Azra (αζρα)

"The anger of the goddess is like that of a ferocious howling wind - should you wish to remain standing, you must brace yourself and bow whenever the time calls for it."

— Unknown Source

Azra is the chief goddess of the Southern Deities of the Helthoria Pantheon, whose domain is the sky and air, that which encompasses all of creation. She is the oldest god created by the Primordial Lord Order, and highest ranking amongst the members of the Altar Pantheon. Azra is the very reason the realm is still intact in the present day, having been the one to seal away the Underrealm invasion, at the cost of her son Satris.

History

Conception

At the dawn of the first era, in the time only inhabited by the Primordial Lords, Chaos and Order, the two rulers of the realms of old gave rise to a new line of governing celestial beings, which would go on to become the First Pantheon (See Creation Myth and World History). Azra was the first among these old gods in the first age to be created, being given precedence over the air and sky and married to the god of the Earth and ground, Iyuun. She is said to have been formed from the same darkness that Chaos used to mold the First Expanse, the building block from which the two Primordial Lords made the world.
Azra, having been the first god, was given the largest domain and declared the chief goddess of the High Pantheon, consisting of herself and the first gods created by each of the Primordial Lords; Iyuun, Yzotyl, Udum, Avean, Veah, Lumas, Cylarae and Morovas.

The Conflict

The Age of the Gods, an era that began peacefully, had abruptly reaped a conflict unlike any the realms had seen and would ever see since; with the
Azra led the charge of her allied gods in the Great Conflict, a war that waged for several centuries before at last culminating in the chief goddess' victory. The casualties of this battle were so great that they effectively cut the previous number of gods inhabiting the realms in half; this includes those on the side of Azra.

Following this Great Conflict, Azra continued to reign as the chief goddess, revered even by her fellow deities as the most powerful, whose domain was the most expansive.

Worship

Temples

As her domain encompasses the skies and air, the temples of Azra are built with open-concept or open-air designs, typically opting into architecture lacking solid walls and instead structured using pillars or similar structural arrangements.

In addition to this, her temples are generally built tall, reaching towards the crux of her domain.

Worship Conventions

Azra is often worshipped out of thanks; her followers often celebrating both her victory during the Great Conflict, and more recently her victory over the Underrealm and successful sealing of the Gate at the dawn of the era.

In addition to this, her favour is often sought towards matters involving everyday matters; such as luck in everyday life, and in matters of importance to her worshippers. There aren't typically any confines in terms of what her followers request of her.

Azra is offered a great variety of things in exchange for her favour, though most often gold, baked goods and objects of great importance to the offerer as shows of strong devotion.

^{Azra's Theme}

Alignment
Lawful Evil
Common Symbols
Dark or Fast-Moving Clouds
Bright Red colour appearing amidst an otherwise Monotonous Scenery
Sudden, Heavy Winds
Gender
Feminine
Domain
Air and Sky

Era
Era of the Gods

Pantheon Affiliation
Chief Goddess

Status
Active