Athaera

Athaera is the Saint of Blades, an unparalleled swordswoman who personifies Xilosia's idolization of swords and swordsmanship. She was the first of the Hadean saints, and is patron of the Knights of Xilosia and the Corvan Kingdom, for whom she is the capital's namesake. In life she was an Ecclesial templar and an Imperial Knight, who ascended when she fell in battle after defeating Vogrun the Defiant and his army. Typically, she appears as she did in life—a tall, athletic Corvan Human, with long, wavy brown hair and a youthful face. She prefers to wear her combat attire: a suit of mythral half-plate with pteruges, and a crimson cloak wrapped around her off-hand. Athaera carries a magical sanctium dueling sword called Avernus, which was forged and enchanted for her by Magnus.
Athaera announces her approval with distant clarion calls and the barely audible cries of a victorious army. Those who displease her are stricken with visions of a hail of arrows that darken the skies descending upon them. Athaera is associated with horses, lions, snowy owls, and Valerian flowers. Her holy symbol is a silhouetted owl perched atop an Imperial-style helmet.
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==Options for Followers==
===Blessings===
While this blessing is active, you gain DR/- equal to your piety against attacks from enemies who you have forced or compelled to harm you instead of an ally. This stacks with any other DR you may possess.
While this blessing is active, you gain a piety bonus to attack rolls against creatures who you have challenged or declared as a smite target. Once per encounter, you may, as a swift action, declare a foe your target to gain the benefit of this blessing. This declaration ends if you attack any other creature.
While this blessing is active, you gain a piety bonus to Knowledge (Martial) skill checks. You also gain a piety bonus to Acrobatics skill checks made to move through threatened squares, and any such checks have their armor check penalty (if any) halved.
===Obedience and Boons===
Stand against the wind (if any is blowing) and swear or renew an oath to protect your friends, family, and country, particularly against any active threats you know of. Then, spend an hour practicing with a bladed weapon, keeping the words of your oath in mind during the training session. Gain a piety bonus to CMD vs disarm, sunder, and steal attempts made against that weapon for 24 hours.
Once per day, you may use grace 3/day; or vestment of the champion 2/day; or heroism 1/day as spell like abilities. Once you have chosen one of these abilities, you may not use another until the next day.
If you do not have a panache pool, at the start of each day, you gain 1 panache point. Throughout the day, you can gain panache points up to a maximum of your Charisma or Wisdom modifier (whichever is higher, minimum 1). You regain panache points as the Swashbuckler's Panache class feature, except you may use any heavy or light blade. If you already have a panache pool, you gain two more panache points at the start of each day, and your maximum panache increases by two. Regardless of whether you already had a panache pool or not, you gain access to the opportune parry and riposte and precise strike deeds, treating your character level as your effective Swashbuckler level, and can use these deeds with any heavy or light blade.
Once per day, while wielding any heavy or light blade, you may make a Perfect Strike attack. This attack counts as and behaves like a charge attack, except that you may move through allied squares, you add your Charisma or Wisdom bonus to the attack roll (whichever is higher, minimum 0) in addition to the normal bonus a charge gets, you do not take a penalty to AC, and you do not need to move any distance (although you can still move up to double your speed in a straight line). If the attack hits, it deals additional damage equal to (1d10 per two character levels you possess + the higher of your Charisma or Wisdom Modifier [minimum 0]). This extra damage is never multiplied, and affects creatures normally immune to precision damage. If an effect would allow you to make multiple attacks at the end of a charge, this extra damage applies only to the first attack you make at the end of the charge.
===Character Options===
*Domains Community (Cooperation), Glory (Duels, Heroism, Honor, Legend), Strength (Resolve), War (Blood, Duels, Tactics)
*Inquisitions Chivalry, Persistence, Tactics, Valor
*Disciplines Golden Lion, Mythral Current, Scarlet Throne, Vermillion Blade
==Description==
===Dogma===
Athaera asks that her worshipers work for peace, but prepare for war. An Athaeran must always be ready to defend their home, family, and friends; and thus their body, equipment, and skills must be kept in the utmost combat readiness. The highest sin in Athaera's eyes is cowardice, and those who abandon the ones they should protect are the lowest of the low to her. Athaera also respects those who work to strengthen their community, and regards self-sacrifice as the highest virtue.
As a Hadean Saint, Athaera does not have her own church, but her worship is a subsect of Hadeanism in Ecclesiastic tradition.
===The Clergy===
Most of Athaera's clergy are Paladins and Warpriests, since she demands action and martial prowess from her followers. They serve as Ecclesial templars, defending the Imperium and upholding justice within it. Like other Hadean templars, they typically have ranks in Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Nobility), (Tactics), and (World), Perception, and Sense Motive.
===Shrines===
Hadean Saints do not have their own dedicated temples, but in settlements where they are popular, they often have shrines within the city's basilica and other places important to their dogma. Athaera's shrines are typically found in places of importance to the Knights of Xilosia, and the largest of them is found in the Colosseum at Athaers.
===Clothing===
Like the other Hadean Saints, Athaera's religious vestments are based off of Hadeus' and rooted in Imperial culture. Most of Athaera's clergy wear suits of armor as their religious vestments, emblazoned with the appropriate holy symbols and sometimes accessorized with stoles, laurels, or ornate helmets.
===Holy Texts===
Like the other Hadean Saints, Athaera has a chapter dedicated to her in the Book of Saints, the third book in Hadeus' Crimson Testaments. Her chapter is the first, since the Saints are listed in chronological order of ascension.
===Rituals and Holidays===
*Athaera's Day is the 17th of Liln, and marks the anniversary of Athaera's defeat of Vogrun the Defiant, as well as her ascendancy to sainthood. The day is typically celebrated by a great feast where war stories are recounted. The OM of any army lead by an Athaeran commander is increased by 1 on this day.
===Relations with other Religions===
Athaera is good friends with Magnus, whom she knew in life and who forged her blade. She also enjoys the company of Hyperion and Lexius, although she regards them as being often irresponsible—a claim which they do not deny. She respects Ventius' strength and his quest for redemption, but does not trust him. Like all Hadean Saints, she despises Ximatia and her servants, but unlike most Hadeans, she admires Amen-Arum and wishes for the two religions to make amends.
===Realm===
Athaera is mistress of the Crusader's Fields, a vast expanse of lush plains in the ream of Hadea. Here are held the mock wars that keep residents of the Hadean afterlife entertained, and Athaera herself officiates such events, using her dominion over the place to mold the weather and geography of the place to suit the battle at hand. She maintains a small fortress on the edge of the fields, which overlooks the path into Elysius.
===Vassals===
Athaera is second in command to Hadeus' personal Herald, Vindicator Alecta. To this end, she can take command over the host of Hadean Angels, as well as the Fortean Legions.
*Aeneas (Unique Angel) This snowy owl is actually a cassisian angel in disguise, although he prefers to keep in his avian form. Erudite, haughty and slightly sardonic, Aeneas was sent by Hadeus to guide Athaera in her quest to defend the Imperium in its infancy, and he remains her constant companion and messenger to this day.
====Elioud====
Like all mortal-born gods, Elioud of Athaera bear a strong familial resemblance to her. They tend to take very well to athletic pursuits, enjoying friendly competition and tests of mettle.
Category:Hadeanism
Category:Deities of Community
Category:Deities of Glory
Category:Deities of Strength
Category:Deities of War
Category:Major Deities
Category:Saints
Category:Lawful Good Deities
Category:Deities