Ríona (ree-oh-nuh)
Mistress of Decay
Ríona is a Prime Deity and the older of the twin goddesses of nature, her sister, Sídarra, being the younger. Ríona represents death and decay, and while not viewed as entirely malevolent, she is worshipped more from appeasement than a desire for her presence. Ríona is the both the cruelty and the necessity in nature. Carrion eaters, fungus, and parasites are among her creatures. Creatures that do not showcase beauty, but instead that which is necessary for balance and the cycle of life. Fomair and Vetur are her seasons, and important reminders that even death and decay can hold beauty. Ríona sees no value in civilization and enjoys seeing it fall, but has a respect for those who strive to survive in nature and rely only on themselves to stay alive. Hermits, outlanders, and nomadic tribes hold her favor, and though she would never intervene to protect them, she will occasionally ensure the more difficult Veturs are not as hard on them. Farmers also have a deep appreciation for Ríona, for it is due to rot and decay that their crops are fertilized and bountiful. Many of the Unseelie creatures of Faerie are her creations, as evident by their strong ties to cruelty and death. The Archfey and Vetur Queen Mab is believed to be her daughter and embodies much of her mother's aspects. Much like a deadly Vetur can still hold much beauty, Ríona, and her daughter Mab, are deceptively beautiful. Blizzards, deep freezes, and swarms of locusts are all aspects of her displeasure, and entire cities have been destroyed when caught in her ire.
Ríona and Sídarra are highly antagonistic towards each other, though this was not always the case. In the beginning of Fiore, the sisters were inseparable, with Ríona ever protective of her "younger" sister, and Sídarra looking up to and relying on Ríona. During the Creation War, Ríona was captured by the Forsaken, and believed dead by Sídarra. Being a Prime Deity, Ríona was a direct creation of the Creator, and sibling to the Forsaken. She survived her imprisonment both due to her power, and the Forsaken being unsure of the result of slaying a god of that magnitude. Ríona was instead subjected to endless torture both physical and mental. Asmodeus used her to test the limits of a Prime Deity and how to injure and break one, for a combination of his amusement, curiosity, and self-preservation. Being in constant proximity to the madness of the Forsaken also took its toll, and Ríona became twisted into believing Sídarra had intentionally abandoned her in an attempt to claim sole dominion over their creations. As part of Asmodeus' second betrayal, returning again to the gods of Fiore, he weakened the prison holding Ríona, allowing her escape. Ríona returned, but her scars would never fully heal. Believing herself abandoned by her beloved sister, Ríona had come to hate Sídarra. Being subjected to the torture and insanity of the Forsaken had hardened Ríona, and Sídarra's pleas of explanation fell on deaf ears. Their now eternal conflict is known as the War of Seasons, and the Summer and Vetur courts of Faerie embody it on a mortal level.
Ríona and Sídarra are highly antagonistic towards each other, though this was not always the case. In the beginning of Fiore, the sisters were inseparable, with Ríona ever protective of her "younger" sister, and Sídarra looking up to and relying on Ríona. During the Creation War, Ríona was captured by the Forsaken, and believed dead by Sídarra. Being a Prime Deity, Ríona was a direct creation of the Creator, and sibling to the Forsaken. She survived her imprisonment both due to her power, and the Forsaken being unsure of the result of slaying a god of that magnitude. Ríona was instead subjected to endless torture both physical and mental. Asmodeus used her to test the limits of a Prime Deity and how to injure and break one, for a combination of his amusement, curiosity, and self-preservation. Being in constant proximity to the madness of the Forsaken also took its toll, and Ríona became twisted into believing Sídarra had intentionally abandoned her in an attempt to claim sole dominion over their creations. As part of Asmodeus' second betrayal, returning again to the gods of Fiore, he weakened the prison holding Ríona, allowing her escape. Ríona returned, but her scars would never fully heal. Believing herself abandoned by her beloved sister, Ríona had come to hate Sídarra. Being subjected to the torture and insanity of the Forsaken had hardened Ríona, and Sídarra's pleas of explanation fell on deaf ears. Their now eternal conflict is known as the War of Seasons, and the Summer and Vetur courts of Faerie embody it on a mortal level.
Divine Domains
D&D 5e
Cleric Domains:- Grave
- Nature
- Tempest
Pathfinder 2e
Devotee Benefits:- Divine Font: Harm
- Divine Skill: Nature
- Favored Weapon: Sickle
- Major Domains: Air, Cold, Decay, Nature
- Minor Domains: Plague, Swarm
- Cleric Spells: 1st: Summon Fey, 3rd: Moth's Supper, 5th: Cone of Cold
Divine Symbols & Sigils
A white field with two black snowflakes falling.
Tenets of Faith
Ríona represents the crueler aspects of nature, as well as the death that allows new life. Most druids and those dependent on the land, such as farmers, worship equally Ríona and Sídarra. Both are integral to the balances and cycle of nature, life and death, growth and decay.
Edicts:
- Preserve and revere the beauty of nature.
- Destroy civilization's attempts to encroach on nature.
- Allow the cycle of death and decay its natural course.
Anathema:
- Destroy natural beauty.
- Use magic to prevent decay after death.
- Allow overpopulation to disrupt the balance.
Follower Alignments:
- Any Neutral Alignment
- Any Evil Alignment
Divine Classification
Prime Deity (Greater God)
Religions
Alignment
Lawful Evil
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Lady of Vetur's Embrace
Queen of the Dying Lands
Mistress of Decay
Mother of Death's Renewal
Bringer of the Frost
Arbiter of the Seasons
Patron of the Harvest
Queen of the Dying Lands
Mistress of Decay
Mother of Death's Renewal
Bringer of the Frost
Arbiter of the Seasons
Patron of the Harvest
Spouses
Siblings
Sídarra
(Younger Sister)
Children
Sex
Female
Eyes
Pale blue like frozen ice
Hair
White, with streaks of black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale white
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