Rystel Winters

My dearest reader,


Thank you for joining me on this most glorious search for Truth.

Along your journey, many will try to lead you astray.


Resist.


Mind the balance between spreading the Truth and holding the Silence.


Know the value and purpose in each.


May the Silent Lord Speak Truth to you - in time.

Always Yours,
Rystel Winters
First Chronicler & Speaker
Faithful of the Silent Lord

Chronicler & Speaker

Rystel is an elven man who stands proud at 5 feet 7 inches tall - slightly taller than the average male elf. He is built with enough muscle to suggest he has seen combat at some point in his life, but is not overly-bulky for his elven frame. Pale golden eyes take in every detail of the world, which pair well with his pale, almost-albino skin. Dark shadows under his eyes suggest he does not get much rest.

His long white hair has a gentle wave to it that sometimes curls when wet and not properly brushed.

His favorite colors are dark blue, black, gold, and white - which is typically reflected in his choice of clothing. He also likes red, but usually only wears that in his jewelry.

He is often found at the Temple of the Lost Gods, occupying either the front dais or one of the side-chambers - in meditation, prayer, or writing. If not in the Temple, he may be joining others in Vigil at the Well, or perhaps simply at the Tavern, Market, or out of town.

To interrupt him is to find someone so deep in their own mind it takes him a moment to string together a sentence. His brow is often furrowed in thought, mouth turned down in a frown, and with a generally thoughtful but severe look on his face.

Some have taken to reminding him about his manners - if he’s focused on something, he’ll forget them entirely - he tends to hold others at a distance, revealing little of his thoughts or feelings on things other than matters of faith.

He can be moody, fluctuating between lightly jovial in a manner befitting a noble, and distant and dour. He is slow to show obvious signs of anger.

The Silent Lord

"The Silent Lord will show you the Truth, but only when the time is right." - Rystel

Overview

The Silent Lord is a deity of themes centered around the accumulation and safeguarding of knowledge, fate, and the careful balance between honesty and lies - or Truth and Silence. The Silent Lord is a Sleeping God - not to be awoken or disturbed, but also not one to be left to his victories. He is a greedy, jealous God - left to his own devices, he would horde all knowledge to Himself, never sharing with mortals.

In an act of defiance and revolt against ignorance (and to assure ourselves that we will not repeat the mistakes of the past), the faithful are encouraged to explore the world, finding new discoveries and recording all manner of knowledge that they can about the world and its myseries. This knowledge is to be collected, studied, and safeguarded against any opponent who might misuse that knowledge - particularly to plunge the world back into the chaos of the past. What counts as "misuse" of knowledge beyond that, and who exactly is an opponent, can be a difficult web to untangle for an outsider.

Any faithful who dedicates himself-or-herself to this path of discovering and recording take on the title of Chronicler.

Tenants

The Silent Lord is a God with a three-fold nature: Truth, Silence, and Lies.

"Truth" is any knowledge, fact, or intuitive understanding that is rescued from the depths of the Silent Lord's embrace. It may be something as simple as a 'eureka' moment during research or the 'smoking gun' clue during an investigation, or something as profound as a vision that comes to us during prayer or meditation. The Truth is accepted as being correct without question, but we often must work to interpret and understand it the right way.

"Silence" is the discretion a Chronicler uses to keep the balance of the world. Every person walks a fated path that is complex, winding, and intertwined with that of many other people. These Thousand and One Fates may shift frequently; no one's fate is ever sealed or set in stone. Every action changes the courses of events. Sometimes it is best to chose silence above all. This thought also refers to how the Silent Lord must remain silent and asleep. To wake Him would be to unbalance the world in a dangerous, unjustifiable way.

"Lies" is the understanding that, unfortunately, some people are not to be trusted with knowledge - whether that be the cosmic Truth or the mundane truth. This is why some refer to this deity as the Umbral Sun - both light and dark, the deity promotes both truth and lies. The Umbral Sun dictates that when circumstances warrant, a Chronicler should lie to protect himself, the faith, or important knowledge from untrustworthy individuals. Whether that be a lie of omission, a harmless white lie, or a complete fabrication is up for the Chronicler to decide using their best judgment and mentor's guidance.

Aliases and Titles

  • The Silent Lord

  • The Thousand and One Fates

  • The Umbral Sun

General Portfolio / Themes

  • Knowledge

  • History and Records

  • Balance Between Light and Dark

  • Fate and Death

  • Research

Virtues

  • Exploring dangerous places to gain knowledge

  • Going out of one's way to record, rescue, or save knowledge

  • Self-motivation

  • Lawfulness

  • Orderliness

  • Conservation of resources and nature

  • Showing conviction through action

Forbidden Actions

  • Waking any of the Sleeping Gods

  • Harming the Well

  • Attacking a fellow faithful of the Silent Lord

  • Destruction of vessels of knowledge desired by the faithful

  • Practicing or promoting necromancy, or otherwise disrupting the natural flow of birth, rebirth, and natural death

Symbols

Symbols of this Sleeping God vary by which aspect of the deity one wishes to reference. The Thousand and One Fates is typically represented by a black and gold tarot card with the symbol of a crescent moon, surrounded by a circle, further surrounded by shooting stars. This is often simplified to just the use of a crescent moon.
The Umbral Sun is represented by crystal ball, filled with a deep inky blackness. It appears at first glance to hold nothing but darkness, but some representations may show a smattering of faint specks of golden light. This is often simplified as a black circle or disk.

The Silent Lord is represented by a thick tome, bound in leather, securely locked shut by a latch made of bone that resembles a humanoid jaw. Inset in the front of the tome is a single large ruby that glimmers. This is often simplified by the use of the color red and/or the use of rubies.

Faithful of this God often incorporate these themes somehow into their clothes, armor, and weapons in subtle ways. One item commonly worn is a pendant with crescent moon (either gold, red, or white) atop a black disc.

Links & OOC Notes

Thanks for reading!

I'm a veteran roleplayer, having been roleplaying for the past 15-some years, in multiple settings, though mostly in Forgotten Realms. If you have any interest in meeting Rystel in-character, give me a poke in Risenholm's Discord channel.

I prefer/enjoy mature-themed roleplay with other mature, no-OOC-drama players. Examples of this is political intrigue and diplomacy, ongoing plots, faction-running/building, religious themes, and other mature themes. Inquire within if you have ideas.

Rystel's Journal

Theme Song: A Lannister Always Pays His Debts
(Credits: Game of Thrones - Season 3 Soundtrack - Ramin Djawadi)