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Saint Vushundra Neutral Good Male Human Status: Dead
Campaign Appearances:
Virtue Sin Love When Vushundra was a young man he came to the Church of Arden in Hana and dedicated his life to mission work. When he had completed his training as a priest, Vushundra went that impoverished part of Hana known as Tenkshystra (The Grinder) where he lived among the poor, recruited many to the cause of Arden, and was famed for being able to cure those who were afflicted by lycanthropy.
Vushundra's fame was widespread when he decided to travel to the other cities of the Hanois Peninsula and bring his message of hope and peace. Traveling north he followed in the wake of the armies of the Dark God during the time of the Black Scourge (AC12865) and brought the word of Arden to the masses, even as their god was quieted with all others. Traveling east then, into the United Kingdoms, Vushundra defied the decrees of the Dark God and preached in secret, becoming a key element in the resistance forces which opposed the Dark Gods endless horde.
Vushundra traveled to Darkin shortly before the Battle of White Gold River to stand against the advancing armies of evil. With the help of the brave defenders of Darkin they held back the Dark God's forces, trading their lives to allow thousands to escape with their lives and set out in boats for shelter in hidden places within the Inner Gulf of Biengyar. He was captured and sent before the Dark God's commander in Valorion, Tiathulus Shabin, where Vushundra was tortured and slain.
Tiathulus sent the shattered body of the priest out, stretched on a wooden frame like a parody of a army standard, and ordered it taken into battle and displayed so that it would break the spirit of all that opposed him. Whoever followed behind the body of Vushundra though complained of a strange wind and soon became afflicted with sickness.
A brave band of heroes, led by the paladin Ean Priafori, captured the tattered remains of Vushundra's body from the Plagued Company, as it had become known. While the body of Vushundra had brought sickness to the armies of evil, it brought blessings to the bedraggled remnants of good. Enraged, Tiathulus sent an elite group of assassins to track and slay Ean Priafori and his companions. They were taken at night and murdered one and all. Then as the assassins prepared to set the body of Vushundra on fire each of the slain heroes suddenly breathed life, stood, and took the assassins by surprise, defeating them all. In Zeaburg, fleeing east before the Dark God's armies the remains were put into a silver chest that had been anointed with holy oils. Many who later touched the chest received blessings, healings of malady, and visions. On the walls of Zeaburg, as it was laid siege to, it is said that the ghost of Vushundra walked among the sentries and gave them the strength to continue their endless watch and that the light which he shone terrified the armies of the Dark God and kept them from attacking the walls.
When Zeaburg fell (AC12867) the chest was spirited away and hidden by monks from the Order of the White till the time of the Black Scourge had come to an end. The remains were secretly placed on a boat and set sail to be returned to Hana, the birthplace of Vushundra, however, the remains never arrived and the boat was presumed lost at sea.
Virtue Sin Love: The Church of Arden finally (AC12895) divined the final resting place of the boat which had carried Vushundra's bones and it was discovered to have sunk against a reef only a days sail from the city of Hana. Wind, Ahnkor, Maximilian, and Vorlance traveled to the site of the shipwreck aboard The Fortunate and with the help of Inktume and Curate Piusus they recovered the silver chest which held the remains. Though their own craft came under attack by roving pirates and later sank in a storm as it returned to Hana, they were borne up by a swell of water and brought to the beaches of Hana, in the southern section of The Grinder, where Vushundra had done much of his early work. The remains were taken into a temple of Arden near to where they washed ashore and a light shown down from the heavens throughout the day while rain fell elsewhere in the city. It is said that the day after the bones were returned a trio of cursed wererats were allowed to enter the church and were miraculously transformed, cured of their disease upon touching the silver chest that contained the saint's bones. << BACK
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