Antanara

Antanara
Basic Information
Title	The Lady Moon, The Silver Dancer
Symbol	A silver crescent moon
Level	Intermediate
Alignment	Chaotic Good
Allowed Alignments	NG, CG, CN
Primary Portfolio	Hope, Moon, Music, Night
Secondary Portfolio	Arts, Dance, Harmony, Inspiration, Stars, Tides
Favored Weapon	Rapier

Antanara

Antanara, deity of the moon and music, shines as a beacon of youthful exuberance and freedom. As one of the youngest deities in the pantheon, her spirit is as unbound as the wind, dancing through the realms of nature with a joyous abandon. Her essence intertwines with the night, a domain she cherishes, where creatures of the dark find solace in her gentle luminescence. Music and dance are her soul's language, a reflection of her untamed heart. In the rustling leaves, the chirping of nocturnal fauna, and the harmonious melodies crafted by civilization's finest, she hears the world's natural symphony. This free-spirited deity revels in the artistry of existence, finding beauty in the spontaneous and the structured alike, making her a patron of all who find harmony in the wild dance of life.

Antanara chooses to manifest in two captivating forms. As a young woman, she is the epitome of ethereal beauty. Her hair, black as the darkest night, flows like silk, interwoven with fine threads of silver that mimic the starry sky, crowned by a crescent moon pendant on her forehead. Her deep, purple eyes hold the mysteries of the cosmos. She adorns herself in elegant white dresses, complemented by delicate silver jewelry, and a black hooded cloak that whispers of the night's embrace. In her alternate form, Antanara embodies the grace of the natural world as a majestic white and silver wolf. Her fur, reminiscent of moonlight, is accented with the same fine silver jewelry that adorns her human form. Her eyes, a striking purple, mirror her divine gaze in human guise, exuding a presence that is both powerful and serene.

Symbol

A silver crescent moon, which is a direct representation of Antanara's dominion over the moon, embodying aspects of cyclical change, mystery, and the subtle power exerted over the natural world, like the tides.

Relations With Other Deities

Antanara, in wolf form, running through the woods under the moonlight

Antanara, the moon and music deity, is a well beloved figure in the Celestial Pantheon, because of her cheerful nature and free spirit. Her bond with Aerion, the sun deity, is a daily dance of light and darkness. Their mutual respect ensures a seamless passage from day to night. Her connection with Elandrien, the deity of woodlands and arts, is a blend of natural beauty and artistic expression. Their shared love is a symphony of forest whispers and moonlit melodies, celebrating the artistry in nature. With Leviathar, the deity of the sea, Antanara shares control over the tides. Their relation is a dance of lunar influence and oceanic rhythm, reflecting their free spirits and joint guardianship over the seas.

Within the Neutral deities she also has special bonds. One is with Edmer and Aela, deities of nature and weather, Antanara's lunar essence complements their control over the earth and skies. This connection underscores the interconnectedness of natural cycles and celestial influences. Her affection for Chronos, the deity of time, resembles a familial bond, rich with the depth of the ages. Their connection harmonizes the eternal flow of time with the lunar phases, creating a poetic rhythm in the universe.

Amidst these connections, Antanara's disdain for evil, particularly Nessus, stands out. She views the night as a natural beauty, not a cloak for darkness, and champions the purity of darkness against corruption.

What The Legends Say

Antanara and her divine dance

Dogma

Antanara's dogma is based on the following tenets:

• Celebrate the Moon Cycle: Honor the phases of the moon, embracing its influence on the world and your life. See in its cycle a symbol of rebirth, reflection, and the eternal rhythm of the cosmos.

• Embrace the Night: Respect and cherish the night, not as a cloak for malice, but as a realm of beauty, mystery, and tranquility. See in the darkness a space for growth, contemplation, and the glittering canvas of the stars.

• Feel the Music of the World: Attune yourself to the world's natural symphony. Find harmony in the rustling leaves, the ocean tides, and the songs of creatures. Let this universal melody inspire your own expressions of art and creativity.

• Harmony with Nature: Live in harmony with the natural world, reflecting its rhythms in your actions. Understand your role in the greater cycle of life and seek to preserve the balance of nature.

• Guardian of Purity: Vigilantly guard against the corruption of darkness and evil. Stand as a protector of the night's sanctity, ensuring that the darkness remains a pure, unspoiled domain of beauty and wonder.

Clergy and Temples

A cleric of Antanara meeting with a ranger in a shrine

Antanara's clergy comes alive undert the veil of the night, a harmonious blend of individuals bound by a common devotion. This congregation, unconstrained by strict hierarchies, is a mosaic of clerics, rangers, and bards. Their hearts beat in sync with the lunar rhythm, their lives a reflection of the moon's eternal dance. As the moon ascends, so do their spirits, embracing the nocturnal world with a reverence that transcends mere admiration.

Among them, scholars, bathed in moonlight, unravel the lunar enigmas, their discoveries echoing through the clergy's wisdom. And then there are the artists, the revered masters of melody and movement. Their teachings, suffused with the moon's inspiration, are eagerly sought, their performances not merely artistic expressions but embodiments of Antanara’s celestial essence.

Others act as guardians of the night, they tread softly but resolutely, their mission to cleanse the darkness of any lurking evil. This sacred duty binds them, a shared resolve to protect the purity of the night from corruption. In this blend of scholarship, artistry, and guardianship, the Clergy of Antanara stands as a testament to the multifaceted beauty of the moon and the magic of the night.

Members of Antanara's clergy, when in the wild, are often attired in practical traveler's outfits, suitable for their varied roles and the demands of their nocturnal activities. The base of their clothing typically consists of sturdy traveler's pants paired with white upper garments. Over the clothes they usually wear light armor, mostly in black colors, and the typical black hooded cloak, representative of the order. This selection is not only out of respect for Antanara, but is also a way of blending into the night in which they normally move. Clergy who are not on the move, usually wear more comfortable attires, but always try to use white. and wear the black cloack that is their pride.

Antanara' temples come in many shapes. Most of them blend seamlessly with the natural world. Many of these sacred spaces are but modest shrines nestled in the wild – delicate structures crafted with reverence, tucked away in forest clearings, perched upon grassy knolls, or resting by tranquil lakes, all under the open, moonlit sky. These shrines, with their ever-lit flames, offer solace to weary travelers and a protected haven under Antanara's watchful gaze. They also serve as meeting points for her clergy, a place for silent communion under the celestial dome.

In more remote locales, a few grander temples stand as moon observatories. These are the bastions of lunar scholarship, where clerics study the moon's mysteries, charting its path and phases. These observatories, away from the bustle of civilization, are sanctuaries of knowledge and celestial observation.

Within the vibrant heart of cities, some temples transform into schools of dance and music. These are places of artistic cultivation, where master musicians and dancers pass on their skills, celebrating Antanara's artistic aspects. In these halls, the rhythm of the moon finds expression in art, binding the celestial to the cultural in a harmonious melody.

Initiation

The journey to becoming a follower of Antanara begins when a young aspirant, on the cusp of adulthood, approaches a cleric to express their desire to dedicate themselves to Antanara as their patron deity. This declaration is typically made a year before they reach the age of maturity. The path to devotion is marked by three distinct challenges set forth by the cleric: the challenge of skill, the challenge of knowledge, and the challenge of spirit.

Firstly, the challenge of skill demands the aspirant to master a musical instrument. This can be achieved either independently or within the sanctity of a temple, and those who already possess such musical prowess are acknowledged as having fulfilled this challenge.

Secondly, the challenge of knowledge requires the aspirant to delve deep into the study of the moon and its influential cycles. This exploration extends to understanding the moon's impact on various life cycles, including seasons and tides. While this can be pursued independently, it is more commonly undertaken under the guidance of a master cleric within the confines of a dedicated temple.

The final test, the challenge of spirit, is a transformative journey. The aspirant must learn to embrace the night, adapting to a nocturnal lifestyle in harmony with the natural world after dark. This involves not only altering their daily routine but also syncing their very essence with the nocturnal environment. Though achievable alone, the guidance of a memnber of the clergy can significantly enhance this journey of adaptation.

Upon the completion of these year-long challenges, the aspirant's final task is to spend an entire day in meditation, reflecting on their journey and achievements. The following day, they present themselves at a shrine, accompanied by a cleric. Here, the aspirant showcases the fruits of their labor through a musical performance and a presentation of their lunar studies.

As the moon ascends to its zenith in the night sky, the cleric recites the sacred initiation spell, marking the aspirant's transition into a full-fledged follower of Antanara. It is important to note that if this auspicious occasion coincides with a new moon, rendering the moon invisible, the cleric has the discretion to reschedule the ritual to a night graced by the moon's presence.