Desna
Blessed is the long road, the destination, the homeward path, and all who make the journey. Let each dream be a bright star in the night sky of your mind, lighting your path in the day. —Prayer carved on a shrine near Magnimar
The Song of the Spheres, the Great Dreamer, Starsong, the Tender of Dreams, Lady Luck
The night didn’t know beauty until Desna came into existence. While the other gods toiled away to create the world, she set her sights on the heavens, placing each star in the sky. After surveying her artistry, she hung the brightest star high in the north and made it her home. Her first gift to mortals was this beacon of hope, a twinkling sign in the dark sky that they could turn to when lost or unsure of themselves. Desna provides safe passage through the darkness to all, should they choose to follow.
Desna journeys without end, for the wonders of the universe are endless. She relies on instinct to guide her, paying no mind to planning or destination. Her lapsing attention may come off as uncaring or cold, but Desna simply prefers an untethered, carefree existence. Her confidence in herself and her followers frees her from the indulgence of worry. She knows fate can always be rewritten and encourages others to embrace all that life has to offer. Desna wants her followers to take chances, get messy, and live life to its fullest. Those who follow her teachings she rewards with a spot of luck—revealing unseen shortcuts, dangers to be circumvented, and undiscovered wonders.
Desna is an ancient being, born during the dawn of time, but her sense of wonder has never faded. Even so, she is no stranger to hardship, understanding that fate can be cruel and love can be lost. This only strengthens her resolve. She believes in good luck, and that people can make their own fortune in life. To Desna, no one is ever truly lost; they need only find their way back to the path. She revels in mystery, being herself somewhat of an enigma, but she can always be found on the side of hope. Light always pierces the darkness, and all nightmares eventually give way to dreams.
Desna is an impulsive and aloof goddess who delights in freedom, discovery, and mystery. Her aloofness stems not from arrogance, but from confidence in her own abilities and her desire to be unburdened by troubles. She is a collection of contrasts— an ancient goddess who dislikes predicting the future, a traveler who cares nothing for her destination, a carefree creature of instinct haunted by a past stretching back eons, and a peaceful deity forced to battle with old enemies, eternally young despite the weight of ages and stars upon her.
Some believe Desna is flighty, frivolous, and easily distracted, but she has a cold side born of loss, tragedy, and battle. As a luck goddess, she always believes there is a chance for success, but knows that dreams can turn to nightmares and bright destinies can become dark fates; these opposites in her own nature define her and give her things to strive against. She challenges those who would corrupt her domain or who have wronged her friends or followers, striking at them with burning starlight, bad luck, and energies alien to Golarion.
Although her dominion over dreams and stars means that many seers, diviners, and mystics revere her as an informal goddess of prophecy, she delights in the freedom of people to choose their own destiny. She prefers to use prophecy as a tool for exploration and creating choices, not for limiting action and snuffing hope, and finds “doom and gloom” prophecies and those that seem to guarantee good people will commit horrible acts. She hands out such warnings only in the direst circumstances, generally in dreams, and if she must send dreams that portend despair, she may grace a follower in need with the benefit of a helpful spell upon awakening (such as aid, magic vestment, prayer, protection from evil, or remove fear) that persists throughout the day. Thus does she pair dark portents with hope that the outcome may still be bright.
When Desna has a message for one of her faithful, she prefers to intervene in dreams, sending simple impressions, visions, or even prophecies that the sleeper clearly remembers upon awakening. When dreams are unsuitable or time is short, she indicates her favor with flights of swallowtail butterflies, sparrows, dragonflies, geese flying in a four-pointed star shape, or the timely arrival of messenger birds. She typically shows her disfavor with dreamless sleep that fails to refresh the sleeper (as if the person had not slept at all), sore feet, messenger animals losing their messages, and minor travel accidents.
Desna watches over those who travel for any reason. Trailblazers, scouts, adventurers, and sailors all praise her name. (Although most sailors honor Gozreh in some fashion, he is a temperamental deity, and a little luck from Desna often comes in handy during a storm.) Her influence over luck also makes her a favorite among gamblers, thieves, and others who rely on fortune for shady dealings.
Desna usually appears to her followers as a beautiful but remote elven acolyte of her faith. In this guise, she aids people in need or suggests relevant excerpts from her holy writings, The Eight Scrolls, as a way to lead the faithful on the correct path. She is not above singing to lighten dour moods or dancing with those whose confidence is in need of reinvigoration. When Desna wishes to reveal her true nature, she transforms her common clothing into a billowing silken gown and grows brightly colored butterfly wings on her back, although in somber situations her wing colors are pale and moth-like.
The goddess loves music and live performances. Legends say Desna played the world’s first song by ringing the stars to celebrate the gods’ completion of the material world. Her faithful have embraced her love of music and the arts and are often performers themselves, with many modern songs and dances having their roots in Desnan worship. Artists devoted to Desna have created some of the most famous poems and ballads on Golarion and often perform in conjunction with Shelynites. A sizable portion of Desna’s priesthood are bards, spreading her songs across the world on their travels. Desna encourages her followers to chase their bliss, find what impassions them, and explore. She recognizes love in all its forms and remains committed to her lovers Sarenrae and Shelyn. She also shares a close relationship with Cayden Cailean and has no reservations about taking on new lovers. Desna is protective of those she cares for and does not hesitate to strike back at any who would hurt or impede those she has placed under her protection.
When making a rare appearance to mortals, Desna appears as a beautiful woman with long dark hair and shining stars in her eyes. Brilliant, colorful patterns of pinks, purples, and blues trail behind her like a comet’s tail as her majestic butterfly wings fly her through the cosmos. If she wishes to make her desires known, she imparts wondrous dreams to her followers, allowing them the rare opportunity to dance among the stars with her.
There is little sense of authority within the Desnan church, though on Golarion it is a faith that dates as far back as ancient Azlant. The church lacks any sort of hierarchy, and priests are valued by the tales of the journeys they’ve undertaken and the experiences they’ve had rather than for any seniority. A typical Desnan service is performed almost entirely in song, with interludes of dance, storytelling, and dream recollection interspersed throughout.
Most centers of worship for Desna are not ornate temples but instead small, unattended shrines. These shrines are most commonly found at crossroads, remote areas of beauty, or the tops of hills where the stars can be viewed unimpeded. Traveling Desnan priests clean and maintain these shrines as they encounter them, leaving their signatures behind as a way of marking their own journey.
Her detachment has not prevented her from acquiring enemies, most from long-standing feuds or old grudges. Her biggest enemies are Ghlaunder and Lamashtu—the former because she accidentally released him from his cocoon and thus set his evil loose into the multiverse, and the latter because she murdered Desna’s mentor, Curchanus. Desna also battles Zon-Kuthon, for she wants the night to be a time of wonder rather than of fear and oppression, and Rovagug, who contests her for the void of space. The goddess also watches for signs of numerous forgotten and departed deities from ages long past, guarding against their unlikely but ever-possible return.
Desna’s only true sources of comfort among the deities are Sarenrae, who tends the wounds she receives in battling the evils of the night, and Shelyn, who reinvigorates her spirits and creates new wonders to be explored.
Desna’s followers don’t spend much time worrying about anyone else’s faith, although they’re happy to talk about their own if asked. They’re not averse to paying their respects at shrines or temples to most other good-aligned gods, or welcoming members of other faiths with which Desna is friendly into the safety of their temples or homes when those guests are threatened or in need. As long as others respect their ways, they’ll return such respect; the road to truth passes through different landscapes for everyone, and a Desnan would never interrupt someone else’s journey unless that person were in mortal peril. Desna’s footloose dreamers are polite but cautious—some might say aloof—toward followers of deities who encourage their faithful to settle down, such as Abadar’s congregations and worshippers of Erastil; they are protective of their right to wander, and don’t take kindly to attempts to tie them to one place. Though members of other faiths might see Desnans as flighty or disapprove of their amusement at religious practices they consider stodgy, Desna’s faithful can be just as implacable as the adherents of any other good-aligned faith when it comes to opposing evil. They are especially dedicated to guarding against the return of ancient, evil gods, and to rooting out cults of Ghlaunder and Lamashtu.
Night Monarch: This enormous moth or butterfly serves as Desna’s herald, and rises to protect Desna’s faithful and combat her enemies in times of great need. Surprisingly stealthy despite its size, the Night Monarch soars through the sky in near silence. It resembles a titanic moth or butterfly with brightly colored wings. The shifting patterns depicted upon its wings always reflect some aspect of the quest the goddess has willed it to take up. Depending on the herald’s progress, these markings may resemble elaborate constellations and star shapes, swift blowing winds and clouds, or even harsh streaks of falling meteorites. Sighting the Night Monarch is thought to bring good luck and favorable dreams, which many hold to be visions from the goddess herself. Followers of Desna who spot the Night Monarch sometimes go so far as to set up shrines to the goddess marking the event. If destroyed, the Night Monarch reappears later in full health, but Desna’s mortal worshippers consider attacking the creature blasphemy and go to great lengths to avenge the creature’s temporary death.
Nightspear: This fierce avoral has jet-black feathers with white spots on the tips, and his eyes are a bright silver that becomes dull and opaque when he’s hunting or hiding. He is especially proud of his ability to pull up out of a full plummet with only inches to spare. He has an excellent singing voice and often belts out heroic songs of his own composing mid-battle.
The Prince of the Night Sky: This arrogant djinni once served Gozreh, but joined Desna when he found her attitude more to his liking. He appears as a djinni made of dense white smoke or inky black darkness dotted with bright stars (alternating between the two at whim). In either form, he has a long black beard, which he keeps meticulously combed. For payment, he prefers jewelry and items that summon air elementals.
Sorrowbrand: This dramatic lillend is a composer and author. Her scales are a silvery black, and she wears dozens of black silk ribbons in her hair. While she enjoys helping mortals, she constantly complains that it takes time away from her study and writing. She prefers payment in the form of bardic scrolls or long-lost songs.
Desna journeys without end, for the wonders of the universe are endless. She relies on instinct to guide her, paying no mind to planning or destination. Her lapsing attention may come off as uncaring or cold, but Desna simply prefers an untethered, carefree existence. Her confidence in herself and her followers frees her from the indulgence of worry. She knows fate can always be rewritten and encourages others to embrace all that life has to offer. Desna wants her followers to take chances, get messy, and live life to its fullest. Those who follow her teachings she rewards with a spot of luck—revealing unseen shortcuts, dangers to be circumvented, and undiscovered wonders.
Desna is an ancient being, born during the dawn of time, but her sense of wonder has never faded. Even so, she is no stranger to hardship, understanding that fate can be cruel and love can be lost. This only strengthens her resolve. She believes in good luck, and that people can make their own fortune in life. To Desna, no one is ever truly lost; they need only find their way back to the path. She revels in mystery, being herself somewhat of an enigma, but she can always be found on the side of hope. Light always pierces the darkness, and all nightmares eventually give way to dreams.
Desna is an impulsive and aloof goddess who delights in freedom, discovery, and mystery. Her aloofness stems not from arrogance, but from confidence in her own abilities and her desire to be unburdened by troubles. She is a collection of contrasts— an ancient goddess who dislikes predicting the future, a traveler who cares nothing for her destination, a carefree creature of instinct haunted by a past stretching back eons, and a peaceful deity forced to battle with old enemies, eternally young despite the weight of ages and stars upon her.
Some believe Desna is flighty, frivolous, and easily distracted, but she has a cold side born of loss, tragedy, and battle. As a luck goddess, she always believes there is a chance for success, but knows that dreams can turn to nightmares and bright destinies can become dark fates; these opposites in her own nature define her and give her things to strive against. She challenges those who would corrupt her domain or who have wronged her friends or followers, striking at them with burning starlight, bad luck, and energies alien to Golarion.
Although her dominion over dreams and stars means that many seers, diviners, and mystics revere her as an informal goddess of prophecy, she delights in the freedom of people to choose their own destiny. She prefers to use prophecy as a tool for exploration and creating choices, not for limiting action and snuffing hope, and finds “doom and gloom” prophecies and those that seem to guarantee good people will commit horrible acts. She hands out such warnings only in the direst circumstances, generally in dreams, and if she must send dreams that portend despair, she may grace a follower in need with the benefit of a helpful spell upon awakening (such as aid, magic vestment, prayer, protection from evil, or remove fear) that persists throughout the day. Thus does she pair dark portents with hope that the outcome may still be bright.
When Desna has a message for one of her faithful, she prefers to intervene in dreams, sending simple impressions, visions, or even prophecies that the sleeper clearly remembers upon awakening. When dreams are unsuitable or time is short, she indicates her favor with flights of swallowtail butterflies, sparrows, dragonflies, geese flying in a four-pointed star shape, or the timely arrival of messenger birds. She typically shows her disfavor with dreamless sleep that fails to refresh the sleeper (as if the person had not slept at all), sore feet, messenger animals losing their messages, and minor travel accidents.
Desna watches over those who travel for any reason. Trailblazers, scouts, adventurers, and sailors all praise her name. (Although most sailors honor Gozreh in some fashion, he is a temperamental deity, and a little luck from Desna often comes in handy during a storm.) Her influence over luck also makes her a favorite among gamblers, thieves, and others who rely on fortune for shady dealings.
Desna usually appears to her followers as a beautiful but remote elven acolyte of her faith. In this guise, she aids people in need or suggests relevant excerpts from her holy writings, The Eight Scrolls, as a way to lead the faithful on the correct path. She is not above singing to lighten dour moods or dancing with those whose confidence is in need of reinvigoration. When Desna wishes to reveal her true nature, she transforms her common clothing into a billowing silken gown and grows brightly colored butterfly wings on her back, although in somber situations her wing colors are pale and moth-like.
The goddess loves music and live performances. Legends say Desna played the world’s first song by ringing the stars to celebrate the gods’ completion of the material world. Her faithful have embraced her love of music and the arts and are often performers themselves, with many modern songs and dances having their roots in Desnan worship. Artists devoted to Desna have created some of the most famous poems and ballads on Golarion and often perform in conjunction with Shelynites. A sizable portion of Desna’s priesthood are bards, spreading her songs across the world on their travels. Desna encourages her followers to chase their bliss, find what impassions them, and explore. She recognizes love in all its forms and remains committed to her lovers Sarenrae and Shelyn. She also shares a close relationship with Cayden Cailean and has no reservations about taking on new lovers. Desna is protective of those she cares for and does not hesitate to strike back at any who would hurt or impede those she has placed under her protection.
When making a rare appearance to mortals, Desna appears as a beautiful woman with long dark hair and shining stars in her eyes. Brilliant, colorful patterns of pinks, purples, and blues trail behind her like a comet’s tail as her majestic butterfly wings fly her through the cosmos. If she wishes to make her desires known, she imparts wondrous dreams to her followers, allowing them the rare opportunity to dance among the stars with her.
There is little sense of authority within the Desnan church, though on Golarion it is a faith that dates as far back as ancient Azlant. The church lacks any sort of hierarchy, and priests are valued by the tales of the journeys they’ve undertaken and the experiences they’ve had rather than for any seniority. A typical Desnan service is performed almost entirely in song, with interludes of dance, storytelling, and dream recollection interspersed throughout.
Most centers of worship for Desna are not ornate temples but instead small, unattended shrines. These shrines are most commonly found at crossroads, remote areas of beauty, or the tops of hills where the stars can be viewed unimpeded. Traveling Desnan priests clean and maintain these shrines as they encounter them, leaving their signatures behind as a way of marking their own journey.
Relations with Other Religions
While friendly toward most other deities, Desna is ultimately a lone wanderer who remains aloof, and her sometimes-tragic history has left her cautious about leaving herself vulnerable to others. She is aware that some find her remoteness enticing, however, and she coyly encourages even godly paramours to explore and discover new things while trying to court her. Recently, Cayden Cailean has made attempts to woo Desna, a flirtation she finds endearing.Her detachment has not prevented her from acquiring enemies, most from long-standing feuds or old grudges. Her biggest enemies are Ghlaunder and Lamashtu—the former because she accidentally released him from his cocoon and thus set his evil loose into the multiverse, and the latter because she murdered Desna’s mentor, Curchanus. Desna also battles Zon-Kuthon, for she wants the night to be a time of wonder rather than of fear and oppression, and Rovagug, who contests her for the void of space. The goddess also watches for signs of numerous forgotten and departed deities from ages long past, guarding against their unlikely but ever-possible return.
Desna’s only true sources of comfort among the deities are Sarenrae, who tends the wounds she receives in battling the evils of the night, and Shelyn, who reinvigorates her spirits and creates new wonders to be explored.
Desna’s followers don’t spend much time worrying about anyone else’s faith, although they’re happy to talk about their own if asked. They’re not averse to paying their respects at shrines or temples to most other good-aligned gods, or welcoming members of other faiths with which Desna is friendly into the safety of their temples or homes when those guests are threatened or in need. As long as others respect their ways, they’ll return such respect; the road to truth passes through different landscapes for everyone, and a Desnan would never interrupt someone else’s journey unless that person were in mortal peril. Desna’s footloose dreamers are polite but cautious—some might say aloof—toward followers of deities who encourage their faithful to settle down, such as Abadar’s congregations and worshippers of Erastil; they are protective of their right to wander, and don’t take kindly to attempts to tie them to one place. Though members of other faiths might see Desnans as flighty or disapprove of their amusement at religious practices they consider stodgy, Desna’s faithful can be just as implacable as the adherents of any other good-aligned faith when it comes to opposing evil. They are especially dedicated to guarding against the return of ancient, evil gods, and to rooting out cults of Ghlaunder and Lamashtu.
Planar Allies
In addition to her servitor races, the thyrlien and the lyrakien, the following unique outsiders serve the goddess of dreams, and willingly answer only to planar ally and similar spells cast by her worshippers.Night Monarch: This enormous moth or butterfly serves as Desna’s herald, and rises to protect Desna’s faithful and combat her enemies in times of great need. Surprisingly stealthy despite its size, the Night Monarch soars through the sky in near silence. It resembles a titanic moth or butterfly with brightly colored wings. The shifting patterns depicted upon its wings always reflect some aspect of the quest the goddess has willed it to take up. Depending on the herald’s progress, these markings may resemble elaborate constellations and star shapes, swift blowing winds and clouds, or even harsh streaks of falling meteorites. Sighting the Night Monarch is thought to bring good luck and favorable dreams, which many hold to be visions from the goddess herself. Followers of Desna who spot the Night Monarch sometimes go so far as to set up shrines to the goddess marking the event. If destroyed, the Night Monarch reappears later in full health, but Desna’s mortal worshippers consider attacking the creature blasphemy and go to great lengths to avenge the creature’s temporary death.
Nightspear: This fierce avoral has jet-black feathers with white spots on the tips, and his eyes are a bright silver that becomes dull and opaque when he’s hunting or hiding. He is especially proud of his ability to pull up out of a full plummet with only inches to spare. He has an excellent singing voice and often belts out heroic songs of his own composing mid-battle.
The Prince of the Night Sky: This arrogant djinni once served Gozreh, but joined Desna when he found her attitude more to his liking. He appears as a djinni made of dense white smoke or inky black darkness dotted with bright stars (alternating between the two at whim). In either form, he has a long black beard, which he keeps meticulously combed. For payment, he prefers jewelry and items that summon air elementals.
Sorrowbrand: This dramatic lillend is a composer and author. Her scales are a silvery black, and she wears dozens of black silk ribbons in her hair. While she enjoys helping mortals, she constantly complains that it takes time away from her study and writing. She prefers payment in the form of bardic scrolls or long-lost songs.
Holy Books & Codes
The faithful of Desna care little for heavy tomes of holy doctrine or arguments over the most righteous path. They prefer their religion concise, entertaining to read, and easy to carry.
The Eight Scrolls: These eight short scrolls contain all the official doctrine of the church, summarizing Desna’s early days as a goddess, her interactions with other deities, her discovery of her powers, and the fixing of the stars in the night sky. The fifth scroll contains the church’s words regarding the behavior of mortals, which sparks many friendly debates among the faithful. Desna is a goddess of inherent contradictions; fortunately, her loosely organized church accepts all plausible interpretations of the scrolls that do not radically deviate from standard church teachings. The scrolls are short enough that they all fit within two scroll cases (one if the writer’s handwriting is particularly fine).
Shrine Writings: Wayside shrines to Desna are typically covered in graffiti, most inscribed by traveling followers of the goddess. It is said that the goddess herself grants inspiration at such places, and that those who add drawings, scribbled verses, or life observations upon the shrine are granted safe travels and good luck.
The Eight Scrolls: These eight short scrolls contain all the official doctrine of the church, summarizing Desna’s early days as a goddess, her interactions with other deities, her discovery of her powers, and the fixing of the stars in the night sky. The fifth scroll contains the church’s words regarding the behavior of mortals, which sparks many friendly debates among the faithful. Desna is a goddess of inherent contradictions; fortunately, her loosely organized church accepts all plausible interpretations of the scrolls that do not radically deviate from standard church teachings. The scrolls are short enough that they all fit within two scroll cases (one if the writer’s handwriting is particularly fine).
Shrine Writings: Wayside shrines to Desna are typically covered in graffiti, most inscribed by traveling followers of the goddess. It is said that the goddess herself grants inspiration at such places, and that those who add drawings, scribbled verses, or life observations upon the shrine are granted safe travels and good luck.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Desna’s holy symbol is a butterfly with images of stars, suns, and moons upon its wings. She is called the Song of the Spheres, the Great Dreamer, Starsong, and the Tender of Dreams.
Tenets of Faith
Desna teaches her followers to indulge their desires, experience all they can, and trust instinct as a guide. Her faithful are often wide-eyed, exuberant people, embracing the world in all its strangeness, and willing to jump in with both feet. Desnans aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, their feet wet, or their knuckles (or faces) bloodied while living life to its fullest. Critics call them hedonists, but that’s an exaggeration, as worldly experience, rather than pure sensation, is their true goal. Ascetics, hermits, and meticulous planners are unknown in her church. Her faithful teach that it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission, as sometimes a unique opportunity requires a split-second decision, whether it’s a chance to touch a dragon’s egg, savor a rare fruit, or passionately kiss the mayor’s son.
The goddess encourages her worshipers to believe in themselves and express their inner strengths, often in the form of music, dance, or theater. Many songs penned by her faithful become popular tunes for dancing and gatherings, and numerous old favorites are attributed to long-dead Desnan bards whose musical legacies have persisted for centuries. Some people believe the custom of a traveling bard paying for his lodging with a song stems from Desna’s church, and like bards, followers of Desna encourage young folk to sing and dance in the hope of discovering hidden talents.
The goddess encourages her worshipers to believe in themselves and express their inner strengths, often in the form of music, dance, or theater. Many songs penned by her faithful become popular tunes for dancing and gatherings, and numerous old favorites are attributed to long-dead Desnan bards whose musical legacies have persisted for centuries. Some people believe the custom of a traveling bard paying for his lodging with a song stems from Desna’s church, and like bards, followers of Desna encourage young folk to sing and dance in the hope of discovering hidden talents.
Holidays
Given their lack of unified structure and penchant for spontaneous celebrations, the church of Desna has few formal holidays. Two major festivals stand out from the dozens of minor occasions and celestial events.
Ritual of Stardust: This celebration takes place on the summer and winter solstices, bracketing the shortest and longest nights of the year (and thus the best day to travel and the longest night to view Desna’s stars). A great feast starts at dusk with several large bonfires throwing sparks into the darkening sky. When dusk turns fully to night, the faithful sing until the fires burn down to glowing embers, then throw handfuls of sand laced with star gems (star rubies, star sapphires, or rose quartz) on the coals or into the air downwind of the festival. Pledges of friendship and journeys follow the stardust ritual, with the winking speckles of sand mirroring the stars in the sky and representing Desna bearing witness to the words. Some cultures include prayers for good harvests or mild winters, depending on the season.
Swallowtail Release: Legends tell of a portion of Desna’s spirit plummeting from the heavens after a great battle with Lamashtu. A blind orphan nursed Desna’s avatar back to health, and to thank the child, the goddess transformed her into an immortal butterfly. In this form, the child could forever fly around the world, seeing its wonders. In honor of this event, the church raises swallowtail butterflies, releasing them from a netted wagon on the first day of autumn in front of a crowd of the faithful. These “children of Desna” fill the air for the rest of the day’s singing, feasting, and storytelling. Desna’s followers believe it is good luck for a butterfly to rest on them during the festivities. Larger temples sometimes have enclosed gardens where they raise the caterpillars for eventual release on the holiday; smaller temples or those in climates that won’t support butterflies might release dry leaves or corn husk fragments painted to look like butterflies.
Ritual of Stardust: This celebration takes place on the summer and winter solstices, bracketing the shortest and longest nights of the year (and thus the best day to travel and the longest night to view Desna’s stars). A great feast starts at dusk with several large bonfires throwing sparks into the darkening sky. When dusk turns fully to night, the faithful sing until the fires burn down to glowing embers, then throw handfuls of sand laced with star gems (star rubies, star sapphires, or rose quartz) on the coals or into the air downwind of the festival. Pledges of friendship and journeys follow the stardust ritual, with the winking speckles of sand mirroring the stars in the sky and representing Desna bearing witness to the words. Some cultures include prayers for good harvests or mild winters, depending on the season.
Swallowtail Release: Legends tell of a portion of Desna’s spirit plummeting from the heavens after a great battle with Lamashtu. A blind orphan nursed Desna’s avatar back to health, and to thank the child, the goddess transformed her into an immortal butterfly. In this form, the child could forever fly around the world, seeing its wonders. In honor of this event, the church raises swallowtail butterflies, releasing them from a netted wagon on the first day of autumn in front of a crowd of the faithful. These “children of Desna” fill the air for the rest of the day’s singing, feasting, and storytelling. Desna’s followers believe it is good luck for a butterfly to rest on them during the festivities. Larger temples sometimes have enclosed gardens where they raise the caterpillars for eventual release on the holiday; smaller temples or those in climates that won’t support butterflies might release dry leaves or corn husk fragments painted to look like butterflies.
Symbol
Edicts
aid fellow travelers, explore new places, express yourself through art and song, find what life has to offer
Anathema
cause fear or despair, cast nightmare or use similar magic to corrupt dreams, engage in bigoted behavior
Areas of Concern
dreams, luck, stars, and travelers
Centers of Worship
Kyonin, Lands of the Linnorm Kings, Nidal, Numeria, River Kingdoms, Ustalav, Varisia
Allies
Calistria, Cayden Cailean, Chaldira, Gozreh, Sarenrae, Shelyn
Enemies
Ghlaunder, Lamashtu, Rovagug, Zon-Kuthon
Temples
hilltops, observatories, standing stones, towers
Worshippers
astronomers, dreamers, explorers, gamblers, travelers
Sacred Animal
butterfly
Sacred Colors
blue and white
Favored Weapon
starknife
Domains
dreams, luck, moon, travel
Alternate Domains
star, void
Divine Ability
Dexterity or Charisma
Divine Font
heal
Divine Skill
Acrobatics
Divine Classification
Deity (Ancient)
Religions
Church/Cult
Siblings
Kurgess
(divine protégé)
Children
Ruled Locations
Aphorisms
Desna’s followers collect stories, phrases, and habits from many parts of the world. A few have become common among the faithful across the Inner Sea region.Be ready for challenges and unexpected friends: Worshipers should train in combat or magic so they can overcome adverse situations in their travels. They should be especially vigilant for agents of the Old Cults and harmful creatures from the Dark Tapestry, but should welcome friendly travelers from far places and distant stars.
Feet are for walking: Desna teaches that it’s better to wander and explore than to stay home and grow stale in thought and habit. Those who can’t wander in the flesh may still explore through their dreams and through the stories of others.
Follow a hunch, but bear the consequences: If faced with a sudden problem, worshipers should be guided by intuition and emotions if reason doesn’t provide an obvious answer. If this leads to something harmful, they are responsible for repairing the harm that is done.
Learn from what is different: Desna’s followers should accept others who espouse friendship, regardless of race or religion. They learn redemption and acceptance from Sarenrae, appreciation of beauty from Shelyn, bravery from Cayden Cailean, passion from Calistria, magic from Nethys, combat from Gorum, nature from Gozreh, and more. Ignoring the teachings of other religions is ignoring the chance to learn.
A copper for the song, a copper for the road: It is customary to pay a Desnan bard 2 coppers. The first copper is out of respect for Desna, and the second is either to acknowledge the performer’s skill or a plea for the bard to perform elsewhere.
A star cannot see its place in the sky: When worshippers doubt themselves or their path, they are reminded that a single star cannot conceive the role it plays in the harmony of the heavens. Even when alone, they walk alongside Desna.
You are never lost following butterflies: Desna’s faithful trust in their intuition and the signs their goddess provides them.
Desna’s Sorrows
All of Desna’s followers know stories of the two greatest sadnesses that the goddess carries with her.Ghlaunder’s Hatching: While wandering the Ethereal Plane long ago, Desna discovered a strange cocoon that pulsed with magic. Curious, she broke it open and released a mosquito-like being called Ghlaunder, which immediately attacked her. She easily fended off its attacks, but the resilient creature managed to escape before she could destroy it. Now Ghlaunder plagues the mortal world as a demigod of parasites and infection. Desna still hunts the godling and his cults in the hope of wiping them out or perhaps turning his power to a more positive end, just as leeches can aid certain ailments and maggots can cleanse infected wounds. Her priests teach this story as an example of how every life contains mistakes and bad choices, but it is better to live, make those mistakes, and accept the challenges they present than to hide away and do nothing.
Lamashtu’s Trap: In her earliest days as a goddess, Desna’s mentor was Curchanus, a mostly forgotten god of beasts, travel, and endurance, and Desna spent many nights listening to stories of his travels. Curchanus’s greatest enemy was Lamashtu, who longed for his control over beasts. Lamashtu set a trap for Curchanus, leading him on a strange wandering path into her realm, where she swarmed him with horrible monsters, finally attacking in the guise of a deformed jackal and tearing his beast-dominion from him. This wound was too great for the elder deity, and as his dying act he willed his power over travel to Desna. Since this theft, wild animals have treated mankind as invaders rather than a part of nature, and Desna still searches far and wide to find a way to force Lamashtu to surrender Curchanus’s stolen power.
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