The Vida Quda
The Lady of Life, The Crownless Queen, Lady Leaf-Litter, The Regal Cornucopia, The Lady of Twine and Vine, The Barefoot Wanderer, The Embracer, The Mother of Wounds, The Invented, The Coward (a.k.a. Vidalan Quarian)
Vida Quda, sometimes referred to as 'The Lady of Life', is the Beacon representing Life, Growth, Nature and Progress. She is one of the most widely worshipped Beacons on Apa Axas, despite being one of the more offhand deities present around the realm. She is said to be a manifestation of the Positive Plane.
Oddly, despite her assocation with life and the natural order, she is often worshipped by artificers, being representative of Technology and Progress. Her most dedicated followers take this to heart, always trying to be on the cutting edge of technology while remaining in balance with nature.
Vida Quda is the subject of many sects and cults, with the most famous being The Followers of the Path, who believe her to be the undisputed leader of The Ultimate Order, a group of warrior celestials who intervene only in the most dire of circumstances. She has also been known to make Pacts with certain mortals, creating Celestial Warlocks.
Her most dedicated enemies are K'Niff and Tratch, both of which hate her connection to Time and Progress respectively. Cults dedicated to these Travesties, as well as The Simic Church, often refer to Vida Quda as 'The Crownless Queen', referencing their belief of her illegitimacy. Humourously, her depictions often show her with a crown. However, her greatest adversary, and the only creature to ever drive the Vida Quda to a place of actual anger is Zemer Epsh, a discarded remnant of the Vida Quda who was discarded so the True Vida Quda could focus on her Grand Design.
She is a popular patron for Clerics, most notably Arcane, Life, Mountain, Nature, Peace and Time Domains.
Divine Domains
While the Vida Quda's main domains are Life, Growth, Progress and Nature, she is also considered by various factions to oversee Time, Halflings, Agriculture, Good, Hope, Plants and Birds.
Artifacts
The Vida Quda has a few artifacts associated with her, such as The Golden Oak. Her first, and most profane, was The Godrender, a mystical dagger that allowed her to remove negative aspects of herself, leading to the creation of Zemer Epsh.
The Vida Quda created the Rod of Resurrection in the early days of Elves. She bestowed it upon First Queen Isaliah to serve as a badge of restraint and loyalty, being forbidden from using the rod. However, the Queen used the rod to resurrect her son, who was meant to die in childhood. This son grew up to become King Ionish the Starving Lord, a dictator who starved his kingdom as punishment for what he percieved as commit the mortal sin of not worshipping him as a god. The Vida Quda, appalled at the actions of her children, sent a hero known as Zaish the Defender to slay the King. She did so, and the Vida Quda retrieved the Rod, sealing it away on Sprigalif.
The Mother Tree, a giant apple tree located on Lucidity, was said to have been planted by her. The tree, whose fruits can bestow great vitality, is defended by The Copper Tenders and their champion, The Copper Guardian, who is said to have been selected once per generation by the Vida Quda herself.
The Luck Blade is a shortsword bestowed upon the Halflings as a gift before she departed Apa Axas once more. The Luck Blade is bestowed upon the Squireshire, a champion amongst the Halfling people, who will appear in times of strife and deliver the Halfling people to victory.
There is concern amongst the Beacons that the Vida Quda may become corrupted by Shubb'Ki using his ultimate weapon, the Talisman of Ultimate Evil. This would cause the Vida Quda to become an apocalyptic entity known as The Endgod, that would undo all the Vida Quda had done before tearing the universe in two. The Vida Quda herself bears these fears, and asked Surm Tutdrug to construct a failsafe; known as the Talisman of Pure Good. This amulet, when placed on the Vida Quda, is designed to counteract her corruption. However, it was stolen by agents of K'Niff and cast into the Time-Space Continuum.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Vida Quda's dvine symbol is a spear surrounded by ivy vines. The most dedicated followers may tattoo this design upon their shoulder blades, however, some of the more mechanically minded worshippers of the Vida Quda, such as The Copper Gauntlet will emboss their equipment with this symbol, as opposed to tattooing.
Holidays
Vida Quda has two holidays; The Dawning and The Dusking. These holidays take place before the sewing of the first seed and after the reaping of the last crop respectively. Both of these festivals involve the inbibing of alcohol, and the production of life. One of the most famous examples of this festival is known as The Leaf-Litter Festival takes place in The Ringed Kingdom, by the town of Woodleaf.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
The Vida Quda's mission is to ensure the survival of life, no matter the consequences, or impossibility of the task, such as overcoming the Great Stagnancy.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
As with many of the Beacons and Travesties, the Vida Quda's appearance varies, depending on who she is communicating with. In her rare interactions with Humans, The Vida Quda will often take the form of an older Halfling woman, always bearing a smile with hair made of ivy and copper wires. Occasionally, her hair will bare copper fruit. It is said that eating this fruit will bestow immortality, which can be ended immediately by eating another fruit. It is said that her realm, The Copper Gardens, are filled with trees that bare this fruit, and so are often the target of mortal theives who attempt to steal these fruits for their own immortality. Legends warn against this however, as taking these fruits without permission will invoke the ire of Vida Quda, who will transform the thief into one of the trees, guiding others to treasures that they cannot possess.
In The High Elven Pantheon, The Vida Quda is known as Vidalan Quarian, and takes the form of a middle-aged Elven woman, with a dress made of copper, and flowers woven into her long gold-and-silver hair.
In The Modern Wood Elven Pantheon, The Vida Quda appears as a kindly blonde woman with machinery replacing parts of her body. She also appears as a spirit Deer, and is made of four aspects; The Embracer, The Mother of Wounds, The Invented and The Coward. She is often prayed to for hope of a bright future.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
The origins of Vida Quda are widely disputed. Some believe she has always been present on Apa Axas, guiding the creature to bountiful feeding grounds, and, when the time is right, she will guide it to The Breeding Fields. Others believe she appeared at the same time as the other Beacons, shortly after The Clever Folk activated the God Severment.
It is rumoured that she would often appear after huge battles or natural disasters, and weep a single tear, allowing it to fall to the ground. From this tear would then burst a large tree, which would allow nature to return to the area. The most notable example of this was after the destruction of Sarkic Elgris, creating The Golden Oak.
However, the Vida Quda is best known for her part in the creations of many of the mortal races of Apa Axas. It is said that, upon being forced into existence by the God Severment, the Vida Quda fled through time into the Divine Era. While here, she witnessed The Great Stagnancy, and vowed to prevent its occurrence. To do this, the Vida Quda took it upon herself to create a new race of beings who could adapt to anything the universe could throw at them, and ensure life survived beyond the Stagnancy.
Her first endeavour was the creation of the Elves, who she bore with Feny Lekki, her first husband. While these creatures were elegant and adaptable, their arrogance and slowness to act disappointed the Vida Quda, and she soon abandoned her husband and children in shame.
After a millennium, the Vida Quda attempted to create a new race once again, this time with Surm Tutdrug, with the hypothesis that a perfect amalgamation of life and death could create the most adaptable beings. However, this led to the creation of the Dwarves, and their unwillingness to change and their insistence on isolation caused her to flee once more.
It is at this time where the Vida Quda elected to only use her own hand to create the ideal race, viewing other influences as tainting. She sealed herself away in her realm and created The Most-Favoured. These new humanoids were savage and violent, but bore the flexibility desired by the Crownless Queen. With that, she released them upon the realm, despite the creatures' bloodthirst. Fortuitously, Sangroke Bliss, the Travesty of War, travelled through time and led her Great Hoard against the Elves and Dwarves, and the Most-Favoured helped to scatter these murderous armies from Apa Axas. Whether this release was out of the goodness of Vida Quda's heart, or simply coincidence, is unknown.
However, the Most-Favoured did not stop with the Hoard, and soon became an incredible threat to all life on Apa Axas, culminating with the destruction of Moonmoor, the oldest city of the Elves. Out of pity for her firstborn children, the Vida Quda restored the city and sealed the Most-Favoured away on the remote continent of Kthombru, allowing them to develop into many distinct races, such as Humans, Gnomes and Halflings.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Vida Quda is known to be a nurturing and patient goddess, who cares deeply for her subject's wellbeing. However, due to the God Severment, she cannot directly interact with her charges. This has been said to cause great sadness to the Lady of Life, who endeavours to return as best she can. Failing that, she will send emissaries, often in the form of Celestials associated with the Ultimate Order.
However, despite her need to tend to her flock, she also knows the importance of free will and a mortal's right to forge their own destiny. As such, she will not intervene when a singular person prays to her, knowing that it is up to them to improve their station.
Likes & Dislikes
The best way to worship Vida Quda is also disputed, however, there are a few universally agreed upon virtues and vices associated with her.
Vida Quda is known to enjoy ingenuity, and will favour minds that push the envelopes in their field. She holds Life to the highest regard, and will disparage those who take it without cause. In addition, she despises undeath, viewing it as stagnancy and a threat to both the natural and technological order.
Relationships
History
The Vida Quda and Feny Lekki are claimed by the Elves to be the most holy of lovers. However, the Vida Quda is disappointed in Feny Lekki, viewing him as a mistake after creating the Elves.
History
The Vida Quda and Surm Tutdrug are claimed by the Dwarves to be the most holy of lovers. However, the Vida Quda is disappointed in Surm Tutdrug, viewing him as a mistake after creating the Dwarves.
Divine Classification
Beacon
Religions
Alignment
Lawful Good
Current Status
To Eliminate the Threat of the Great Stagnancy
Current Location
Species
Realm
Church/Cult
Spouses
Feny Lekki
(Ex-Husband)
Surm Tutdrug
(Ex-Husband)
Siblings
Children
Sex
Varies, Usually Female
Eyes
Varies, usually possesses one green eye and one grey eye
Hair
White, with copper wires and ivy interwoven
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Varies, usually from pale green to dark brown
Height
Varies
Weight
Varies
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Ruled Locations
- Reclamation City
- Sprigalif
- The Azure Arrays
- The Clockwork Conservatory
- The Geargrove
- The Heartbloom Copse
- The Heartbloom Crucible
- The Orrery of Growth
- The Palace of Copper and Brass
- The Symphony Canopy
- The Ticking Reefs
- The Waters of Sight and Sound
- Beacon Stones
- Old Coldashton
- The Church of the Vida Quda
Comments