Vauna

The Maiden of Peace

Vauna – also known as the Maiden and the Blind Lady – is the neutral good goddess of peace, balance, and truth. She is associated with doves and white poppies. She works often with the god of order, the god of life and, surprisingly, the god of war. Vauna is the patron of diplomats, judges, caretakers, nurses, midwives, parents, and neighbours, but her worshippers also often include clerics, druids and rangers. She is also known as the protector of courtesans and domestic violence victims.

As a fledgling goddess, Vauna was revered as a minor deity and more closely represented balance and equilibrium. It was at this time that she was arranged to be wed to the sleeping king for the sake of political alliances. However, this union would ultimately end in betrayal. The stories diverge here, each telling a different tale about how events played out and the motives behind them, but they all end the same way: Vauna's face is splashed with acid, and she is blinded, earning her the name the Blind Lady. Following these events, Vauna's strength grew, and her domain shifted, and she joined the major deities as the goddess of peace.

Traditionally, rulers of regions or nations would include a shrine to Vauna in their place of residence (e.g., castle or government building). This shrine, overseen by a priest and often open to the public, is home to a dove that is well taken care of as a sign of peace. In times of war, it is tradition that the ruler would personally execute the dove, representing the beginning of conflict and demonstrating their understanding of the nature of war and the bloodshed that would follow – the first casualty of war is peace. During one such time, a king refused conflict, and so his rival nation had the dove assassinated as a declaration of war.

Symbol

A painted/carved outstretched hand inside a circle.