Faiths of Sublanarya: The Maiden and the Louse (Boreana, Pomona and Scourge)

The tale begins on a perfect day in first-flower (spring). The sun was bright but fair, a gentle, warm and inviting embrace and the skies as clear and brilliant blue like the most primal and exact shade of that color incarnate. Even the gods have peaceful and lazy days, from time to time, and this perfect day inspired them to play among the mortals.

Even Soffia, the diligent and wise warrior goddess of the air, was overwhelmed with a desire to join the other gods in their frivolity. Experiencing these distracting moods for the first time would not do for Soffia and so she spilled the moods, good and bad, out of her head. The two currents formed into two goddess daughters: Boreana, the ill-tempered and strong, and Pomona, the weak and fair. Both were beautiful but Pomona had the eye of every male. Boreana was austere but too aloof. Pomona, on the other hand, seem to invite their interest, returning their leering gaze, and playfully inciting their desires. They mistaked her friendly and joyous demeanor for an easy target. She was as capricious as her sister but they did not see the trap.

 A few of the bachelor gods began to argue over who would be the first to court her but one emerged, despite the odds, to court Pomona.

Scourge the Violator was an upstart god. A disgusting and disturbing mortal who acquired power by illicit means but was, on the whole, regarded as a loser and a fluke by his rivals. The audacity of the ugly creature, his insectoid features and shrieking voice, made him a target of ridicule. He was a pest but it was too fun to see him fail to crush him. He had a way of failing spectacularly and coming out in one piece. That was how he became a god in the first place...

And so it was that Scourge made it clear that he would be the one to woo the windy maiden and Aurelian found the cocky lesser god's confidence amusing. He encouraged the disgusting creature to try and commanded the other male gods to not intervene in their entertainment. And so, Scourge took the form of his alter-ego, a handsome and wide-eyed mortal youth, and made his way to the field where Pomona could be found.

Scourge's disguise seemed to work. It seemed that the god's experience in his schemes being undermined by a noble young hero gave him insight into his performance as he acted the perfect gentleman, earnest and forthright, and earned the attention of the new goddess. It seemed like love at first sight as the foul god played on the maiden's naivete and he would impress the gods with his romantic pursuit.

But then Boreana noticed the bachelor gods watching the little romance unfold and, curiosity and jealousy, had her demand they explain why they were watching her twin sister's fun with such rapt amusement. When she heard of the game they were playing and of Scourge's deception, the wind turned.

The skies darkened and it began to rain. Their perfect day was ruined. The courting couple tried to run for cover and Pomona did not have a cloak. It seemed that Scourge had allowed himself to become too invested in his game, wrapped around the pretty goddess's finger, and used his cloak to protect her from the rain. As the rain hit his disguise, it washed away and revealed his true form to Pomona. The goddess was disgusted, pushing him away, and fled.

Scourge felt more than just defeat. The lie had become real. He felt something new and, as he knelt in a puddle, looking in the direction that Pomona fled, he would hear the voice of Boreana:

"I hoped you enjoyed your perfect day, Scourge. It will be the happiest day of your life, past, present and future. You will never know a more perfect day. You can chase it but it will always be just out of reach. In the past. I promise you that."

And Scourge the Violator knew the pain of loss and only in seeing others suffer the same  pain would he ever feel temporary relief in his broken heart.

Faiths of Sublanarya: House Fortuna: Moira the Spinner, Glamora of the Weal and Dysrae of the Woe

Some old tales speak of fate taking the form of three women: the spinner of fate, the drawer of lots and the inevitable shearer. It is said when a person is born, the spinner spins out their life like a thread. She sets their fate in motion. The drawer of lots duty was to help measure out the life's thread and to tie knots where they would make important choices. Lastly, the shearer's purpose and her pleasure was choosing when to cut life's short. Together these three daughters of the primordial Nyx determined fate for the peoples of Narya. Those are the old stories. Others say all three are one goddess: Moira the Spinner of Fate.

Much like Erys, Moira is often depicted as Grimnir's sister but her true origins have been lost to the sands of time. She is the one who wields the spinning wheel of fate but whether or not these threads can be manipulated are debatable. For one, her very continued existence is debated and some believe her daughters are the result of the Mending tearing her in half.

As for fate, it is argued that, perhaps, when a person is born, they are destined for certain outcomes but perhaps these outcomes can be changed. Some believe that you must take risks to change those outcomes and, to some that is where luck comes in...

In the border between Terra Nada and Mechanis, there is a place that some would describe as a temple, others would describe as a casino and most would describe as the final resting place of many gamblers. This place is called House Fortuna and this where fates are rewritten. This massive golden complex rises of the sand and lures in souls and beings from across the planes. Angels, demons, devil, gods and mortals can all be found here playing games with the souls of mortals and the fates of many at stake. The mistresses of the house are Moira's daughter's Glamora and Dyrae.

Glamora AKA Lady Luck favors the bold, the daring and the reckless. She rewards those who takes risks, often tilting fate in their favor, but, while she admires the skilled and cunning, those who cheat too often or without challenging themselves often find themselves on her bad side. Lady Luck is the roll of the dice when a gambler gambles and a risk-taker takes risks. While she is known to show favor towards her adherents, she is most often neutral in the outcome. She loves a game and is known to especially manifest, leaving the confines of House Fortuna, when the stakes are highest. She finds no greater beauty in the universe than when fate is tempted.

While she is associated with good fortunes, she is neither good nor evil, and would say she favors neither. Her sister Dysrae is associated with bad fortunes and, while she favors neither good nor evil, she certainly enjoys the suffering of others.

Dysrae AKA Miss-Fortune hears the prayers of those who wish ill upon others and manifests when fate turns against the proud and the powerful as well as the humble and the meak. She takes pleasure the more luck turns against the hapless and loves to see the downfall of the high and mighty. She has little sympathy or care. She is the cruel needling whisper, the bitter words, and the envious heart of the immortal and mortal plane alike.

While her sister prefers an iconically glamorous form that borders on the gaudy, with lots of materials, dice & coin imagery, and gold, gems and sequins, like a show-girl or magician, Dysrae prefers simpler dress but often takes the form of a red haired noblewoman. In this form, she is mentioned as witnessing many murders and betrayals at the noble lords of Thule.

Both gods, as well as their mother, are often found depicted in gambling houses, thieves guilds and other places where good fortune, as well as bad, are called upon.