Ilyse, the Avian Messenger

The Wings of Ascension

Ilyse is known as the Goddess of Soaring Words and holds the sixth seat on the Aalynien Pantheon.
She is considered the goddess of birds, messengers, and friendship.
A common children's tale speaks of how Ilyse was one of the many birds who perched upon the mountain that would become Oranok. Never fearing the towering god, she fed off of berries growing along his ear, gaining immortality and sharing in his travels as his companion. When their journey took them to Aalya, only she could travel across the skies and so the two friends parted ways. Years later they would reunite, the gentle giant shedding a tear upon seeing the little bird having grown into a goddess.

Appearance

Ilyse has been depicted as just about every type of bird known to mortals. Just as many believe her to be a small and common bird, others like to make her out to be a mighty falcon or hawk. Her true form has been the subject of great debate and different communities often prefer to simply choose whatever form they believe in, only select few rarely making a fuzz about it. However, regardless of her form, she's commonly depicted as carrying a small bag of scrolls in her talons.
Many also choose to give her humanoid qualities, believing that she might've gained such after her ascension. These often follow a similar theme, granting her a short and youthful form, clad in simple cloths with her bag close at hand. Much like her true form, the color of her feathers varies greatly, some of which she uses to form a small crown. She's often surrounded by other birds wherever she goes, carrying a bright smile as she speaks with every single one.

Personality

Ilyse is commonly said to be a beacon of kindness and curiosity. She will always try to forge new friendships, whether for herself or between others. This makes her incredibly diplomatic and one who rarely resorts to violence. In fact, she's known to pick flight over fight whenever possible. This is especially true when her curiosity gets the better of her as stories speak of how she loves to explore and find hidden chambers and lairs, often suffering the fury of its masters.
Her kind heart also makes her despise the wicked. Sadness can easily overtake her if confronted by cruelty and so she's quick to avoid conflicts between such individuals. Unfortunately, as her domain takes her to every corner of all realms, she's forced to occasionally suffer their presence. Regardless, she upholds her charge to the letter, never faltering even in the face of the most terrifying beings that will inevitably stand before her.
While she does know suffering from extended exposure to the unkind, intimidation has no effect on her. There's not an ounce of fear in her heart, braving any darkness or the unknown with a smile on her face. It's said that because of this she tends to speak her mind and test new people to expose their hearts, curious to know who she's dealing with. Some like to look at this as her being a pest even if she never intends to insult or bother anyone with her actions.

Abilities

One of her most immediate qualities is her ability to fly, a skill which many claim that she commands better than all other deities. Along with perfect maneuverability, and a small size to easily navigate small crevices and passages, Ilyse's incredibly fast, rivalled only by select few. This nimble nature and great speed is said to be maintained even in a humanoid form, allowing her to easily evade her foes and make a quick escape if things get dicey.
Her origins and domain over animals allow her to speak with birds of all kinds at any time. It's widely believed that she gains knowledge of the world around her from the stories brought to her by her feathered friends. She's also incredibly skilled at weaving words together for diplomatic purposes or to bluff her way out of a bad situation. If ever she's forced to take up arms she wields a thin rapier, almost invisible to mortal eyes, confusing her foes with her swift moves before piercing their hearts for a quick death.

Worship

The story of Ilyse's origins is commonly one of the first stories ever told to children, making her well known from an early age. Along with an emphasis on forging friendships as they grow up, she's incredibly well received by kids around the world. But as they grow up, most tend to move on to other deities, the faith of the young never truly devoted. However, people who travel often are well known for favoring her, as well as those who serve as messengers of nations or diplomats. Her most faithful followers are however the bird tribes of the wildkin.
Those who travel under the gaze of Ilyse often possess some kind of bird carving. This might be a simple carving or sculpture on their carts, a figurine kept safely in their bags, or a feathered accessory. Her followers commonly share her kindness and work towards peace and unity amongst those they encounter. They'll often engage in gossip and gather knowledge from wherever they can, whether to bring news to others or further their own ends. Adventurers also have a habit of praying to her, either favoring her over Oranok or hoping that through her, their words will sooner reach the lord of adventures.

Commandments

• Be kind to all. Let not those who lash out stain your heart.
• All are one. Let not differences of body and soul tear apart unity.
• Soar freely. Let not burdens and the unkind halt your ascent.

Notable Relations

Allegiances

• Yune - Ilyse is believed to work closely with Yune as her messenger across the World Tree, bringing the Will of the Land and her own guidance to the other deities with great celerity.
• Oranok - Oranok and Ilyse are widely believed to share the closest bond of friendship between any pair of deities, their story known far and wide from an early age.
• Auros - Several similarities can be made between Auros and Ilyse due to their avian nature and focus towards a sense of freedom and goodness of heart.

Oppositions

• Camus - Regardless of how Ilyse embodies friendship, there are those like Camus who refuse her kindness, often resulting in her distaste for bringing the banished lord any messages.
• Harakhos - Due to the nature of his prison, Ilyse prefers not to make her way into the abyss of Harakhos and is said to have abandoned her quest to warm his twisted heart.
• Zhaarn - With no known paths into Zhaarn's realm, most believe Ilyse to only bring him news from afar, much to her own delight and safety as but a single opening could spell disaster.

Divinity

Goddess of Soaring Words

Title(s)

Speaker of the Skies
Friend of the Mountain
Spirit of Kindness

Moral Compass

Oath & Conscience

Symbol

Blue pigeon

Phrase

May the winds be ever at your back

Reputation

Honored

Presence

Illusive

Plane

Aalya 

Realm

Peak of the Kind Mountain