Phoenicia
Sixth of Six Sisters, Phoenicia is The Goddess of Children, and Mercy. Though naive in her behaior, she is one of the most valued and respected of the Gods.
Divine Domains
Phoenicia is the most celebrated and worshipped of the Six Sisters. Across the world, hopeful parents and pregnant mothers especially pray to her for good birthing and healthy children, more than the pray to the respective Goddess that created them. Also being Goddess of Mercy, she has been especially popular among the tieflings, who have no creator to pray to. Phoenicia's merciful vision has the most broad lessions and forgiving message: all beings fail to live the lives the Gods ask of them, all wrong each other, and so the seeking of forgiveness is strong in all corners. Most churches in large cities will host an orphanage for local lost children, trying not only to to feed and care for the children, but to brighten their futures.
Artifacts
An important collection of holy artifacts related to Phoencia are the Shawls of the First Child. When each of the sentient mortals gave birth for the first time, Phonecia gave the gift of a shawl to each of the new babies, to comfort them, with each shawl having a unique appearance that would represent something of that species.
The Shawl of the ELvish CHild was made of purple silk with intricate patterns and of a long length as a testament to their long life. The Shawl of the Human Child was embroidered with arcane symbols of enchantment and protection. The Shawl of the Orcish Child was of a gray wool, showing the strength and durability of their kind and of the earth. The Shawl of the Dwarven Child was of a thick cotton to keep warm in the cold mountains, with red and orange threads to show the mastery of the flame. The Shawl of the Halfling Child was embroidered with depictions of great mountains and rivers, showing the penchant of adventure.
During The Fey Crisis, Phoenicia would make two more, for the Corrupted. The Shawl of the Drow Child was of silk as well, died in different strips of black and white patterns, showing a unity between them and their Elvish kin. The shawl of the Goblin Child was green, with small iron chains linked along the edge. This was meant to both be a sign of strength inherited from the Orcs, as well as protection of them from those what would wish to harm them. The final shawl created controversy. As the Triumverate War raged on and the Dread Lords were victorious in battle, their lesser demons were released on the helpless civilians as both victory and to terrorize the rest. Women grew pregnant, and these demonic half-breeds, named Tieflings, were seen as a threat by many. Phoenicia bade Mercy, and would grant The Shawl of the of the Tiefling Child in a rare public display to make it known where the God stood. This shawl, made of linen and died in the darkest black, would be stitched with red letters in every language read and spoken in T'sara. "A child, born of demons, is still a child".
Unfortunately, at this time less than half of the shawls are accounted for.
During The Fey Crisis, Phoenicia would make two more, for the Corrupted. The Shawl of the Drow Child was of silk as well, died in different strips of black and white patterns, showing a unity between them and their Elvish kin. The shawl of the Goblin Child was green, with small iron chains linked along the edge. This was meant to both be a sign of strength inherited from the Orcs, as well as protection of them from those what would wish to harm them. The final shawl created controversy. As the Triumverate War raged on and the Dread Lords were victorious in battle, their lesser demons were released on the helpless civilians as both victory and to terrorize the rest. Women grew pregnant, and these demonic half-breeds, named Tieflings, were seen as a threat by many. Phoenicia bade Mercy, and would grant The Shawl of the of the Tiefling Child in a rare public display to make it known where the God stood. This shawl, made of linen and died in the darkest black, would be stitched with red letters in every language read and spoken in T'sara. "A child, born of demons, is still a child".
Unfortunately, at this time less than half of the shawls are accounted for.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Phoenicia is the only one of the Six Sisters whose physical appearance moves beyond one of the Mortal races. When in their presence, she will typically manifest of the same race.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Although birthed at the same as all other Gods, Phoenicia is often thought to be the youngest, because of her youthful and naive behavior, manifesting as a child at all times. Shis isometimes thought to be the First of Six Sisters, for having create life itself. She rejects this thinking, arguing that she didn't create anything more than an idea; much more valuing her reign as the Godd of Children, a very real and tangible thing.
Her benevolent creation follows a far more dreadful one. Dineth The Destroyer was a jealous god, knowing that he lacked the creative spirit to match the sentient beings that had been created by Varissa and the other Goddesses. He could destroy what they created directly, and did not wish to bring such direct attention on himself. Secretively, Dineth had created death, one of the most surprising and consequential additions of the metaphysical realm in T'sara. It would take time for anyone to figure out what happened, but it was not long after Humans and Orcs began sucumbing to Death before the Goddesses realized that Dineth was responsible. Where others were furious, Phoenicia was clever; no God could undo the work of another, but one could find workarounds. She loved the beings that her fellow gods created, both high and low, with her idea of Life, and in order to preserve them forever, created the aspect of Children: new lifes formed from the lives and dedication of parents.
The means by which new life would be created would, at least for sentient beings, would be through physical intimacy: Veserae's dominion the activity by which all souls understood and were quite fond of. The other Gods and Goddesses were overwhelmed in joy at Phoenicia's invention, as it tying it this way would, in theory, ensure life's survival forever. None were more happy than Varissa, Vrishka, Quargh, Hjanda, and Draenysis. Dineth was furious at her, attacked Phoenicia. With Hjanda leading, the five Goddesses protected her, and it would be this moment that would define them as The Six Sisters.
Phoenicia was absent throughout The Fey Crisis. Where the other Sisters were involved in fighting, she tried to provide aid and comfort to refugees, especially children. She would also bid her followers to care for and even adopt parentless children; adoption would later become a central theme of the Phoenician Church.
Sexuality
Despite being a Goddess that is as old as the others, Phoenicia has a childlike aversion to sexuality. Those who have approached the subject with her have often found retribution of a divine wrath, usually from the protective Quargh.
Strangely, she has been known at times to manifest as a teenager and express the curiosity and attraction that is typical of adolescence. There is a terrible urban legend among teenaged boys in areas like Linthalia that Phoenicia will visit lonely and virginal teens who make the proper prayers. This has never been the case, and those foolish few who have dared try it have suffered for their gall.
Education
Phoenicias intelligence and knowledge remains a mystery. Her constant manifestation as a child or teenager includes a great deal of ignorance of the greater world that she would certainly be aware of as a God. On the other hand, she is aware of Veserae and still longing for her return, despite the impossibility.
It could be that she is merely acting in front of mortals, so that she may see how mortals behave with children. It could also be that she has manifested her aspect so completely that she is incapable of adult degrees of knowledge.
Failures & Embarrassments
There are some oversights in Phoenicias design that she regrets, though is unwilling or incapable of commenting on. Specifically, her designs on children did not permit mortals of two different species from making children, no matter how strong the desire or amount of attempts. In her defense, it would have made for a complicated mess had she tried if. Still, this has contributed to othering of one another, making the mortals further apart rather than closer together
Social
Contacts & Relations
As with most children, she is not prone to negative emotions, but Phoenicia has utter and deep despisal of Dineth The Destroyer. With his creation of Death, Dineth not only sought to ruin the world entirely, but he had also sought retribution against her personally for thwarting him. Worse of all is the heartless cruelty she sees in him. No one is immune from death, not even pregnant mothers or new born children.
Phoenicia has a conflicted, at times abusive relationship with Glokrei. He is the God of SPort, providing a means by which children may compete, express themselves, grow physically and socially, and even develop strong relationships with other children or adults. He is also the God of War, whose dreadful and needless conflicts always affect children most of all. That Glokrei does not explicitly call for the killing or harming of children in times of war has swayed her in the past, causing her merciful nature to forgive him.
Her best friend beyond the Sisters is Khalee, Goddess of Beauty, Innocence, and Seasons, as their behavior and aspects have a great deal of overlap.
Family Ties
Phoenicia has a deep love for the rest of The Six Sisters, who she is most often found in the company of, and has a strong bond with each of them, in a unique way.
Varissa has great patience and a natural maternal instinct, despite her introversion. Also, her Elves are 'children' longer than some of the other species live, meaning Phoenicia gets to know and enjoy being with them longer than the others.Vrishka's magical abilities and cantrips always impress and delight the perpetual child. Quargh is where Phoenicia feels the most safe. The Orc Goddess is also the most open to Phoenicia's youthful antics. Hjanda and Phoenicia share the deepest bond of all. Their aspects of family and children great a necessary symbiotic relationship, and the two almost become mother and child when left alone. Draenysis share's an optimstic view of the future with Phoenicia, as well as a wonder and delight in the simple parts of mortal existance.
Where the Sisters are her sisters, Mastra, god of Judgement, is her metaphorical older brother. He tries to remain the stern enforcer of right and wrong and guide Phoenicia to stay true to rules. He is also a swift arbiter of his wrathful justice on those who commit wrongs against children. Phoenicia also tries to keep in Mastro's ear, to stay his hand and beg for forgiveness and repentance of the departed souls that he judges in the afterlife.
Varissa has great patience and a natural maternal instinct, despite her introversion. Also, her Elves are 'children' longer than some of the other species live, meaning Phoenicia gets to know and enjoy being with them longer than the others.Vrishka's magical abilities and cantrips always impress and delight the perpetual child. Quargh is where Phoenicia feels the most safe. The Orc Goddess is also the most open to Phoenicia's youthful antics. Hjanda and Phoenicia share the deepest bond of all. Their aspects of family and children great a necessary symbiotic relationship, and the two almost become mother and child when left alone. Draenysis share's an optimstic view of the future with Phoenicia, as well as a wonder and delight in the simple parts of mortal existance.
Where the Sisters are her sisters, Mastra, god of Judgement, is her metaphorical older brother. He tries to remain the stern enforcer of right and wrong and guide Phoenicia to stay true to rules. He is also a swift arbiter of his wrathful justice on those who commit wrongs against children. Phoenicia also tries to keep in Mastro's ear, to stay his hand and beg for forgiveness and repentance of the departed souls that he judges in the afterlife.
Children
Aligned Organization
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