Burn Baby Burn - Adherents of the Elemental Goddess Feronia

[Apupunchau]

One of the things I love most about Golarion is that there is a ton of stuff left unwritten. It allows me to expand on things in my games and invent new things to further enrich the game world. A part of the setting that always interests me are the divine being they have and how the interact with their followers and each other. On one of the Pathfinder FB pages I play a little game of creativity where as ask about what kind of character you would make to follow a god. This week I'm looking at Feronia, elemental goddess of Fertility, sacred fires, and wildfire.

Sitting at our theoretical gaming table, our GM turns to us and says, "All of the characters must be followers of Feronia, although they do not need to be divine casters." What character do you make? Who is she? Why has she chosen The Fertile Flame as her patron? In what ways does she further the Goddess’ goals? Why would she be attracted to this beings doctrine?

[DominusMegadeus]

Sanctified Slayer/Preacher Inquisitor. Conversion Inquisition. Uses a Bastard Sword two-handed.

Feronia is distant and her portfolio open to much interpretation, so some of the demigoddess' earlier adherents had to do some guesswork. Turns out setting everything on fire and impregnating every woman you come across does please The Fertile Flame, but doesn't make you many friends.

Oksana is one of the few worshipers who survived the Hellknight-led purge as a small child. She understands that just because your goddess accepts Neutral Evil followers doesn't mean your fellow mortals have to. If you plan to save your religion (and hopefully compete with the big brand-name deities), you have to sell yourself. That means you bite the bullet and present Good, no matter what your character sheet says.

It's not necessarily about lying, per say. You don't hide the truth, you just don't focus too hard on it. Accentuate the positive. Sure, Feronia gave untold magical powers to pyromaniacal rapists and she'd do it again. What Oksana tells people is that fire can fight, cook and give life like the powerful women of the north she is personally descended from (as far as you know). The female 18-35 is her big demographic, you understand, and they eat that stuff up.

Oksana's dedication stems from the absolute permeation of her religion in her life. What family she has left are incredibly devout and her childhood friends were raised under the strict teachings of Feronia's old flame(lol), Dispater. Everyone she has ever loved is rooting for her to cast off infamy and make Feronia the biggest name since Aroden. She is not a heroic individual by nature, but you have to give the people what they want, and she does not intend to disappoint.

"I'm not leaving till I make a sale. What will it take to walk out of here with your soul?"

[Apupunchau]

OK this is the best line I've read all day

"Turns out setting everything on fire and impregnating every woman you come across does please The Fertile Flame, but doesn't make you many friends."

[Alayern]

Amir Zu'likesh CN Suli Brawler

"The flame will set you free."

Backstory:

Imprisoned as a child by a wealthy Keleshite merchant seeking to hide the supernatural dalliance that had produced such an unusual child, Amir was raised in a world of darkness and claustrophobia. For ten long years he never left his father's basement. People would come and go to tend to him as needed, but he never saw anything past the dimly lit stairs beyond the door that held him there.

One visit from his father was the key to his liberation. "Sit in the dark child. Stop complaining. This is your lot in life." That was what his father said to him before ascending the stairs to the world of light.

Amir was angry. So very angry. His rage made him yell and scream. He stomped and he smashed, and he began to glow. His rage coalesced on his skin in flickering flames. It scared him, but did not hurt him. The next time the flames appeared, he smiled. He knew his ticket to freedom when he saw it.

He spent many months channeling his rage into the flame. He knew it was his only way out. T use his father's fear against him. Surely this was why he'd been trapped down here, to only have heard of the outside world through poorly disguised speech. He was going to see the world above. And he'd burn everything in his path to do it.

The next time his father visited Amir snapped his eyes open at him, locking their gazes. "What now brat?" Said his father.

"A bit hot down here, don't you think?" replied the child. His body exploded in crimson flame and the merchant balked. Amir used the chance to knock down his father, leap past him, and close the door. He ignored his father's pounding as he climbed the stairs he'd been longing to feel beneath his feet for so long.

He came out into a lavish townhouse staffed with exotic servants from around the world. "Get out. The Master of the House is indisposed. In his stead, I fire you all. Get out of my damn house!" The essence of his blood in full display was enough to send the servants scattering. Good. No collateral damage that way. Amir went to the fireplace and used his own flame to light it. He spread paper and cloth near the hearth. He made sure they caught, and simply left.

Since then Amir has trained his body to the pinnacle of fitness and uses his pyrotechnic abilities to free prisoners. He doesn't care why they're imprisoned. He despises any sort of incarceration and demolishes anything in the way of a person's freedom. He also has no appreciation for displays of wealth or excessive material possessions, seeing them as a metaphorical prison one builds for oneself.

"Burn it all. Walk past the ashes. Keep walking."
"Any fire that sets someone free is sacred."

[Freehold DM]

My character creation method resulted in a sad lawful Neutral female gnome rogue. Will post more later.

[Apupunchau]

More good stuff. That's what I like to see. Freedom of the flame. Suli also a good choice or maybe Ifrit too.