Verona, Patron of the Krogoliath

Verona
Protector of the Aelamos Pantheon
Domains: Survival, Protection, Healing
Holy Symbol: A Wrought-Iron Visored Barbuta

“To battle’s end and bloody end does The Warden seek to tend. Hammers break and hammers mend to prevent a bitter end.”

Verona is the older twin of Terona and the creator of the Krogoliath orcs. Commonly depicted as a Krogoliath woman in full plate armour wielding a hammer and a shield, face obscured by a wrought iron helmet. Her armour and shield were said to be the first works made by Penoriel. Her hammer was not forged until the Amur attacked. Since then its dual purpose as a building tool and a weapon has become integral to her philosophy.

 

Tenets
She believes that all people have a duty to protect and support others so they may continue to survive. She prefers not to have to destroy in order to survive, but will not condemn its use, as destruction is sometimes unavoidable. She believes if her followers have to use violence that they bring all they can to bear so fighting lasts as little as possible. Only those who can fix as much as they break are truly following Verona. A common phrase used by her clergy demonstrates this belief.

“The hands must be able to heal and harm in equal measure.”

Another primary tenet of hers is that the act of protection extends well passed when an enemy is fully routed. It is closely linked to the first tenet, and their use is intertwined. It means that one’s job is not just to fend off enemies. Duty bids them to make whole those who were harmed. Whether it is binding wounds, or assisting in rebuilding.

“Your efforts do not end with the battle. Comfort the dying, heal the injured, rebuild the broken. Only then does duty end.”
 
The final primary belief that Verona holds is that the motivation behind these acts should be duty and not compensation. Accepting payment is not looked poorly upon, it is merely stressed that it should not be the primary motivation. Verona believes that when the motivation becomes personal gain, it is no longer duty, it is merely a job. The subtext being that jobs are to accomplish only what is outlined with the least possible work.

“Excellence stems from the strong beliefs of the heart, not the coin purses of others.”
 

Clergy
Clergy of Verona tend to be on the frontlines of whatever conflict they find in any given area. Some are fighters, leading others in defense of foes. Others are healers, tending to the wounded. Some are builders, simply looking to provide shelter or rebuild broken walls. They are people of actions rather than preachers, and care little for talk. Whether to pay homage or to mimic Verona, most clergy carry a hammer with them to symbolise the ability to both create and destroy.

 

The Church
The Church of Verona as an organisation is open to all in whatever capacity is needed. Those that join the church are trained as both apothecaries and fighters, so that they may enact Verona’s will as best as they can. The church is often not able to provide material assistance, as all of what they have to offer is either scavenged, made by the church, or received from donations.