Aionthra

The queen of misery and pain, there is not one being in all of reality more cruel. To Aionthra, all creatures are fair game whether they revere her or not. Aionthra is not satisfied by just torment and fear, though she does take great pleasure in causing it. Aionthra wants to pervert all men, and force their twisted desires to completely consume them. Those willing to descend deeper into their depravities are greatly rewarded.

### Personality

As previously mentioned, Aionthra is exceedingly wicked and would rather toy with mortals rather than simply kill them. She is cocky, manipulative and completely devoid of any empathy. Reasoning with her is an impossibility, and she will only sneer at any attempts.

### Popularity

Organized worship of Aionthra is highly forbidden in nearly all civilized lands. In these places, her followers can usually be found in small cultist congregations that are constantly harassed by do-gooders. Many foolish and selfish individuals turn to her for power or as an excuse to their evil natures. They quickly realize their mistake once they reach The Halls.

Many of her followers are instead found in the more wild races, such as kobolds, who worship their created version of her.

### Symbolisms

Aionthra's holy symbol is a crudely painted imagine a devilish female face. It is often created with the blood of a sacrifice.

Her divine weapon is a barbed whip that drains her enemies of all livelihood with a single strike.

### Appearance

Aionthra likes to manifest as an impeccably beautiful female of whatever race she wants. Her twisted horns, impish tail and bat like wings are suppressed until she feels ready to terrify her victim.

### Homes

Aionthra was powerful enough to create two domains. They are known as the Halls of Agony and the Furnace.

The Halls of Agony, explained in a brief excerpt from *The Worlds Upon the Edge:*

*"...we stood around a hatch, relieved that our descent down the seemingly endless stairs had finally come to an end. I did not yet realize that we had already stepped between worlds, but even then, I felt an uneasiness in the pit of my stomach as I peered down at this wooden portal. Frozen in indecision, we discussed our plan of action, and during this time I assume that the loyal yet foolish Ugtok must have grown tired of our caution. Before anyone could stop her, her hulking foot suddenly came crashing down on the hatch, knocking it off its hinges and sending both of them plunging into the darkness below. We waited for a response, perhaps a shout or even a thud, but heard nothing. We glared at one another, apprehensively, but all aware. Our decision was made for us, and we prepared to delve into the darkness. I lit a torch and kneeled at that edge, looking downwards for any sign of our half-orc partner. There was nothing to be found but a thick, dusky smog rising from inside.*

*Our magical ropes fastened and torches pointless, we descended into the void blindly. As I lowered myself I reached out into the blackness, hoping to find a wall to steady myself against, but I felt nothing but the thick, stagnant air of this unknown chamber. We climbed for what seemed an eternity, and as the aching pain accumulating in my arms was beginning to overtake me, I heard a voice from below whisper "Vahennia lend me strength..." We had reached the bottom, and our torches now emitted a low reddish light could that just barely pierce the fetid smog surrounding us. That instant of respite was heavenly, but my brief sense of comfort instantly vanished once I peered upon the of horror beneath my feet.*

*We had landed atop a seemingly immense rusted cage, and inside it, I saw the mutilated faces of a thousand men and women looking up towards me. They had strange metal contraptions crudely grafted onto their naked bodies, and every time they moved, torrents of gore spewed from their splicings. Writing in pain, they clawed at one another trying to climb towards me, their mouths widening to silently scream. I was completely paralyzed by fear, and as I felt a hand grab my wrist, I prayed that it would be guide me home. "We leave none behind," Zenia shouted, and she dragged me deeper into into the mist. I simply closed my eyes, and placed my life in her faith.*

*The metal beneath my feet ended, and I felt a brief comfort for we had escaped the torture below. , until a piercing screech suddenly flooded my ears. Zenia's hand released my wrist, and opened my eyes to the sight of my warrior allies charging ahead into the darkness, weapons ready. She briefly looked back towards me and mouthed a shout, but I heard nothing over the ringing in my skull. I was left in a narrow stone corridor, but I was not alone.*

*Upon the walls were more chained prisoners, each covered in gruesome wounds that poured blood onto the walls. They each silently stared into me with pleading eyes, but I had no time to assist them. I rushed down the twisting bloody hallway, searching for my protectors, but came across only more branched passages that led into the unknown. I thought to backtrack, but when I turned a sheer stone wall now stood in place of the path I had taken. As I stared confounded, blood began to bubble from between its crevices, and a distorted, grinning female face formed from the cruor before me. The captives chained to the walls reached out their mutilated and bloodied hands as their shackles began to fall off of them, loosing them to strangle the man who had left them behind. Alone and inadequately armed, I fell to the ground shaking and drenched in sweat, and pleaded to the image for mercy. "Sing me a song of screams", the sanguine visage whispered, and I simply closed my eyes and sobbed for I knew there was no pity to be found in this place. I felt a hard hand grasp my upper arm and as I gasped in horror, a familiar female voice calmly exclaimed "come now, for we must leave this place..."*

The Brimstone Peaks of the Furnace, explained in a brief excerpt from *The Worlds Upon the Edge:*