The Sentinel

"Light is a fine thing. But when the darkness comes, a simple wall of stone and iron is worth a thousand suns. I am that wall. It is my duty."

Title: The Unyielding Shield, The Iron Bulwark, The Mourning Brother
Alignment: Lawful Good
Portfolio: Protection, Duty, Self-Sacrifice, Fortitude, Vengeance
Domain: The Seventh Bulwark, Heaven
Worshippers: Paladins, bodyguards, soldiers, city guards, and all who stand as a shield to protect others from harm.

Doctrine & Philosophy

The Sentinel's philosophy is simple, absolute, and unyielding: the strong exist to protect the weak. Duty is the highest virtue, and selfless sacrifice is the ultimate expression of that duty. Before the Godfall, this was a noble and hopeful creed. Now, it has been tempered by a grim realism born of loss. The Sentinel now believes that a shield is useless if it cannot also break the sword that strikes it. He preaches that true protection requires not just fortitude, but the strength and will to eliminate threats proactively and permanently.

Appearance & Manifestations

Where Sol Invictus is a being of brilliant light, The Sentinel is a figure of solid, unshakeable presence. He manifests as a colossal warrior in heavy, unadorned adamantine plate armor, so thick and imposing that he appears more like a walking fortress than a man. His face is always hidden behind a grim, featureless helm. He carries no sword, only a massive, continent-sized tower shield that bears no sigil. His divine energy is not a shining beacon, but the deep, determined, and unwavering glow of embers in the heart of a forge.

Plots & Goals in the Age of Challenge

The Sentinel is a god consumed by his duty and his grief. He is the martial leader of Heaven's armies and the heart of the Pantheon's opposition to the current peace.

The Grudging Shield: His primary function remains the defense of the cosmos. He personally commands the celestial legions of Heaven in their eternal war against the incursions of the Abyss and Hell, a duty made all the more difficult by the Pantheon's weakened state. He performs this task with grim, joyless efficiency.
Leader of the Hawks: Within the Celestial Concord, The Sentinel is the undisputed leader of the "Hawks." He openly argues that the Kaleeran Accord is a shameful truce that spits on the graves of his fallen brethren. He believes peace with the Saiyans is a fool's hope and constantly pushes the Pantheon to prepare for the inevitable second war, putting him in respectful but constant conflict with Sol Invictus.
The Vengeful Brother: On a deeply personal level, The Sentinel is driven by a burning need for vengeance for his fallen brother, the God of War. While his divine duty to the law prevents him from breaking the Accord himself, it is an open secret in Heaven that he "looks the other way" or even provides covert support to mortal groups, like the God-Slayer paladins, who carry out the vengeance he cannot.
Forging the New Champions: He believes the "softness" of the old age led to the Godfall. He now pushes his followers, especially Paladins, to be harder, stronger, and more ruthless. He is determined to forge a new generation of mortal champions who are unyielding and utterly unbreakable.