Marcan
The Shield of the People · God of Protection and Courage
Domain
Protection, Courage, Military Defense
Alignment
Lawful Good
Status
Active
Factions
City Guard of Fort Valiance, Shield Orders, Defender Companies
Marcan is the god of protection, community, and courage — the Shield of the People. He is the most prominent human deity in Fort Valiance, worshipped fervently by city guards, soldiers, and all who stand on the wall between civilization and the darkness beyond. His faith holds that true courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to face danger so that others need not. In a city founded by exiles on the edge of a hostile continent, Marcan represents the unbreakable promise that someone will always stand watch.
Holy Symbol
A shield with a sun emblem
Worship & Rites
Marcan’s faithful pray before taking up their posts, pressing a closed fist to their hearts — the Shield Salute. Shrines and altars to Marcan are found within military barracks, guard posts, and watchtowers rather than grand temples. Smaller personal shrines dot the homes of soldiers’ families. Offerings include polished shield-bosses, iron nails, and strips of leather tied in guardian knots. Before patrols, guards recite the Defender’s Oath: “I stand so others may sleep. I watch so others may dream. I bleed so others may live.”
Clergy & Organization
The Shield-Priests of Marcan are veteran soldiers and commanders who have traded the sword for the sermon — though most still carry both. They serve as chaplains in barracks and guard posts, blessing defenders before dangerous assignments and performing last rites for the fallen. The clergy divides into two orders: the Ironwall Chaplains who serve active military units, and the Hearthguard who minister to families, widows, and retired soldiers. There is no central temple to Marcan in Fort Valiance, but the Shield Hall in the Guard Quarter serves as a gathering place for his faithful.
Holy Days
The Protection Vigil
Night where defenders renew their oaths and pray for strength to protect those in their care
The Shield Festival
Annual celebration honoring those who died protecting the city and blessing new recruits
Lore & History
Marcan’s worship stretches back to before Fort Valiance was founded. The exiled nobles who fled across the sea carried his faith with them, and when they built their walls on a hostile shore, it was Marcan’s name they invoked over the first cornerstone. The city’s history of conflict, exile, and survival fostered a deep need for a protector deity — and Marcan answered.
He is said to appear in the form of an armored guardian to those facing overwhelming odds, granting them supernatural resolve and tactical clarity. His blessing falls strongest upon those who sacrifice personal ambition for the safety of their community. Stories circulate among the city watch of soldiers who held impossible positions, of gates that would not break, of wounds that stopped bleeding just long enough for reinforcements to arrive. The faithful attribute all of these to Marcan’s invisible hand upon the shield.
With the Frostfall Clans pressing from the north, the Sporesworn corrupting from within, and whispers of darker threats beyond the horizon, Marcan’s worship has only grown. His faithful believe that as long as one defender still stands on the wall, the Shield of the People has not fallen.