Forsetta
by Marco Dalmonte(Porewit)
Patron of Law and Justice, Patron of Loyalty, Patron of Vestland
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 9th (Temporal), LG, Matter
Symbol: a golden sceptre with four rubies set on its head
Portfolio: Justice, Law, obedience and loyalty, truth, protecting Vestland
Worshipped in: Known World (Northern Reaches), Norwold
Appearance: a tall blonde Norse with a noble and calm attitude, wearing a white plate mail and holding a polished round shield with his left arm and a golden sceptre with four large rubies (symbol of the Law) in his right hand.
History:
LIKELY THEORY: During his mortal life them, Forsetta was a great Norse clan leader named Ruthin that lived in the lands of current Vestland, near the Trollheim region. For decades Ruthin fought against hordes of humanoids and giants in order to defend his people, until he came in possession of a powerful artifact of Volund, the fabled crown Sorona, which according to the myths had been forged for Frey as symbol of his power on the Northern Reaches. Thanks to Sorona's magical properties, Ruthin was able to pacify many of the warleaders, forming a tight coalition in order to resist to the pressures of the Ethengarians and the humanoids. He then gave the first written code of laws to the Northmen, which sanctioned the creation of the three classes of Norse society (Jarls, Freemen and Thralls). During a pilgrimage towards a shrine dedicated to her patroness Frigg (Terra), she appeared in his dreams and showed him the path that would have led him to become one of the Aesirs. Convinced he was the living incarnation of Forsetta, son of Balder and Nanna and god of Law and Justice, he began the path of the Polymath to join his parents in Asgard, and was reincarnated several times to recover the magical Sorona. He managed to end his quest in the XIII century BC and became therefore an immortal of Matter, known by the Norse as Forsetta.
As a result of the Nithian conquest of the Northern Reaches, his cult was destroyed and his sacred artifacts were lost. Only recently Forsetta decided the times were right to recruit new followers among the Northmen. He took the mortal identity of the wise prophet Haymin and recovered the lost Sorona in the VII century AC. He then offered his advice and support to the just Jarl Gendar and gifted him with the powerful Sorona. Thanks to Haymin's help, Gendar was able to drive the Ostland overlords westwards beyond the sea, and he united the clans under his own banner. Thus he was crowned by Haymin as King Ottar the Just, first monarch of the Kingdom of Vestland. Always advised by Haymin, Ottar gave his people a new written set of laws and re-established the Ruthinian Faith (the cult of Forsetta) as the national church, taking the immortal of Law and Justice as patron of Vestland to guarantee his followers' support to his cause and avoid any challenge to the laws he had written. Through the centuries the Ruthinian Faith helped the royal family to maintain order in the nation and to keep the people under control, even if with time it lost much of its power and its primate in favour of other Norse immortals who were more popular with the Vestlanders. Currently Forsetta continues to watch over the Northern Reaches, and he is particularly interested in the Soderfjord Jarldoms, trying to bring Law and Order also in that divided land and pushing the nobles to join under Ragnar's flag. He is also interested in expanding his cult in the Heldannic Territories (in order to halt the violent imperialism of Vanya) and in chaos ridden lands of Norwold.
Personality: Forsetta is a honest and peaceable immortal, who pursues his goals of Order and Justice with near obsessive strength. He thinks that Laws and Codes of conduct are the only way to give order to the world and the only things that can bring harmony to the mortals and that can lead them to social progress. Forsetta does not approve the chaotic teachings of Cretia, and he argued a lot with him in the past, although he does not consider him a true enemy like instead Loki, Hel and Vanya.
Patron: unknown [likely: Terra]
Allies: Terra, Odin, Frey and Freyja
Enemies: Loki, Hel, Vanya
Classic D&D Stats:
Followers' Alignment: Lawful o Neutral; clerics must be Lawful
Favoured weapon: mace (allowed all bludgeoning weapons)
Clerics' skills and powers: clerics can freely cast Know Alignment (see clerical spell with same name) once per day, +2 bonus to general skill Knowledge of Codes and Laws (not free)
Paladins' skills and powers: +1 bonus to all rolls to Hit when they fight to defend their Liege or their homeland
D&D 3E Stats:
Domains: Matter, Law, Good, Justice
Preferred weapon: heavy mace
Sources: X3, WotI