Aerthane, Goddess of Air |
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Aerthanian History
Aerthane, Goddess of Air, is one of four elemental Gods that brought about the second age, the Age of Immortals. Aerthane gave purpose to those whom worshipped the lightning strikes in the sky or the changing winds as omens and signs of terrible things to come. The earliest written records of her elven existence speak of someone who never lingered anywhere she did not wish to be. There's never mention of a home, only passing stories from different regions of the world. She had such a profound impact on all those she encountered that upon her passing, those closest to her refused to let her body be buried beneath the cold, unmoving earth. Her ascension speaks of her body being placed atop the highest peak in Archai and becoming one with the swirling winds.
The legends told of the days leading to the Great Shattering suggest it was Aerthane who visited Itzal following Pyrous' unsuccessful encounter. Although she was dismissed in the same fashion as Pyrous, her venture was not without purpose. In the short amount of time she was there, Aerthane was able to study Itzal's research on not only his new Shadow properties, but also that of his discarded Light findings. Aerthane quickly discovered the natural balance that Light would have against Shadow and together with the other three elemental gods agreed to give this neutralizing power to a mortal capable of using it for its intended purpose. This leap before you look, analyze on the spot mentality is a particular trait that has developed naturally over time in aerthanians.
Accepted Races
The Avardi, an elven race devoted to the element of wind and transformed by the Great Shattering, are the chosen race of Aerthane. Large populations of sylves and gargoyles have always worshipped Aerthane because of the freedom of flight, and pockets of aerthanian argali clans reside in remote mountain regions. Although humans and vukasins are spread out amongst all the religions, neither are heavily represented within the Aerthanian culture. Gavials that align themselves with Air are often loaners set adrift on a course away traditional soceities. Less common still are aerthanian bolinaus. Loyally devoted to Her teachings, but abnormal from a race that often seeks tangible rewards over personal or spiritual gains.
Accepted Professions
Air-mages, priests, and templars typically make up the temple hierarchy. From these classes, a leader is chosen by the faith and given the title of Prelate. This is most often a priest, but in rare instances a templar or air-mage have been known to fill the position. Scouts favor Aerthane almost as much as they do Tetherias, enjoying the freedoms of nature without the moral restrictions the Tetherians practice. Assassins, warriors, and barbarians also serve important roles within the religion, most often through their unique skill sets that solve more on the battlefield than in the political arena. Aerthanians regularly find themselves in political positions to have a voice in matters that would potentially upset the religious freedoms they so highly value.
Colors, Sigils, and Other Representations
Aerthane is most often represented in whites and greys. A white dragon is the most connected animal representation, but other prominent family sigils have been adopted by the masses over the years. Birds of prey are the most common of these, most notable being a falcon and a hawk. Many Aerthanians favor the metal arcsilver due to the process in which it is made. Though valuable to all, colorless diamonds are often worn by those whom worship the Goddess of Air. Milky white opals are also adorned by many of the faith. Aerthanian architecture consists of smooth surfaces with large amounts of marble and white oak; both coveted for their resilience against harsh wind conditions.
Beliefs and Characteristics
Aerthane, the Goddess of Air, represents all of those who value the freedom to make their own choices in life. Followers believe in a world without boundaries. Though this encompasses their carefree beliefs, they can quickly turn defensive and even violent the moment they feel confined in any way. Often incorrectly viewed as impulsive, they do expend quite a bit of energy in the preparation and planning for which they fight. The divide between Aerthanians internally comes down to how their views of freedom are applied. There are those who only apply these beliefs to the faithful of Aerthane, and those who would see Aerthane's teachings applied to all walks of life. Aerthane is often viewed as the most chaotic of all the religions, elemental or not. To confine or remove choice from an aerthanian is to bare witness to the passionate rage they could unleash upon you in an instant. In extremely dire circumstances, imprisoned followers of Aerthane have been known to take their own lives rather than remain caged indefinitely.
Interacting With Other Religions
The Aerthanian religion is historically most often at odds with Tetherias, the Goddess of Earth, due to the latter's more constricting and uniformed approach to the world. During the battles between Shadow and Light leading up to the Shattering, Aerthanians sided with Astraeva, an alignment not forgotten by the Itzalites of today. They are most closely associated with Pyrous, the God of Fire. In the north, the Isles of Kaleith and Aerthane share a healthy alliance built on trade. On New Archai Isle, however, the Aerthanians closeness to the Astraevans and their feud with the Kalesian-led forces over ocean dominance have led to a more volatile relationship.
Read more about Aerthane in the following selections from the libraries of Archai.
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