Pholtus of the Blinding Light is a god of light, law and order from the crystal sphere known as Greyspace.
"The One True Way is a strict path, but guarantees rightness. Show no tolerance for those who do not give all for the cause of Law. Fanaticism in the name of the Blinding Light is praiseworthy, and Law's champion shall be rewarded in the era when chaos has been vanquished."
- Doctrine of the Church of Pholtus.
Overview
Pholtus personifies unyielding law and order, even in the face of the unusual or frightening. He abhors compromise almost as much as he does chaos, and as such despises St. Cuthbert, who he believes is too pragmatic and emotional. Pholtus believes he is the authority on all law and natural order, making him unpopular with the other Oeridian gods.
Description
Pholtus appears as a tall, slender man, with pale skin, flowing white hair, and bright blue eyes that shine with the fires of devotion. He always wears a gown of white silk, and a cassock trimmed with gold and silver embroidered suns and moons.
Abilities
Pholtus can dispel darkness with a touch, and can limn any creature in bright light, merely by pointing at them.
Pholtus can become mirror-bright, reflecting all light and blinding all who look upon him. In this state he is immune to all gaze attacks and is immune to damage from heat.
Pholtus can gate in monadic devas to aid him at will.
Holy symbol
Pholtus' holy symbol is a full moon (representing Luna) partially eclipsed by a smaller crescent moon (representing Celene) or a silver sun-disc.
Favored weapon
Pholtus wields an ivory staff topped with an electrum sun-disc, known as the Staff of the Silvery Sun.
Realm
In the Great Wheel cosmology, Pholtus resides within his realm known as the Path of Law, located on the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus.
Alternatively he maintains a realm somewhere within the Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia.
Worship
Priests of Pholtus are as inflexible as their god, and are expected to reveal the light of the One True Path to unbelievers, a strict set of teachings that brooks no deviation but assures the faithful of their absolute righteousness. The priests of Pholtus will tolerate no resistance to, and accept no arguments against, their teachings. They have no respect for other religions, especially those of a chaotic bent.
The church of Pholtus is divided into three ascending orders, including the Glimmering, Gleam and the Shining. Priests are expected to travel far from their home churches, spreading the One True Path. They usually travel in groups in case the unbelievers and heretics they minister to turn hostile. They are to smite chaos wherever they should find it, and then all evil should chaos be defeated. Priests of Pholtus often serve as judges, lawyers and arbiters.
Crystal spheres
Pholtus is a member of the Oeridian pantheon and is native to Greyspace. Pholtus is revered widely throughout wildspace and his priests have established small "travelers shrines" in most human settlements. The priests of Pholtus can cast spells without limitation in wildspace, as long as they stay within the orbit of the Spectre. Beyond this point, their spells become less powerfully, the further they are from the light of Liga. A priest of Pholtus will immediately lose all access to mid-to-high level spells once they enter the Flow, and will only be able to regain low level spells while travelling in the phlogiston.