**Domains:** Luck, Freedom, Travel, Adventure, Trade **Aliases:**[^1] The Wayfarer, Lady Luck, The Wind's Will ![[The_Harbinger.png]] >Take your fate into your own hands, and fortune smiles upon you. > [!success] The Harbinger > #### [[Prime Deities|Prime Deity]] > ![[Symbol-Harbinger.png]] > > [!question] Domains > Luck, Freedom, Travel, Adventure, Trade > > --- > > > [!question] Aliases > The Wayfarer, Lady Luck, The Wind's Will One of the most influential deities on Kald for thousands of years, her worship and influence continues into the newly formed [[Shattered Realms]]. Known for her aloofness from both mortals and immortals, she concerns herself primarily with the ever-changing fates of the universe. # Nature and Influence The Harbinger embodies the concepts of freedom, chance, and the unpredictable nature of existence. She is the patron of travelers, merchants, and adventurers, representing the thrill of the unknown and the potential for change. Her influence can be felt in every roll of the dice, every fork in the road, and every unexplored horizon. # Appearance and Symbols Depictions of The Harbinger vary widely, reflecting her changeable nature. She might appear as a hooded traveler, a laughing merchant, or a swirling vortex of possibilities. Her symbol is often represented by three stacked wavy lines, representing the flowing nature of existence. The Harbinger occasionally appears to mortals as a fellow traveler, offering cryptic advice or small trinkets that later prove invaluable. # Divine Role and Personality The Harbinger delights in serendipity and unexpected opportunities. Unlike many deities, she doesn't seek to control or guide her followers, but rather encourages them to forge their own paths while embracing life's uncertainties. The goddess is known to have a fondness for games of skill and chance, even challenging other deities or exceptional mortals to high-stakes contests. # Worship and Followers While The Harbinger's temples are scarce in civilized lands, her wayside shrines are ubiquitous throughout the world. Though her followers are as diverse as the paths they walk, halflings have a particular fondness for the goddess. ## Worship Practices Travelers often leave small offerings at her shrines before embarking on journeys and adventurers might toast to The Harbinger before setting out on a quest, hoping for her favor. Some followers practice divination using coins or dice, believing The Harbinger speaks through these tools of chance. ## Notable Followers The traveling merchant city of [[Danlandaan]], operating across multiple [[Shard (Realm)|Shards]], is almost entirely composed of devout followers of The Harbinger. These merchants are pioneers in discovering new trade routes, especially across the [[Prismatic Sea]], embodying The Harbinger's spirit of adventure. [[House Bladespire]] has long sought The Harbinger's blessing in dealing with matters of trade within the various [[Guilds|guilds]] they operate. # Commandments The Harbinger's commandments are few but significant: 1. "Strike back against those who would rob you of your freedom and urge others to fight for their own liberty." 2. "Change is inevitable, but it takes the work of the faithful to ensure that change is for the better." 3. "Take your fate into your own hands, and fortune smiles upon you." # Conflicts and Relationships The Harbinger's promotion of change and unpredictability often puts her at odds with deities of order and stability. However, her neutral stance and focus on personal freedom mean she rarely engages in direct conflicts with other gods. Her relationship with mortals is equally complex. While she encourages them to seek their own destinies, she remains detached, viewing their struggles and triumphs as part of the grand tapestry of fate. ## Changelings There is a legend that tells of The Harbingers role in the creation of the changeling race. >When the world was young, The Harbinger was deeply involved in the lives of its creatures. She delighted in making their lives better. One mortal who was the object of The Harbinger's favor was a beautiful woman who was pursued by a cruel suitor. This suitor set his servants on her like hunting dogs. Two times The Harbinger helped the woman to flee or fight by changing her luck, and each time the woman praised The Harbinger after her escape. > >The third time the woman was threatened, The Harbinger gifted her with the power to change her form so that she could save herself from future threats. The woman instead used her power to assassinate her suitor. When The Harbinger sought her out to rebuke her, the woman used her power to hide from the goddess. By the time The Harbinger found the woman, her children's children had given birth to many more offspring, all with the power to change shape. The goddess's gift, once given, could not be taken away. Thus the changelings were born. > >From that episode The Harbinger learned a bitter lesson about being overly generous to mortals. Since then, she has been careful to help mortals only in small ways, often hiding her hand. By allowing mortals to face their own problems, The Harbinger provides them with the chance to discover their own potential. # In the Shattered Realms In the context of the Shattered Realms, The Harbinger's influence is particularly potent. Her domains of travel and adventure resonate strongly in a world of fragmented realms and Prismatic Seas. Followers of The Harbinger are often at the forefront of exploring new Shards and establishing connections between disparate realms, seeing the shattered world as an new opportunity for adventure and discovery. [^1]: Deity names and titles often vary across different cultures and regions within the Shattered Realms, and the names provided here may not be exhaustive; your character may encounter or prefer alternative names for these entities in their own experiences and/or traditions. #### Tags #deity #prime-creator