Atroa
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
roleplaying game, Atroa (ah-TRO-ah) is the Oeridian goddess of Spring, East Wind, and Renewal. Her holy symbol is a heart with an air-glyph within, or a kara
tree full of ripe, red fruit.
(1983), by Gary Gygax
.
Atroa was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes
set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign. Atroa is described as one of the good deities that celestials
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999). Atroa was featured in the article series on the Oeridian Lesser Gods in Dragon
#263 (1999).
Atroa's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
(2000).
and cousin of Merikka. As one of the Velaeri, she is sister to Velnius
, Telchur
, Sotillion
, and Wenta
. She once loved the god Kurell
, but he rejected her to pursue his brother Zilchus
's lover, her sister Sotillion. She is currently romantically linked with Fharlanghn
. She is allied with Ehlonna
, Phaulkon
, Velnius, and her sisters, but opposed to her brother Telchur. To most other gods, Atroa is indifferent.
. She is also thought to spend time in the realm of Morninglory in Elysium
.
There are two sects of the Atroan church: the Planterings and the Bearers. The Planterings concentrate on Atroa's seasonal aspect, working hard at farming, honoring the spring and preparing for winter. The Bearers concentrate on the aspect of renewal, revering the family and urging the proliferation of the human race. They run orphanages, and are usually women.
Priests of Atroa typcally wear simple farmers' clothing with green wide-brimmed hats. Often they wear green cloaks with red dots, and they customarily wear leather gloves for agricultural work. On formal occasions they wear green, knee-length robes with short sleeves and hoods.
, Highfolk
, Ratik, Sunndi
, the County of Urnst
, and Veluna
. Though worship of the Velaeri is forbidden in the Theocracy of the Pale, they are honored in secret by many farmers and country folk.
Temples to Atroa specifically are usually small chapels or shrines, made of wood and with little decoration. They have many windows, which always face the east. Carved wooden images of Atroa sometimes stand in front of the altars, and bells ring out the hours.
The largest Atroan temple is the Temple of the Children in Gradsul, in Keoland, a large wooden building that competes with the Foaming Tower of Osprem
in the same city for followers. Both churches share many followers, as most sailors want the blessing of both goddesses. The Temple of the Children is one of the greatest orphanages in Keoland.
The Trade Wind Chapel in High Mardreth in the County of Urnst
is the second largest temple of Atroa. It has grown since the Greyhawk Wars
, since much shipping has begun bypassing Nyrond for the Urnst States.
is particularly important to Atroa and her faithful, when the clergy joins their flock in planting, followed by song, prayer, food, and drink in the evenings. The holiest day is the Spring Feast, on Growfest 4, which is set aside as a day of rest, prayer, and reflection. Her followers leave offerings to the goddess on Great Moon's Glory (Readying
11th), to beg her to come early and to request her brother Telchur to peacefully leave.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
roleplaying game, Atroa (ah-TRO-ah) is the Oeridian goddess of Spring, East Wind, and Renewal. Her holy symbol is a heart with an air-glyph within, or a kara
Kara
-Given name:* Cara , an alternative spelling for Kara* Kara Kennedy Allen, professional board member and a television producer* Kara Mahmud Bushati, a noble of the Bushati family* Kara Edwards, an American voice actress...
tree full of ripe, red fruit.
Publication history
Atroa was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game SettingWorld of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
The World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting and the World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting are two closely related publications from TSR, Inc. that detail the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
(1983), by Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
.
Atroa was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes
From the Ashes (Dungeons & Dragons)
From the Ashes is a supplement for Dungeons & Dragonss World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It was published in 1992 by TSR as a boxed set of materials...
set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign. Atroa is described as one of the good deities that celestials
Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999). Atroa was featured in the article series on the Oeridian Lesser Gods in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#263 (1999).
Atroa's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is a sourcebook for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Despite the title, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is not exclusive to the Living Greyhawk Campaign...
(2000).
Description
Atroa appears as a fresh-faced blonde woman, often with an eagle perching upon her shoulder. With her sling Windstorm, she can strike the most distant foe, and with Readying's Dawn, her spherical glass talisman, she is able to melt all ice in sight.Relationships
Atroa is the daughter of ProcanProcan
Procan is a fictional deity in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Procan is the Oeridian god of seas, sea life, salt, sea weather, and navigation...
and cousin of Merikka. As one of the Velaeri, she is sister to Velnius
Velnius
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Velnius is the Oeridian god of the Sky and Weather...
, Telchur
Telchur
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Telchur is the Oeridian god of Winter, Cold, and the North Wind...
, Sotillion
Sotillion
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Sotillion is the Oeridian goddess of Summer, the South Wind, Ease, and Comfort...
, and Wenta
Wenta
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Wenta is the Oeridian goddess of Autumn, Brewing, Harvest, and the West Wind...
. She once loved the god Kurell
Kurell
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Kurell is the Oeridian god of Jealousy, Revenge, and Thievery...
, but he rejected her to pursue his brother Zilchus
Zilchus
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Zilchus is the Oeridian god of Power, Prestige, Money, Business, and Influence...
's lover, her sister Sotillion. She is currently romantically linked with Fharlanghn
Fharlanghn
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Fharlanghn, the Dweller on the Horizon, is the Oeridian god of Horizons, Distance, Travel, and Roads. He is a well-known deity on the world of Oerth...
. She is allied with Ehlonna
Ehlonna
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and in the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Ehlonna is the goddess of Forests, Woodlands, Flora, Fauna, and Fertility...
, Phaulkon
Phaulkon
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Phaulkon is the Suel god of Air, Wind, Clouds, Birds, and Archery...
, Velnius, and her sisters, but opposed to her brother Telchur. To most other gods, Atroa is indifferent.
Realm
Atroa's realm, the Grove of Perpetual Spring, is in the layer of Brux in the BeastlandsBeastlands
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Beastlands is a neutral good-aligned plane of existence...
. She is also thought to spend time in the realm of Morninglory in Elysium
Elysium (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Elysium, or more fully, the Blessed Fields of Elysium, is a strongly good-aligned plane of existence...
.
Dogma
As Goddess of Spring, Atroa is the invigorating breath that awakens the world from its slumber. She gifts the world with new love and new life, renews old friendships, and plucks the heartstrings of lovers, travelers, and poets. The Sad Maiden promotes spring as a time for burying old feuds, repairing old items, and eliminating old biases. Spring, like the dawn, presages great things; Atroa urges her followers to look to the future with open minds and hearts in order to enjoy them to the fullest. They believe in taking responsibility for what they have begun, and nurturing what they have planted. It is a great sin in Atroa's faith to allow a plant to die because of neglect, or to allow a child to go hungry. They believe in the basic good of all people. Celibacy is frowned upon by Atroa, who encourages marriages and pregnancies. Pregnant priestesses of Atroa are considered the holiest of them all.Worshippers
Atroa is usually worshipped with her siblings as part of the Velaeri, the Oeridian agricultural gods. She is thus revered by farmers and others who depend on the land's bounty.There are two sects of the Atroan church: the Planterings and the Bearers. The Planterings concentrate on Atroa's seasonal aspect, working hard at farming, honoring the spring and preparing for winter. The Bearers concentrate on the aspect of renewal, revering the family and urging the proliferation of the human race. They run orphanages, and are usually women.
Clergy
Priests of Atroa tend to be optimistic and willing to try and experience new things. They are often wandering spirits, rarely spending more than a year in the same place. By nature, they are very forgiving and count every foe turned friend with pride. They love revisiting old friends and lovers nearly as much as traveling to new places. They are busiest in the spring, when they help plant crops. Many are midwives. Many Atroan priests love exploring strange locales, especially if it's been awhile since their last journey. The sling is their favored weapon. Specialty priests of Atroa are known as Green Daughters or Green Sons.Priests of Atroa typcally wear simple farmers' clothing with green wide-brimmed hats. Often they wear green cloaks with red dots, and they customarily wear leather gloves for agricultural work. On formal occasions they wear green, knee-length robes with short sleeves and hoods.
Temples
Places of worship to Atroa are often dedicated to the Velaeri as a whole. The locations are found throughout Oeridian lands, including Ahlissa, the Bone March, the Gran MarchGran March
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Gran March is a political state of the Flanaess.-Geography:...
, Highfolk
Highfolk
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Highfolk, properly known as the Free Town of Highfolk, is a political city-state of the Flanaess...
, Ratik, Sunndi
Sunndi
In the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Sunndi is a political state situated in the region of the Flanaess. Sunndi was originally given a very brief description by Gary Gygax in 1980's World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting...
, the County of Urnst
County of Urnst
The County of Urnst is a political state in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is situated on the east coast of the Nyr Dyv, and bordered by the Duchy of Urnst to the southwest, The Kingdom of Nyrond to the south and east, and the Bandit Kingdoms...
, and Veluna
Veluna
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Veluna, properly known as the Archclericy of Veluna, is a theocratic political state of the Flanaess.-History:...
. Though worship of the Velaeri is forbidden in the Theocracy of the Pale, they are honored in secret by many farmers and country folk.
Temples to Atroa specifically are usually small chapels or shrines, made of wood and with little decoration. They have many windows, which always face the east. Carved wooden images of Atroa sometimes stand in front of the altars, and bells ring out the hours.
The largest Atroan temple is the Temple of the Children in Gradsul, in Keoland, a large wooden building that competes with the Foaming Tower of Osprem
Osprem
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Osprem is the Suel goddess of Sea Voyages, Ships, and Sailors.-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition :...
in the same city for followers. Both churches share many followers, as most sailors want the blessing of both goddesses. The Temple of the Children is one of the greatest orphanages in Keoland.
The Trade Wind Chapel in High Mardreth in the County of Urnst
County of Urnst
The County of Urnst is a political state in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is situated on the east coast of the Nyr Dyv, and bordered by the Duchy of Urnst to the southwest, The Kingdom of Nyrond to the south and east, and the Bandit Kingdoms...
is the second largest temple of Atroa. It has grown since the Greyhawk Wars
Greyhawk Wars
In the Dungeons & Dragons World of Greyhawk campaign setting, the Greyhawk Wars raged across the whole of the Flanaess from 582-584 CY.-History:...
, since much shipping has begun bypassing Nyrond for the Urnst States.
Rituals
Prayers are recited in the morning. The act of working in the fields is counted as prayer in itself, though devout worshipers of Atroa often recite the phrase "Blessed be this ground" over and over while doing so. Priests of Atroa give blessings at the occasion of births and weddings, and also preach at funerals with messages of hope.Holy days
The week of GrowfestGreyhawk Calendar
The Greyhawk Calendar is a fictional calendar used in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game...
is particularly important to Atroa and her faithful, when the clergy joins their flock in planting, followed by song, prayer, food, and drink in the evenings. The holiest day is the Spring Feast, on Growfest 4, which is set aside as a day of rest, prayer, and reflection. Her followers leave offerings to the goddess on Great Moon's Glory (Readying
Greyhawk Calendar
The Greyhawk Calendar is a fictional calendar used in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game...
11th), to beg her to come early and to request her brother Telchur to peacefully leave.
Additional reading
- Conforti, Steven, ed. Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip