Astendar
Passion Astendar
Typical Appearance
Astendar commonly manifests as a powerfully built male or female of any race, wearing few garments and carrying a musical instrument.Powers
Astendar can entrance listeners with music, instill lust or love, restore youth, and transform into the sound of a song and float through the air, leaving the melody in her wake.Questors
Many questors of Astendar are artists. Sensual pleasures, such as gourmet food, comfortable clothing, or a lingering kiss, fascinate them. Their tendencies to indulge their desires often get them into trouble; regarding their actions as inspired by their Passion, they wrongly assume everyone sees those actions in the same light. However, others frequently view their indulgences as mere decadent enjoyment unchecked by self-control or common sense.Commentary
Astendar is the living muse of romance and the arts. Tales abound of artists paid a visit by Astendar who spent a feverish night alternately working at the easel and making love with the Passion. Such a gift of inspiration is not lightly given, and a visit from Astendar usually marks an individual for greatness. Astendar also takes an interest in lovers, both young and old. One well-known incident involved a widow and widower who wanted to marry. Their children, however, believed their respective parents too old for romance and discouraged the courtship. Kept locked in their houses by their children, the couple appealed to Astendar for help. The Passion heard their pleas and agreed to aid them if they created a painting together. At first, the couple had no idea how they might do this, for they could not meet or see each other. Driven by their longing to marry, they finally came up with a plan. The couple hired a Thief Adept they knew to carry a canvas back and forth between their two houses. Every night for many weeks, one of them added to the painting, and the thief carried it off to the other house just before dawn. As the painting neared completion, the lovers found themselves waiting more and more anxiously every night to see the other’s handiwork. Slowly but surely, Astendar’s painting turned a solid friendship and gentle affection into excitement, anticipation, and deepening love. At long last they finished the picture, astounded by the beauty of their work. The exquisite painting so pleased Astendar that she made the couple young once more. Bolstered by their renewed strength, they broke free of their prisoning homes and ran away together. As for the Thief, he was rewarded with the painting, which he sold for a handsome price.
Children
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