Valus (VG)
The goddess of law.
Epithet: "The Judge".
Valus is the matron goddess of justice, law, and punishment. Her symbol is the silhouette of a robed woman holding scales in one hand and a hammer in the other. Many paladins worship Valus for she is the law giver of the gods and her word is final. Judges and nobles look to Valus for guidance in making tough decisions. Valus is an ally of Alurad but does not oppose the other gods, for she respects their place in the pantheon, but their transgressions against the law never go unpunished. Of all the gods, she is most disappointed by Finch, but Theindal's outrageous transgressions are nearly as legendary.
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Affinities
- Justice
- Law (both enforcement and legislation)
- Punishment
Also Known As
- The Judge
- The Lawgiver
- The Chain of Retribution
- She Who Imprisons
Symbol
Her symbol is the silhouette of a robed woman holding scales in one hand and a hammer in the other.
Methods of Worship
- Bringing a criminal to justice
- Solving a crime
- Preventing a crime
- Punishing the deserving
Vision and Driving Beliefs - Dogma
Valus teaches those who follow her to be mindful of law and to punish those who disobey it. She stresses impartiality when judging the crimes others and demands that punishments be humane.
Worshippers of Valus will often be found in government and law enforcement. They strive to maintain the rule of law and are renowned for their dogged adherence to every detail. They have a great disdain for criminals and will go to great lengths to bring them to justice.
Many paladins worship Valus for she is the law giver of the gods and her word is final. Judges and nobles look to Valus for guidance in making tough decisions.
Personality Traits
Valus is known first and foremost for her impartialness as a judge of others. Despite her powerful disdain for criminals, she has never let suspicion get the better of her. She is obsessed with the laws of Telon and spends much of her time reading or preparing interpretations on them.
In the centuries following the cataclysm, Valus has become less and less involved in the enforcement of Telon's laws and increasingly secludes herself in her home plane. She will still aid in the capture and judging of the most egregious criminals, but that is now exceptional.
Physical Appearance
Valus most commonly appears as a thin, angularly faced woman dressed in a plain gray robe holding only a small stone gavel. The color of the robe represents her impartiality; the fact that she does not prejudge others to be good (white) or evil (black) but instead meets them neutrally.
Races that Often Worship this Divine Being
- Gnome
- Kojani Human
- Thestran Human
Professions that Often Worship this Divine Being
- Paladin
- Cleric
- Disciple
- Inquisitor
- Psionicist
- Shaman
- Sorcerer
- Judges
- Nobles
Relationship with Other Divine Beings
Valus is an ally of Alurad but does not oppose the other gods, for she respects their place in the pantheon, but their transgressions against the law never go unpunished. Of all the gods, she is most disappointed by Finch, but Theindal's outrageous transgressions are nearly as legendary. Valus views most of the other divine beings with neutrality. The exceptions to this are Ghalnn, who she believes to be responsible for all violent crime, Finch, who she believes responsible for all crimes of theft, and Kaerellun, who she believes is responsible for all crimes of intrigue. Her inability (due to lack of authority) to bring justice to those three deities torments her greatly and is said to be one of the greatest causes of her recent seclusion.
Quotes
Acolyte Pratt, Priest of Valis (Thestran), Tursh: "Valus demands your attention to the law. If you prevent or solve a crime, She Who Imprisons will nod favorably to you."
Nillia Janeth (Thestran human), Paladin of Athuloria, Khal: "-spreading the teachings of Athuloria, the Judge, she who sees that justice is served and that the deserving are punished."
Sample Parley
You say, "Do you have any words of wisdom, Acolyte Loram?"
"You know," says Acolyte Loram, "every day people come to me, and every day they ask me for words of wisdom..."
"But sometimes I would enjoy it if someone wanted to talk about something... not so serious," says Acolyte Loram.
You say, "Well then, do you want to talk about something not so serious?"
Acolyte Loram asks, "Well, I wouldn't have baited you if I didn't..."
"Have you heard the story about the accord between Sihari and Athuloria?" asks Acolyte Loram.
You say, "Accord between Sihari and Athuloria? That's hard to grasp..."
Acolyte Loram chuckles and says, "Yes, well, they struck up this deal because both of them had recently been duped by Finch, and they wanted a chance to get back at him."
Sihari went to Finch and told him that Athuloria had lost her gavel," Acolyte Loram explains, "and that she had found it. Showing Finch the gavel, Sihari offered to let him borrow it if he would put it to good use."
"Finch took the gavel excitedly and immediately went out trying to find a way to cause ruckus with it," continues Acolyte Loram.
"He came upon the trial of a famous thief and immediately leapt at the opportunity," says Acolyte Loram. "Standing before the crowd, he declared that the man was innocent."
"Striking down the gavel, he waited for the innocent verdict to come in," says Acolyte Loram, "and gleefully watched the face of the magistrates whose heads he was going over."
"Suddenly, Finch found himself in chains," says Acolyte Loram. "Crying out, he watched as all those he had tried to dupe laughed at him."
"Later, the man on the trial was brought and chained up beside him," says Acolyte Loram. "Finch called out to him, but when the thief turned to look at him, Finch recognized the face of Sihari."
"Sihari slipped out of the chains and came before him, saying, 'Justice can only deliver justice. As blind and ignorant as that may truly be, it's done you in.' She smirked."
"Returning the gavel to Athuloria, they both had a good laugh as Finch yelled from his imprisonment," says Acolyte Loram.
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