Wodin Earthbreaker, the Warm Light of Soyuz

[spoiler=Background]The Paragon of Doma, Wodin Earthbreaker, was born a simple boy to simple parents. His father was a minor official of the Church of Sarenrae, and his mother was a sorceress in the employ of a lesser noble of the Doman government. He was raised to value the good in people, and to always do what he believed was right. It was no surprise that growing up in such a comfortable and warm environment led to him becoming a friendly, forthright young man. Joining his father's church, Wodin quickly worked his way up in the ranks as he displayed both honest affection for people, even those who had been redeemed from evil, and great martial skill. Though not particularly charismatic, his quiet manner and devoted outlook have made him very popular amongst those he meets.

Wodin was soon charged with the running of a small church on the southeast edge of the Doman Empire. Seeing the appointment as a chance to prove his faith, while also bringing assistance to people of the area, the young Earthbreaker accepted gratefully. Upon arriving and discovering the general lack of respect for both religion and each other, the young priest quickly went to work in gathering people to his church. His followers were few, at first, but Wodin's honest faith and warm affection for all he met soon caused his congregation to swell. Preaching in the mornings of Sarenrae's love, and then helping to aid the common folk until the sun set, Earthbreaker's [i]Church of the Southern Dawn[/i] soon became the primary institution of religion in the area.

A mere three years after he was sent there, his church grew large enough that it grabbed the attention of the Central Church that he had come from. Truly impressed with the growth and faith displayed there, Wodin was recalled to serve as a priest of the Central Church. Allowing one of his first disciples to take over as the head of the [i]Southern Dawn[/i]'s leadership, the pious half-giant returned to the city of his birth. Welcomed by his parents, the leaders of Doma's church of Sarenrae, and Empress Doma VI herself, Wodin was struck by how much his contributions as a man of the faith had been appreciated.

Over the next few years, the young Earthbreaker continued to earn renown and respect as he reached the highest echelons of the church. A trusted confidant of the Empress and an assistant to High Priest Pyodor, the simple boy of simple beginnings had instilled himself as one of the most important and powerful people in the empire. Shortly after turning twenty-eight, the first truly traumatic event of the priest's life occured: Pyodor, his mentor and friend, was slain by foreign cultists. Beside himself in grief, the half-giant could only stay quiet and continue to perform his duties for the good of the church. As other members of the church's leadership squabbled over how to fill the void left by Pyodor's passing, Wodin did his best to prevent his comrade's death from tearing the church to pieces.

In his moment of grief, beset on all sides by strife and greed, Wodin pushed forward with all of his resolve. And for this resolve, he was rewarded. One morning, as the sun peaked over the horizon, just before Earthbreaker began to say his morning prayers, a blinding flash of flame appeared before him. Though it burned with the intensity of a star, the flames did not harm the room, or even cause Wodin discomfort. Stepping out from the depths of the fire, the Healing Light herself appeared before her faithful priest. Addressing him as one might speak to their child, Sarenrae pressed a small silver-gray crystal into the awed man's hand. [b]"This is my gift to you for your unfailing service to all I hold dear. To the people of this world, you shall become my hand. You will spread hope and light to those who hold goodness in their hearts, and to those who would refuse the sun's light, you shall show them my holy flame,"[/b] she then said, before leaning in to press a soft, chaste kiss on his brow and a warm hand against his left shoulder. [b]"I hereby proclaim you to be my champion, the [i]Warm Light of Soyuz[/i]."[/b] And with that proclamation, she disappeared in a puff of flame.

It was many days before Wodin worked up the courage to mention this event to any, as he feared being called a lunatic. But with no way to explain the ornate symbol that appeared on the place where Sarenrae had put her hand, and the sudden psionic power that coursed through his body, his family and the people of the church soon acknowledged his visitation as divine mandate. Reluctantly accepting Pyodor's position, the Paragon took the position of High Priest of the church of Sarenrae. In the two years since then, Wodin has lead his people with wisdom and love.

Recently, the veil between worlds has begun to show signs of strange happenings. Wodin, as head of the most powerful church in all of Soyuz, as well as the Doman Empire's Gossamer Lord, must take his leave of his duties and his home in order to investigate the disturbance. His initial visits through the Door have been simple affairs of reconnaissance, all of which have turned up nothing real note. Wary of wandering too far in the Great Stair, Wodin has been reluctant to delve deeper into whatever disturbance has been reaching all the way to his world. As the movements beyond the veil continue to affect Soyuz, however, he has finally worked up the resolve to venture further into the Great Stair, and even travel through other Doors in hopes of protecting Soyuz from further issues.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Appearance and Personality]Wodin is a paragon of his people. Broad-shouldered and heavily muscled, he is considered the ideal of Half-giant male physique. But beyond his build and his attractive features, his bright blue eyes glow with warmth and wisdom. With short, neatly-kept brown hair and beard, Earthbreaker gives off the feeling of a calm and responsible leader.

When roused to defend his people, however, he is like a wingless angel of wrath. Clad in a suit of blue and gold armor that glows with the fire of salvation, and wielding a massive sword that shines with the light of the sun, Wodin rises above the battlefield to mete out justice against those that would hope to do harm to his kin. Using the powers divinely granted to him, he strikes at his foes while simultaneously keeping his kin hearty and hale. When not wearing his armor, however, he tends to wear simple clothing in light colors, favoring the blue and gold of Sarenrae's faith.

As a high priest of Sarenrae, Wodin is a quiet and sage man. He spends much of his time aiding the sick and poor, and has earned himself a reputation as a man of the people. The Paragon is a friendly, down-to-earth man who attempts to live the tenets of Sarenrae's faith. It is believed that the Everlight came to Doma to raise Wodin as one of her champions because she could feel the purity and strength of his faith, even from her home plane. Despite this great honor, Earthbreaker is still but a soft-spoken and pious leader, using words to solve problems when possible. It is only when there are no other solutions that he resorts to a mighty arm and a hard tone.

Wodin always wears his psicrystal as a pendant, and it merges into the chest of his armor when he forms the suit of divinely-gifted psionic energy. Brash and heroic, it symbolizes the Paragon's innate feelings of protecting his people. Though less soft-spoken than its master, the psicrystal is no less friendly and just.

[url=http://i.imgur.com/1KZwi2w.jpg]Portrait of Wodin.[/url][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Wodin's Motives]Wodin has currently risen to a level of power in his own world that is challenged by few, if any. He does not thirst for more power, but rather a way to use his power to benefit people not just of the Empire where he makes his home, but to the whole of world of Soyuz. As the strongest of Soyuz' Gossamer Lords, he has decided to defend his attuned world from any and all threats from beyond the veil.

The Paragon of Doma wishes to spread the peace of the Doman Empire to all corners of the planet. Despite its size and power, Wodin has advised the Empress and Doma's senate to avoid invading foreign countries. He seeks to join all of the races and peoples of Soyuz together in peaceful harmony, a true utopia where none suffer the pains of starvation, prejudice or war.

As a Master of Eidolon, he wields the power of creation to defend his homeworld and all its people, even those who would stand against Doma's empire and the church of Sarenrae.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Wodin's home and attuned world: Soyuz, the Green Planet]Soyuz is a planet very similar to our Earth. With crystal green waters and environments that can support much larger creatures than Earth, nearly everything is far larger on the planet of Soyuz. When Wodin's people travel outside their Door to the Great Stairs, they are commonly referred to as "Half-giants", even though they are all pureblooded. It is more likely that the giants of other worlds were exiles from Soyuz that could not bare the peace and tranquility of the Green Planet.

This is not to say that there is no conflict on Soyuz, merely far less than Golarion or any other world that they are aware of. The great Doman Empire, lead by Empress Doma VII, spans fully 70% of Soyuz' surface and is made of countries that once allied together to form a great empire. Inside the empire of Doma, the primary religion is the Church of Sarenrae, with the churches of Abadar, Cayden Cailean, Iomedae, Irori, Shelyn and Torag also having sizable followings. The empire is broken up into multiple city-states, with the senate and the Empress making decisions based on votes from the elected republican congresses of each city-state. It has been a full three hundred years since the last international war on Soyuz, between the then-fledgling Doman Alliance and their ancient foe, the Rovagug-worshipping country of Kriev. With the aid of their on-again-off-again ally, the Asmodean nation of Hel, the Domans managed to defeat the Krievish armies and force their surrender.

Though the forces of Kriev still occasionally make incursions into the lands of both Doma and Hel, they have never managed to recover their strength. Wodin hopes that one day, the people of Kriev will understand that it was their thirst for wanton destruction that ruined their country, and that the meaningless vengeance that swells in their breasts will only be their undoing.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Wodin's ascension]Wodin's rise to the status of Gossamer Lord came as he was visited by Sarenrae. Named her champion, the Warm Light of Soyuz, he was blessed with strength and powers beyond any mortal Soyuzite. With but a touch from the Everlight, he was raised to near angelic status, and he now serves as the defender, high priest and overseer of all Soyuz. Despite all this power, however, Earthbreaker still manages to act as a simple, friendly man who cares deeply for all the people he meets.

In the two years since his ascension, Wodin has honed his powers and truly come into his own as a Gossamer Lord. In conjunction with Hel's Gossamer Lord, King Quomaugh the Unflinching, they protect nearly all of Soyuz, intent on maintaining the order and peace of the world.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Wodin's closest acquaintances][b]Father Alev Earthbreaker[/b]
Wodin's father, a priest of the Church of Sarenrae. He has recently moved out to southeastern Doma to serve as an abbot for the Church of the Southern Dawn.

[b]Lady Natanya Earthbreaker[/b]
Wodin's mother, a noble who has served many terms in the congress of central Doma. She has moved with her husband to southeastern Doma, now serving on the city-state of Arkanh's congress as the Speaker of the Floor.

[b]King Quomaugh the Unfliching[/b]
The monarch and Gossamer Lord of the Asmodeus-worshipping nation of Hel, Quomaugh maintains order and peace in his country with an iron grip. He and Wodin do not generally see eye-to-eye, but work together out of respect for the common good of Soyuzites. Hel has nothing to gain from wanton destruction and death, after all, which means that the two nations, and their Gossamer Lords, are the staunchest of allies when it comes to protecting the world from strife and hate.[/spoiler]