Avaia, The Black Swan

 

Symbol: A Black Swan against the full moon

Home Plane: Skies of Colothys [Tarterus], Prime Material Plane

Portfolios: Evil Flying Things

Worshippers: Evil Flying Monsters

Worshipper’s Alignment: Any evil

Clerics: NE

Domains: Air, Evil, Travel

Favored Weapon(s): Bow

 

Description:

 

Avaia is depicted as a large, black swan silhouetted against the moon. Though she may have a human form, it is never shown.

 

History/Relationships:

 

Avaia is a Daughter of Rakoth and some unnamed evil elemental or demoness. She remains his willing servant on the prime plane; although she has demesnes in the skies of Tartarus, she primarily resides on the prime material. As a result, any night where the clouds quickly cross the moon is called a Swan Moon and forebodes the activity of evil in the lands. Avaia has no other allies but many enemies. Sestihaculas vies with her over the control of dragons in the air. Most dragons pay her homage when flying rather than risk her wrath. Her love of disrupting travel puts her at odds with Glywyn, and Liranan at sea. Her control over evil beasts of the air makes her a foe of Cernan. However, her primary hatred is aimed towards Gliddan. The two churches fight an eternal war across the skies of Aldernon.

 

Dogma:

 

The skies are your kingdom; all else is beneath you to rend, tear, and snatch as you wish. Men are but small mice to feed the hungry hawk. Let the prey beneath your wings feel fear in your shadow before they die.

 

Clergy and Temples:

 

Little is known of the clergy and temples of Avaia within the realms of men. Her temples are normally found only in the remotest and wildest of places, typically mountain ranges and among the clouds, accessible only to the winged ones. Any other approaching are destroyed. The majority of the Black Swan’s clergy are nonhumans, winged evil monsters who spread her terror in the skies.The few documented encounters with clerics of Avaia have been female humans. According to the church of Gliddan, worship of the Black Swan involves the sacrifice of nonevil avians and monetary goods snatched from victims. Worship of Avaia seems to be most prominent around the Cloudtalon and Meldrum mountain ranges.

 

Special Abilities:

 

Avaians eschew anything beyond light armor and do not use shields. As Avaia has no interest in the undead, her clerics are unable to rebuke the undead; instead, they may make a turning attempt to control as many HD of nongood avians as could be affected by one turning roll. If successful, these creatures are under the control of the cleric for the duration of a standard rebuke.  Avaians gain special abilities from the Black Swan as they progress in her worship. Unless otherwise specified, each ability can be used once per day and affects the caster only.

 

3rd – use of the feather fall spell

5th – use of the fly spell if the cleric cannot naturally fly; otherwise its movement is augmented by the spell’s speed and gains one class of

           maneuverability for the spell’s duration.

7th – The cleric may assume avian form as per the druidic wildshape power. At 12th level, the cleric gains an additional use of this power per day.

 

Sacred Prayers of Avaia:

 

Avaia also makes several special prayers available to her faithful.

 

Rituals:

 

Avaia grants rituals to enhance the abilities of her faithful. Each ritual requires a high priest to enact. The Black Swan can strip an individual of her dark gifts at will; experience costs paid are not recovered.

 

Predator’s Talons -- The recipient gains the ability to use augment a natural weapon with magic fang up to 10 minutes per day. Usage need not be continuous. Casting of this ritual costs the recipient 1000xp.

 

Shadow of The Hawk -- The recipient gains a +2 divine bonus on all intimidation and bluff checks. This ritual costs 500xp.

 

Wings of Fear --  The recipient gains the ability to cause despair (1/day) as a mummy does. Only one opponent is affected, however, of the caster's choice.  Casting of this ritual costs 1000xp.