Alignment: Chaotic Good

Domains: Healing, Good, Protection, Strength

Goddess of healing, she cries whenever someone dies that could have been saved. Whether death comes from war, or famine, poison or disease she regrets any of those who pass before their time. She also understands that strength is required, to reach those places most in need of her priests’ healing powers. Her temples are many, easy to reach, and her priests are taught never to turn someone away who needs their assistance.
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Serena is the other deity that followed the refugees to their new home on the new continent. She followed these people after finding that she had no home left in the old realm, a realm now dedicated to death and the dominion of demons and undead. Serena is the goddess of healing and health and so is considered one of the more gentle of the gods. She is a guardian of the sentient races, attempting to make sure they all live their full measure of their life. Serena’s definition of ‘a full measure of life’ sometimes differs from what many might expect it to be though. A man that takes many risks in order to experience the world may die in that pursuit and not be saved, as Serena judges his experience to have given his life sufficient measure. She has a soft spot for those that live dull lives with no experience venturing in the world. She often gives those more chances to experience life then many would consider wise. Serena hates disease and pestilence, as she feels they are an unnecessary pain for anyone to go through, shortening their lives so that they cannot experience their full measure. It is Serena that contacted the refugee’s profits, informing them that they would be without the guidance of the gods for some time. She advocated they make the most of their lives, and that they would be contacted in due time when they had been found worthy of the pantheon’s divine guidance once again. She has spent the time during the interval learning of her new pantheon, forming allies and determining whom she may wish to oppose. During this time she formed a lasting friendship with Nimeth, as Serena can respect the rogue goddesses’ love of adventure and constant seeking of life’s fun. In addition the goddess Ssrigg’nala and she have spent a great amount of time together with Serena experiencing more things then she even thought possible. Serena opposes the god Paragor and watches his futile attempts to create an army of undeath with great sympathy for the soulless automatons that are created. When possible she uses her agents to send those corpses back to the earth by severing the connection between them and whatever has pulled them out of their graves. Serena does realize that those efforts do require strength, as well as the strength to get to whomever may need her help. She cultivates the strength of her followers as well, asking them to do her work in the best way they know how, as long as they are seeking out those they can heal.

Serena’s temples can be of any size, as long as there is someone who is willing to provide healing to those in need. That is the single precept that all of her priests follow, that they cannot turn away someone who is injured, diseased or in pain. Temples to Serena are used as hospitals and places for those without any other recourse to go when they are in need. There is no hierarchy for the priests at these temples, as anyone that can provide healing does without reservation expending whatever strength they have in service of the injured, wounded and suffering. Donations to the temple simply go to more space to attend the wounded and to buy food, water and healing herbs. Occasionally a temple will send forth a group of clerics and paladins to a place of great conflict, or to help those in places that would be difficult to reach without force of arms. In these cases the most experienced Paladin will be in charge of the group’s safety, making decisions of a martial nature. The strongest Cleric determines the groups’ course of action if they have to make choices of a spiritual nature.

All races are welcome as servants of Serena, there are only two requirements, a willingness to serve others and the strength of conviction to put another’s well being before ones’ own. All of Serena’s worshippers are thus good, though the way they serve can determine whether they are Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic.

© 2003, Geoffrey Quick, All rights reserved.