With a "no-deity" cleric in the game I'm running, I was considering have the character awaken an ancient deity with the domains she wanted to use (none of the book deities had the alignment/profile required). I'm seeing the Peacock Spirit as probably Neutral Good/Lawful Good and having Knowledge as one of the main Domains, though also healing.
Going by the theory that Gods don't die unless they are killed (Aroden's dead) I'm thinking that during the fall of Thassillon the Spirit faded into dormancy awaiting someone to awaken it once more. Since it was never determined to be Male/Female and had no apparent appearance as human I'm thinking this will drop some serious "you are messing with me" problems on the character.
I haven't run across anything outside of the first module where it mentions the spirit as being a deity that the Thassilonians worshipped. So I am definitely open to suggestions.
Ohoh.
The peacock spirit of the books is NOT GOOD. Not even close. Alien at best, evil at probably.
Of course, there's nothing stopping you from using it as a good deity, but you're going to run into intrinsic contradictions in Pathfinder #4, and also in the Kaer Maga sourcebook, and just about anywhere the Therassic order is mentioned.
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I believe that the Peacock Spirit is supposed to be the fallen version of Melek Taus, the missing (presumably fallen) former ruler of one of the layers of Heaven. I think it is still alive, but not good; probably LE and maybe LN. There are hints toward this in The Great Beyond and possibly other products. That said, if you want to go with the alternate interperetation of it being good, go for it. You might even be able to combine the two into some plot arc where you try to redeem Melek Taus and restore her to her former realm in Heaven.
Yeah... giving worshipers of the Peacock Spirit Trickery, Evil, Nobility, and Rune are all great choices. Aside from what we've revealed about this guy in Runelords, though...
Ah bummer, I haven't run across other mentions of the Peacock Spirit, apparently I'll need to do a bit more looking. Pathfinder 4 eh?
Ah bummer, I haven't run across other mentions of the Peacock Spirit, apparently I'll need to do a bit more looking. Pathfinder 4 eh?
You might also be interested in Todd Stewart's article on the Peacock Spawn.
LG celestials falling to LE is far too often cliche. LG to CE in a horrific, insane rejection of literally everything it once was is something you don't really see much of in D&D. Or maybe it's a Judas situation, ultimate sin that ultimately benefits some greater good (in some readings of Iscariot's actions).
But of course everything is written in such a way that it's not absolutely answered, but lots of open questions, in-character supposition and legends.
I like the notion of something ancient, alien, and hungry lurking within the Abyss that really doesn't belong there but makes a damn fine case of being worse than any of the natives. Turns the Lucifer cliche on its ear, but being inspired by Yazidi mythology which itself does the same with Shaitan in a way, it's fitting perhaps.
My angle on the situation is very much directly inspired by Yazidi theology, though it's not the only way to approach the Peacock Angel. And being somewhat obtuse and not providing absolute answers is so very intentional. :)
The more I read on this the more I think that True Neutral will be the best for the alignment. Good/Evil don't really apply, Alien though does. Rune and Knowledge as Domains work perfectly, scholars as followers fits as well. I'm thinking something like a "non-malevolent" Nyarlohotep-like being. Fascinated by these strange short lived creatures drive to seek out the secrets of the universe. Helping not out of benevolence but out of its own selfish curiosity to see where it will all end up.