Naravaiya; The Huntress

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“Fear would pierce the heart of those that cross the Lady of the Forest. A natural order must be maintained or vengeance may come swiftly from the Kinslayer’s string.”

— Arch Druid Azurea

About

Naraivaiya; The Huntress, Lady of the Forest, The Druidic Queen and Commander of the Amaiyan.   Revered as an unstoppable force of nature, the Druidic Queen is a symbol of the natural world and the consequences of its destruction. Known as the mother of the Amaiyan and the devoted protector of the wild, Naravaiya is an influential pillar throughout Tenegrim to all mortal kind.   The rejection of her divine privilege is seen as a nod to her humble beginnings as a wanderer of the wide world. Ever a teacher and guide to her followers, the Huntress prefers to offer advice or direction over miracles. The Lady of the Forest favors those who devote themselves to the preservation of the flora and fauna along with a love for those that understand the give and take of nature itself.  

Description

Beautiful imperfection describes the Lady of the Forest. Woven amber strands of hair strewn with a crown of horns and flora accent her natural beauty. Scars and markings of her mortal existence carried as a badge of honor through her immortal life. The piercing emerald eyes reflect a feral nature hiding beneath the surface.   Depending on the region of Tenegrim and the reverence held for The Huntress, she is found to be depicted as either a motherly figure or a threatening predator. It was her duality that marked a difference of her kin as she would sway from the song loving merry making druid to the feral predatory hunter ready to strike. This dichotomy can be found in the portraits of her visage throughout the world.  

Origin Story

Born from the very seed of Tenegrim, consumed by her mother in a desperate attempt to save her dying beloved, Naravaiya’s life was destined to be surrounded by worship and tragedy. From a young age, the Lady of the Forest would seek refuge in the wilds and commune with the spirits of flora and fauna. Touched by her origin and thought an oddity alongside her arcane family, the silent contention of differences would only grow as she did.   Choosing a life of exploration and adventure, Naravaiya would be accompanied by guardians and worshipers in hopes to protect her. All but one would be turned away or find themselves useless in her presence. Ohar, the younger brother of her peoples Commander, would find a place by her side and in her heart.   It wasn’t until the horror of betrayal and the beginning of the uprising of the dwarven kin that followed Kane’s deception that Naravaiya would return to her homeland in an official capacity. With the death of Dhorim and the heartbreak of Ohar, the Huntress would take the reluctant mantle of Commander beneath her reigning elder sister Queen Aljania.   Left alone without the guidance of their divine parents, tensions would rise between the sisters. Insistent on the mission to keep their people and land from falling prey to the corruption that swelled against their borders, the Druid Queen would challenge her sisters authority. A divide would rend the very fabric of their society in two, causing the War of the Silver, the death of her beloved Ohar, and forcing the Huntress’s hand into slaying her own sister.   Saved only by the sacrifice of her only daughter, Naravaiya would watch as her people would be torn from their very land and tossed into the storm of unnatural magic meant to protect them. In a whirlwind of anger and fury, the Huntress would abandon the sanctuary and cross the sea to the land of Tenegrim once more, determined to make right the tragedy of her undead sister.   Fueled by such hatred and vengeance, Naravaiya would lead her faithful through the Forest of Amaiya and begin the War of Rage. For a hundred years they would beat against the wall of Orcs and their bloodthirsty leader Kreig, resulting in the final combat between the Lady of the Forest and the Warlord and bringing the end of Naravaiya’s mortal life.   Held in the arms of her devoted lover and hidden divine the Mistress of Mischief and the blood of Kreig pooling around her, the last cry to her mother would be answered. For her sacrifice and devotion to try and right the wrong, Naravaiya would be ascended and alongside her, her first love Ohar.  

Relationships

Though granted the immortality of a god, the Druidic Queen would walk with the mortals of Tenegrim as their equal. Offering guidance and teachings to her faithful or harsh lessons to the perverters of nature, the Lady of the Forest is a lesson in dichotomy. Recognized as the Commander of the Army of the Forest, the Amaiyan seek to exemplify and honor their Goddess through works and worship.   A deep love is known to be shared between Vieni and Naravaiya, though the Iliri deny the significance of their relationship in favor of the Huntress’s first relationship to Ohar; The Golden Guardian. Though the complexities of the relations between the three of them is unknown, it is accepted that the Peace Keeper has love in her heart for the two of them and has little to any relationship with other divine beings; even her own parents.  

Religion

Dogma

“Listen well to the hymn of the songbird, for knowledge comes in your reverence of the wild.”
“Waste not the water, blood, or earth of the world.”
“Honor death with life, revere loss with service, and offer of yourself to the soil that birthed you.”
 

Clergy

Untraditional in their garb and worship, the clergy of the Huntress tend to be hard to differentiate from the populace. The rites and work they do is equivalent to a peacekeeper between mortals and the wilds around them. Mistaken often as simple hunters or foragers, those devoted to a life in her service do not boast their position.   There is a belief however that every druid that has accepted their calling and work within the magic that the wilds of Tenegrim offer are considered a type of clergy in and of themselves. This idea stems from the reverence of the natural world and Naravaiya herself being near impossible to separate. There are no formal requirements though for one to serve as clergy to the Huntress.  

Temples

In larger cities and places that cannot accommodate a more natural open air temple, there are shrines and temples to Naravaiya. Usually minimalist in their construction and filled with the songs of bards or tales from the well-learned druids, it is a place of peace that is welcome to all. A refuge that offers aide to the downtrodden in exchange for simple chores or caring for the onsite garden and fauna.   The more open air temples are not considered traditional to most. The borders marked with certain symbols or iconography, you could pass through a temple without even noticing if you are not within the occupied living space. These types of temples also tend to spend a few square miles of natural forest or land, simply dedicated to Naravaiya and used for practices in her name.  

Worship

The proper rites and rituals for the Lady of the Forest have changed over the years. From formal chants to informal offerings of planted trees or flowers. As her influence spread throughout Tenegrim, so too did the ideals that were added to her religion. The most formalized rituals can be found in the heart of the Forests of Amaiya where they keep a consistent calendar of offerings, maintenance, and holidays to keep her magics close in hand.   An expectation of respect for both nature and the wild animals throughout is the simplest way to show your devotion. Due to her association with the birdsong of life, adding stories of your journeys to keep the life and culture alive is also seen as an appropriate offering. Most simply stick to the old adage of take only what you need, waste none, and give back to the world an offering of equal measure.