Acavna

Acavna

(Deity)

Titles

The Shield

Realm

Maelstrom

Alignment

Chaotic neutral

Areas of Concern

Companionship, defensive battles, and the moon

Worshipers

Azlanti

Follower Alignments (1E)

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Domains (1E)

Chaos, Darkness, Protection, Repose, War

Subdomains (1E)

Ancestors, Defense, Moon, Night, Tactics, Wards

Favored Weapon

Spear

Symbol

Crossed spears over a full moon

Images of Acavna

Source: The Flooded Cathedral, pg(s). 66

Acavna is a now long-forgotten deity of the Azlanti people, who was dedicated to the moon and to defensive battle. She was kind and compassionate, and saw humanity as something to be protected and cherished.

History

When Acavna learned of the alghollthus' plan to destroy the continent, she was determined to make a stand to protect Golarion and her people from the incoming Earthfall, refusing to stand down no matter what her lover Amaznen said. Acavna pulled Golarion's moon from its orbit to intercept the massive asteroid known as the Aeon Star. The impact with the moon shattered the world-killing projectile into thousands of pieces, but did not slow or deflect it from its course. Instead, its shards inflicted lethal wounds on the goddess' physical manifestation.

Distraught by Acavna's death, Amaznen sacrificed himself to render the remaining deadly alghollthu magic clinging to the meteorite fragments inert, transforming it from a world-killer to one that, while still incredibly destructive, gave life on Golarion a chance to survive. When it impacted with Golarion, it obliterated the continent of Azlant and plunged the world into the Age of Darkness, but did not destroy all life on Golarion.

Acavna's corpse plummeted into the site of an abandoned Celwynvian observatory, obliterating the structure and penetrating through the planet's crust and into its mantle. The Mordant Spire rose from her grave, formed from the essence of her soul as it attempted to reach Pharasma's Boneyard. The elves who inhabit the spire are said to be able to hear the whispers of Acavna even now, thousands of years after her death. The shard of the Aeon Star that pierced her became the Starstone and fell into what is now known as the Inner Sea, where it was later raised by Aroden and used by him to ascend to divinity.

After her death, her former herald Shieldwarden Olhondias used parts of Acavna's planar realm to shore up Basrakal, the refuge for outcast outsiders in the Maelstrom.

Relationships

Acavna was the lover of Amaznen, the Azlanti god of magic, despite the mismatch in their outlooks. Prior to Earthfall, the future Last Azlanti and patron of humanity Aroden was a follower of Amaznen and Acavna. They were cited in Aroden's dogma as an example that gods could die, but humanity would live on.

Acavna's arch-nemesis was Nurgal, who personifies war's needless brutality in contrast to her own portfolio of defensive tactics. During the Eversiege of Aucharan, Acavna came to the aid of an azata fortress cast into the Maelstrom by Nurgal's forces. At the climax of the battle, Acavna clove Nurgal in two and sent both parts tumbling into the Maelstrom. These two remnants became the infernal duke Nergal and a demon lord that retained the name of Nurgal.

Cults

Bilith-Vel was once Acavna's holy city. Hundreds of temples in the city were dedicated to her, outnumbering those of all other gods combined. Huge statues of Acavna stood shoulder-to-shoulder with towers and walkways; and lunar motifs dominated the architecture.

An important story in Acavna's religious text tells of an assault on Bilith-Vel. When the attackers were approaching under the cover of night, a defending guard prayed to Acavna for a revelation to save the city. The crescent moon suddenly shone as bright as a full moon, allowing the defenders to see and repel the attackers.

A few of Acavna's most powerful followers were among the first explorers of Golarion's moon. They strongly opposed the construction of the City of the Faceless, a supermax prison built on the moon's surface, but ultimately failed to prevent the plan.

The great lunar dragon Rezallian once served as Acavna's battle mount and closest confidant. He was absent when Acavna and Amaznen gave their lives to save Golarion from Earthfall, and his guilt over whether his participation might have been enough to save them eventually twisted him into an animus shade.

One of Acavna's few surviving temples is located near the ancient ruined Azlanti city of Saventh-Yhi in the Mwangi Expanse.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.