It is the season of Advent once again, and I have a new group of stories to share about Saints of Holtzmann's Corridor.
- for Diplomats: St. Arthur the Peacemaker
- for Colonists: St. Titus of Icemont
- for (Reformed) Pirates: St. Felix the Tabrazian
- for Belters: St. Cassian of Ferrocore
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| This has nothing to do with the content of this post, but it's still a cool pic. |
Saint Arthur the Peacemaker
Arthur (of Mavramorn) was part of the negotiation team sent to Stavanger to bring an end to the Stavanger-Mavramorn war that had raged for several years. During the many heated meetings, he was always the voice persuading for forgiveness and contrition. “Mutual repentance” was his constant refrain. A radical faction of the Stavangerian military attempted to disrupt the negotiations and kill a Stavanger diplomat whom they felt was betraying their cause. St. Arthur sacrificed himself to protect this man from a shooting attack. He died to save an enemy from that enemies' own allies. Shocked both by the betrayal and the sacrifice, the two sides confirmed the treaty and honored Arthur's sacrifice by signing the peace treaty in Arthur's name.
Saint Titus of Icemont in the Cadawala system
St. Titus led a colony (as a priest) tended the sick, comforted the dying, defended the poor and was awesomely charitable for 30+ years. He befriended the local wildlife that had been attacking the colonists. See below for a tale of St. Titus.
Saint Felix the Repentant Pirate
St. Felix was a Tabrazian Raider, the only one known so far to repent of that heretical sect and of a long career of piracy. After his conversion, he lived in the wilderness of Stavanger as a hermit for 10 years. Eventually his name and past became known, along with his life of simple piety and asceticism. When the time was right, he surrendered himself to Stavangerian authorities and confessed to his crimes. At the trial he spoke with passion of his desire to return home and share the Gospel with his homeworld. Over the objections of the local bishops, the court condemned him to death for piracy, and he accepted the sentence with peace.
But a Tabrazian got to him first, murdering him in his cell for apostatizing from their religion. St. Felix's murder was recorded by prison security, and showed him offering no resistance to the man come to kill him, only pleading with him to abandon his heresy and receive the Gospel.
St. Cassian the Surveyor
Born and rasied in the Ferrocore mining community, Cassian was famously generous. He freely shared his supplies with other belters and often gave up claims to others he believed were more in need than himself. Over his career he took in more than twenty orphans whose parents were killed in mining accidents. He was often the first ship out when a belter went missing. He risked his own life repeatedly to rescue belters in peril. After his death he appeared to rescuers in visions, directing them to stranded or lost miners.
He protested against the vices of mining colonies, the drinking, gambling and whoring. He challenged miners to live soberly and piously, and lived his own life as an example. He never struck a big claim (but gave away many that turned out to be so) but always had enough to get by.
Game Effects:
Christians invoke (call on) the saints in prayer, often a saint who in life had a connection to the situation of the petitioner. The saints join us in asking Christ our God for mercy, help and deliverance. Our help comes from the Lord (Psalm 121:2). If the Referee decides that the PC asks with pious intent and not only from self-interest, the following benefits can be gained.
St. Arthur can be invoked for aid when trying to resolve a dispute peacefully, or to avoid/defuse a conflict. Give a + reaction throw DM.
St. Cassian – can be invoked while trying to locate or rescue a belter in distress. Also when life support or fuel are running out while still far from a place of safety. get a + task DM.
St. Felix – if a career Pirate forswears piracy and takes a vow of non-violence, he can get a +DM on any Legal encounters or Legal reaction throws. See this post about a pirate PC at my table.
St. Titus – if he is invoked for the protection of a colony or settlement the Referee will re-roll one potentially dangerous Random Encounter a month.
A tale of St. Titus
A slaver ship was approaching the colony where St. Titus lived, intending to capture people from the colony to sell into the slave trade. While the ship was still in space, the bridge received a radio call from the saint, warning them to leave the colony in peace, and begging the slavers to repent of their ways. The saint named several of the crewmen specifically, including the captain, who was badly shaken. Several times he ordered the radio turned off, but it turned itself back on again, and Titus' voice continued to plead with them. Eventually the frightened crew demanded that they turn back.
Two of the crewmen that St. Titus called by name left the ship's company and travelled to the colony to meet the man who knew so much about them. When they arrived, the colony priest led them to the cemetery and showed them Saint Titus' grave site. He had been dead for over a decade. Neither the priest nor anyone in the colony had had any idea that they had been in danger. The former slaver-takers remained at the colony as penitents for many years.
As an addendum, our parish has been blessed with four new baby boys this year (and one girl!). The future-saints above are named for these new parishioners. God grant that they grow up to become true saints of His church.
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