Maistraketh, Exarch of the Stars (My Strah Keth)
The Goddess and Crystalline Dragon of the Cosmos, Maistraketh nurtures the very stars as she casts her friendly gaze over the denizens of Aden below. While many pray to Exol for guidance in their travels; the moon being a compass of sorts, the Exarch of the Stars is prayed to not only for protection, but also the promise of safety for those newly brought into the world, their gleaming light having just started to shine. Truly, in a lot of ways, Maistraketh and the Divine of the Moon go hand in hand despite their difference in Domain. One is the cycle of birth, the other is the continuation of that new life.
The Goddess, however, commands more than just a motherly bond with her followers, and while she is very much quick to nurture and protect, she often finds herself joyously discovering new things about person and place alike. Inquisitive to a fault, some might say, her curiosity has supposedly led her to her own fair share of mishaps, particularly with the Draconic Quartet family as -- with her existence as a dragon -- they were constantly blamed for the Exarch's mischief. Her kind and gentle heart was one of not only support, but a playfulness and desire to bring smiles to her "clutch." It is even said that the starry night sky is because of a parlor trick that she once showed to her clutch, she turned her head upwards and channeled her radiant breath into the inky black sky and as it traveled into the cosmos, it froze and solidified into the bright stars that can be seen all over to this very day, her way of assuring her clutch that her presence is always with them, even in the darkest night.
Naturally, this is contested by some other pantheons, but it is myth that is passed down through her followers.
Maistraketh's followers are almost always the optimistic sort, and it is rare to see even just one brought to melancholy by anything the world throws at them. They are happy to help, happy to listen, and happy to stay. It is oft joked that Maistraketh must really be The Goddess of Joy with just how generally pleasant their followers are, though they do come with their own propensity for mischief just like their Patron. The common thought is "While you can always be safe beside Maistraketh's Clutch, your pride is in grave danger." They will often make sure you are in utmost health, but likely won't let you leave without a harmless trick or two before absolutely assailing you with questions about your heritage or your culture or absolutely anything you can offer to teach them. When all is said to done, they give great reverence to a star-filled sky, thanking the Exarch for another wondrous night.
You either love them or hate them. It's hard to find an inbetween for Maistraketh and her Clutch.
Despite her warm nature, however, most of her followers find residence in frozen mountain tops or other such highland places, praying for protection against Frost Giants or White Dragons who threaten the safety of otherwise peaceful peaks. This preference for the peaks and the motherly nature of the Exarch sometimes leads those who give birth to an unwanted child to trek to mountain peaks in hopes that upon leaving the child there, that the Dragon Mother will adopt and foster the abandoned. This tale is the main reason why many young mothers pray to her after Exol blesses them with a safe birth.
Divine Domains
Maistraketh's domains are Stars, Knowledge, and Trickery. A being said to be descendant from the cosmos itself, the Exarch of the Stars is always ready to learn and always willing to play with her children. She has revered the stars from both Draconis and from her relatively new home amongst the beings of Cerebrum, and fit in well with them as she aspired to learn everything she could about everything there is to know, her belief being that you never stop learning; as though she were a starry eyed child. It is that childish innocence that encourages her to cause mischief and harmless trouble, as though it were all a game to uplift her and her clutch.
Maistrakethian Clerics, when they descend from their mountain monasteries, are primarily Knowledge, Trickery, or Twilight domain.
Artifacts
"The Twilight Star" - The artifact finds its roots in Maistraketh herself, said to be a shard of her that fell from Draconis straight down to Aden in a massive explosion. Clearly unintentional, it is said that Maistraketh herself descended and shattered the massive spire that pierced Aden's landscape all while apologizing profusely - quickly taking the shards with her before departing from the material plane.
One such shard was left uncollected, in perfect shape and form to be used as a righteous and radiant fragment of the cosmos, which artisans have drawn inspirations from to create modern-day Morningstars.
Holy Books & Codes
"A Comprehensive Guide to the Sea of Stars" - Part deeply-informative-holy-teachings and part Prank, Maistraketh's holy tome is worded in a sly and vague enough way as to trick scholars into thinking that they've found a full guide on the Astral Sea when in reality, they've simply borrowed Maistraketh's Code of Niceties.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Maistraketh's holy symbol depicts a sea of stars with three crystal shards imposed over it, with the allusion of each star being just another fragment of Crystal, whether it be from Maistraketh herself, or from the nature of the cosmos. All of this is encased in a half circle, almost looking as though it were all heralded by a rising moon - often thought to be Draconis.
Tenets of Faith
- There is never an end to knowledge, always learn all that life has to offer.
- Care for those around you as if they were your own, and your nights will never be dark.
- Bring a smile to others' faces, whether by charity, assistance, or a harmless prank.
- Beauty is ever present in this world, sometimes it truly is okay to take a deep breath and simply observe.
Divine Classification
Intermediary Goddess
Alignment
Chaotic Good
Species
Realm
Church/Cult
Children
Gender
Female
Aligned Organization
Comments