Saint Párítce

**Saint** **Párítce**, also known as **Párítce the Listener** or simply **Párítce** was a Caillhan Hueredic abbot of the Tiavar from western Hueren. Known as the "Speaker for Calhác", Párítce was the patron saint and first King of Sárrích. Párítce led the first expeditions of the Caillhan into Sárrích, amassing hundreds of followers who pursued Calhác in Western Sárrích.

Párítce served as king of what was then known as Calhárich, and was the direct ancestor of every king of Sárrích in the Párítcen line. Párítce led religious expeditions across the land, and was worshipping with the same reverence as his god Calhác. Párítce formed a close connection with Calhác, sacrificing sleep to listen to the Ballads of Calhác throughout the nights.

## Life

### Early life

Párítce was raised on the eastern slopes of the north Aí Chárich Mountains, in a barbaric Hueredic tribe which had forsaken the Tiavar. Párítce was a callow young man, desiring to pursue the life or fighting and raiding of his people, pillaging other tribes for their resources. It was not until he grew older when, in a raid, he was lost in the fire of a burning village and was taken by the yeomen of the Ald Gachin tribe, who lived in the valleys of Mount Aldyrch, a pious tribe starkly different to the Chárich Caillhan Párítce was raised in.

### Drawn to piety

In his imprisonment and during his torture, Párítce was exposed to faith in the Tiavar and began to worship Calhác, the god of spring, lasting, and the elders. In his imprisonment, Párítce prayed that Calhác would permit him to last, survive, and live beyond his confinement. His prayers were not in vain, as the chief of Ald Gachin grew gravely ill, and subsequently so too did his village. But Párítce did not contract whatever plague afflicted them, and he survived. He managed to escape imprisonment during the early days of spring; a sign he was sure was from Calhác.

### Expeditions into the West

In his imprisonment, Párítce believed that he heard Calhác speaking to him, calling him to the western seas, across the mountains. When Párítce escaped, he continued to hear such words from his god, and travelled across the northern mountains, amassing followers who too faithfully worshipped Calhác. Párítce became the ‘Speaker for Calhác’, leading hundreds of Caillhan over the Aí Chárich. Many called him ‘Párítce the Listener’, because of the words he would hear from Calhác every night, and he was by many considered a saint of the Caillhan.

They crossed Sárrích to the rugged western coast, where Párítce claimed Calhác had called him to in his dreams. The Caillhan established a scattered, unorganised kingdom within the northwest of what would one day be Sárrích, distinct from the larger tribes of Huereds that settled in Heræm in the south. Párítce served as king of the land he named Calhárich, the highlands of Calhác, and led expeditions across the land, the Caillhan worshipping him with the reverence they worshipped Calhác. Párítce would say that he would listen to the Ballads of Calhác through the night, sacrificing sleep to bring himself closer to his god. He spread the holy word throughout Calhárich, building chapels to establish the Chapel of Calhác, the noble faith of Calhác.