Leira (LAIR-uh)

Overview

Leira has worn many masks, and more than once has been thought to be dead or to be another deity altogether. Perhaps such a reputation is only natural for the goddess of illusion and deception. Her faithful agree that whatever the “truth” might be, their Lady takes great delight in the confusion sown by her various incarnations. Even the faithful of Cyric once taught that their god killed Leira, but now they espouse the strange idea that somehow she is his daughter. Leira isn’t viewed as malicious or as a trickster but is seen as enigmatic, quiet, and retiring. She is credited with inventing Ruathlek, the language of illusionists and the spoken tongue of Nimbral.
The faithful of Leira seem to be scarce, although it is difficult to know this for certain because those who favor her rarely make their inclinations known. Leira is the patron of illusionists and liars. She receives little regular worship except from illusionists, who pray to the Mistshadow for potency in their magic, and con artists, for whom she is a kind of champion. Most people pray to her when they hope to keep something secret, or placate her with a prayer before making an important decision when they fear being deceived. Some folk perform a swirling motion with a finger behind their backs when telling a lie as a way of beseeching her for aid.
Her priests wear vestments of white and mist-gray, and their faces are covered by smooth, featureless masks. Only in Nimbral do temples to Leira exist, and shrines dedicated to her found across the continent are usually disguised as other kinds of sites, marked with signs that only the faithful would recognize.

(The Glamoured are creations of Leira but none truly know for what purpose)

Ethos & Dogma

She was an enigma, never telling the truth when falsehood would do. Everything she did and said was shrouded in layers of illusion and lies. Leira had quite a small following. Her priests, known as Leirans, or Worshipers of the Mistshadow, wore silver masks and often disguised themselves to deceive those around them. Leirans would speak the truth only to other Leirans. High-level clerics of the Leiran faith were called Mistcallers.
Leirans believe that the Lady can be anything, anywhere, but that is not what it seems. They are taught to make folk everywhere doubt what they believe and see in order to restore Holy Mystery to the world. Leirans are to give as well as take, to raise hope as well as dashing hopes. Leirans must never tell the truth when less can do and never use a half-truth when a lie would serve better. They should speak the truth whenever possible only to fellow worshipers of Leira. Novices in the faith are charged by the whispering mists of the goddess that: "The Lady is never quite what you think she is. Truth is a worthless thing to know and worth even less to speak aloud. Never speak the truth when falsehood will suffice. Cherish and further illusions and rumors, for distortion and legend, are what makes folk happy and life alluring. Hiding a thing gives it value by the very act of cloaking."

Religious Orders

• Church of Leira
• Mistcallers
• Mistwalkers

(The gifts of illusion, deception, and stealth are dangerous foes)

History & Relationships

Leira's allies were Mask, who betrayed her, and Azuth. Though she had no enemies, she was opposed by Oghma, as her lies were a hindrance to knowledge. Despite a fog of counterclaims and declarations, Leira perished shortly after the Time of Troubles at the hands of Cyric and Mask (in the form of Godsbane). Mask betrayed her to Cyric, and the goddess's portfolio was subsumed by Cyric. Churches of Leira still operate, and their priests receive spells, but these are granted by Cyric in the guise of Leira, although the Leiran either do not know (most of them) or do not care. Leira was an enigma since she covered everything she did and said with layers of illusion and falsehood.
She was apparently content with her small following and had no great and glorious plans or ambitions. On a personal level, she seems to have been a very private power and the only passing friendship she maintained was with Mask—who treacherously betrayed her to her death at the hands of power-hungry Cyric. She had a formal, cooperative relationship with Azuth, patron of spellcasters, and was disliked by Tyr, who pursues justice through truth.

(The rolling mist of Leira can be an effective tool for both defense and offense)

Tenets of Faith

• The truth is worthless
• Embrace legend for true happiness
• Lies add value

(Leira the Goddess of Illusion and Deception)

Holy Symbol

(The Holy Symbol of Leira)

Statistics

Titles

• The Guardian of Liars
• Lady of Mists
• Lady of the Mists
• The Mistshadow
• Mother of Illusionists
• The Lady of Deception
• Mother of All Illusion
• Lady of Mists
• Guardian of Deception

Adjectives

• Leiran

Portfolio and Domains

• Illusion
• Deception
• Charm
• Trickery

Common Worshipers

• Illusionist
• Liars
• Con-Artists

Favored Manifestations

• Smokelike Mist
• Marids
• Dopplegangers
• Mimics
• will-o'-wisps

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Divine Classification

Lesser Deity

Alignment

Chaotic Neutral

“Leira is the Goddess of Deception, this wouldn’t be the first time she obscured her whereabouts from us, simply to prove her power to hide outstrips our ability and patience to seek.”
— Oghma, god of knowledge and long-time enemy of Leira