Erima, the Gentle Matron

Divine Mother Dearest

Erima is known as the Goddess of the Warm Embrace and holds the fourth seat on the Pharosso Pantheon.
She is considered the goddess of the home, family, and summer.
Ever the gentle flame amidst a raging inferno, Erima unites those around her in a gentle embrace of familiar comfort. Her loving heart and disciplined mind has long served to keep the peace amongst her fellow deities, as well as bless the mortal races with the caring gaze of a nurturing goddess. Charged with reinforcing the bonds of family, she's gained great influence across all of Gailardia as many homes offer her prayers on a daily basis, making her the most common household deity.

Appearance

Erima is well known to be one of the most humble deities when it comes to her appearance. While others become enraged over depictions unbefitting of their grandeur, Erima instead dislikes an image of power. As such, she often appears in the simple clothing of a common mother, offering her warm embrace to those who need it. Others depict her doing mundane tasks, the most common being farming or tending to plants or animals.
No mortal is said to have borne witness to her true form, although many like to claim differently. The most common belief is that she is but a mere sprite of fire, a humble flame only the size of fingertip. This leads many to associate her with the light of a candle, her followers offering their prayers in its soft glow. Others associate her with the flames of the hearth or the warmth of a summer's day, leading to her only outstanding features being her hair, often glowing softly with a fiery light, and occasionally bearing a cloak of flame on her back.

Personality

Her humble appearance extends to her very nature as she's not known to flaunt her divine powers. Instead, whenever possible, she'll always favor a hard day's work over the ease of using her gifts to solve her problems. This philosophy extends towards those she chooses to aid, always pushing them to grow and better themselves instead of taking the short way out. This makes her one of the most diligent deities, along with a spirit that never knows when to quit.
Erima's known to be a gentle soul, always seeking to aid those in need whenever she's able. Her blessings may come in the form of bringing people together or using her powers to make lands, animals, or people alike fertile when times bring nothing but despair. Erima's one to often try to walk amongst mortals, lending her humble hand when times are rough and wishing nothing in return but to see the smiles of gratitude.
However, while she's certainly a kind and warm soul, so too is she well known for strict discipline. Many stories speak of her motherly nature in ending the conflicts between other deities, keeping them in line and enforcing their place as beings of great power. While not one to anger easily, she holds no love for those choosing selfish lives, especially those who abuse the trust of others around them. Anyone who'd misuse a long-lasting bond will know only her rare and undying hatred.

Abilities

Although not one to make use of her powers, unless necessary, Erima does possess great power like her fellow deities. Her powers of fertility extend into a gift of life and healing, which is her much preferred way to aid her allies. Wielding only a limited capacity for martial combat, Erima's not known to engage in conflict with anyone, choosing instead to end them through diplomacy and kindness.
She also wields a great kinship with animals, especially those domesticated by civilization. Her wisdom in particular favors society over the wilds, from mastering the professions of mortals to handling relations amongst families and other strong bonds. Should she be required to fight, she'll more often than not use her magic to trap her foes in hopes of reasoning with them. If forced to end another soul, she'll always do so with her sword, wishing not to use the wonders of magic to kill.

Worship

Erima is widely considered the most powerful and noteworthy household deity due to her charge over protecting the bonds of family. As such, even some of the most ruthless cultures are known to pay her slight homage through their actions alone. But for those who truly believe in strong familial ties, she's very present in their daily lives. Even such acts that might be associated with other household deities are often attributed to her as well, leaving her with many followers as some care little for anything else but the safety of their relatives.
Not known for having a lot of true followers, she's often credited with housewives being her most devoted servants. Others include the matrons running orphanages but can also extend to certain arcane colleges. These commonly devote their study to fire and can seem like large families of outcasts and lost souls coming together. Her followers aren't known for traveling and would rather settle somewhere in peace. But those that do often accompany others, as home and family to them is always present so long as they're together.

Commandments

• Respect your elders. Take heart in the knowledge of the past to pave way for the future.
• Care deeply for the familiar bonds forged through blood and water alike.
• Home is a sanctuary. Stand fast against those who would defile this most sacred sanctum.

Notable Relations

Allegiances

• Lyon - Often associated with the miracle of life, Erima holds Lyon in high regard for his noble service in weaving the souls of the newborn she watch over with a mother's care.
• Zynnah - The bonds of family are often rooted in one of many loves for another, leading Erima and Zynnah to stand together as close allies and fellow matrons.
• Cira - Erima is widely known to be one of the most gentle souls with no desire to wield her powers against others, traits she share with her close friend Cira.

Oppositions

• Camus - Camus was the first to shatter the familial bonds across the World Tree, forever branding himself an enemy of Erima's eternal charge.
• Harakhos - Harakhos' failure to unite his pantheon as one, instead splintering their elemental unity, is a deed Erima considers a most disheartening stain on Divinity.
• Izrir - Many dark souls amongst Divinity care little for others, those who pretend to do so for their own ends being no friend of Erima, such as the vile Izrir.

Divinity

Goddess of the Warm Embrace

Title(s)

Mother of the Gentle Flame
Heart of the Hearth
Bringer of New Life

Moral Compass

Oath & Conscience

Symbol

Stone /w a small flame carving

Phrase

May the soothing hearth embrace you

Reputation

Revered

Presence

Prominent

Plane

Thalamorr 

Realm

Home of the First Flame