Aeronwen

> *"From blood, resolve. From abjection, hope. From defeat, victory."*
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> - *Creed of the Redeemers.*
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Aeronwen is the Racial God of the Aasimar, as well as the Major Ascended God of Hope, Perseverence, Redemption, and Vengeance. She is revered as an icon of strength and resilience, as well as a symbol of hope to the downtrodden and those seeking redemption. She resides in the Celestial Plane of Apotheosis; a construct of her ascended consciousness from which she can observe the world she once saved.

Aeronwen's features are unknown to most, her face almost always obscured by her beloved death mask: Final Peace. According to those who knew her in life, she is said to be incredibly pale, with noble features perfectly arranged on an eerily symmetrical face. Her voice is said to be playful and witty, bringing light to dark situations with gentle reassurance and gallows humor. Others say her voice is cold and ravenous, an unnerving sound that sparks fear in any who hear it.

Aeronwen's form varies depending on who she converses with, though her true form is believed to be that of an ethereal woman. Her body is a flowing mass of searing radiance mixing with an ever hungry void. Her features appear to be in a constant state of disintegration, her face dissassembling itself in a billowing cloud of gold-flaked ash and smoke that forms her hair. Those who stare into the whispy emptiness of her being are said to vanish, their mind, body, and soul devoured by an all-consuming hunger.

## Aeronwen's Influence

Aeronwen's dominions are hope and perseverence. She brings light and life to those who beseech her for it, and strength to those who require it. The tales of her deeds have spread across the Many Realms, inspiring others to follow her example. It is by her existence that countless heroes have risen to combat the many injustices and cruelties of the world, and it is by her grace that they find the strength to survive, fight, and win.

She is further associated with redemption, having been subject to its grace during her mortal life. Once a cruel and misguided woman, she managed to overcome the manipulations of the Fourth Sacrament thanks to Venatha of Arsenae. Fighting to fix the injustices her former comrades perpetuated, she managed to avenge the innocent that she once oppressed. Eternally grateful for the clemency others showed her, she in turn has become a symbol of redemption, and eternal proof of the innate capacity for good others can possess.

However, Aeronwen's greatest association is with vengeance. Battered and beaten by many foes during her life on the Prime, the Godeater came to hold an intense resentment for those who wronged those she cared about. Her vengeance was often brutal and swift, more often than not resulting in the absolute destruction of her enemies. This characteristic fury has persisted after her ascension, changing Aeronwen's perception from that of a hero into a Holy Avenger: an arbiter of the True Justice. No weapon or army can protect you. No law or fortification will shield you. Should you earn the ire of the Redeemer, the only thing between you and absolute destruction is time.

Aeronwen acts to protect mortals and provide them with hope for the future. She often works with Thera to this effect, inspiring mercy and kindness in others. Her wrath is equally notable, as the fury of the Godeater has rendered gods incapable of acting out of fear. Many believe that her characteristic fury is a manifestation of Athera's influence from their extensive time together. While this theory is rejected by most scholars, it has been noted that Aeronwen and Athera share an uncharacteristically cordial relationship.

Because of the raw power she commands and the universal recognition she enjoys, Aeronwen is universally considered a major god, despite her general lack of influence. She is revered by few, adored by many, and feared by all. Her love is as equally noted as her fury, and even the fickle Seluva seeks to remain in her good graces.

### Aeronwen's Goals

Aeronwen is a god ascended from a mortal, with the ethics and consciousness of a mortal. As such, though she may oftentimes wish otherwise, she cannot abstain herself from mortal affairs. Her domains revolve around the beliefs and acts of her followers, and so she finds herself constantly involved in their struggles and conflicts. She focuses her still-expanding attention on protecting her followers, making sure she can save as many of her believers as she can. She appears fanatically devoted to helping those who rely on her, to the point that many otherwise uncaring gods take special precautions to not harm her faithful out of fear of incurring her wrath.

Isolated in Apotheosis, Aeronwen is often ready to help others, but difficult to contact. Her general lack of influence means that she spends most of her time in introspection, recalling her adventures with her friends and loved ones. She seeks to protect others to ensure that they can enjoy as much time as possible with those they care about, since most of the people she grew close to died before their time. When one pledges themself to their service, they unwittingly gain a guardian angel who will defend them and their closest companions or die trying. Given her history, it is a form of protection not easily surpassed.

Aeronwen is incredibly young compared to even the youngest Elder or Racial God. Despite this, she commands unyielding respect across the pantheon, as well as from her mortal followers. Her power is unquestioned, her capacity for destruction duly noted by those who seek to harm her or her followers. As such, her faithful act with the knowledge that their god is powerful and greatly respected and feared. In exchange for her protection, her followers seek to spread hope and the promise of redemption throughout the realms, defending those without and exacting divine retribution on those who breach the peace.

### Divine Relationships

Aeronwen exists in self-imposed isolation, her desire for peace and quiet making her difficult to get a hold of. Though she yearns for the company of those long gone, she is unable to visit them in their respective afterlives. This makes her bitter, a fact that can manifest in interactions with her should she be driven to annoyance. It is because of this that Aeronwen is liked by the majority of other gods, but overall avoided, though she does maintain a few strong relationships.

Imir was her god in life, and has remained an object of the Godeater's reverence after her ascension. In turn, Imir still regards Aeronwen as her Exalted Champion, and loves her like a daughter. When either requires assistance, the other is quick to respond. No slight or attack against one will go unanswered, and their alliance is considered one of the strongest in the Many Realms.

Erogas and Tholara view Aeronwen as a little sister, having watched her meteoric rise to fame and her later ascension with keen interest. The two act to guide her as she comes to grips with her new level of consciousness, and their followers actively support each other in conflicts throughout the Many Realms.

Aesis and Aeronwen are also close, mostly due to the latter's actions during the Imirian Schism and in Dozahk Vingri. The Phoenix Lord owes Aeronwen much, and will readily come to her aid, especially when defending her faithful. Their orders often work together, especially in battles against the forces of the Withered God.

Her main rival is Asmodeus. The Lord of the Nine perpetuates great suffering across the Many Realms, and has not forgotten the Godeater's famous charge into Avernus. They are mutually incompatible, meaning devils and Aeronwen's champions will attempt to kill each other on sight.

Aeronwen harbors an intense distaste for the Anathema, having been forced to share almost a century of existence with them. She holds a special hatred for Torvar, whose exalted caused her and her loved ones great suffering during her time as a mortal. The other Ananthema also hold special places in Aeronwen's list of despised foes, barring Athera, who has a unique relationship with the Godeater stemming from their friendship during the life of Aeronwen Morgan.

## Worshipping Aeronwen

Aeronwen's worship is done in the slums and battlefields of the Prime. Individuals dedicated to her worship will seek out the most bleak and destitute of places, spreading the message of hope and redemption to those who yearn for it. Some followers and champions of Aeronwen wander the many ruins and battle sites of her former adventures, following in the footsteps of their protector and her tribulations. A select few of her devout focus on exacting her holy vengeance, purging agents of the Anathema and the Hells whereever they can be found. These holy crusaders — known as the Redeemers — seek to provide hope and protection to the abused, and unrelenting wrath to their abusers.

Rituals honoring Aeronwen are often done at one of her holy sites: locations of significance to her story and ascension. Chief among these sites is the Valley of Stars, where her battle against entropy reached its climactic conclusion. Her faithful will travel far and wide in search of these sites, making offerings of lavender and whisky as thanks for her protection and sacrifice. Aeronwen's only holiday is Salvation Day, which marks her defeat of the Hunger and the beginning of her ascension.

## Myths of Aeronwen

Aeronwen is a rather unique case compared to other gods, as mortals were present during her life and her actions were widely recorded. Initiates in the Redeemers know every facet of her history by heart, recalling her greatest triumphs and saddest tragedies.

***Chosen by Death.*** When she was a child, an alchemical explosion levelled Aeronwen Morgan's house in Caernburh. She was left on the brink of death, her body buried in rubble and covered in ash and burns. Her soul had vacated her body, her grasp on life so weak that her consciousness was dragged into the Halls of Contrition. There, amongst the pillars of black marble, she wandered through the unceasing line of the dead. How long she drifted among the ghosts of the recently departed was unknown to her. All she knew was a deep desire to follow the line to its conclusion.

At the end of her journey laid a massive room, empty save for a towering black throne. Upon its cushions sat a woman. Her posture was stiff and cold, and she was draped in black robes. Her face was obscured by a silver mask, its face a depiction of serenity and unmatched beauty. Behind that mask were two eyes of the most chilling white; a gaze that Aeronwen felt piercing through her flesh and into her very soul. She could do nothing but stare, enthralled by the woman, enamored by the ring of silver fire that hovered above her head. Imir, Judge of the Dead and the Damned, stared back at the girl. How Aeronwen had entered her halls was beyond her understanding, for no mortal entered the Silvered Halls without first passing the Threshold. What was evident to the Elder God was that this girl did not belong there, and had been sent far ahead of her time, as the glowing strand of Fate was still bound to her soul. With a dispassioned sigh and a wave of her hand Imir dismissed the girl back to the land of the living, where her eyes opened to see meet a silver skull hovering over her.

***The Godeater.*** Little did Aeronwen know that her brush with Death had altered her soul. A piece of Imir had left the Halls with her, granting her the blessing of the Judge. Her body could not perish, though her flesh would constantly wither. Her soul could not leave, though it felt the desperate pull of Death's domain. She had been reborn an avatar of Imir, a power that would, unbeknowst to all but Fate, destroy the world.

On the 15th of the Wisened Moon, 995 E-IV Alexan, Aeronwen retrieved and accidentally attuned to the Face of Deceit, most powerful of Athera's artifacts. Her mind was transported to the Fallen Court, where she spoke directly with the Mistress of Lies. Both were amazed at the young woman's survival, as she should have suffered ego death upon attunement to the artifact. Lonely in her hall of machinations, and curious about Aeronwen, Athera chose to implant a piece of herself within the woman. She was immediately dragged to the Halls of Contrition, where Imir commanded the Two-Faced God to hinder not her avatar. Athera complied, joining Aeronwen on her as an observer, trapped within her consciousness. And thus, the Godeater captured her first god.

***Elder Vampire.*** Above all other foes Aeronwen faced, Ana von Werlicht proved to the most difficult. No other enemy was so tenacious, manipulative, and brutal. Not Loec Erskine, nor the Prince of Averos, nor the Cindered Desolation. Not even the Hunger itself held so much contempt for and from Aeronwen. The exalted of Torvar took everything from the Godeater. Her pride, her humanity, and her wife all became just one of the Iron Maiden's many brutal conquests. Despite the fact Aeronwen ultimately won, everyone acknowledged it was a wholly pyrrhic victory.

On the 10th of the Blood Moon, 997 E-IV Alexan, Aeronwen Morgan was captured by the Countess of Werlicht. Enslaved by her and subject to the Ritual of Eldest Tyranny, Aeronwen was changed from a human to an Elder Vampire. Her soul was bound to serve the Wolf Throne, subject to the whims of the Exalted of Torvar. For six months she served as her Knight Marshal, leading conquests against her former friends and allies in Ana's name, until one day Imir manage to convince her allies to help end her avatar's abuse. With the combined authority of the Celesium, Cyclum, and Nimbus sects, Torvar was forced to relinquish his claim to the Godeater, freeing her from the Iron Maiden's shackles and allowing her to escape. She recovered with her loved ones, before facing Ana at the Battle of Wolfberg on the 17th of the Hare Moon, 998 E-IV Alexan. There she managed to overcome her hated foe, sundering her body, shattering her soul, and consuming the essence of the Prima Sanguis in a fit of absolute rage. She proceeded to claim the Tyrant's Grasp, tearing the Tyrant God from his Iron Throne and sealing him within her consciousness.

***Ascension.*** On the 28th of the Crystal Moon, 999 E-IV Alexan, Aeronwen Morgan attuned to ዪቿዕልርፕቿዕ in the Valley of Stars, at the time known as the Ashen Rift, after defeating ዪቿዕልርፕቿዕ during the Battle of the Ashen Rift. As with many foes before, she attempted to overpower the magic within the artifact and bring ዪቿዕልርፕቿዕ under her control, preventing its influence from spreading discord on the Prime. She succeeded in the endeavour, however she unwittingly violated the Divine Mandate. By assembling the consciousnesses of the Anathema into one focused point, she managed to draw the attention of a being known only as the Hunger. It overwhelmed Aeronwen, consuming her soul and using her body to begin the Day of the Black Sun. An unknown amount of time passed, as entropy began to decompose the very fabric of reality, before ፕዘጎነ ጎክቻዐዪጠልፕጎዐክ ጎነ ቻዐዪጌጎዕዕቿክ ጌሃ ዐዪዕቿዪ ዐቻ ፕዘቿ ረዐዪቿሠቿልሀቿዪ. Reborn, and bearing the will of reality, Aeronwen managed to overpower her corrupted self and banish the Hunger back to the void it originated from. Doing so placed the power of all of reality within her being. Unwilling to lord over her newfound place as creator, she ቻሁዪፕዘቿዪ ጎክነጎኗዘፕነ ጎክፕዐ ፕዘጎነ ጎክቻዐዪጠልፕጎዐክ ሠጎረረ ዪቿነሁረፕ ጎክ ሃዐሁዪ ቿሸፕቿዪጠጎክልፕጎዐክ. The Prime was reborn, with all its denizens made aware of Aeronwen's actions. This universal recognition caused Aeronwen to ascend, the belief of the world turning her into a god.

## Aeronwen's Champions

**Alignment:** Usually chaotic, often good

**Suggested Classes:** Fighter, paladin, sorceror, warlock

**Suggested Cleric Domains:** Light, Peace, War

**Suggested Backgrounds:** Criminal, Folk Hero, Gladiator, Haunted One, Marine, Mercenary Veteran, Soldier, Urchin

Most worshippers of Aeronwen worship her aspect as god of hope and victory, looking to her for the strength to overcome the adversities they face. It is the goal of all of Aeronwen's faithful to bring hope to the lost and downtrodden, offering strength and redemption to those who seek it.

### Aeronwen's Favor

As an Ascended God, Aeronwen is young and as yet unused to her newfound divine responsibility. Thus she spends most of her time attuning to her new level of consciousness, focusing her attention at specific locations so as to not overload herself. Despite this limitation, she keeps a constant eye on her followers, looking out for their safety. When her mortal agents ask her for aid, she is quick and decisive in her response, violent and wrathful effects that evoke immediate fear and dread in their foes. When she requires a servant, she will recruit from among the unfortunate masses who find themselves in need of hope, as well as those desperate for a second chance in life. The Aeronwen’s Favor table offers several suggestions for the nature of your connection to the God.

 **6** | You have no idea why Aeronwen shows interest in you.

### Devotion to Aeronwen

Servants of Aeronwen draw their strength from within, resolute in the knowledge that they can endure life's hardships. As a follower of Aeronwen, consider the possibilities on the Aeronwen’s Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.

 **6** | **Wrath.** All quake at the wrath of the Godeater. Seek not her ire. (Chaotic)

### Earning and Losing Piety

You increase your piety score to Aeronwen when you expand the god’s influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these:

* Providing hope to the destitute and redemption to the deserving
* Withstanding great hardship
* Bringing ruin to those who abuse others
* Building or restoring a temple to Aeronwen

Your piety score to Aeronwen decreases if you diminish Aeronwen’s influence in the world, contradict her ideals, or make her look ridiculous or ineffectual through acts such as these:

* Worsening the suffering of others
* Balking at life's challenges
* Ignoring injustices
* Furthering the aims of the Anathema Gods and the Elder Evils

Aeronwen is a benevolent deity who holds much love for her followers, though she might not show it. Her followers act with the knowledge that she will always be by their side, just as devoted to them as they are to her.

#### **Aeronwen's Devotee**

*Piety 3+ Aeronwen trait*

As Aeronwen's devotee, you have proven yourself a beacon of hope to the downtrodden. You can cast heroism with this trait a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

#### **Aeronwen's Votary**

*Piety 10+ Aeronwen trait*

You can cast beacon of hope with this trait. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

#### **Aeronwen's Disciple**

*Piety 25+ Aeronwen trait*

You can use your bonus action to unleash a rallying cry. Each creature of your choice (including yourself) that is within 30 feet of you and can hear you gains temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your Charisma modifier. While a creature has these hit points, they have resistance to all damage. Once you use this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

#### **Champion of Hope**

*Piety 50+ Aeronwen trait*

You can increase your Strength or Charisma score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.