Faethir

**Faethir**  is one of the ruling gods of Thryndaheimr, titled the Goddess of Storms and Battle. She is the patron goddess of weather, winds, storms, lightning, war, revelry, justice, battle, and the race of the draul. She is a fearsome, honor-bound warrior and turbulent being who's breath stirs great blizzards and thunderstorms across Thryndaheimr, which she supposedly does to test its inhabitants. A bellowing goddess who brings with her chaos and pain, but also triumph and celebration, she and her wandering draul are sure to test the mettle of the rest of the world's inhabitants.

## Appearance and Depictions

Faethir is depicted most frequently by the draul, her incidental creations, who have many interpretations of her mighty form. Most often she is big, strong, heavy, and rugged, all things that the draul are and wish to be but at the greatest possible magnitude. Many draul depict Faethir in the form of a godly draul, their resemblance to her a sign of their innate connection, while others may depict her in a more vague though heavily built humanoid shape. The draul know Faethir as a hero-goddess, who is daring, strong-willed, and unmatched in a fight or physical contest, who uses all her might to improve herself, test the strength of others, defeat the wicked and unjust, and exact her will over the land of Faethurnn. She carries with her as weapons crackling bolts of lightning, striking the earth, her foes, and even her loyal draul with a booming clap. All that walk under the open sky do so in her gaze, and whether she will rattle the ground with a quake, batter the land with gales, or skewer choice targets with lightning is up to her unflinching resolve. She is a source of inspiration for all draul, and those of other races who follow the mobs in their journeys to be as Faethir was.

To other races, Faethir is most often a force of destruction and devastation, a personification of the hardships the land of Thryndaheimr exacts on its inhabitants through storms, eruptions, earthquakes, and blizzards. Though not revered in the classical sense, she is seen as an innate force to the world and something to be endured instead of appeased. Some cultures may take to her more noble traits, such as the Skin-folk or Vaelja, and worship her as an idol of honorable combat, exceptionalism, competitive spirit, and physical fortitude. Her heroic deeds are known by many cultures, who may interpret them less literally than the draul, and may often be used to illustrate a lesson. Though a turbulent and fleeting god always on the move and rarely remaining upon the surface of the world, Faethir retains a lasting impact due to the sheer influence she exerts over the land and those who live upon it.

To many city-builders and maintainers of society, such as the Dwargi and Alvir, Faethir is an especially loathsome goddess, who collapses buildings, freezes crops, incites discord, and brings mayhem to their lives. They have little respect for her deeds, heroic or otherwise, and have troubled relations with her fanatical draul who sow great disorder in her name. They tend to pay her little tribute and often curse her name when disaster strikes their homes. Though the Dwargi and Alvir both train disciplined and respected warriors, neither the Warguild nor the Courtblades pay her any homage, as they see battle as a grim necessity and not a source of glory as the draul might.

## Powers and Domains

Faethir embodies many qualities across different cultures in Thryndaheimr, most commonly the many natural disasters that challenge the inhabitants of Thryndahimr, and the world's warriors and heroes who accomplish great deeds and overcome formidable odds. She is a patron to combatants, athletes and competitors, favoring those with the sheer will to face challenges and emerge victorious. She also approves the work of poets, musicians and writers, who catalog great events and give sufficient praise to momentous occasions, crafting lyrical fanfare for those individuals and events worthy of recording. All who seek out glory in whatever it is they pursue, who overcome and achieve, who challenge themselves and the world they inhabit, ultimately have the admiration of Faethir and may receive her boon.

The hero-goddess is often just as mighty as her followers believe her to be, wielding the strength and endurance of a deity. Few tasks in the physical realm of Thryndaheimr are beyond her, able to topple high mountains, shake the very earth, stir up vicious gusts and storms, and stir the sea into crashing tidal waves. Thunderclouds are as chariots to her, riding them across the sky and raining down bolts of lightning and stirring the world with thunderclaps. Her breath is thought to be powerful enough to tear down forests and summon great waves across the sea, and carry bitter winter winds that may wither crops or freeze rivers solid.

## Worship

Faethir does not accept most common forms of veneration, and as the draul know she is impressed most overtly by deeds and actions, and even carefully chosen words as well. Worshipers do not build shrines or temples to her, nor do they often pray for her favor. She rewards most directly those who accomplish on their own, those bold mortals who take their own action and endure the hardships of life, not just surviving her storms but thriving within them and emerging stronger and more confident. Draul-mobs are the purest form of this expression, as they do not build settlements or maintain societies and instead wander the world in search of tasks to complete in Faethir's name. Many other races may join these mobs, but may earn her attention on their own well enough as she does not seemingly favor her children.

Deeds to accomplish in her name often take the form of besting others in combat or sport, undertaking perilous tasks with bravery and guts, and impressive acts of physical strength. It is simple for two strong-willed competitors to face off against one another and to have the victor gain some favor of the warrior-goddess, and those loyal to her may regularly challenge one another for this sake.