Fenya, Goddess of Wisdom and the Home

The White Weaver, Mistress of the Hearth, Swanmaiden, The Watcher in the Walls

Fenya was once a fey creature who escaped Annwn in the form of a swan and hid in the court of Svarog. There, she overheard the Queen of Harpies plotting to trick Svarog and Valend into going to war with one another. Fenya tried to warn Svarog, but he was impossible to sway from his anger. She then flew to Valend’s castle to warn him, and being the more reasonable of the two gods, was able to counter and avert the plot without confronting Svarog. As a result of their meeting, Fenya and Valend fell in love, and at their wedding he fed her the apples and mead of Otherworld, conferring upon her divinity so that Arawn could never drag her back to Annwn, and they could share their lives for eternity.

She is a goddess of the home and simple crafts who is much beloved by commonfolk, but she is also a goddess of eloquence and cunning. There are many tales where she plays little direct part in the story except to provide the wisdom that resolves things to the benefit of everyone. As a result, she has a reputation for cunning and manipulation and is sometimes seen as a meddler who involves herself in the affairs of gods and mortals alike, while seeming to be just an observer with little to gain from the situation.

Fenya is also a goddess of secrets. It is said she hears and sees everything and that she has spies everywhere. Birds and insects in particular are her agents and let her remain at home, doting on her husband, while she directs a network of such proxies and minions to eavesdrop and manipulate events on her behalf. Famously, her husband remained completely unaware of this side of her nature.

Before the Long Night, Fenya dwelt in Valend’s castle and was aware of everything that happened within its walls. Now that her husband has vanished, or been killed, she is assumed to dwell there still, but as a goddess of home and family, she must have been affected by his loss. Some say she mourns him forever or stands atop their castle looking to the horizon waiting for his return, but others claim she has left Otherworld behind and hides amongst mortals lest she suffer the same unknown fate as her stalwart husband.

Portfolio: Creativity, Crafts, Hospitality, the Home, Cunning, Wisdom, Secrets
Domains: Animal, Community, Knowledge, Luck, Trickery
Subdomains: Education, Feather, Home, Imagination, Innuendo, Insect
Anathema: Spells which cause direct damage (e.g. spiritual weapon, harm)
Favored Weapon: Dagger
Holy Symbol: White Spindle
Associated Animals: Birds (especially swans), Insects (especially spiders)
Superstition: If you tell a swan or a spider your troubles along with a secret that you’ve never told anyone else, Fenya will soon hear of it and will fix your problems, and she will keep your secret as payment.
Dwelling: Aelwyth Arwyr, Hearth of Heroes, Valend’s castle in the Otherworld