Aria

Demigoddess

At A Glance
Alias:             Mother of the Empire Symbol:            A heavy mace upright, with a silver crown around the shaft Home Plane:        The Axis Alignment:         Lawful Neutral Portfolio:         Rulership, politics, nobility Worshippers:       Generals, leaders, aristocrats Cleric Alignments: LE, LG, LN Domains:            Community, Law, Nobility Favored Weapon:    Heavy Mace

History
Aria is the only ascended mortal from the Third Age in the Taldaran pantheon - the founder of the Empire, a woman who defied traditional roles for her gender and created an empire that still stands after two thousand years. Venerated by the Pantheistic church after her death, her spirit was raised by Evighet to the level of a demigod, bringing her into the pantheon as an example of leadership. She appears, in the rare times that she manifests, as a stately human woman dressed in elegant purple robes, carrying a golden scepter (heavy mace) and wearing an elegant silver circlet on her head. Deeply revered in the Empire, Aria tends to limit her manifestations to those that worship the pantheon as a whole, and encourages her followers to be accepting of the other gods, except for the evil primordials. Typically, her cohort Varaxus, a LN axiomatic great blue wyrm, whom she converted to her cause, accompanies her.

Dogma
Aria has a relatively simple doctrine, in that leaders have a responsibility to rule well, and that the most qualified should be the ones to lead, regardless of other considerations. While Aurinko leads by shining example, and Forstorelse promotes tyranny and domination, Aria blends the two. Lead by example, but the world is not a perfect place, and sometimes-foul deeds must be done to maintain the safety and well being of the people. She is not a pacifist, and in life learned a bit of fighting from her mortal parents. She thus commands her followers to not hesitate when there is a threat that attacks them or their flock.

Clergy and Temples
Aria's clerics are generally advisors to royalty, if not royalty themselves. Many of them are also fighters, leading by example in battle and deeds. Others are more manipulative, often having levels of aristocrat or bard, enjoying the social negotiations and battles needed to keep their charges in power. Very popular among the nobility and ruling class, clerics of Aria also enjoy a fair amount of support with the people as well, and many commoners see Aria's priesthood as a way of escaping their social status. The priesthood doesn't discriminate based on noble blood, preferring to judge people according to their worth, which leads to a surprising number of commoners influxing the priesthood ranks. This, in turn, gives the ruling class insight into how the common folk regard them and their ideas. Aria has few actual temples, often instead having shrines within the Pantheistic Church temples, or chapels inside noble households.

Diety specific Items
Mark of Aria

This black-mithril pendant bears bloodstone inlays in the shape of the shape of the blood full moon, and hangs from a matching chain. It functions as a normal holy symbol, and in addition, has the following powers. When worn by one of Aria's faithful of Lawful alignment, it provides a +5 sacred bonus to all Diplomacy checks, and grants the ability to cast Order's Wrath 1/week as a 7th level cleric. Market Price: 9,150 gp