Academy Anthology: Tales of Home

• Titles: The Resurrector, The BloodLord, Lord of Undeath
• Pronouns: he/him
• Holy Sigil: A whelk shell
• Other Symbols: Bones of any kind, the colors white and red, sea shells, blood, rot, bandages, undead, coral reefs, harpoons, horns, herbal remedies
• Portfolio: Bones, Blood, Healing, Undeath
• Domains: Grave, Life

Valdis is usually depicted in a humanoid shape, but his features are never quite *correct.* There is always something uncanny about him, showing that he is something other than mortal. Usually, large horns sprout from his head, bony growths sprouting from various parts of his body like adornments. Jewelry made from shells and bone covers him from head to toe, his clothes having a similar motif in its patterns and embroidery. Those who focus more on his healing and life-giving aspects typically worship a more casual looking version of him, while those with focus on the necromantic arts depicted him with a mask that obscures most of his face, wielding a spear made of bone and blood.

Art by @yewberries on instagram

Despite the more grim aspects of his portfolio, Valdis is usually depicted as “mortal-adjacent.” He has a personality much like you might find on any number of mortals, though not usually the sorts interested in healing others or raising the dead. Valdis is a surprisingly extroverted God, shown to be cocky and cunning in his mannerisms. His posing in artwork and statue has a certain swagger about it, an undeniable bravado that may make it difficult for non-followers to take him seriously. Those who follow him, however, understand that this particular quality of his comes from a very intentional place; every person his seemingly self-absorbed personality turns off is a person spared the harm that would've inevitably come to them when they made a mistake practicing his brand of very dangerous blood and bone magic. He is intensely disciplined when it comes to using his power, and so are his disciples.

Valdins are typically adorned in shells and bone, wearing white and crimson clothing. There is no strict dress code or particular uniform. Instead, members of Valdin clergy can be determined by the whelk shells they carry on their hips attached to their belts. These shells are special, a rite of passage to becoming a priest, having been made by the priests themselves from bone fragments as the ultimate test of their control. Thus, each shell is unique to the priest, and those in his clergy can typically identify a priest just by their whelk.

Bone constructs can often be found at Valdin temples and shrines, assisting the clergy with their tasks and worship. Followers are encouraged to leave bones, shells, or even offer a few drops of blood to Valdis at his altars. These offerings are then collected by the clergy to be repurposed into ritual materials so nothing goes to waste. Valdins will also typically donate their bodies to temples, with everything finding a use in rituals or in creating bone constructs. It's also common to wear the bones of lose loved ones, and marriages are usually marked with the spilling and mixing of blood.