Pelor

Pelor
Symbols of Pelor.
Deity information
Type	Prime Deity
Title	The Dawnfather The Dawn Father The Primordial Light
Province	Healing, Sun
Common symbol	Bright, eight-pointed star
Gender	Masculine
Pronouns	He/him/his
Alignment	Neutral Good
Home plane	Fields of Elysium
Realm	Fortress of the Sun
Worship
Worshipers	Farmers, common folk
Holy day	Highsummer (Sydenstar 15th)
Major temples	Chantry of the Dawn
Associated domains	Life Light Nature
Vestiges	Plate of the Dawnmartyr
Appearances
First seen	"Elysium" (1x104)
Last seen	"Reunited" (3x64)
Stream	Campaign One (1 episode) Campaign Three (2 episodes)

Pelor, the Dawnfather is the god of the sun, summer, and agriculture, and is generally worshiped by farmers and people who live off the land. He is one of the prime creator gods of Exandria. He planted the Sun Tree in Whitestone. As an NPC, Pelor is played by Matthew Mercer.

Description

Fan art of The Dawnfather, by BlackSalander.

Appearance

Pelor wears a white cloak over an intricate golden plate armor. Where a head would be, instead, there is a burning star. An almost featureless male head burns within the corona. When his face was revealed to Vex'ahlia, he had soft cheeks, a hairless head, and bright, warm eyes.

Personality

On the eve of the Calamity, Zerxus Ilerez had a vision of Pelor battering Asmodeus, the Lord of the Hells. On this occasion Pelor seemed devoid of pity and warmth, prepared to crush his enemy further, and warned Zerxus that Asmodeus was beyond redemption.

When Vox Machina met Pelor in his own realm, he came across as a stern but fair god, telling the adventurers it was their decision whether to destroy the eye of Vecna. Although he challenged Vox Machina for asking for his blessing even though none are faithful to him, he seemed pleased when Vex successfully completed her trial.

Following the apogee solstice of 843 PD, when the gods faced a deadly threat from the possible release of Predathos, Pelor appeared in a vision to one of his more ambivalent followers, the cleric Deanna Leimert, and commanded her to strike at the arrogant mortals who hoped to unleash the god-killer, or else lose the gifts he had granted to her. When she replied that she wasn't going to argue with him, he urged her to show the constant conviction of faith rather than rely on reason.

Commandments of the Dawnfather

“

Commandments of the Dawnfather

• Be ever vigilant for evil. People are quick to forget the lessons of the past.

• Help relieve the suffering of the innocent.

• Deliver the light of the Dawnfather where darkness dwells, and do so with kindness, compassion, and mercy.

”

– 

from the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn

[!h]

History

The Founding and the Age of Arcanum

During the Founding, when the Primordials' destructive forces made it impossible for the gods' newly created races to survive and the Betrayer Gods sided with the Primordials in preferring to wipe out the mortal races and try anew elsewhere, Pelor was one of the Prime Deities who fought to protect the mortals. (By Pike's hurried recollection, Pelor and Melora in particular were responsible for casting away the elementals.) Once the Primordials and Betrayer Gods were defeated and banished to other planes, it was safe for the new races to inhabit Exandria.

During the Age of Arcanum, Vecna's attempt at the Ritual of Seeding was interrupted by the Beacon of Arms, an army under the banner of the Dawnfather. Led by Yos Varda, they successfully defeated Vecna and his forces, though very few members of the army survived.

The Calamity

After Archmage Vespin Chloras broke open the Betrayer Gods' prisons, Pelor and the other Prime Deities aided the citizens of Vasselheim against the Betrayer Gods. They ultimately succeeded, and began preparing for war.

Screenshot of a vision of Pelor, Corellon and Torog in the Calamity from "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04).

During that war, called the Calamity, Pelor worked with a few other Prime Deities to defeat Torog, the Crawling King. Moradin and Sehanine had built a trap for Torog, and Pelor and Sarenrae drew the Betrayer above ground, where Pelor pierced Torog's body with thousands of lances of sunlight and Sarenrae imprisoned him. Torog was eventually banished to a sliver of the Far Realm bordering the deepest parts of the Underdark, though this was accomplished later, as Sarenrae had been betrayed before the sealing of the Betrayer Gods began.

Official art of Pelor battling Tharizdun, by Svetoslav Petrov from Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 4.

Towards the end of the Calamity, Ioun baited Tharizdun to her central ziggurat but was nearly destroyed in the process. Pelor's vengeful battle with the Chained Oblivion was so violent it created the valley where the Parchwood Timberlands currently stands, and raised the Alabaster Sierras. With Avandra's blessing, Pelor used all of his power to beat down Tharizdun, then chased the defeated Tharizdun to Gatshadow, where the Rites of Prime Banishment were used for the first time: he attached four Prime Trammels to the mad god and banished it to the Abyss. He then returned to the place where Ioun's ziggurat had sunk beneath the earth and planted the seed that would become the Sun Tree.

When the Betrayer Gods were all defeated, Pelor and the other Prime Deities retreated from the Material Plane and created the Divine Gate behind them in the hopes of preventing the Betrayer Gods from crossing over into mortal realms again.

Post-Divergence, before Campaign One

Soon after the 730s PD Lady Melanie von Musel de Rolo, who had become the sole ruler of Whitestone after her husband's death, initiated a project to to expand Whitestone after a third of it ended up destroyed in the Great Whitestone Fire, occupying land in the Parchwood Timberlands encompass an old holy site of the Dawnfather that the city's first settlers used as a makeshift temple, and where a proper temple would be built. However, Lady Melanie didn't show Erathis the Lawbearer due respect as the goddess of civilization, so the Prime Deity started causing troubles: many accidents took place in the construction, wild animals attacked people, and some talked about visions and phantoms appearing (even claiming to have witnessed the late Lord Wolf de Rolo himself); only the Temple of Pelor was completed with minimal incident.

Campaign One: Vox Machina

"Elysium" (1x104)

Fan art of Pelor, the Dawnfather, by Christian Thor Lally.

When Vox Machina traveled to Elysium to speak to the Dawnfather, they found themselves in an giant orchard, home to Pelor’s citadel: gold-plated, with many humongous towers and spires that both resemble a military fortress and a large steepled church. After speaking to the Planar entities that guard the citadel, Vox Machina were let in to see Pelor.

Vox Machina told Pelor about Vecna's ambition to ascend to Godhood, Pelor thanked them for the information and opened the doors for them to leave. When they presented Pelor with the eye of Vecna, he offered to destroy it. Once it was destroyed, Vex asked Pelor about the goddess Ioun, as they needed information and power to defeat Vecna. When Keyleth asked for his help, Pelor asked why he should grant one of Vox Machina his blessings, when he had champions across Exandria who had already proven themselves worthy. Initially Keyleth offered to be his champion, but Pelor rejected her as she had no faith in the gods. Vex’ahlia then offered herself for his blessing, which he granted due to her budding faith and connection to Whitestone.

Pelor told Vex that her challenge was to ascend the Tower of Zenith before the hourglasses ran out. When Vex successfully completed the challenge by diving into the fire at the top of the tower, she entered a trance-like state. At the bottom of the tower, Pelor asked the rest of Vox Machina what Vex meant to them. Keyleth answered that Vex gave her her power. Scanlan answered that she had flaws, but that she did everything to protect her family, and was the most perfect of all of them. Grog answered that she taught him and cheered him on. Pike called her a sister. Percy called her his heart and his judgment, and his betrothed. Finally, Vax answered that she is every hope he had; himself, but better. Once they were finished, Vex descended from the tower with the blessing of the Dawnfather.

Pelor then told Vox Machina that it was too late to prevent the ascension of Vecna, and that killing a god was beyond most deities. He explained that to diminish and seal Vecna away forever was the only option, as Pelor once did with the Chained Oblivion, using Prime Trammels. He explained that trammels were created using a sliver of a god’s power, and that Ioun had the design. Ioun had been in hiding since the Calamity, after being wounded by Tharizdun, so Pelor showed them a map of the forest around the Pools of Wittebak, and explained that the key to Ioun’s location was there.

Pelor then gave Vex a bead of divinity, and told her that it would be able to make one Prime Trammel. He told her this was all he could safely do, and encouraged Vox Machina to strike against Vecna soon.

Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein

"The Cathedral" (2x86)

Fan art of Pelor, by Manny Padilla.

While pursuing Obann, the Mighty Nein found a chamber below the Chantry of the Dawn, an ancient temple to Pelor in Rexxentrum. In the chamber, they find a large obelisk with Celestial runes reading “eternal,” “bound,” “forever,” “at bay,” “left to darkness,” “secret.” There are three thick, gold chains at the top of the obelisk, as this was one of the shackles keeping Tharizdun chained in the Abyss.

Campaign Three: Bells Hells

During the apogee solstice of 843 PD Deanna Leimert a cleric of Pelor, explained that very recently she had felt like her god was more distant than usual, feeling some level of fear coming from him. Despite not being an enthusiastic devotee, while traveling with their friends through the Savalirwood, F.R.I.D.A. offered a hesitant prayer to the Dawnfather to thank him for the new things in their life, and hoping that the god was okay. Subsequently, Pelor sent a vision to Deanna, demanding that she, as his follower, help stop the release of Predathos. The gnome agreed, somewhat bothered by the Dawnfather's intensity, muttering that she already intended to help in that mission. When she asked how exactly she could help, Pelor emphasized that Deanna needed to keep her faith and conviction. When the vision ended, the cleric pointed out to her friends that the god had hinted that their magical gifts might disappear if she did not obey him.

Meanwhile, in the humble village of Hearthdell, Team Issylra found a presence of guards and Judicators wearing the symbol of Pelor. Elder Joan Abaddina asked for their aid to drive off the Vasselheim-sent personnel of the Sunrise Sanctuary, a temple that had been built there 20 years earlier, and gathered villagers who could fight to attack the temple. After Bor'Dor plied the guards with beer, Orym told the head of the temple, Flameguide Kiro, that the temple's muscle would be better directed at the real threat in Marquet, the Ruby Vanguard, and demanded that they leave Hearthdell immediately. Kiro directed her guards instead to take Orym and Bor'Dor into custody and announced they would be brought to Vasselheim to talk to her superiors. Feeling that they did not have days to go to Vasselheim, Orym signaled the rest of the party and the armed villagers to commence the attack. The attackers killed Flameguide Kiro, a Judicator, the guards, and the Dawnborn Angel of the Dawnfather sent to defend the temple. The surviving civilian followers of Pelor were shackled, one villager was pressured into converting back to the local worship of the eidolons, and the temple was destroyed.

Fan art of Deanna's Commune, by Cha Cha Rae.

Later, when Bells Hells were reunited, Deanna was horrified by what she was told the Sunrise Sanctuary had been doing in Hearthdell, and went off privately to cast Commune. She asked if working with Bells Hells would save the gods, but the Dawnfather didn't know the answer. She then asked if his disciples were perpetuating harm in the world at his behest. He responded that they were doing what was necessary for the good of "our people" collectively, and the future of Exandria. Her final question: "Are you worth saving?" She was forcefully thrust out of the communion. The next time she cast a spell, the Dawnfather momentarily delayed channeling the power to her, and as she left, she covered every symbol of the Dawnfather on her clothing with yarn.

Days later, while she was in Whitestone, Imogen Temult visited the Temple of the Dawn, and after taking some advice from Mother Brazilda about faith and prayer, she asked Pelor to help Laudna's struggle against Delilah Briarwood in exchange for Imogen's helping the gods by defeating the Ruby Vanguard's plan to release Predathos.

Artifacts

The Plate of the Dawnmartyr, also known as the “Beacon of Protection” to the chosen of Pelor. The plate was originally worn by the High Priest of Pelor, Duana, as she fell in the battle of Ghor Dranas. It is a set of brass armor, and when worn its beautiful silver inlays and cut rubies glow. The wearer is immune to fire damage, and when knocked unconscious it releases a blast of healing flame and the wearer regains 1 hit point.

Places of worship and holy sites

Issylra

The Dawnfather is worshiped in Vasselheim, the Dawn City.

The church of Pelor in Vasselheim took a missionary interest in Hearthdell, a village in the Demithore Valley, which sat at a nexus of leylines and had a "pagan" lifestyle worshiping spirits of the land. In 823 PD, using land owned by Silvercall family (with ties with Othanzia), they managed to build a lavish temple, the Sunrise Sanctuary, with a magnificent stained glass depiction of Pelor subduing Asmodeus inside. The temple throughout the years had been successful in causing some conversions. Around 843 PD, in preparation for the apogee solstice, a Flameguide, several bastions, and at least two Judicators arrived at the temple, and although they were not aggressive or forceful, this made the villagers feel less safe. In the months immediately prior to the solstice the tension had ratcheted up, as the Judicators walked the streets and listened in on conversations. Tithes were also taken, being kept inside the temple.

Marquet

The Dawnfather Temple is located in Jrusar's Lantern Spire. It surrounds the Prakash Pyre which burns through the night. Following the apogee solstice of 843 PD, the flame was kept at a lower intensity than usual.

Tal'Dorei

The Zenith, also known as Temple of the Dawn, is a temple in Whitestone devoted to Pelor. During the Briarwoods' rule, Vedmeyer was tasked to oversee the place, but he left it to ruin. After the reclamation of Whitestone, the Zenith was rebuilt. As of 810 PD, about three-quarters of the population of Whitestone worships Pelor.

Pelor is also commonly worshipped in the Cliffkeep Mountains and the Stormcrest Mountains (in particular, Bronbog). However, he has a smaller following in the Bladeshimmer Shoreline region; Emon's Temple District has a relatively small temple to Pelor.

Wildemount

Pelor is one of six deities whose worship is permitted in the Dwendalian Empire.

• The Chantry of the Dawn, an ancient temple to the Dawnfather on which Rexxentrum was originally founded, now restored into an awe-inspiring cathedral.
• The Shrine of the Dawn: temple to Pelor in the center of The Signet Wall ward of Zadash.
• The Sunfall Sanctuary: temple to Pelor in The Crescents ward of Port Damali.
• The Light Above Sanctum: temple to Pelor in Uthodurn.

Relationships

The Sun Tree

During the Calamity, Tharizdun grievously wounded Ioun. Once Tharizdun was defeated, Pelor returned to this spot and planted a single seed in the ground, and from it grew a massive tree, which would become a symbol of protection within the dark forest surrounding it.

Many years later, the de Rolo family found the Sun Tree while traveling through the Alabaster Sierras. They recognized the tree as a blessing from the Dawnfather, and began to build their city around it.

Vex'ahlia

While undertaking the ceremony to become Mistress of the Grey Hunt, Vex meditated at the Sun Tree for a vision from the Dawnfather, who showed her a grey render.

Vex became a Champion of Pelor as part of Vox Machina's quest to defeat Vecna. She completed his challenge and in return was granted a boon to aid in combat. Furthermore, Pelor gave her a bead of divinity, to be used in creating the Divine Trammels that are a part of the ritual to banish Vecna.

Known worshipers

Before Campaign One

• Duana: High Priest of Pelor who wore the Plate of the Dawnmartyr when she fell at the Battle of Ghor Dranas in the Calamity.
• Yos Varda: Champion of Pelor and the leader of the Beacon of Arms; fell in battle against Vecna but created the opportunity for Kas the Bloody-Handed to destroy all but two fragments of the lich.

Campaign One

• Vex'ahlia: Champion of Pelor and member of Vox Machina
• Father Reynal: former cleric of Pelor at The Zenith in Whitestone.

Campaign Two

• Darrow Allocke: Paladin of Pelor

Campaign Three

• Deanna Leimert: Cleric of Pelor
• F.R.I.D.A.: Cleric of Pelor (technically)
• Elder Evodon Leeds: Human follower of Pelor in Uthodurn
• Keeper Triya: Follower of Pelor in Uthodurn
• Flameguide Kiro: Missionary leader and highest authority of the Sunrise Sanctuary in Hearthdell
  • Her bastions, including Germon and Gerard
• Mother Brazilda: Member of the clergy in the Temple of the Dawn in the Greyfield of Whitestone

Celestials

• Eclipse, a deva

Holy day

Pelor's holy day is Highsummer, on the 15th of Sydenstar. Feasts on this day are common across Exandria.

• The Dwendalian Empire uses it as a day for intensive military recruitment.
• In Emon, this day kicks off a week of festivities with gift-giving and feasts, ending at midnight on the 21st of Sydenstar, the anniversary of the Battle of the Umbra Hills, where Zan Tal'Dorei dethroned Trist Drassig.
• On the other side of Tal'Dorei, Whitestone, where the Dawnfather is the city's patron god, celebrates with gift-giving and a festival of lights around the Sun Tree. When money was thin following the Briarwood occupation, most Whitestonians chose to recount the small things they were thankful for, rather than buy gifts.
• In Vasselheim's Abundant Terrace, which is ordinarily devoted to Melora, the celebration begins at dawn with a polenta made from freshly harvested corn and honey, spiced with chiles in grateful anticipation of the coming warmth of the sun.

Appearances and mentions

Appearances

• Exandria Unlimited: Calamity
  • "Excelsior" (E3x01), in a dream
  • "Blood and Shadow" (E3x03), in a vision
• Campaign One
  • "Elysium" (1x104) (first appearance)
• Campaign Three
  • "Escape From The Past" (3x58), in a vision
  • "Reunited" (3x64) (via Commune)

Mentions

• Campaign One
  • "The Sun Tree" (1x28) (first mentioned)
  • "Whispers" (1x29)
  • "Stoke the Flames" (1x30)
  • "Against the Tide of Bone" (1x32)
  • "Reunions" (1x33)
  • "Race to the Ziggurat" (1x34)
  • "Denouement" (1x35)
  • "Those Who Walk Away" (1x45)
  • "A Name Is Earned" (1x49)
  • "Duskmeadow" (1x57)
  • "Trust" (1x70)
  • "Jugs and Rods" (1x94)
  • "Family Matters" (1x96)
  • "Thar Amphala" (1x101)
  • "Race to the Tower" (1x102)
  • "The Fate-Touched" (1x103)
  • "The Fear of Isolation" (1x105)
  • "The Endless Atheneum" (1x106)
  • "The Core Anvil" (1x108)
  • "The Ominous March" (1x109)
  • "The Final Ascent" (1x113)
  • "Vecna, the Ascended" (1x114)
  • "The Chapter Closes" (1x115)
• Campaign Two
  • "The Cathedral" (2x86)
• The Legend of Vox Machina
  • "Fate's Journey" (LVM1x05)
  • "Spark of Rebellion" (LVM1x06)
• Exandria Unlimited: Calamity
  • "Bitterness and Dread" (E3x02)
• Campaign Three
  • "Far From The Others" (3x52)
  • "Hope Within History" (3x55)
  • "By Goat or By Boat" (3x56)
  • "The Sorrow of Molaesmyr" (3x57)
  • "Faith or Famine" (3x60)
  • "Crisis of Faith" (3x61)
  • "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65)
  • "Phantasmal Parley" (3x72)
  • "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76)
  • "The Promise and the Price" (3x77)

Trivia

• Pelor is revered by those who hunt aberrations. Because the drow of Tal'Dorei have long been besieged by aberrations, their deep hatred of those enemies leads some drow adventurers to become paladins of Pelor.
• Within the cult of the Dawnfather those who have proven their devotion and military skill receive the title of "Flameguides", and are often send as heads of missionary operations.
• According to Aabria Iyengar the Dawnfather is the Prime Deity most similar to the God of the Old Testament.
• The fact that he's sometimes known as "the Primordial Light" is ironic, in a way, given that Pelor was personally responsible for the defeat of some of the actual primordials.
• Based on the association of Pelor with the sun and Sarenrae with the dawn, the druids of the Dawn Circle (killed during the Scattered War) may have worshipped either or both of those gods.
• After his one-shot, "Critical Role: Bar Room Blitz" (Sx21), Sam Riegel explained that an important NPC, Holly the eladrin, had been touched by Pelor's power, and she had innate spellcasting abilities (which included the Plane Shift spell). It is unclear if all her magic came from the Dawnfather's "touch" (the same way some divine soul sorcerers get their powers), or if she had some powers of her own already.

References

Art: