Laerme

Laerme
Silver harp against a red flame
Alignment	Chaotic Good
Divine Rank	Lesser Goddess
Pantheon	Cerilian
Portfolio	Art, fire, love
Domains	Chaos, Charm, Fire, Good
Home Plane	Songsheight (Arborea)
Worshippers	Artists, bards, lovers
Favoured Weapon	Shortbow

Laerme, also called Ayairda, Lara, and Leira, is the Cerilian goddess of art, love, and fire. She's the daughter of Avani and Erik, and romantically involved with Cuiraécen.

History

Laerme was born sometime in the second century after the Battle of Mount Deismaar.

Appearance

Laerme appears most often in other persons dreams, where she takes the form of the persons object of affection. When she appears in the physical world, she takes the form of a slender woman with a boyish build wearing a modest dress. Her body is akin to that of a dancer, her hair is fire-red, short, and curly, and thin lips in a broad smile.

Personality

Laerme is content knowing that every creature in the world honors her at some point, for the act of loving itself is sacred to her. She's more than willing to reward those who create beauty, regardless of whether or not they're opposed, follow, or neutral towards her. She does also punish those who deny or obstruct love or destroy art and beauty.

Worshippers

Laerme's followers are spread out across Cerilia, and found among the passionate and the artistic. Her holy days are the days of marriage ceremonies and the days when works of art are unveiled. Her shrines are often located within temples of Avani and Cuiraécen, having few temples of her own.

Laerme's church is not organized or widespread, and her clerics don't seek to convert people. In every land she also has a different role. In Anuire and Brechtür, Laerme's considered the muse of all artists and the blesser of marriages. In Khinasi, Leira is the goddess of art, and by extension virtue, for pursuit of art is the pursuit of virtue. In Rjurik Highlands, Lara is the goddess of fire, specifically fire that keeps them warm during the winter, and of passion. In Vosgaard, Ayairda is the enemy of Kriesha and a target of conquest for Belinik. Her clerics are most often found as heads of artisan shops, or in courts as advisors. They are all required to take up one form of art to dedicate themselves to, ranging from painting and sculpting to poetry and acting.

Ayairda's Cleansing Home

The church in Rzhlev. Mainly a group of independant clerics preaching the values of love and art, seeking to resist the influence of the tsarina and the church of Kriesha in the land. Helping them fight is the former personal assassin of the tsarina, Birgitta Jarlsbane, using her skills to protect the church and help it gain footholds in the domain.

Binsadan Temple of Leira

The church in Binsada and Sendoure. The state church of Binsada and the most widespread of Leira's churches. They believe that every human and demihuman has its spirit made beautiful by Leira at birth. The spirit can either be stained by negative emotions and suffering, or cleansed and made beautiful by the three good emotions. The stainless spirits join Leira in the Eternal Vista upon death, a cosmic panorama that includes every beautiful moment and pleasure, while the stained are reborn as animals and plants many times until given another chance.

Djiran Temple of Leira

The church in Rhuannach. After Djira fell to gnoll hordes, the church came with the refugees to the elven realm of Rhuannach. The church is allowed to grow in the lands mainly because they aren't trying to convert the elves, and they enjoy the works of art the refugees create.