Nalinivati
First Mother (nagaji)
Queen of Nagas
Nalinivati is the patron naga goddess of the snake-like humanoids known as the nagaji. She is a goddess of fertility, snakes and sorcery, she is mainly worshipped across Tian Xia.1
Appearance
Nalinivati appears as a particularly huge naga of an unknown type with brilliantly coloured scales and vibrant hair. In art, she is often shown as either emerging from an egg, or protectively guarding either a single egg or a clutch of eggs.1
Religious symbol and animal
Her religious symbol is a lotus flower wherein a snake lies coiled. Snakes are naturally considered sacred animals to those of her faith.1
History
She was once a mortal naga sorceress. Through her magical powers and many daughters, she established Nagajor, ruled as its first queen, and founded its major institutions which persist today. Her female descendants continue to rule Nagajor as Matriarchs.2 She ascended to divinity through unknown means near the end of her life, and is now worshipped in many neighboring nations, as well as her home of Nagajor.3 Said to have created the nagaji, Nalinivati long ago gifted the ancestry with free will. They number among her most devout non-naga worshippers.1
Relationships
Nalinivati is said to be the daughter of the Vudran goddess Ravithra, having originally emerged from her throat.45 Nalinivati has been romantically linked with the kitsune deity Daikitsu, although both deities deny this claim.6
Church
Nalinivati is also known to her worshippers as the "Queen of Nagas" and as the "Serpent's Kiss". Her worshippers are most commonly sorcerers, nagaji, and smitten lovers (in her fertility aspect) but she also has many snake cults dedicated to her. She is most popular in the realm she founded, Nagajor, but is also commonly worshipped in Dtang Ma, Xa Hoi, and Xidao.1 Genealogy and heritage are important to Nalinivati and her worshippers. She judges based on family as well as individual merit.3 The Lotus Annals are a book written by Nalinivati's great-granddaughter Holadi that contain many stories about and parables told by the goddess before she ascended to godhood. While not considered a true holy text, the Lotus Annals are thought to contain considerable spiritual wisdom for worshippers of Nalinivati.2
Sacred weapon
Nalinivati's favoured weapons are natural jaws or bite and the manufactured urumi.1 This favoured status by Nalinivati's followers led to a wider popularity for the urumi across the Inner Sea region.7
References
For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 “Life in the Dragon Empires” in Dragon Empires Gazetteer, 61. Paizo Inc., 2011 .
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Red Harvest, 3. Paizo Inc., 2012 .
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 “Divine Influence” in Champions of Balance, 16. Paizo Inc., 2014 .
- ↑ “Ravithra” in Belly of the Black Whale, 72. Paizo Inc., 2020 .
- ↑ “Ravithra” in Belly of the Black Whale, 74. Paizo Inc., 2020 .
- ↑ Red Harvest, 5. Paizo Inc., 2012 .
- ↑ “Character Options” in Gods & Magic, 102. Paizo Inc., 2020 .
- Nalinivati
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