Deliverance
Summary[edit]
A native Sarean faction, founded by one many within Deliverance revere as a holy figure, Lady Xi. She has been known by many names; the Aspect of Undeath, the Spirit of Preservation, or the Lady of Longevity, but her impact on the world remains regardless. In her wake she leaves Deliverance, a frigid village combining utilitarian architecture, advanced magitech, and rustic homesteads. There, the living mingle freely with the walking dead, whom refer to themselves as the Risen. At the peak of their frozen isle rises the Pillar of Soteria, a massive artifice of stone and steel, towering above nearby mountains, beaming light into the sky. To some, it is a nexus of Undeath and a blight upon the plane; to others, it is a pillar to hold up the sky itself, maintaining the Planar Boundaries of Rhyst.
History[edit]
Founded on the ideals of Xi, the self-titled Lady of Longevity, Deliverance emerged as those most faithful to her goals; to rid Rhyst of the concept of death, and to destroy the Eidolons who inflicted this suffering upon mortalkind, leaving Rhyst free to be maintained by those who walked upon it. Xi did not shy away from the use of Voidic powers to accomplish this goal, wielding Splinter, an almighty weapon borne of a fragment of Mavkoda, and usurping Karrador's command of Undeath to 'save' the willing from the plague of mortality.
Yet this power came at a cost; the very land warped under the Aspect of Undeath's influence, twisted into a realm where neither life nor death truly prevailed. In her ruthless desire to expand the 'blessings' of this land, prepared as she was to cut down all who would stand in her way, Xi and her followers earned few friends. Yet Xi's brilliance as a tactician and visionary was undeniable, and Deliverance's prowess on the fields of combat was proven time and time again; first in war with Providence, then Boundary. For many years, Deliverance seemed invincible.
Xi's humanist crusade, however, came to an abrupt end, as she attempted to consume the fragmented shards of Mavkoda in an attempt at even greater power. The Demonic General's will overtook her, transforming her into a possessed fiend bent only on burning Sarea to the ground. It took the combined might of Sarea - Deliverance included - to stop this rampage, sealing the gestalt away in the Lantern of Rhamnousia before it was torn to a distant corner of the Astral Sea.
Now, Deliverance exists in a precarious position. Bereft of its founder, its three Pillars went to war with Providence to end its continued aggressions upon Deliverance once and for all, only to be defeated by an allied force of the isle's entirety. Its two remaining leaders seek to rebuild Deliverance's reputation, and to reestablish the settlement as a force for good in Rhyst - though only time shall tell if this proves to be the case.
Current Leadership[edit]
The Pillars of Deliverance[edit]
Formerly Xi's most faithful and devout followers, it was in the wake of her passing that Deliverance transitioned from a theocracy of sole leadership to a triumvirate. Each Pillar is deemed to embody an aspect of the Spirit of Preservation's will, with each of them working together to lead Deliverance in service of its faith and goals of seeing Rhyst reinvented, that its people might be freed of tyranny, suffering, and death itself.
Elizabeth Evermore[edit]
Returned to life by the Pillar of Soteria, Elizabeth Evermore is known for a unique devotion to Xi's tenets and the Pillar, despite holding only a tenuous connection to Xi herself. With a demeanour that seemingly shifts at the drop of a hat, a Pillar of Mercy who nevertheless fought in Deliverance's second war against Providence, Elizabeth can be a perplexing figure at the best of times. Yet if anything holds true, it is her unshakeable desire to protect Deliverance and her fellow Risen, no matter the circumstances of their resurrection.
Roland Evermore[edit]
A 'child' of Saint's, uniquely constructed from his own flesh with a willing soul placed within, Roland is a cheerful, jovial figure. As Pillar of Volition, he is rarely shy of venturing into the wider world despite a common dislike of the undead, bearing a grin no matter what scrape or conflict he emerges from. Yet all this good will belies a skilful conversationalist and a quick-witted thinker, the Risen rarely missing a beat when it comes to spreading the good word of Deliverance.
Historical Figures[edit]
Caldwell Winfield[edit]
As Sheriff of Deliverance for nearly four decades, Caldwell Winfield served as lawmaker, diplomat, and one of the most renowned gunslingers across Sarea. Becoming the Pillar of Ambition in 1042AC, it was he who dealt the killing blow to Xi's rampage across Sarea. Yet as its Emissary, Caldwell was likewise instrumental in writing countless treaties and ceasefires, forging good relations between Deliverance and the rest of Sarea wherever he could. He met his end in 1049, falling to Providence's forces during Deliverance's second war against the Duchy.
Saint Evermore[edit]
One of the first to be Risen by Xi herself, Saint served as an unshakeable beacon of devotion in the Spirit of Preservation's cause. Once a calm, reserved figure, he was famed for his lengthy sermons even upon the battlefield, earning him his title as the Pillar of Faith. The passing of Xi, however, saw him fall deeper into despair and a need to protect Deliverance, gradually taking on the physical traits and insatiable violence of a demon. While undeniably powerful, his rage grew so difficult to control that he was forced into chains, before eventually escaping Deliverance altogether. Now none can say what has become of him, though he remains a lingering nightmare for all who would seek to harm Xi's memory.
Anivia Evermore[edit]
Anivia Evermore was known for her unshakeable poise, and her boundless wrath. Even in childhood she rose to fame swiftly, an assault upon her at Nera Academy serving as a catalyst for Deliverance's first attack upon Providence. As the Pillar of Fervor, she played a driving role in the second conflict between Deliverance and Providence, ending the life of Providence's Regent, Demetri Olym, and wreaking terror across Sarea as one of its fiercest combatants. She fell at the climax of the war's final battle, her life ended by Shepherd; her bitter enemy, and Demetri's son.
Xi[edit]
Formerly Providence's Inquisitor, Empyrean XI Locus, both name and allegiance changed as they donned the Crown of Undeath; an act, they claimed, which saved Rhyst from being overcome by an endless tide of the living dead. Even in passing, they remain a figure of storied myth and legend. Many claim Xi to have been a power-hungry tyrant, possessed by demons and wishing genocide upon Spirits, seeking only to expand their domain of death by any means necessary. Yet Deliverance was likewise founded on Xi's selfless vision; a Rhyst ruled not by callous Eidolons and their impassive servants, but by the mortals who live upon it, who might dare to dream of more. Responsible for destroying Karrador's corpse, the construction of the Pillar of Soteria, war against Providence and Boundary, and uniting Mavkoda's shards, it was only through the combined efforts of all Sarea that she was brought low. Whether hero or villain, few can deny her influence upon the world.