Lachra (lock-ruh)

The Lady of Battle

Lachra, the Goddess of Skilled Combat and Tournaments, is every warrior's inspiration and ultimate goal. She embodies the chivalry and code of warriors, placing strong emphasis on rigorous training and honing one's skills. When her followers are not traveling the world to learn new fighting techniques from other master warriors, they are hosting or participating in tournaments and pit fights to keep their skills sharp. Not only are Lachra's followers expected to train and hone their bodies to maintain peak warfighting form, they are also expected to study war theory and be masterful commanders as well. Devout followers of Lachra are highly sought after in times of war, and it is a frequent occurrence on a battlefield to see two followers of this deity locked in single combat, one having issued a challenge to the other for control of that battlefield.
Lachra is one of the newer deities in the pantheon, having been born from the temporary union of two Deirid, Morgran and Zyntrani. Somehow, despite both of those deities being shorter (a dwarf and a gnome respectively) Lachra is depicted as a taller than normal human woman - some sources say bordering on the size of a goliath or half-giant. Due to her heavy armor, it is difficult to tell if she leans toward bulky and imposing or leaner and more agile - and many of her followers say this works to her advantage: opponents don't know exactly how to prepare or counteract her without knowing her size, strengths, and fighting style.
Lachra counts among her priests and devoted followers many students of war: lieutenants and commanders in the various armies around the world. There are also quite a few monasteries dedicated to perfecting martial prowess, and many monks - especially those of the Way of the Open Hand - count Lachra as their deity.

Divine Domains

War

Light

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Sigil: two crossed longswords, points facing down

Divine Symbol: longsword or greatsword

Tenets of Faith

• Martial perfection in battle can only be the result of relentless training and dedication to learning.
• When fighting to protect people or avenge a wrong, style points don't matter.
• When fighting for fun, one should try to embarrass the opponent with one's skill as often as possible without losing your advantage.
• Always wear the right armor and carry the right weapon based on one's training and the mission at hand.
• One should travel as far and as often as possible, seeking to learn from as many different masters as possible.
• One should always know the situation and keep one's head. Killing an opponent in a tournament or friendly contest due to over-aggression is one of the most grievous sins one can commit.

Physical Description

Identifying Characteristics

Lachra is always depicted as a human female with short blonde hair and a cloth strip covering one eye, which she allegedly lost in battle with the forces of Schrios. She almost always wears plate or other heavy armor, usually ornately decorated, and carries at least one longsword - sometimes two - in scabbards on her hips. When not in battle, she carries her helm under her arm, to assist her in truly seeing the world and judging people clearly.

Portrait art by me using HeroForge

Divine Classification

Deirid

Religions

• Light Pantheon

Alignment

Chaotic Good

Realm

Ysgard

Parents

Morgran

Zyntrani