Katriss, Host of Hearth and Home
Katriss
One of the Twelve High Hosts that rule over the Heavens.
Despite being a Winter Host, Katriss has one of the most popular feasts attributed to her, that of the Longest Night. Taking place at midwinter, it is a celebration of the faraway yet still coming Spring, and oft involves folk spending an entire day and night indoors, ostensibly to keep out Nabas, the Deinain Wolf of Night. Many sceyals and even some spells take place, usually depicting Nabas as a ravenous but ultimately foolish demon, who is outwitted by one of the Hosts of Spring.
Katriss is most often depicted with open hands, her hair the bluish green of pine needles, and several portraits will also show her holding out food or a lantern against the night. Some travelers will pray to Katriss for guidance home, leading to the popular expression, "What Lollis loses, Katriss keeps," a reference to Lolliseri, the Host of Pilgrims. There is an odd trinity formed between Katriss, Lolliseri, and Penellea, the Host of the Hunt. Modern faith oft depicts the three as sisters, but this only came into fashion as Penellea rose to prominence (Penellea being a fairly recent addition to the High Hosts). Beforehand, very little connection was made between Lolliseri and Katriss.
Katriss herself is in many ways a modern Host. She rarely if ever appears in ancient myths, being universally absent from stories of the First King of Kings. Many of her tales have individual, superstitious bents to them, of travelers lost in the woods being guided by her lantern. There is even a popular tale of a Revali (a water spirit of southern Milos) imitating Katriss in order to draw a man into a river and drown him. Given her role as an actual host, who keeps mortals safe in their homes, it is assumed that she was invented to serve the roles once held by all the High Hosts: that of guarding one's neighbors against nature.
Katriss' colors are Purple and White. Her bird is the Goose. Her beast is the Elk. Her Month is the eleventh Month, called the Kat Moon or the Long-Moon. Her constellation is Tashu. She is associated with self-sufficiency and smaller communities, as well as analytical minds and obstinacy. She is considered the patron of Hureman, the twenty-eighth Royarch, who supposedly built the Marble Palace in Gemosia.
Common Aspects: Unlike the other High Hosts, Katriss has no known variations in her interpretations or roles.
Divine Classification
Goddess
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Children