Az'atta

[hellspawn]

•Aliases: Heretic, Redemptress, Wretched
•Race: Dark Elf
•Worshippers:
Though she is a dark elf, any appropriately aligned intelligent being can worship her. Az’atta is a goddess of penance, redemption, and love. She accepts any that truly believe in these principles into her service.
•Governs: Love, Penance, Redemption
•Mantras: Forgiving, Idealistic, Peaceful, Selfless

"All creatures of Layonara are worthy of my mercy if they choose to accept it. Offer all creatures, regardless of past acts, a chance to accept my mercy, my redemption, and my love. Venture forth into the world and use the gifts that I grant you to aid others wherever possible. Enjoy times of peace and try to uphold it, but do not be passive. Bring peace and redemption to all of Layonara in an active way. Do not, however, take up weapons or dress yourself in armor unless it is to prevent harm from coming to yourself or others."
These words are transcribed on every temple, both as a reminder to her people and as a beckoning to others. Az'attans care for those whom request it. Followers of Az'atta's Way are the providers of sanctuary and forgiveness and an outlet for penance and redemption. Seeking peaceful resolution to all that troubles Layonara, Az'attans work hard to uphold her word and to help all who ask it of them.

[hellspawn]

Az’atta forbids weapons for her clergy because she prefers her clergy not to kill or harm anyone. That is not to say they are not trained to defend themselves. Az'atta knows there are times when her people must defend themselves or those whom they have promised to protect from the violent and aggressive nature of others. Each hopeful is trained in the way of unarmed combat, usually in the style of the locality the temple exists in. Az'atta's clergy are never permitted to strike first. It is ingrained in them during their training that there is always a peaceful solution until the enemy strikes them. They may not, under any circumstances, use poison. This last teaching, if violated, is an offense that will sever Az'atta from her faithful immediately.
Az’atta wishes everyone to be able to immediately recognize 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 clergy prominently display her symbol upon their person at all times when in public. This could be in the form of 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. All are encouraged to add their own personal touch, and no particular uniform is adopted by any temple. Because this makes Az'atta’s clergy an easy mark for those who oppose her, it must be noted that this could put them in danger.

[hellspawn]

Az'atta's church structure is generally that of seniority. Preference is offered among her people for those who have committed great deeds of sacrifice or redemption.
The church, as the legend goes, was begun by her original handmaidens. Over time, the rest of the church developed around that core. Due to the long life of most dark elves, there was much time to build before the first handmaidens retired.

The church is led by two priestesses, each called handmaiden. Each holds a specific responsibility of import in the church. She who sits on the right hand of Az'atta is the Handmaiden of the Word. The right hand of Az'atta, the Word, is the hand of action, the decision maker, and the embodiment of Az'atta's compassion. She holds the power of the Word: an aging artifact that supposedly holds all writs, doctrine, and orders of Az'atta. On the left hand of Az'atta sits the Handmaiden of Souls. She is the Seer with the power to look directly into your soul. She is Az'atta's defense and the speaker of harsh truths. She spends much of her time in prayer in communion with her goddess. However, it is said that she who holds this position is never wrong in the few words she does speak once taking this position. Those faithful on the outside of Az'atta's church sometimes rumor that, in fact, she is the vessel of Az'atta's voice.

Not all positions within the church are held by priestesses. Working with the Handmaiden of Souls is Az'atta's Sight. The main goal of this position is to keep a mundane eye upon all things of interest to the church. It is currently held by its originator, a dark elf male who is rarely seen anywhere except in the company of the Seer. At the time he took the position offered to him by the Seer, he gave up his mortal name and became simply Az'atta's Sight (also known as Sight). Within the main church his story is known, but rarely spoken of, and her people believe he has given penance 10 times over for his crimes. His knowledge of the coming and goings, agendas and goals have saved lives within the church and some lives of those seeking sanctuary within. The position is newly created, during and after the Dark Ages, the activity of Az'atta's enemies increased tenfold, and as such the church had to be come increasingly careful about its works. Az'atta's Sight stopped the rash of murders of the poor that began occurring in Audira. He also has been an invaluable source of information on those who have come to request information or sanctuary.

Az'atta's Sight works with a volunteer group of sorts. These volunteers tend to be more filled with adventurers and have been known to work with mercenary guards in the recent past. However, the Sight never works with those who advocate violence, interviewing to make sure these are people willing to defend only. This group is strictly controlled and those who profess to be Az'attans are sternly dealt with if they are found to have violent tendencies, often including rehabilitation, placing with the Council, and refusal to be replaced back with the Sight's branch. Those that work with Az'atta's Sight are a small part of the church and are purposefully kept that way. They take the elite only. Often the stories within this branch are of old adventurers who have come to repent their ways of violence. Having found faith within Az'atta's Way, they give their time and expertise as a form of penance when no other way is available to them.

Also under the Seer is the Council. This position within the church oversees the well being of Az'atta's clergy, those that seek asylum, and other high-risk cases. The Council is headed by two persons in each temple to Az'atta and a yearly meeting is attended by all Council members from each temple. The Council decides on the internal workings of things such as how to deal with suspected assassins who call for asylum to get into the church as well as difficult cases when one who seeks Az'atta's help is in mortal danger from another.

In addition, these clergy members work with those who have been damaged physically and/or emotionally by their experiences, working to make them functional parts of society once again. From time to time, there are extreme cases that must be handled exclusively by the Handmaiden of Souls. At the main temple in Audira, the current Council members are Maldovi, a second generation Az'attan dark elf, and Mari Jentre, a human woman.

Under the Word are two positions as well. The first is actually the first position developed beyond the handmaidens. The Overseer is the administrative branch of the church. Each temple of Az'atta has its own Overseer. Currently at the main temple, this position is held by a human by the name of Larissa Husami. She is the fifth holder of this position and began her time within the church as a rescued woman. She stayed on to aid the church, beginning as nothing more than a maid and serving woman for the priestesses and those claiming sanctuary within. She worked her way up, learning all that she could and finding her faith inside the walls of the church. Larissa eventually was asked to take the position of Overseer as she knew the place better than anyone. In addition to managing those who work within the church, she also takes care of those who are granted sanctuary, those of the clergy who arrive from other places, and any other guests of the church. She is approaching her 60’s and beginning to feel the hard moments of her life in her bones. Always modest and cheerful however, you would never know it from her demeanor.

The Overseer is in charge of the work force, largely filled by volunteers that come in through locals and those that choose to stay on after requesting asylum or some other sort of aid. Many of those volunteering choose to use this way to repay the temple for services, like paying for the services of a midwife through maid work or gardening and come and go from time to time.

This branch includes more than just the servant work force. There is also a small contingent of crafting souls who turn Az'atta's donated resources into usable products for trade or sale to support the temples. All of Az'atta's crafted items are made with Az'atta's Way in mind. No items are crafted that have an offensive or violent nature. Rarely are these items sought by adventurers; rather, they are often sought by those in the business of protection, such as bodyguards of Sedera's royals. However, much of what is made is used by the clergy themselves and little is actually sold.

The second position under the Word is the Sound. Az'atta's Sound encompasses a lot. In essence, it is the face of Az'atta to the world. This portion of the church is co-headed by a human named Ahim ben-Elhud and a dark elf by the name Oleinnar. Ahim and Oleinnar work to keep the face of Az'atta a positive one in Sedera and led efforts to do the same around the world through the other temples and devoted sects.

The image of Az'atta can be tenuous at best in many places. Because many of her followers are dark elves, they may believe all sorts of propaganda against the goddess. There are also the endeavors of her enemies to tarnish her name. To that end, a dark elf always co-leads this position with that of a friendlier surface race. That way, the risk of cross-cultural misunderstandings is lessened a great amount.

Elections and Organizations
Within the Church of Az'atta, there are no elections, jockeying, or politics involved with the selection of persons for the various positions. The choosing of new handmaidens or any other position is done by those in the position at the time. The choosing is out of the pool of Az'attan faithful and never from one of those who currently hold a position elsewhere in the church.

Devotion to Az'atta and her Way is not to seek power—only to follow Az'atta's path and look to the people of Layonara. Therefore, once a position has been accepted, he or she can progress no further in rank. All positions are held for life. Each position works with the others in unison, including the mass cooperation between each temple to prevent a fractionate appearance of Az'atta's Way. While each temple is admonished to adapt and conform to the locality, it must be carefully balanced with the overall knowledge that the church of Az'atta works together in all things. The handmaidens are the leadership of the church, and each supporting role offers their full support to them.

Az'atta's clergy are largely built up of converts from other ways of life. However, the religion does see some second-, third-, and forth-generation worshipers in humans. As such, those in training for clergy range widely in ages, some as little as 14 and some as old as two centuries. Those who are hopeful to join the branch of the Sight do not undergo any training until such time as they are able to pass the test given by Az'atta's Sight to prove they will hold true in their devotion to Az'atta. The test is kept secret so no one may prepare or protect themselves from it.

[hellspawn]

Chain
The Redemptress has a three sects sanctioned by the order itself. The first operates in Audira and is slowly extending its influence throughout Sedera. This sect is simply known as the Chain by those who know to ask for it. What that specifically means, only those on the inside know. It is hypothesized that it means something to the effect of the Chain of Mercy or the Chain of Asylum, but the members themselves are rare. No confirmations are able to be made. The Chain seeks out those in need of Az'atta's mercy but are unable to ask for it themselves. The sick, the abused, the very young, all of these are sought by this secret society and ferried somehow to the nearest temple. In extreme cases where a temple to Az'atta is not close enough, temples to Aeridin have been sought as well.

Civil Disobedience
A second sect sanctioned by the church is a very small group of clergy who seek out people living under the rule of tyrants, cruel overlords, and even landowners who are cruel to their workers. When the conditions drop to a situation where the people are in mortal danger, these faithful of The Heretic act. They will appear on the property of the landowner or ruler and pose as statues. They remain, sustained only by their faith, unmoving until their petitions are heard. They do not give their sect a name and are largely ignored or are simply cut down by the offended leader. Most who have been affected by this group call them a nuisance only. However, a very small number of leaders have been shown the error of their ways and repented. The number of reformed to date is less then 10, but it is enough to give hope to those who wish to be proactive in Az'atta's Way. They can be found on all continents—wherever they receive word through temples or other sources that there are persons in need.

Talmetene
The final sect sanctioned by the church is a group that accidentally sprang forth from the temple in Audira. In the first century of the history of the church, the town of Audira was not yet formed, yet the small temple had many mouths to feed. Still smarting from the loss of their leader through her assassination, the first handmaidens had not yet rejuvenated their faith in people nearby and struggled to do as their goddess wished. It was a time of growth for the two handmaidens.
Within their small temple was a young child who had been rescued, along with his mother, from excessive abuse. However, it was all the child had known and this new and strange environment frightened him, and he cried, often inconsolable. It was a terrible situation for the majority of those of Az'atta's faith as their temple was still only a one room abode.

At first glance, these two problems seemed unrelated; yet with some quick thinking of two of Az'atta's newest converts, the two blossomed into a tradition that evolved into its own sect. One human hunter and a nomadic woman native to Sedera proposed the bringing in of a couple of dogs to aid in the hunting; they both had successfully used dogs at the places they had left. The woman noted that the presence of the animals often soothed child and adult alike. The handmaidens agreed after some negotiation. The hunter and woman traveled back to their previous homes and negotiated the trade of three young dogs each.

When they returned to the small temple with their beasts, they trained them for the hunt. In their off hours, the dogs naturally got to know their surroundings and the people within it. As the nomad and hunter had hoped, those who had been through traumatic situations took to the beasts. The dogs themselves sensed the need for their presence. Through the early years, these dogs bred—the six of them—producing an interesting result. The hunter continued to work with the breeding and training as his service to the church. The final result, many years later, was what is now known as Talmetene (tal Meh teen), a breed of hound only living at the first temple in Audira.

The Talmetene hounds still fulfill the role of friend to the newcomers who are in need of soothing or counsel. They also fulfill the role of hunter though not as often. The dogs when full grown stand roughly 10 hands tall at the shoulder and are built with speed and agility in mind. They have short but full fur, barely the length of the first knuckle of the pink. From even a slight distance, the adult Talmetene appear to have no fur at all due to their coloration and shortness of fur. The colors range from red to a pale beige. Talmetene pups on the other hand are small and very furry. Their coats are often mottled with the colors of black, pale beige, and reds. They are easy to lose in the surrounding scrub if one is not quick of wit or sharp of eye. Within the first year, the pups grow in their adult coat and often reach their full height.

These dogs are cared for and treated like the rest of the residents of the temple. The sect is looking into the spread of these dogs to temples with a similar climate where the dogs would be able to survive with little adaptation to a new environment.

[hellspawn]

The first temple to The Wretched was once a single-room home in what was to become the city of Audira. Over the years, more rooms were needed to house converts and those seeking asylum. As the faith grew, many pilgrims came seeking refuge to study Az'atta's Way; however, more space was needed. Audira essentially grew up around the small temple, which began as a hideout for a trio of dark elf females. The temple still has at its center the place were Az'atta lived in her mortal form. It is now housed in a domed room where only the Handmaiden of Souls and the few chosen of the Overseer's staff go, those who travel in and out to clean and tend the small domicile.
The main temple belies its age with its careful planning. However, this is the second version of the same temple; the only remaining portion of the original being the hut of Az'atta. There are several wings in the existing temple. The temple is in the shape of an octagon with a single passageway leading into the center portion of the temple, which houses the hut of Az'atta, the handmaidens’ chambers, and a few rooms dedicated to the Sight, Overseer, Sound, and Council. Each of Az'atta's satellite temples mimic the final design of the original. Each has a local touch, allowing each temple to conform to local traditions and influences. None is as large as the main temple. However, there are many shrines to Az'atta emerging throughout Layonara as her influence grows in a time where mercy is greatly sought by the people.

[hellspawn]

Prayers


Prayers to Az’atta depend primarily upon the need of her cleric at the time. This is another area her clergy are encouraged to create for themselves. There are no proper prayers to Az'atta; it is taught to simply speak from the heart.
If one is about to face a great trial while protecting others, the prayer might sound similar to this:
Az’atta, through the love that you feel for all, give me the strength to protect these folk from harm.

A prayer for healing would likely go something like this:
Az’atta, through your boundless mercy, grant me the power to heal this poor soul of his affliction.

A prayer for guidance would sound something like this:
In your merciful ways, Az'atta, offer a sign to your wretched creature so that I may know my path is true.

Holy Days
In a religion wrapped with nothing but self giving, there are days to look to one's self and days to look to that which needs reminding. Following are the thoughts of the first handmaidens when the Az'attan calendar was designed.



•New Year
The New Year, beginning Oclar 1st, represents the day Az'atta ascended into the heavens. On this day, a light feast is prepared and those within the temple spend the day at rest and enjoy the company of Az'atta's people. A light feast usually contains a porridge and broth accompanied by the fruit of the season. The drink is often home-brewed honey mead.


•Children’s Day
In the deep of the cool wet season of the deserts, a festival is held for the children of Az'atta and the locals. Aptly named Children's Day, this day is filled with games and snack foods usually made of rice, fruits, and honey. On this day, those children who have claimed sanctuary or in other ways ended up in the temple's care, are especially celebrated. For many, this is the day they mark their years by if no other date is known to them. Decilar 14th is a day of pure innocence for Az'attans of all walks.


•Sernti
A day of reflection keeps the soul humble. Sernti is celebrated on the first new moon of Febra. The day is spent in reverent prayer for most Az'attans not tending to important duties. Those unable to devote their entire day share shifts with others in their church so that at least part of the day is spent on remembering what it was that brought them to Az'atta's Way, to offer prayer to her, and to reflect on how they can improve upon their service to the people of Layonara.

[hellspawn]

•Allied:

◦Aragen
◦Deliar
◦Goran
◦Ilsare
◦Lucinda

•Friendly:

◦Aeridin
◦Beryl
◦Folian S'pae
◦Grannoch
◦Kithairien
◦Prunilla
◦Rofirein
◦Shindaleria
◦Toran

•Neutral:

◦Katia
◦Xeen

•Unfriendly

◦Dorand
◦Grand
◦Mist
◦Shadon
◦Vorax

•Enemy:

◦Baraeon Ca'duz
◦Branderback
◦Corath
◦Pyrtechon
◦Sulterio
◦Vierdri'ira

[hellspawn]

•Alignment:
◦Chaotic Good



•Cleric Alignments:
◦Neutral Good
◦Chaotic Good



•Domains:
◦Protection
◦Good