Purdue Fantasy Club

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====== Zepherin ======

//"Without the physical, nothing else could be."//

A newer god of the pantheon, many worshipers see the **Lord of the Body** as a supportive friend as opposed to a divine force. Patron of health, betterment, and self-improvement, all domains involving the body are subject to Zepherin's watchful eye. He is also known as the god of strength, well-known as the single being in the planes with the most physical power.

Worship of Zepherin across Jaern and Cahyali is similar, as his presence asserted itself at about the same time in both worlds. As is befitting his personality, most worship is casual and friendly, and a prayer to Zepherin can just as well be a quick call to nothing in particular as a careful, private ritual. 

===== Aspects =====
Unlike those gods who may adopt many different aspects when interacting with mortals, Zepherin only has two forms that have ever been documented, and these are known to simply be different manifestations of the same divine entity. 

==== The Mighty ====
In most cases, Zepherin appears as a tall, well-muscled human man with brown hair and lightly tanned skin. His usual outfit has been described as remarkably casual, being a sleeveless top and comfortable shorts or pants - much like an outfit one would wear when training or going to the gym. Despite this attire, those who have witnessed Zepherin the Mighty all report that they undoubtedly face a god.

This incarnation of Zepherin is exuberant yet kind, well known for giving good advice to one's health and encouraging a mortal who may be in a slump to chin up. This form, though undoubtedly powerful, is rarely seen fighting; the most Zepherin the Mighty does is show off. He has been known to arm-wrestle adventurers in a friendly display.

==== The Small Fury ====
It is said there is nothing worse than the wrath of a kind man. This form is rarely witnessed, and Zepherinite priests widely advise it is best to not attempt to meet it. Zepherin only takes this form when truly angered or spited. The Small Fury faces sinners within the priesthood and others who deserve to face Zepherin's wrath, but deserve no honor from the encounter. He has no smile, he has no patience, he merely appears before those who angered him and fights. 

The Small Fury appears similar to the more common, bulking form of Zepherin, but is several feet shorter with none of the impressive musculature and heft. He almost appears like a normal man, but packs an equivalent amount of power in his enraged fists. 

===== Origins =====
A certain Zepherinite myth attests that he was once a mortal human adventurer, with a life's ambition to become the strongest in the world. He worked out every day, increasing the weights every time. This continued for a few decades, and one day, there was talk in a small village of a nearby hill rising up and down. This was brushed off as kids messing around, some kind of prank. 

A week later, however, a much larger mountain was rising up and down in the same way, concerning some villagers who were starting to truly believe what they were seeing, but by the time they got to the base of the mountain, all that was left was a clear crack at its base, going all the way around. A week later is when true panic began, as the villagers themselves felt the ground rising and falling beneath them. A merchant coming into the village that day reported that he saw a strange man beneath the rising city, but no one knew his name. 

That man was Zepherin, and he had begun the final leg of his training. Going into town the next day, he introduced himself, declaring himself the strongest man alive, and apologized for the earthquakes. So this continued, larger and larger land masses being lifted, until one day it stopped. No one heard from Zepherin for a while, but those who were inspired by his training could swear they heard him cheering them on when they finished a set, watching when they finished a new personal best, and frowning when they laughed at those weaker than them. These followers spread these ideas, ideas backed by the strange strength boost they seemingly had even without workouts, and this soon became the church of Zepherin.

Most priesthoods believe that, along with [[gods:vormaxia|Vormaxia]] and [[gods:almar|Almar]], Zepherin is one of the only three gods to have once been mortal.

===== Priesthood =====
On both Jaern and Cahyali, followers of Zepherin are called **Zepherinites.** They have a reputation for being strong and caring, yet a little dim-witted when it comes down to the wire.

==== Temples ====
Temples of Zepherin usually take the form of training grounds, gyms, or hospitals, where the populace goes to receive training, advice, and care from the priesthood. The architecture often matches that of the settlement the temple is in, with the most distinguishing mark being the symbol of Zepherin's fist emblazoned in green and gold. When a temple of [[gods:isis|Isis]] is unavailable in a town, many seek out the temple of Zepherin for healing services.

The head of the temple is considered to be an individual who has attained the peak of physical perfection and health. They are treated as the eyes, ears, and mouth of Zepherin and are overall wholly trusted when it comes to matters of interpreting the divine. One High Priest generally exists in a certain region, with heads of local temple branches operating under the guidance of this person.

==== Priestly Culture ====
Most discussion in Zepherinite circles centers around self-improvement. Although many seek to become the strongest, some priests may chase "physical perfection" with ambitions to become the fastest, most beautiful, or most healthy. It is considered a direct affront against the tenets of Zepherin for a priest to look down upon or insult anyone else who may not have attained the physical heights they have - as Zepherin believes all people are capable of improvement. 

Many temples follow dogma preaching that the body must remain intact after death, and do not cremate or otherwise destroy the body during Zepherinite funerary practices. Instead, the body is usually mummified or embalmed, and buried whole. Certain other priests may follow the belief that the body should be left to nourish other "bodies", and simply bury the dead in a natural place for flora and fauna to overtake.

==== Holidays & Feast Days ====
The **Week of Joy** is an annual celebration wherein Zepherinite temples organize feasts, competitions, and sporting events for the settlements in which they live. This week honors the doctrines of health and strength, acting as a way to demonstrate one's physical fitness and participate in positive rivalries. The Week of Joy usually takes place in mid to late summer, though the exact date can vary year to year.