Alsvira, Goddess of the Hunt

"There are no countdowns. You should already be running."

Shrouded in mystery and rumor and yet an unmistakable part of the history of The Eye, Alsvira is better known by many only as 'The Huntress'. Her connections to the world and the concepts she represents are readily apparent from her title alone - the chase, the struggle to feed and survive another day, the brutal realities of nature. All mortals understand on some level that this harsh condition is necessary for life to continue, even if civilization shields many from such savagery. And yet, for all the direct and obvious aspects held by the Goddess of the Hunt, there is more to her character beneath the surface.
More than any other nation, Alsvira holds a large following in Nalanosa, where the struggle for survival can at many times leave the mortal races as both predators and prey. While recent times have lead to comfortable pockets of civilization, they are quite literally few and far between compared to the tundras and their massive beasts. On top of this, agriculture alone cannot support the frigid nation's population in its own, so even for those in relative safety, the hunt is necessary for their continued survival. While every corner of The Eye has its hunters, few places directly worship and give tribute to her as commonly as Nalanosa - with one potential exception beneath the surface.
However, it cannot be forgotten that this cycle of predator and prey was not always part of The Eye. Some believe that Alsvira, as a matter of course, must not have existed prior to the Age of Essence, but there is another prevailing theory that holds its weight. It is said by some scholars and even some of her own priesthood that before the coming of mortal life, Alsvira was an Aeon of violence itself, violence that held no meaning or purpose. As with many tales from before the age of mortals, it is next to impossible to acquire any hard facts about the matter, but various archaeological evidence point to such an Aeon existing in the past, and the Goddess of the Hunt having potential connections to it.
The first matter, of course, is the lack of any better candidate. It is highly unlikely that a god of violence itself would simply have died and never been replaced unless they acquired a new, more nuanced role, and this is something that The Huntress fits perfectly. The second, more striking piece of evidence, is twofold, starting with her lack of a domain within Yore for herself or any particular supernatural beings to her name. Apart from the occasional sentient giant cat or bird of prey, no Being Between Worlds heralds her coming, and as for her domain, she shares The Wilds with Viven, the god of the less violent aspect of nature.
Along with this is the presence of a domain within Yore that, as far as recorded mortal history, has lacked an Aeon to support it. Called The Colosseum by some and The Slaughterhouse by others, it is a crumbling realm of constant, senseless violence, where supernatural warriors of all types battle to claim the domain for their own - or just for the thrill itself. Centuries of struggle have yet to decide a new ruler, however, or at least not one that holds the position for very long. Seemingly falling apart, some parts of The Colosseum appear as dusty, rocky badlands, while others are planetoids of various shapes and sizes that have broken off to host their own conflicts.

Divine Domains

Natural Order, Serenity, Grace, Endurance, Survival

Divine Symbols & Sigils

As the representation of the inherent struggles of nature in the Age of Essence, Alsvira is best represented by the planting and upbringing of a tree or other plant. As such, it is not uncommon for her priesthood to travel with potted and carefully-pruned plants in their carts or even on their packs.

Tenets of Faith

Those that have survived the harsh, cruel order of nature have already earned the favor of Alsvira, as she values the ability to thrive in adversity above all else. As the patron of the hunt itself, this applies to both the hunter and the hunted; both felling great beasts and surviving and overcoming one's own hunters are exceptional feats. In survival, she also calls for her followers not to make light of their own achievements, acknowledging that all things can accomplish great deeds regardless of their place in the circle of life.
She thinks much less of those beings outside of this cycle, however. It would take great effort for even a pure elemental to gain her favor, and she calls upon her followers to (fittingly) hunt down and destroy aberrations and undead if they are capable of such feats. Whether this is simply done to dispose of them or to indirectly force them into the paradigm of hunter and hunted themselves is an unsettled matter of philosophical debate.

Physical Description

Identifying Characteristics

Alsvira is typically depicted in religious iconography and scripture as little more than a typical (if skilled) huntress, and as such 'The Huntress' is one of her most common titles. She has also rarely been known to take the form of prominent hunters from the history of The Eye, resulting in brief, mysterious 'reappearances' decades or even centuries later.

Divine Classification

Deity, Aeon