Zarinia

The Mistress of the Sea, The Soulsnatcher, The Towering Wave

Zarinia is an exception in the pantheon of Fulkran, in that she is worhiped not because of what she has to offer but because of what she threatens. The Mistress of the Sea is a very cruel deity, always on the lookout for someone's day to ruin. She draws great enjoyment from causing all manner of trouble to any who tresspass in her domain without paying the proper respect and even that does not offer absolute immunity. This is a goddess widely feared for her whimsical temper and her lack of restraint when it comes to meddling in the material plane. She is the embodiment of the harsh, unforgiving and mercurial temperament of the sea.

Divine Domains

Hardship and Misfortune at Sea, Troubled Waters.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

A crashing wave about to devour a mountain.

Tenets of Faith

Zarinia is not so much worshiped as she is placated. The whole point of revering the goddess is to avoid her ire. Most seafarers will offer some kind of tribute to her when on a voyage unless they have a priest of Alathea on board to counter the Soulsnatcher's wrath. None of those two practices can guarantee safety, as Zarinia might decide the tribute was lacking, or be extra offended by the presence of her sister's clergy, or maybe simply be having a bad day, but they are successful enough that they are widely employed. The priests dedicated to serving the goddess are a different matter as they can expect some measure of protection and power both in the form of the considerable divine abilities she grants them and of course in not being harassed when traveling by water.

Other than that, Zarinia will favor anyone who opposes her sister, Alathea. This is such an overriding aspect of her faith that anyone who actively practices it may be rewarded even if they are found lacking in other respects. The priesthood is of course expected to adhere to this tenet absolutely. At the same time they are not expected to be suicidal about it or even all that direct. The goddess can be both patient and wily and will not punish someone just because their plan is too long winded and circuitous, as long as it appears to have a reasonable chance at success.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

There is only one true goal that matters to Zarinia, and that is of course to dominate Alathea. Whether the Mistress intends to relegate her sister to a minor, insignificant role in the pantheon or to utterly destroy her is anyone's guess. Given the frequency of her mood swings it is probable that even if the goddess has reached a decision on that, it is very likely that she will change her mind many times before she gets the opportunity to act on that decision.

While Zarinia hatches her plans against her sibling, she is content to entertain herself by piling misfortune upon anyone she can reach. This provides a double benefit on top of being fun. Firstly, it drives more people to offer tribute to her in the hope she will stay her hand. The goddess is careful to be less troublesome to those who pay their respects, so they can see the value in worshiping her, but she is known to get carried away every now and then. Secondly, drowning people affords the chance to acquire their souls and use their power to fuel her schemes against Alathea. Petros of course takes great exception to that and it is a constant struggle on the part of his priests to keep him pacified. It is feared that if the Land God is roused to anger he might declare the Pact null and void. Zarinia on the other hand pays little heed to the rumblings of the god. She knows that in the end water will wear down any obstacle.
Divine Classification
Goddess
Children

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