Pelor

Pelor, the Dawnfather is the god of the sun 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 is the creator of the Sun Tree in Whitestone. As an NPC, Pelor is played by Matthew Mercer.

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
Pelor comes across as a stern but fair God, telling Vox Machina it is their decision to destroy the eye of Vecna. Although he challenges Vox Machina for asking for his blessing even though none are faithful to him, he seemed pleased when Vex successfully completed her trial.

Background


During the Founding, Pelor was a part of the Prime Deities that fought against the Primordials, whose destructive forces made it impossible for the gods' newly created races to survive. Once the Primordials and Betrayer Gods were defeated by the Prime Deities, 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.

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

At the beginning of the Calamity, Pelor and Sarenrae defeated Torog, the Crawling King. They lured him above ground, and Pelor pierced Torog’s body with thousands of lances of sunlight. Sarenrae then banished him to the Far Realm.

Towards the end of the Calamity, Ioun baited Tharizdun to her Ziggurat in Whitestone, and Pelor’s battle with him was so violent it created the valley where the Parchwood Timberlands currently stands, and raised the Alabaster Sierras. Pelor chased Tharizdun to Gatshadow, where the Rites of Prime Banishment were used for the first time. Pelor used all of his power to beat down Tharizdun, attach four Prime Trammels, and banish him to the Abyss.

After the defeat of Tharizdun ended the Calamity, Pelor and the other Prime Deities created the Divine Gate. The Gods retreated from the Material Plane in the hopes that the gate would also prevent the Betrayer Gods from crossing over into mortal realms again.



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 are 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 would 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 the Prime Trammel. 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 2: The Mighty Nein


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.

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.

Tal'Dorei
The Zenith: temple to Pelor in Whitestone, which was desecrated during the Briarwoods’ rule. After the defeat of the Briarwoods, the temple was in the process of being rebuilt.

Wildemount
Worship of Pelor is approved 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 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 recognised 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.

Campaign One

 * Vex'ahlia
 * Yos Varda - the champion of Pelor, and the leader of the Beacon of Arms.
 * Duana - High Priest of Pelor, who wore the Plate of the Dawnmartyr when she fell at the battle of Ghor Dranas.
 * Father Reynal - former cleric of Pelor at The Zenith in Whitestone.

Campaign Two

 * Darrow Allocke - Paladin of Pelor
 * Cardinal Respa - Priestess at the Chantry of the Dawn in Rexxentrum, and in actuality a follower of Tharizdun.

Trivia

 * His holy day is Highsummer, on the 15th of Sydenstar.
 * Pelor is one of the six deities approved for worship in the Dwendalian Empire