Shieldmaiden of the Worthy Cause,
Guardian of Dolithor,
Protector of the Brave,
the Unwilling Warrior,
Lady of Paladins

Larani is the benevolent goddess of chivalry, righteousness and battle and the reluctant warrior. Her followers claim she is the greatest of war gods, but she is more constrained by honor and conscience than any other in the trinity of war gods. This is a weakness since Larani will not strike without warning nor without cause. It is also a strength since Laranians do not forget whose side they are on.

Larani appears most often as a tall maiden clad in white gown with red trim. About her waist and head are circlets of silver. She is fair of face, and strong, although she may not show her power. This is the aspect of the Lady of Paladins. The Lady of Paladins symbolizes the ideals of feudalism.

When Larani loses her patience, she assumes the aspect of the “Terrible Lady of the Flowing Red.” In this aspect, she wears Angcaradina, her blood-red mail. She bears Hyvrik, her red and white checkered shield, and Avarkiel, the Sword that Strikes True, also called “Oathbinder” or “Herald of the End of Life”.

The modern church of Larani views feudalism as a pact between defender and servitor and strives to maintain its ideas. These include code of behavior (chivalry) and duty (honor). Prior to feudalism, the religion existed to formalize behavior between warring tribes.

The church offers a source of chivalry, honor, and salvation to those whose lives are filled with duties. Laranians have traditionally come from the nobility, but muster growing numbers from commoners, especially Heralds, Crafters, and warriors, occupations associated with nobility and war.

The priesthood stands separate from the knights of Laranian fighting orders. Although most clerics have some martial skill, it is the duty of the laity to champion the cause, while the priesthood serves as the conscience of the church.

Vigil, canted prayer, and meditation are common features of the worship of Larani. Sacrifice, usually in the form of coin or prominent labor or service is not uncommon, although it is not usually a formal requirement. Some Laranians donate part of their income to the church, and wealthy lords have been known to gift the church with tracts of land. Some of the money gained in this manner is distributed as alms to the poor. Laranian ceremonies are divided into two forms, the low mass, and the high rituals restricted to priests.

Victory is secondary to Laranians. It is far more important to behave properly, to contest for the right reasons, and to do battle with honor. Those who follow Larani must be brave, compassionate and honorable.

Societal order is an ideal for the chivalric knight. He is the guardian of his culture. He is motivated by duty to his vassals and servants as well as to his lawful superiors and his clan. Laranianism works best in feudal societies, for these are, founded on obligation and privilege.

The code recognizes the possibility of conflicts of right against right. Hence, it is possible for followers of Larani to find themselves on opposite sides in a war. Their duty is to strive for victory in accordance to their feudal (or societal) obligations, but they are ever bound to fight “fairly”. In battle, quarter may be offered and accepted with honor. If one’s opponent is evil, quarter should be offered to him, but not accepted from him.

Tournaments are occasions for Laranian knights to champion a lady, organization or cause, and bring her/it honor by competing. Tournaments may consist of jousting between pairs of knights to determine the most proficient. The oldest tourneys are battles between (often large) teams/orders of knights.

Laranians see death as their long-awaited entry into Larani’s feudal paradise of Dolithor. They abhor cremation if only because the method is preferred by Barachians. The departed is dressed in fine white linen and buried in a family or temple vault or plot. Some Myran graveyards have a section where Laranians are buried.

A tradition favored by Laranian fighting-orders is burial on battlefield where a warrior has fought, or where the order has been victorious. Stone memorials are raised on fields of battle where such graveyards exist. In ages past, Laranian knights were always buried with their personal armor and weapons, and sometimes their steed. The custom is now rare because it encourages grave-robbing. Fighting Orders

Almost every clerical order maintains and commands its own fighting order. As is the case with clerical orders, fighting orders are often created to accomplish a specific task, such as protecting missionaries sent to an outlying district. Members serve as guards of Laranian and Myran temples, and as warriors in the service of spiritual and secular lords. It is possible for a fighting order to be created without a sponsoring clerical order, although this is an extremely rare dispensation.

Fighting orders are organized along the lines of feudal society, symbolizing the chivalric ideal so important to Laranian doctrine. Fighting orders maintain chapter houses as headquarters. Some hold huge estates, including mighty strongholds, and have hundreds of members. The chapter houses of the order also serve as a social club for members.

Laranian scriptures ascribe the foundation of the church to the deeds of the knight Ambrathas who, it is said, came upon a maiden besent by a dozen brigands. Ambrathas defeated the brigands and the maiden gifted him with a red and white checkered scarf. Escorting the lady to her destination, they were attacked seven times more, each time by more fearsome foes, culminating with eight demons. Ambrathas suffered many wounds, but defeated all without thought of retreat. Eventually they came to a hill overlooking the maiden’s destination, a castle of unnatural fairness, but Ambrathas could travel no more and collapsed.

Ambrathas lay long recovering from his wounds. He had visions of the maiden transformed into the goddess Larani, but when he awoke both she and the castle had vanished. In their place stood a brooding dark fortress and five priests who had been sent by Larani to help him take the castle from its evil warlord. One of the priests blew a horn and a small band of warriors appeared, calling themselves the Knights of Tirith. Abrathas led the knights to battle and defeated the warlord. The fortress was named Alamire and became a temple and chapter house for worthy clerics and knights.

The fundamental objectives of the early church were the establishment and preservation of the feudal order, the defeat of evil, and the glorification of the Lady of Paladins. Alamire prospered until one day the Knights of Tirith returned and told Ambrathas to send everyone abroad. Soon after, a mighty army swept down, and though the defenders fought bravely, Alamire was destroyed and Ambrathas was slain.

The death of Ambrathas inspired the priests and knights to continue their work and attracted men of honor to their cause. From the first, there was a fairly clear distinction between clergy and laity. Priests achieved a “state of grace”, closer to the deity, giving them the insight to guide and instruct laymen in the ways of Larani. The priesthood was to be exalted and somewhat isolated from worldly ills.

At the rise of the Empire, and the gradual depravation of human morals, the traditional feudal order collapsed, and so the church fell into long decline. Only after the defeat of the empire at the hands of orcs, many of them who worshipped Barach, the nemesis of Larani, did the surviving human rely on feudal order and the Goddess Larani.

Larani dwells in Tirithor, the “Land of the Mighty”, on Yashain. It is constantly at war with the realms of Barach and the other evil deities. Tirithor is a feudal state; Larani is the Queen; her barons are demigods; her knights are slain heroes. The fertile land is divided into manors worked by a virtuous peasantry. Tirithor is the feudal ideal.

The heart of Tirithor is the legendary castle Dolithor, seat of the goddess and haven for followers. It is said to be the fairest structure in two worlds, and the strongest, although Barachians claim this distinction for Balshang. Dolithor stands atop a hill from which the goddess may view the whole kingdom and marshal her forces for its defense.

Mendiz is the greatest of Larani’s semi-divine servants, her chamberlain, and constable of Dolithor. He has the form of a great, crimson, winged lion. He bears a lance with a checkered pennant, and a shield. When the goddess leaves her kingdom Mendiz governs in her stead. In battle, Mendiz is her Bannerbearer. Occasionally, the Winged Lion is dispatched to the mortal plane, most often in human guise.

Valamin is a little known member of Larani’s household. He takes the form of a slim, young man in snow white robes, on the men of which is a small bloodstain. He is sometimes called “the Frowner” since his face is always thoughtful. He smiles, it is said, only when given some special favor by the goddess. Some hold that Valamin is actually a son of Myra, sent to Tirithor to remind Larani of, “that which might be forgotten”. Legend has it that Valamin once slew a demon in defense of the fields of Valon, hence the stain on his garment. His mother thought it best that he dwell elsewhere. Valamin is a sad figure, too aggressive for Valon and too passive for Dolithor. Were it not for Valamin, Larani might more often assume the aspect of the Terrible Lady; he calms her when she becomes wrathful. Valamin bears messages between the two goddesses, but visits the mortal plane only rarely.

These are Larani’s most often used servants. They are her royal guard, her special emissaries. The group is an Order comprised of demigods and former mortals. Their number is small, perhaps a few dozen, but is gradually increasing. The Knight-Commander of the Order is called Orthas. He was once a mortal knight, but was favored with elevation to demigod when he died defending a maiden against demon of Barach. This was the last act of a noble life. Ortas is called Larani’s most faithful servant; he will obey her order without question.