Saints
What Is a Saint?
As in medieval Europe*, a saint is not just a person who lived a virtuous life, but who also demonstrates divine power after death, hearing prayers and then interceding on that person's behalf, "catching a god's attention" about the prayer. Saints each have a "patronage", an area they are known to pay attention to, such as a certain affliction, occupation or region. Persons with a prayer related to that patronage might pray to the saint in hopes that the prayer will be more effective. People also dedicate shrines to particular saints, believing that a prayer made at a saint's shrine will be more likely to be heard.
In the CG, each god's church determines who qualifies for sainthood. This is a complex process where church leaders verify that prayers to the person have resulted in miraculous responses, and verify that the will of the heavens is with the saint.
Saints List
While there are certainly many more saints than this, here is a list of saints who have been mentioned (or seen) in-game:
| Name | Church | Patronage | Sex | Actor (if appeared in-game) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden | Tiranon | stag hunters | M | Matt Sxchickling |
| Caelti who fled his home when his family was unjustly accused of blood magic; slew the Demon Stag of the Siolidh; murdered by Kahla-Ranite | ||||
| Aine (AY-nee) | Nen | battle healers | F | MacKay Wxilford |
| A sixth-century Cadfainn village leader who, along with St. Tearlach and St. Fianna, saved Cadfainn villages from a plague created by Caelti. United the villages to mount a campaign to stop the Caelti mages; was killed while defeating them. | ||||
| Angus of Sneem | Rannash | new adventurers | M | Adam Mxorse |
| mercenary turned wandering trainer who taught self-defense, and who counseled others to become self-reliant | ||||
| Anne of Sordonne | Nen | against anti-clericalism | F | Angi Sxhearstone |
| former Presider killed by the Cult of the New Gods in 997 | ||||
| Astarte | Alia | seducers | F | Tamaris Rxivera |
| Philiathan noblewoman in the late 700s who fell in love with the married Duke Constantine of Melonissos and seduced him until he took her as his mistress and dismissed his wife to an abbey; was poisoned by said wife | ||||
| Birgitta | Rannash | ? | F | -- |
| -- | ||||
| Blaise | Alia | harmony in marriage | M | Charles Wxard |
| Roudoigne who lived in the 700s in a small village, married to his wife for 62 years | ||||
| Brianna Rutherford | Brinnig | last light before dusk | F | Heather Axlbano |
| Allondine mage-knight of the First Crusade who held a bridge to permit her liege to escape, dying in the process; companion of St. Michael Brieaux | ||||
| Calla the Talon | Elune | religiously oppressed | F | Meg Hxarrelson |
| Elunian priestess who died in the Valennian civil war of 997 | ||||
| Calvin | Kahla-Ran | demon summoning | M | Eric Cxorl |
| Born Calvin Martin, Dark Ages "mad mage" known for summoning demons and other monsters; subject of many unpleasant fairy tales | ||||
| Camilla | Rannash | heroic charges | F | Kara Rxodgers |
| Brave and disciplined Rannashite knight who died leading a charge against the Marakhs in the Second Crusade; her bravery inspired her army to break the Marakh line and achieve victory | ||||
| Carisa | Tralados | F | ||
| -- | ||||
| Cassio el Sabio | Zotra | stormy relationships | M | Joseph Mxelendez |
| sidekick of St. Cassio, often wiser than Cassio but rarely getting credit | ||||
| Clara | Elune | university students | F | Anise Sxtrong |
| first Dean of Students at the University of Tolbury; talked Princess Alicia out of suicide | ||||
| Clark | Elune | librarians | M | John MxcLoughlin |
| sought out rare tomes and assembled dedicated staff for the newly-founded University of Tolbury | ||||
| Connor MacLearie | Zotra | worthy death | M | Zack Fxraser |
| Cadfainn priest who tried to contain the Great Plague when his village fell ill, insisting none should leave town; when his wife insisted on leaving the village, he slew her rather than let the plduge spread. Connor was the only survivor in the village | ||||
| Cosinti | Balthazar | ? | M | Matt Sxchickling |
| hero of the Fourth Crusade who died in battle; the Cosintines were named after him | ||||
| Daphne | Nen | Cadfaigh | F | -- |
| -- | ||||
| Dunbar | Dorial | drunken revelations | M | Adam Sxhelley |
| -- | ||||
| Edmund Moore | Nen | quick decisions | M | Li Yxu |
| Allondine in the First Crusade who defended Marakh children from slaughter when his liege ordered a village burned; stood between his liege's sword and an innocent child and was killed | ||||
| Eleanor of Renham | Nen | royal advisors | F | -- |
| headed the high council of King Harold I, and held the council together as the king grew feeble | ||||
| Emma | Alia | elopers | F | Eileen Mxaksym |
| priestess who arranged clandestine meetings of couples on opposite sides of the Twenty Years' War; performed marriages for over a thousand people during this time; captured by Chardrois, who suspected her border crossings her a cover for spying, and executed her as a spy | ||||
| Enrique | Tralados | against zombies | M | Nick Mxinichino |
| son of Iñr;arran parents who settled in Bilgosh in mid-800s; unlike the natives, did not take the presence of undead monsters for graned and spent his life to sending them back to their graves; killed by zombies in battle | ||||
| Esperanza | Alia | uniting enemies | F | Jackie Axnderson |
| In the First Crusade, sought to be captured to thus sway an emir into making peace. She and the emir fell in love, but the emir's suspicious followers slew him. She used magic to save him but kill her instead. | ||||
| Esteban | Perinnia | family loyalty | M | -- |
| lived in the Dark Ages in modern Iñarra | ||||
| Ewald | Tiranon | ends justifying means | M | Andrew Sxtoner |
| warrior in the First Crusade who hunted and slew enemy leaders | ||||
| Felicity | Alia | F | ||
| founder of the Blossomites | ||||
| Ferdinand | Elune | mages | M | Hans Sxchroder |
| Mage and scholar of the 600s who devoted his life to the study of magical theory; the Order of St. Ferdinand, an Elunian monastic order devoted to the study of magic, is named after him | ||||
| Fianna | Rannash | aggression | F | Brigid Sxhaw |
| A sixth-century Cadfainn village leader who, along with St. Tearlach and St. Aine, saved Cadfainn villages from a plague created by Caelti. A warrior who bravely fought Caelti leaders; was killed while defeating them. | ||||
| Fiona | Furthane | apothecaries, medicinal crafts | F | Julie Lxevy |
| Cadfainn who lived in the 300s, after the fall of Sturia when healing was scarce; knew the ancient herb lore of the Gaeldic people and was close enough to the old Imperial network of scholarly communication to disseminate that lore southward | ||||
| Garfield | Balthazar | ? | M | -- |
| founder of the Garfieldites | ||||
| George Vandergrenzen | Perinnia | pragmatic protection | M | Pete Mxaksym |
| Allondine noble who refused to send soldiers to the Twenty Years' War because he found it unjust; executed in Tolbury for treason as "George the Traitor" but venerated in his home region for saving his people. | ||||
| Giselmo of Aldeventia | Dorial | drinking games | M | Jim Vxincent |
| Delonan knight of the late 800s who it is said invented over 100 drinking games; his relics reside in Alguria, Delona | ||||
| Guillaume de Roudoigne | Perinnia | protecting civilians in battle | M | Drake Mxorgan |
| Chardrois knight during the Twenty Years' War; when Allondines moved to burn a Perinnian church with Chardrois villagers inside it, he made a final stand (though he was already wounded) that allowed the villagers to escape out the back before he was killed | ||||
| Gwenllian | Perinnia | schoolteachers, child-rearing | F | Carol Lxubkowski |
| Cadfainn teacher in the 500s who saved students from Caelti blood mages by hiding them in a cellar; was being killed by said Caelti | ||||
| Heathcliff | Balthazar | precise attacks | M | Powder Txhompson |
| holy knight of Balthazar in the late 600s who took his tactics from cats: never let the enemy know what you're thinking; never act hastily; keep a close eye on your prey; strike with speed and precision. Led a team who rooted out evil with precise stalking. the Heathcliffites were named after him | ||||
| Hobbes/Obis | Balthazar | self-sacrifical valor | M | -- |
| holy knight of Balthazar in the late 600s who took his tactics from watching cats: swift pouncing; sudden strikes to overwhelm the enemy; complete annihilation of foe afterwards, like a cat shaking a mouse to make sure it is dead. Killed by a demon after leaping onto its back to slay it. The Hobbesines were named after him | ||||
| Iago el Terco | Rannash | companions-in-arms | M | Jamie Mxacia |
| bold hero of the First Crusade, with his sidekick St. Cassio | ||||
| Jennifer of Anidotz | Balthazar | curiosity | F | -- |
| Kislennic mage who traveled the northern regions of the former Sturian Empire during the Dark Ages, searching in obscure and dangerous locations for lost artifacts and magical texts; killed by her own curiosity investigating a found item | ||||
| Jirelle | Majenir | repeated martyrdom | F | Jessie Kxarpf |
| healer in the Twenty Years' War who died repeatedly (seven times) from magically transfering knights' fatal wounds onto herself | ||||
| Josephine | Balthazar | Balthazarian hymns | F | Eileen Cxhristiansen |
| founded a chorister school in Chardreau in the early 800s, dedicated to Balthazarian hymns; dedicated teacher of music | ||||
| Justine | Nen | Allondell | F | -- |
| The royal court of Allondell, the Court of St. Justine, is named after her | ||||
| Leah | Majenir | outcasts and orphans | F | |
| -- | ||||
| Lorelei | Kyta | shellfishers | F | Landizsankzie O'Malleyldfingeratthenher |
| peasant fisherwoman in Roudoigne in the 700s whose bounty saved her village during crop failure | ||||
| Louise the Valiant | Elune | against cusswords | F | -- |
| Courtier who vigilantly listened for, then reprimanded, any use of bad language at the Chardrois court; folklore holds that she hears when you swear, and parents warn children to watch their tongue because of this | ||||
| Lucca | Sarana | flautists (flute players) | F | -- |
| Trenzanan of legendary talent with the flute | ||||
| Macavity | Balthazar | mysteries | F | -- |
| from Renham, Allondell in the early 800s; would appear as if out of nowhere, rescue or save people, and then vanish; one day vanished and was never seen again | ||||
| Marcella | Kintaka | gambling at dice | F | April Cxorl |
| Sturian legionnaire of the First Legion who was repeatedly lucky enough to arrive at battle just in time to strike the final blow but not be in actual danger; always won at dice | ||||
| Marcus | Nen | vigils and vigilance | M | Dan Rxossi |
| A former Sturian soldier who served during the Wrath of Nen. He was married to the sister of St. Secundia | ||||
| Margery | Ubrialla | root vegetables | F | Mabry Sxlemmons |
| farmer in modern-day Allondell who, in 453, grew a miraculously large turnip which fed her village during famine | ||||
| Marian | Tralados | peaceful repose | F | |
| -- | ||||
| Melo | Brinnig | eclipses | M | Eric Cxorl |
| lay brother of the Aurelians in the early 700s who wrote a table to predict eclipses for the next 500 years | ||||
| Michael Brieaux | Brinnig | bright ideas | M | Julian Yxap |
| Allondine knight of the First Crusade and former squire to St. Brianna Ruhterford; insightful warrior; defied his liege when said liege brutalized a Marakh village, then attacked and slew his liege but was killed by liege's other knights | ||||
| Midi | Balthazar | kittenlike energy | F | Aerica DxiPonzio |
| -- | ||||
| Morris | Balthazar | individualism | M | Jeff Yxaus |
| Explored the Grendarr Mountains in the early 600s and restored a trade route from Allondell to Bilgosh; worked alone and faced travel dangers by himself; founder of the Morrisines, a monastic order wih a focus on solitary contemplation and vows of silence | ||||
| Murdoch | Majenir | pacifistic resistance | M | Jon Lxight |
| Allondine peasant whose village was raided by Chardreau during the Twenty Years' War; stood his ground, blocking a bridge to prevent the Chardrois knights from passing into the village. The knights were confused and reluctant to attack someone obviously unarmed; their delay let the rest of the village escape before the knights finally killed Murdoch. | ||||
| Noreen | Nen | bureaucrats | F | Nina Kxelsey |
| co-founder of the Linneralian chancery in the early 700s, dedicated to archiving its records | ||||
| Ophelia | Elune | against demon summoning | F | |
| -- | ||||
| Raynald | Rannash | diversity of fighting styles | M | Jason Sxmith |
| battle mage from First Crusade who, when in grave peril, grabbed a sword despite having no training with it, and singlehandedly slew many foes | ||||
| Ryan | Dorial | brewers, beer | M | -- |
| legendary Cadfainn brewer; patron of the annual St. Ryan's Feast, held by the Cadfainn court | ||||
| Secundia | Kahla-Ran | suicide and mercy killing | F | Jen Pxlatt |
| Sturian mage and head of the "Death Mage Corps" during the Wrath of Nen. To seal a demon, she used necromantic magic to create a binding ritual, voluntarily killing herself in the process (but tricking four other mages into weaving their souls into the binding) | ||||
| Segfoult | Balthazar | catlike contemplation | M | Ethan Hxeilman |
| pronounced "segg-FOH". | ||||
| Serafina | Kintaka | puns | F | Sarah Oxelker |
| court jester in the Vallinan court in the early 800s; endless punster | ||||
| Simona | Majenir | ailing, deformed | F | Stefanie Lxubkowski |
| priestess in Dubraugh during the Great Plague; voluntarily entered a quarantined quarter of the city to comfort and heal the sick; died there of the disease | ||||
| Socks | Balthazar | ? | M | -- |
| -- | ||||
| Stern | Zotra | magical lightning | M | -- |
| Kislevian adventurer in the early 700s who slew great cave bears with magical lightning | ||||
| Stimpo | Balthazar | ? | M | -- |
| the Stimpites were named after him | ||||
| Sylvester/Sylvestro | Balthazar | bird-catching | M | Sam Sxherry |
| Scholar and theologian of the late 800s who believed that education was the way to eliminate evil, so founded an order dedicated to teaching; used the metaphor of a cat stalking a bird to describe the way a scholar should act when seeking out information: patient, focused, dedicated. | ||||
| Taru | Rannash | battle tactics | M | Stephen Hxartley |
| Venerated more in Marakhin than in the north. Sixth-century author of a treatise on battle tactics, The Laws of War, and who insisted on just treatment of captives; murdered by an emir jealous of his fame | ||||
| Tearlach | Elune | brilliant prose | M | Alan Wxitt |
| A sixth-century Cadfainn village leader who, along with St. Fianna and St. Aine, saved Cadfainn villages from a plague created by Caelti. A wise man who found the cure and who left behind numerous writings. | ||||
| Thomas/Tomas | Perinnia | protection during retreats | M | David Oxlsen |
| Iñarran in the Second Crusade who was chaplain to the king, and who saved the king from Marakh foes using a spell of safe retreat | ||||
| Viburna | Balthazar | ? | F | -- |
| -- | ||||
| Violet | Nen | Chardreau | F | -- |
| -- | ||||
| William of Crawford | Balthazar | ? | M | -- |
| -- | ||||
Patronage
Mortals clearly believe that saints have patronage, and some saints have seemed to demonstrate an interest in a specific area. But it is not perfectly clear out-of-game what saint is patron of what, or how they acquire that patronage. Perhaps the gods name patrons; perhaps the saints themselves decide what to guide and protect; perhaps a saint takes an interest "by request" when mortals start to pray and believe that saint has a certain patronage; perhaps saints don't actually have areas of patronage and it's just mortals who think they do.
Groups and countries tend to declare their own patrons. Guilds will pick a saint relevant to their craft (e.g. alchemists' guilds choosing St. Fiona, mages' guilds picking St. Ferdinand, etc.) This doesn't mean that the guild necessarily believes the saint has already taken an interest in the guild; rather, it can also mean that the guild is beseeching the saint to guide and protect them. Countries' patron saints are usually a matter of traditional belief and practice; new countries (e.g. Ragnorack) would pick theirs based on who their people have come to venerate, presumably in consultation with clerical authorities.
Other forms of patronage (patron saints of occupations, patron saints against ailments, patron saints of things or behaviors, etc.) are declared by the churches as they see fit. This is often done to reflect common belief (if people are coming to believe that St. X intervenes in cases of Y, the church will declare St. X to be patron saint of Y.) At other times it is to reflect something significant about the saint (e.g. after Presider Anne de Sordonne was murdered by an anti-clerical group, she was declared patron saint against anti-clericalism).
Adding New Saints
Going forward, a CG saint should not knowingly reproduce the name of a real-world saint. (A handy list of Catholic saints is available here.)
"St. X of Y" is not the same name as "St. X", so while the list above does have a St. Palladius, you can introduce a "St. Palladius of Lorraux". However, the GWC recommends that you avoid altogether the names of common real-world saints (i.e. don't create a "St. Paul of X" or a "St. James of Y").
Sample List of Roman Names
If you need a name for an ancient saint, but are having trouble finding a Roman name that isn't in the Catholic list above, here are some ancient-world names that aren't in that list, and which (as of January 2005) aren't used by any CG saints either:
Amanda, Priscilla, Livia, Chloe, Portia, Miranda, Claudius, Horatius/Horatio, Lucretius, Portius
Mahiri kinshalyn
Mahiri have their own complement to human saints, called "kinshalyn" (kinn-SHAY-linn), the spirits of elders past who return to offer aid and wisdom to the living. As with saints, kinshalyn each have an area of patronage, and prayers for aid are more likely to be heard if the dilemma is in that kinshalyn's area. Kinshalyn are also more likely to help if beseeched at spiritually appropriate times (e.g. Mother's Moon, Harper's Moon, Spirit Moon), if the village or clan is in danger, and if the venerator is from the kinshalyn's own kin line.
Kinshalyn:
- have access to comparable skills as when they were alive
- are able to channel the magics of other spirits
- are knowledgeable in areas beyond their mortal limits
- have a much clearer picture of what is and is not the Balanced course of action (since they are now servants of the Balance) and may convey this information to those who ask for aid
Kinshalyn are typically insubstantial and do not affect physical things, except with magic. They do not dictate a course of action, only giving counsel. (Naturally, their counsel will never suggest an unbalanced course of action.) As servants of the Balance, a kinshalyn will never serve unbalance in any way, shape or form.
| Name | Favored clan(s) | Sex | Actor (if appeared in-game) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jenna Gri | Long Hills | ? | F | -- |
| -- | ||||
| Sandrin | Three Spires, Raerock, Blue Cliffs, Twin Oaks River, White Fronds, Seven Rivers, Vine Flower | ? | M | Sam Gxailey / Dave Pxerry |
| Legendary mage | ||||
| Sheldra | Raerock | ? | F | Kathy Pxezza |
| Bard whose self-sacrifice brought an end to the Cult of the New Gods [note: as with anything pertaining to the Cult's demise, this is not necessarily common knowledge] | ||||
* The concept of "sainthood" is by no means limited to Christianity, though some Earthly faiths use different terms (notably "bodissatva" or "bosatsu".) The term "saint" is also used when translating into English the equivalent concept found in traditional Chinese worship or Sufism. However, with Hesket clearly modeled on European culture, Quest uses the term "saint".