Az'atta

[[imageright:/images/deity-symbols/azatta.png]][dc]A[/dc]ll creatures of Layonara are worthy of Az’atta’s mercy, if they choose to accept it. You must offer all creatures, regardless of past acts, a chance to accept the mercy, redemption, and love offered by Az’atta. Go forth into the world and use your training and powers to serve and protect those in need in any way that you are able. Do not be passive, but be an active force for good in Layonara. Do not take up arms and armor, unless it is to protect yourself or others from harm. _Clergy Favored Weapon and Clothing_: Az’atta has no favored weapons for her clergy, as she prefers her clergy not to kill or harm anyone. She does place one restriction upon the weapon choices of her clerics: They absolutely may not, under any circumstances, poison their weapons. Given the acts she performed while in the service of Baraeon, she does understand the need to take up arms on occasion, and does not restrict her clerics from doing so with good cause. It would also be appropriate for a cleric of Az’atta to take up arms to defeat any evils that are menacing the people or area they are currently assisting. Az’atta wants all the peoples of Layonara to be able to immediately identify her clergy, so that they may be sought out for whatever help they can offer to those in need. As such, she requires that all of her clerics prominently display her symbol upon their person at all times when in public. This could be in the form of a device placed upon a shield or armor, a prominently displayed holy symbol, or a tabard with her symbol embroidered onto the front and back. Many of her clergy take this a step further, and proudly weave the colors of Az’atta’s symbol into their clothing as well. _Clergy and Temples_: The hierarchy of Az’atta’s clergy is fairly straightforward. All of her clerics are considered equals with one another, with the exception of her two most favored clerics, who receive the title of Handmaiden. These two clerics are the leaders of her faith, and informally share power. One of the two typically supervises the temples and their faithful, while the other watches over and assists the traveling clerics. Each temple’s resident clergy select the most qualified priest or priestess to make the day-to-day decisions at that individual temple, and they look to this cleric for guidance and direction. Otherwise, while older and more experienced clergy are normally looked up to and well respected by younger priests and priestesses, there is no other formal rank structure. Az’atta’s clergy build and maintain temples to her anywhere there are likely to be those in need of their help and protection. These temples provide hospice services and shelter for travelers, refugees, and any others in need. Her temples will also provide sanctuary and protection to anyone that Az’atta finds worthy. A great number of her clerics can be found traveling both the civilized and wild areas of Layonara. These itinerant priests and priestesses actively seek out those in need of Az’atta’s love, redemption, and protection. They can often be found in areas recently suffering from war, famine, plague, or natural disaster, doing what they can to ease the people’s suffering and protect them from further harm. There are two special Holy Days that those following Az’atta revere, and both are equally important and joyous occasions for the faith. The first of these celebrates Az’atta’s enlightenment, and the beginning of her life of service to the people of Layonara, and is known as the Day of Redemption. Her other Holy Day celebrates Az’atta’s elevation to Goddesshood by Goran and Aragen as a reward for the life of goodness and mercy she lived between her enlightenment and her death. This celebration is known simply as [[The Ascension]]. [[@Constellation| ]] _Constellation_: Az’atta’s constellation is the most observed constellation by far. Its pattern is the same every year. Constructed of sixteen stars it is known as [[The Enlightened Path]]. The Enlightened Path takes the shape of a broken heart from mid-summer, to late winter. However come spring, the stars shift in the sky, the heart becomes whole, and redemption is gained. It is a simple and elegant way to tell the tale of Az’atta. Observed by her traveling and stationary clerics every year, Az’atta’s clerics often lay outside at night and pray to Her constellation, much of the time thanking Her for showing the mercy and goodness that they may look upon the sky. It is unknown whether or not any rituals are performed to this constellation, and most think it has no arcane power, but both have yet to be confirmed. _Prayers_: Prayers to Az’atta are depend primarily upon the need of her cleric at the time. If one is about to face battle, or a great trial while protecting others, his/her prayer might sound similar to this: “[i]Az’atta, through the love that you feel for all, give me the strength to protect these good folk from harm.[/i]” A prayer for healing would likely go something like this: “[i]Az’atta, through your boundless mercy, grant me the power to heal this poor soul of his affliction.[/i]” _Aliases_: * [[The Heretic]] * [[The Wretched]] * [[The Redemptress]] _Race_: [[Dark Elf]] _Alignment_: [[Chaotic Good]] _Worshippers_: Though she is a Dark Elf, any appropriately aligned intelligent being could worship Az’atta, as she is a goddess of penance, redemption, and love. Az’atta willingly accepts any that truly believe in these principles into her service. _Cleric Alignments_: * Chaotic Good * [[Chaotic Neutral]] * [[True Neutral]] * [[Neutral Good]] _Domains_: * [[/Clerical Domains#Protection|Protection]] * [[/Clerical Domains#Good|Good]] _Governs_: * Penance * Redemption * Love _Allies and Enemies_: * _Allied_: ** [[Ilsare]] ** [[Goran]] ** [[Deliar]] ** [[Lucinda]] ** [[Aragen]] * _Friendly_: ** [[Rofirein]] ** [[Aeridin]] ** [[Toran]] ** [[Kithairien]] ** [[Shindaleria]] ** [[Beryl]] ** [[Folian S'pae]] ** [[Prunilla]] ** [[Grand]] * _Neutral_: ** [[Katia]] ** [[Xeen]] * _Unfriendly_: ** [[Vorax]] ** [[Dorand]] ** [[Shadon]] ** [[Mist]] * _Enemy_: ** [[Pyrtechon]] ** [[Branderback]] ** [[Corath]] ** [[Baraeon Ca'Duz]] ** [[Vierdri'ira]] ** [[Sulterio]]