Light's Hope

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The Light's Hope, also referred to as "His Radiance", is a ceremonial position of the True Sect. Sent on a pilgrimage from Erdane to Etarra, the Light's Hope is intended to sway the avatar, Lysaer s'Ilessid, from his apostasy.

Over the centuries since the Great Schism, this role become a way to sideline political embarrassments.

Role in the Story

Spoiler warning: Contains plot elements from Initiate's Trial.

Third Age 5922: After evidence shows two minions of Darkness at large, the High Examiner decides to send a politically astute Light's Hope to Etarra out of season. He selects the most adept examiner in Erdane, a man with thinning brown hair, blue eyes, and a cleft chin. The retinue travels by land to Etarra (by way of Isaer and East Bransing) but receives no high state welcome, forced to quarter in the outer town precinct at the Red Cockerel.

Daliana observes the Light's Hope meeting with a covert courier. She throws a knife which destroys the courier's warded package, a fetch of Arithon s'Ffalenn, and identifies the courier as one of the Koriathain. The ensuing backlash sets His Radiance's sleeves on fire and he declares her a minion of Shadow. Daliana allows herself to be taken into custody in hopes of warning Lysaer of the conspiracy. The Light's Hope is allowed to meet with Lysaer after the tavern incident. Lysaer makes the sudden decision to transfer governance of Etarra to the True Sect and then departs for Tysan to pursue Arithon. Daliana theorizes that a second fetch might have triggered the curse.

The Light's Hope oversees Daliana's trial before the Etarran council as High Examiner. He recognizes Traithe, who steps forward under the name of Trey to act as Daliana's advocate. Traithe uses his role to extend due process. As the crowd's patience wanes, Dakar plays the role of a drunken fool to disrupt the trial. The Light's Hope sentences him to death alongside Traithe and Daliana. When Lysaer, ablaze in a corona of light, arrives with a temple diviner and threatens the outcome of the trial, the Light's Hope reaches under his robe for another Koriani bane ward. He is interrupted by Traithe and the Etarran populace is able to see the fetch, revealing the True Sect conspiracy to use Lysaer as a curse-driven figurehead. Lysaer orders the diviner to sentence the Light's Hope to death by sword and fire under Canon Law and evicts the True Sect from Etarra.

The delegation is called upon to judge Dakar and Daliana at a roadside tavern west of Etarra. Before they arrive, the pair escape into Seshkrozchiel's true dreaming.


  • Lysaer once ejected a Light's Hope from Etarra with a flatulent chorus of cow horns.