Svalinn (3.5e Deity)

Summary::World Guardian Scalinn is the god of peace, protection, barriers, and portals. Born of aggression, he opposes Chaos Star Tzitzimitl.  His scion is Alexander the Rook, a living castle who protects the upper realms with the light of judgement.

Origin
As Hiranyagarbha, father of the gods, returned to the world he found it dominated by the beings known as dragons. In this world there was no safety or security to be found, all places were dangerous and mortalkind could find no rest. To oppose them he created World Guardian Scalinn, whose shield protected the followers of the gods from harm, and Chaos Star Tzitzimitl, then known as Holy Star Tzitzimitl, a deity who would consume attackers with minions from heaven before they harmed their chosen kin. These two creatures born of aggression against the evil dragons and their violent and monstrous beasts.

The legend goes that Svalinn was created by Hiranyagarbha as a shield to protect him from his enemies, which Svalinn served dutifully as. Gaining sentience, it quickly rose in power to protect all that it saw. After the war with the dragons, it was Svalinn who created the magical wards binding them away. How ironic that later the same wards would work in sealing his fellow gods. In ancient age, the many worlds were much closer and easier to travel to... one could end up on the plane of shadow by simply walking in darkness too long, or within heaven through obscure, but mundane means. Once it was determined that the fallen gods must be sealed in the netherworld, Svalinn was placed to separate the planes so they could not be crossed easily without the use of magic. Only a few places in the world, such as the Feywild, remain unhampered by this dimensional lock.

Regardless of the method of creation, he would later lose his allies to the darkness. He maintains the seal to keep them locked away dutifully, and seems to harbor no opinion or ill will towards his captives. This is simply his duty. For the imprisoned, they are probably less content about it.

Description
Svalinn's true form is obscured, but through visions he has always appeared as a giant shield with an eye upon its surface. It is said though its actual body is vast, and is in fact the crystal spheres which separates the black void from the world. Others claim it is the supposed "gate to heaven" which is his true body. It may be that he has multiple bodies, for he is one of the strongest deities. And yet, he is also one of the most helpless as all its focus is used to maintain the universe and its boundaries. Without him, dimensional travel through the old mundane means would be possible and demons and angels would walk upon the earth once more. Rhadamanthus checks upon Svalinn often, making sure the seals are left intact. Svalinn rarely speaks, and when he does it is of great importance. Always left to his duty and effectively immobile, he uses his scion as proxy for whenever it needs to intercede in events.

Svalinn is typically associated with his favored creature, the turtle. The turtle is well protected by a shell, allowing it to move slow and steady to its goal.

Dogma
Svalinn protects those who cannot protect themselves, and as such is a favorite of paladins, clerics, and governments. Safety and security is paramount. In addition to personal safety, the clerics of Svalinn often delve into planehopping as part of the need to keep the planes themselves safe. There are groups out there interested in weakening the barriers between planes, and the followers of Svalinn oppose them every step of the way.

His scion, Alexander the Rook, is said to be a living castle, a golem whose footsteps shake the earth and whose gaze is a radiant flame that obliterates evil. It is rarely seen and its movement is always seen before a great battle against darkness. It normally stays at Heaven's Gate, the literal gate into the holy realms and a city in and of itself. Alexander serves as the castle of the city until called upon to move, in which case it will stand, or move through portals of its own making to arrive in places that need protection. It moves rarely, for when it does the gate of heaven is poorly protected.

Clergy and Temples
Temples of Svalinn are designed to look like castles, and be just as fortified. In times of disaster, many cities retreat into their temples dedicated to Svalinn, as they have proven to survive earthquakes, tornados, and many a disaster. The temples also often host a portal to another plane, kept under careful lock and key.

His clergy dress with utility, suitable for planehopping, and sometimes heavy armor and shields when defending against material threats. They host heavy protective knights who often work protecting those in government, if they can parry the favor of the church.

Pantheon
Svalinn is a god of the Logos Benius pantheon, on planet Maya.