Tarastia
by Marco Dalmonte(Pax Bellanica, The Judge)
Patroness of Justice and Revenge, Mistress of Truth and Order
Level, Alignment, Sphere: 30th (Eternal), LN, Energy
Symbol: Black executioner's axe
Portfolio: Law, Order, Truth, Justice, Just Vengeance
Worshipped in: Known World (Thyatis, Karameikos, Darokin), Norwold, Savage Coast (Bellayne, Torreón, Gargoña, Narvaez, Almarrón, Saragón, Guadalante, Cimarron), Davania, Hollow World (Jennites, Milenia)
History: Tarastia was the priestess of a tribe of Jennites that it lived in Skothar around 2500 BC. After having been humiliated and abused by her clan's leader, she took her deserved revenge by killing him, and therefore left her clan choosing banishment, in accordance to the Jennite laws. Tarastia wandered the Jennite steppes for a long time and gathered around her various disciples, especially women warriors, the Amazons, whom she taught to live according to honourable and just rules, carrying her word of justice in various other regions. After creating her own horde of followers who recognised her superiority, she vanquished crazy wizards and drove away dangerous predators from her territory. Afterwards she built various sites she used as safe refuges and holy meeting places for her people, and asked Ixion's help to guide her steps towards immortality. Ixion listened her devout follower and showed her the path of the Paragon, which she completed successfully in 2300 BC. From that moment, also by virtue of the deeds completed while still alive, her name became legend and whole tribes started worshipping her and following her teachings. Unfortunately in the following centuries Rathanos grew interested in the Jennites (the descendants of the Oltecs) and tried to reform the Jennites according to his wishes, urging his followers to change the laws of Tarastia and to promote male supremacy and sacrifice rituals based on the divinisation of fire. The war that occurred in XVII century BC between the two factions was devastating for the Jennites, who died in the thousands and whose culture reverted to barbarism and stone age. Luckily, Tarastia spirited away some of her most loyal tribes before they were exterminated and placed them in the Hollow World, saving the Jennite culture before it became corrupted by Rathanos's machinations. From that fateful moment she has always opposed Rathanos, and she has spread her teachings of Justice and Order to the four corners of the world. She also took the mortal identity of Valentia the Justiciar, first Empress of Thyatis (widow of Tatriokanitas), and she devised the Codex Iustitiae, a system of laws and rules which formed the basis of the modern Thyatian bureaucratic and juridical corpus. With this act she intended to shape Thyatis following the way of Order and Law, in opposition to the Chaotic ways of Alphatia, and in this way she took a place of great importance in the future Thyatian pantheon.
Personality: Tarastia is obsessed by the idea of Justice. She helps those who pursue a just vendetta, but only when it refers to important and serious deeds. She does not pushes her faithfuls to give away punishments which are more severe than the guilt, but she shows no mercy when dealing with people who have deliberately ignored the laws, which are the only pillars that keep any society from falling into anarchy. Tarastia does not approve of the methods of Koryis and Alphatia, too peaceful and permissive in her view, even if she does not consider them enemies. Her real nemesis are the chauvinist Rathanos and the brute Jammudaru. Her only ally is Diulanna, who possesses Tarastia's same determination and appetite for justice.
Patron: Ixion
Allies: Diulanna
Enemies: Rathanos, Jammudaru
Classic D&D Stats:
Followers' Alignment: Any; Clerics must be Lawful
Favoured weapons: Battleaxe (allowed all bludgeoning weapons and axes)
Clerics' skills and powers: bonus detect lie general skill, +2 bonus to knowledge of codes and laws general skill, the clerics can cast freely know alignment once per day
Paladins' skills and powers: they can know the alignment of a creature within 10 feet simply concentrating for one round (works as the power to detect evil), +2 bonus to Knowledge of codes and laws general skill
D&D 3E Stats:
Domains: Energy, Law, Strength, Justice, Vengeance
Preferred weapon: Battleaxe
Sources: DotE, HW, WotI, SCS, HWR3, DDA2