Straight from the opening pages of Death Touch, today's post spotlights the Champion of Serenity herself, Sara Marle. Born in the Restan midland city of Beldor, few could keep up with the passion showed for her favorite deities, Serenity and Crane. At the age of 11, she was already aware of the Bishop's Pinnacle and resolved to see it for herself. While there, she heard the voice of Serenity for the first time. It was from that moment that Sara pledged herself in service to the Goddess of Tranquility. Afterwards, she spent some time in the Theia Seminary, where she experienced friendship with clerics for the first time. After a year of studying the Doctrine of Dreams, Sara returned to the mainland to begin her theological education in the Blackstone Monastery.
Upon returning to the mainland, however, she learned for the first time how incompatible the Theian tradition was with other schools of Serene worship. Surrounded by fellow acolytes who favored the Doctrines of Tranquility and Beauty, Sara nearly gave up in her training to be a Serene priestess and started pursuing Crane's knowledge instead. That was until she met Matron Erina, an elder priestess who encouraged her to embrace the differences between herself and her brothers and sisters and assured her that keeping Serenity first in her heart was all she needed to be a successful priestess of Tranquility. So Sara continued her studies with renewed zeal and a new mentor, hopeful that she would hear Serenity's voice once more.
Although this chance encounter with Matron Erina marked the end of Sara's doubts, it didn't mark the end of her discord with her comrades in the Serene faith. After painstakingly completing the ritual that would allow her to become anointed as an acolyte, she prayed harder to hear the Peace Goddess' calming voice. This ambition soon became well known among the other acolytes of the monastery's Serene quarter. As a result, Sara had become the subject of some ridicule for those who believed that to speak to the Gods as she wanted to was far too rare to be a reasonable goal. This earnest desire, however, only motivated her to devote herself so completely to the monastery's teachings that her seniors would remark on her unusual spiritual power. Templars of the Serene faith began to teach her some of their earth-moving techniques in the hope that she might be better suited to their work. Despite this, Sara showed no inclination to harm anyone, which they began to see as a liability; thus they left her to continue her training as a cleric--now with a powerful skill that others in her creed lacked.
When Sara finally heard Serenity's voice for the second time, her experience was the subject of much confusion and debate. Since her desire for this very event was well known, many began to suspect that she was lying about the connection she had made to the deity. Others still questioned Sara's interpretation of the goddess' words, believing it to be a contradiction to their own long-held beliefs. With more people debating why she was wrong than examining her claims thoroughly, Sara became disillusioned with the Serene Quarter once more. So, without a clear idea of Serenity's intent or any hope that anyone would listen to someone with her level of credibility, she left the monastery for the first time in eight years. She experienced more in this journey than she ever expected to, but still carries on with unyielding determination.
Sara regards her role as Serenity's champion with earnest determination. As a lifelong servant to the gods, her sense of duty compels her to do whatever she can to ensure the Champions' victory, even if it means putting her life at risk.
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