Vessel of Judgment

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Vessel of Judgment.jpg
Vessels of Judgment are reliquaries containing the sacred remains of one of the ancient Menite priest-kings and is capable of the most potent manifestations of Menoth’s power on Caen. The blazing fury of the Creator scourges infidels who venture too close, and the faithful who fall around it can stave off death long enough to strike one last blow for their god. The armies of the Protectorate do not lack for signs of their god’s favour, but those who witness a Vessel of Judgment delivering divine retribution cannot doubt their crusade’s power.[1]

History

The remains each Vessel carries have endured through the ages, guarded in the holiest of temples. Menite pilgrims seek them out, as do enemies of the faith. In times past, those who would despoil these holy remains have been destroyed in the act.[1]

The use of the unquestionably sacred Vessels of Judgment in battle has fueled heated debate among the priesthood. Not all agreed with the decision to deploy them in war. Although some among the Synod protested, recent threats to the faith allowed Feora, Priestess and Protector of the Flame, to persuade them to allow the machines prepared for the battlefield. Their immediate efficacy suggests Menoth approves their use as more than mere icons of faith. The power contained in the specially crafted reliquaries within the Vessels is a sign of the god’s most hallowed blessing.[1]

Properties

Towering over the Protectorate’s armies, the Vessel is an unmistakable sight. Its ornate inscriptions gleam with an inner light, suffusing the entire structure with divine radiance. But a Vessel is not only an inspiring sight; the power of Menoth still touches the remains of his greatest servants and can cast down the impure. Menoth’s favour renders their remains incorruptible and imbues them with holy might.[1]

Dragging a Vessel to battle requires an almost miraculous strength. The most faithful zealots pull it, attended by a ranking priest praying continually to the Creator. When the priest invokes the power of the holy relics within, the great pipes of the Vessel emit an ominously deep and bone-shaking tone. Menoth's fury envelops those who venture too close, and the taint of the occult dissolves in its presence. The reliquary can even stave off the hand of death for a short time, allowing the dying one last strike. The power of each Vessel is undeniable, as is the ruthless will of an army that brings them to battle.[1]

Harnessing the wrath of Menoth carries a price. The invocation of such devastating power withers the remains inside each Vessel. With every miracle, the ancient bones at the heart of the reliquary crumble a little, their inviolability broken by the divine conflagrations they fuel.[1]

References