest hour, sprouting from barren flower beds. They must be harvested before noon, and thus, each temple assigns an acolyte to inspect the flower bed at dawn. The number of roses indicates the degree of divine intervention required. The highest count ever recorded was six, foretelling a looming civil war. Once these roses are sanctified by the temple clergy, they bestow a prophetic vision upon one of the praying clerics. This cleric is then tasked with resolving the conflict revealed in the vision. The flowers wither away by noon.

This ancient coin, once used by Francess to settle a dispute among farmers, carries a potent curse for those who quarrel over wealth. It is used to repay a debt from an oppressor to the oppressed. If accepted, the curse of Jula lingers with the debtor until they return double the amount they sought to extort.

The term "coin's curse" has come to symbolize an unfair deal. In a negotiation, the oppressed party may slide over a coin, uttering "take this coin's curse," to signify their unwillingness to accept an unjust agreement.

This silver pendant, once worn by Peacekeeper Anara, is shaped like a dove carrying a rose, the sacred symbols of Jula. Believed to be blessed by Jula herself, it is said to bestow tranquility and clarity upon those who hold it. The pendant is frequently used in peace and reconciliation ceremonies and is kept in a place of honor in Jula's main temple.

Celebrated on the second full moon of the year, Nashan's Day marks the birth of Nashan. It is a day of reconciliation, where those experiencing turbulence in their relationships are invited to seek counsel from our clerics to rediscover peace and love.

The tenth new moon of the year commemorates the birth and divine ascension of Goddess Jula. The order hosts a week-long celebration, inviting feuding families to partake in the festivities and bury their grievances.

This mid-year observance is a tribute to the peaceful terminations of wars, with tales of the order's successful interventions shared. The magnitude of the conflict resolved determines the length of the stories, with larger wars inspiring more extensive narratives.

Falling on the mid-year day, this observance is a tribute to the peaceful terminations of wars. The order commemorates its successful interventions, sharing tales of the conflicts they've helped quell. The magnitude of the conflict resolved determines the length of the narratives, with larger wars inspiring more extensive recounts.

Celebrated on the first day of spring, the Day of Serenity is a divine tribute to Jula. It symbolizes the tranquility and rejuvenation brought by the changing seasons. On this day, Jula's followers engage in introspective reflection, meditation, and acts of benevolence. They congregate in temples or natural sanctuaries to share serene music and poetry.

When two factions agree to peace and wish to publicly affirm this, they partake in the Rite of Peaceful Union. The leaders, in the presence of their respective parties, clasp each other's arms, which a cleric then binds with a peace cloth. The factions declare their peaceful intentions and, depending on local customs, either spit on the cloth, shed blood onto it, or kiss over it. This ceremony often includes the signing of formal peace agreements.

When peace cannot be achieved through diplomacy or non-violent means, and the Order is compelled to resort to force, the Rite of Submission is performed upon the defeated faction's surrender. The vanquished leader's hands are bound with a cloth, and the cleric inquires if they submit to peace and vow to maintain it. Typically, the defeated party offers a relative to join the Order as a sign of genuine peace and a guarantee of their peaceful intentions.

This ritual is held at the dawn of each year, invoking peace for the forthcoming months. A white dove, embodying Jula, is released into the heavens as a tangible manifestation of the community's hopes and prayers for peace. The ceremony is often accompanied by hymns and prayers dedicated to Jula.

This personal ritual can be performed by any follower of Jula. In times of conflict or turmoil, an individual may choose to offer a rose at a shrine or temple dedicated to Jula. The rose symbolizes a personal pledge to peace and a plea for Jula's guidance in finding peaceful resolutions.

This communal feast is held on Jula's holy day. The community unites to share a meal, symbolizing unity and peaceful coexistence. During the feast, tales of Jula and her teachings are shared, and prayers for peace are offered.

This ritual is performed when a conflict has been resolved, expressing gratitude to Jula for her guidance. Two candles are lit from a single flame, symbolizing the separate parties in the conflict, and then used to light a third candle together, symbolizing their reconciliation and unity. The ceremony serves as a reminder of Jula's teachings about peace and forgiveness.

This heretical group takes Jula's teachings of peace to an extreme, advocating for complete non-action even in the face of violence and injustice. They believe that any form of intervention, even for the sake of peace, is a violation of Jula's teachings. This group refuses to participate in any form of conflict resolution that involves exerting influence over others, even if it means allowing injustices to continue.

This sect believes that peace can only be achieved through the assertion of overwhelming force. They argue that Jula's sword, often depicted pointing downwards, is a symbol of the need for military strength to enforce peace. Members of this heresy are often involved in aggressive actions, justifying invasions and coups as necessary steps to impose peace, often at a high human cost.

This heretical group interprets Jula's teachings as a call for individual peace through isolation. They believe that true peace can only be achieved by cutting oneself off from society and all its conflicts. Temples and communities following this heresy are often abandoned, as the clergy and followers retreat into hermit-like existences, ignoring the needs and conflicts of the outside world.

Founded by a charismatic individual named Seraphis, this cult claims that Jula has a hidden aspect as a goddess of secrets and subterfuge. They believe that true peace can only be achieved through the manipulation and control of information. Members of this cult are often involved in espionage and blackmail, claiming these actions are divinely sanctioned. Seraphis claims to have received visions from Jula herself, instructing him to use any means necessary to achieve peace.

Founded by Lady Elira, a noble who claims to have been visited by Jula in a dream, this cult focuses on the worship of Jula's Midnight Blooms. They believe that these flowers hold the key to eternal life and peace, and they hoard them, refusing to let them be used for prophetic visions. Lady Elira claims that Jula has chosen her to find a way to make the blooms last forever, thus granting eternal peace.

This cult was founded by a cleric named Thoren, who claims to be the reincarnation of Nashan Cawdin. He teaches that Nashan and Jula were divine lovers and that their union could bring about an era of everlasting peace. Members of this cult focus on finding the missing jaw of Nashan's Cranium, believing that reattaching it will bring about Nashan's full return and a new divine era. Thoren claims that only through his guidance can this artifact be restored and its true power unleashed.