Vaelis
(a.k.a. The Trickster's Flame)
Vaelis appears as a lithe, agile figure with features that seem to subtly shift and change when not directly observed. Her skin tone varies widely in different depictions, but often has a slight golden sheen or faint patterns that resemble coins or dice when caught in certain light. Her hair is typically portrayed as flickering flames in vibrant red, orange, and gold, sometimes changing color with her mood or the nature of the trick she's playing. Her eyes gleam with mischievous intelligence, appearing as different colors to different observers, often with pupils shaped like various luck symbols such as dice, cards, or coins. She wears revealing but practical clothing in rich, vibrant colors, adorned with numerous pockets, hidden compartments, jingling coins, and small trinkets collected from her adventures and pranks. In many depictions, she's accompanied by a spectral fox that serves as both companion and accomplice.
Worship of Vaelis centers around embracing chance, celebrating life's pleasures, and acknowledging that sometimes rules must be bent. Her followers include gamblers, thieves, entertainers, merchants, and anyone who relies on luck or lives by their wits. Devotional practices involve pouring out drinks as offerings, flipping coins at crossroads, and maintaining small shrines with regularly changing trinkets and treasures. Many adherents carry lucky tokens blessed in her name, while more dedicated followers organize elaborate pranks or heists as offerings—provided they cause no lasting harm and preferably humble the arrogant.
Temples to Vaelis are rare in their formal sense, as her worship thrives in more dynamic spaces. Her presence is strongest in gambling halls, taverns, festivals, and marketplaces, where small shrines might be tucked into corners. These shrines typically feature foxes or dancing flame motifs, with offerings of coins, dice, or small treasures piled around them. The few formal temples that exist are designed as combination feast halls, theaters, and gaming houses, with worship spaces that regularly rearrange themselves through clever mechanical features or illusions. Temple activities include games of chance with proceeds funding charities or community projects, demonstrating Vaelis's belief that luck should flow rather than stagnate.
During Vaelion, communities host elaborate festivals with games, competitions, masquerades, and good-natured pranks. Worshippers believe this is when Vaelis walks among mortals in disguise, rewarding the clever and humbling the proud. In cities with thieves' guilds, members hold secret ceremonies honoring her as their patron, though even these celebrations follow strict codes ensuring that their activities target only those who can afford the loss or who have themselves exploited others.
Divine Domains
Divine Symbols & Sigils
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