Ignia, Regan Goddess of Fire and Forge
Ignia
LG
Titles: Mistress Fire, the Fireheart, Lady of the Forge, Hammerer, Fleshforger
Symbol: a flame atop an anvil, usually red-gold on iron
Portfolio: Fire, healing, the forge, craftsmanship, healing, love, poetry (“wordsmithing”)
5E Domains: Forge, Light, Life
3.5 domains: Fire, Forge, Good, Healing,Law, Protection, Strength
Worshippers: smiths, craftsmen, poets, guardsmen, protectors, lovers (especially same sex)
Favored animals and monsters: oxen, boars, sheep, minotaurs, gold dragons
Favored colors: red, gold, black
Description: Ignia is most often portrayed as a tall, broad shouldered, very muscular woman of surpassing beauty. Her hair is red-gold, and moves like fire, and her eyes are emerald green. Her skin is most often a deep brown, and her features are like those of whatever ethnicity has portrayed her...or that she is visiting. She is portrayed as a dwarf as often as human, and sometimes the portrayals blur the distinction. She often sports thick sideburns. She dresses in a golden chain shirt , red leather pants, with a broad black belt over the chain and high black boots. Black leather smith's gloves are tucked into the belt, although she rarely wears them, and a heavy golden forge hammer rides her hip. The Hammer is called Novus, 'to make new'.
History: Ignia is the youngest of the 8 great Gods of Rega, born slightly after her twin Solis, of the pairing of Saevios and Caela. She is said to partake of both their natures, being peaceful when she can, but implacable in her wrath when provoked. It is she who crafted most of the fine weapons of the gods, such as the Omnitelus, or Rod of Lordly Might, wielded by her father. She is a fighter, and a crafter, and a lover, and a defender...she made the dwarves herself, to assist her in her creative pursuits. Hers is the fire of both forge and hearth, fire turned to constructive use, but still quite capable of vast destruction. She is known to have as voracious a sexual appetite as both her father and her brother, and to fall in love easily...but only with women.
Relationships: She is closest to her father and brother, Saevios and Solis. She respects her mother, but they have little in common. Of the Winds, she prefers Eura and Austera, who have been her lovers in the past. She cares not for Favonius, and quietly despises Aquilo, who hates her in turn. Like most of her kin, she hates the spawn of Invidia. Interitus and Metus anger her...but Rixa provokes her ire more than any other.
Realm: Her great forge is in the lower levels of the palace of the Gods, Aula Dei, and is kept alight by the eternal flames of the volcanic mountain below.
Rituals: In every major temple, and all of her personal shrines, a flame is kept constantly lit. Every act of smithcraft is considered sacred to her, and many rituals attend it. Sacrifices to Ignia include the standard libations and meat, but also can include small crafted items given to the flame.
Holy Days: Each of the gods has one day a week sacred to them, except Lunos and Vulpos, who share one. Ignia's weekday is equivalent to our Friday, and would be styled Dies Ignia, or Ignaday. Her high holy day is the very beginning of spring, roughly equivalent to February 1st and 2nd , which in our world are Imbolc, and sacred to Brigid.
Commandments:
Put your whole heart into what you make.
Do nothing halfway.
Love fiercely.
Never destroy when you could create.
Strike down the servants and spawn of Invidia to protect the righteous.
Orders: The Smith's Order includes priests who are also crafters, and teach craftsmanship to others. The Order of the Dragon, that she shares with her father Saevios, is a chivalric knighthood dedicated to the protection of the Successor States and the defense of the innocent.
