Yaunävä

of the Beasts, of the Dance, the Huntress, the Virgin

Yaunävä is the goddess of animals, chastity, hunting, and the natural world. She is the inevitable force of nature that drives every living thing to survive at all costs. Thus, she is a dark goddess – she loves animals and loves hunting them; she ruthlessly persecutes any man who sees her naked; and she is particularly fond of bloody sacrifices. Still, she has a compassionate side. She serves as the goddess of childbirth and often comes to the aid of hunters and those lost in the wilderness – especially those who dedicate themselves to a life of chastity. Yaunävä most often appears as a young, nubile woman lightly clad with a cape of swan feathers and carrying a bow. She is closely associated with does and stags, and are often accompanied by such.

Morality

Priestesses and priests of Yaunävä are dedicated to the same passions as the Virgin, herself. Represent a dedication to animals or nature with Sense of Duty (Animals or Wild Nature) [-15], and a dedication to hunting with Obsession (Slay One Specific Monster Type) [-5*] or (Slay All Monsters of One Specific Type) [-10*]. It is also common for clergy to take Vow (Chastity) [-5]. Yaunävä is a bloody mistress who delights in blood sacrifices moreso than any other deity in the pantheon, making Disciplines of Faith (Ritual Sacrifices) [-10] commonplace and appropriate. Other common Disciplines include Mysticism and Ritualism. And while Yaunävä prefers women to men, those males she does patronize must always be respectful of women and never refuse a woman aid; this is encapsulated within Code of Honor (Gallantry) [-5]. Bloodlust and Callous are common among Yaunävä’s followers, but they are not required by the Huntress for her grace.

Divine Servitors

All of Yaunävä’s divine servitors have at least one level of the Nature element, and a great many also have the Natural lens. Those who embody the mischievous, teasing Virgin will also add Beauty or Deceoption; while, those who represent the Huntress will take Fear or Travel. Finally, Yaunävä’s roots as a war goddess manifest as Fear and War.

Shrines

Yaunävä’s freestanding shrines are not built; they are grown. These are usually located at unspoiled springs amidst virgin woods. High reeds are cultivated along the water’s edge and form the backdrop to a small clearing ringed by flowring shrubs and bushes. Saplings and young trees back these to form the walls and roof with their trunks and branches. Amidst these, vines grow to thatch the structure and provide shelter. From the bough-rafters hang the carcasses of blood offerings, but once decayed, the bones are removed from the structure for use – nothing is wasted. The sanctum in such shrines is just past the curtain of reeds within the virginal waters of the spring. Such waters are among the most purifying in the world. Within larger temples, Yaunävä’s shrine has a depiction of the goddess, usually carved from white marble and clad in swan feathers, and accompanied by her typical retinue of wildlife. On her alter are placed two silver basins. One is kept full with pure spring water and the other the sacrificial blood of game killed in a hunt. Jars of blessed acorn paste are provided at more prosperous temples for worshippers to draw a line extending downward from below each eye.

Divine Favor

Yaunävä is a guardian of nature and the untouched, but also of hunting and is often associated with druids who are particularly fond of her. She is a bloody goddess who hears prayers concerning animals, nature, predation, and survival. Advantages marked with an asterisk (*) involve direct mental contact and require Specialized, Animals (-25%), and only work on normal, nonsapient animals. Abilities Allies (Animals), with Summonable; Animal Empathy; Appearance, with Glamour; Binding, with Environmental (-40% Channeling, with Specialized, Nature Spirits (-50% Control (Wood Corrosion Attack, with Accessibility, Only against the undead (-50% Damage Resistance, with Limited, Animals (-60%) or Plants (-40% Detect, for any object or entity; Discriminatory Smell; Enhanced Defenses (any), with Limited, Animals (-60% Fit; Healing, with Animals Only (+0% Innate Attacks, with Environmental (-40%) for plants turned into weapons; Leach, for drinking blood to regenerate or gain power; Medium, with Specialized, Nature Spirits (-50% Metabolism Control; Mimicry; Mind Control*; Mind Probe*; Mind Reading*; Mindlink, with an animal; Penetrating Vision, with Specific, Wood (-40%) or Specific, Plants (-40% Permeation (Wood Pitiable; Plant Control; Plant Empathy; Possession, with Plants Only or Specialized, Animals, both (-25% Resistant or Immunity to any natural threat; Shapeshifting, into any animal form; Speak with Animals; Speak with Plants; Special Rapport, with an animal; Spirit Empathy, with Specialized, Nature Spirits (-50% Telecommunication (Telesend)*; Telekinesis, with Environmental (-40% Terrain Adaptation, for Undergrowth; Very Fit.