Calaera
Saint Calaera is an immortal divine of Rystaia, and leader of the Convocation of the Nine.
History
Saint Calaera's first mention in the annals of history is during the War of Night. Historians cite her as one of the vast legion of ch'taren who arrived on the Prime Material through the hijacked summoning of the shuddeni. Although the early ch'taren warriors largely required no ranks, scholars suggest she acted as a trusted lieutenant to Saint Chalane Tyra. Much of her early fame stems from her remarkable prowess in both the magics of spirit and martial technique. With little more than a small warband and the fervor of righteousness, Calaera cut a bloody path through the shuddeni ranks.
With the help of the grateful government of Earendam following the Day of Two Dawns, the ch'taren havens were indicated as a place for ch'taren to congregate and to protect what few artifacts remained from the ch'taren home plane. It was during this period that Calaera and her warband helped to develop the rudiments of the modern spirit templar creed. A discerning eye and powerful voice cemented Saint Calaera as a heroine worthy of her reputation among the ch'taren Aiveh Lm'keh. Many of Saint Calaera's students found themselves among the guardians of these havens, with Saint Calaera and her warband protecting the Haven of Ice, Avayn.
The renowned hero, Saint Chalane, was martyred in defense of Ad'masteisa, the Haven of Wind. With the destruction of that city by the final remnants of the shuddeni war machine, Saint Calaera found herself again in a position of command. her now-famous warband prepared itself for battle, and through dogged determination, hunted down all who were responsible for the atrocity. The shuddeni found no compassion at the hands of the warband, and were swiftly put to the sword. By her direction, the remaining havens erected Sy'ceera to ward off other such attacks. Stories of her valor spread throughout the native armies of the Prime, and with it, her influence and Rystaia's by extension blossomed throughout Avendar. Her legendary defeat of the shuddeni who destroyed the Haven of Wind had made her one of Rystaia's greatest heroines, and an inspiration to many young warriors.
When Saint Calaera's mortal body finally failed, the goddess Rystaia recognized her years of service to all good-hearted peoples and elevated her to an immortal divine. Many of her warband would later be elevated as well, comprising many of the Saints of Rystaia known as the Convocation of the Nine. Together, they seek to marshal the forces of light in times of need. It is rumored that at the close of the Eyeblight War, Calaera herself appeared to shield those who stood against the Lord of Domination, Arkhural.
Veneration
Rystaians of a more aggressive bent tend to be attraced to Saint Calaera, as she favors pragmatism and immediate effectiveness. This represents a sort of "new school" of philosophy, as her approach integrates concepts from the Prime with typical Rystaian beliefs. Saint Calaera advises giving no quarter to the wicked where they are encountered; she prefers to see those who perform evil deeds judged for their actions swiftly to prevent corruption from spreading. Those who venerate Saint Calaera often seek not only to eradicate the legions of their enemies, but also to strike down the ideologies that gave them rise. Those who serve under her banner frequently organize to better achieve their goals, but are more than willing to act independently if the situation requires. Tasked with the preservation of the ch'taren Havens, the warbands directed by the Convocation have no lack of battles to fight.
She is often venerated among ch'taren in particular, but humans and chaja are not uncommon. Palaeran is the most famous enclave of Saint Calaera veneration, being where survivors of the Haven of Wind's destruction ended up. In the native cities of Avendar, recognition of Saint Calaera is uncommon almost to the point of non-existence; they instead venerate their own war heroes.
Those who follow Calaera recognize, as she did, that the young must be trained to recognize threats to everyone's safety. As Calaera's warband instructed early spirit magicians in the ways of the spirit templar, so do her followers also instruct good-hearted travelers in the methods of war. This may manifest itself most overtly in guild progression, although it is more likely to be expressed through individual teaching. Although Saint Calaera herself was never a member of the Champions of Avendar, its structure lends itself to rearing and honing new heroes for yet-unimagined wars, and many Champions openly venerate her.
