Nalinivati

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Nalinivati
Holy symbol of Nalinivati.
(Deity)

Titles
The Serpent's Kiss
First Mother (nagaji)
Queen of Nagas
Adjective
Nalinivatan
Realm
Alignment
Areas of Concern
Worshipers
Nagaji, naga, sorcerers, lovers, snake cults
Edicts
Seek out magic and use it, use poison, heal poisons, bear or adopt children, raise snakes
Anathema
Kill a harmless snake or swan, spurn friends due to jealousy or romantic competition, betray your offspring, separate lovers
Cleric Alignments (1E)
Domains (1E)
Charm, Magic, Nobility, Rune, Scalykind
Subdomains (1E)
Arcane, Divine, Leadership, Love, Lust, Wards
Cleric Alignments (2E)
Domains (2E)
Glyph, magic, passion, wyrmkin
Favored Weapon
Urumi, bite / jaws
Symbol
Lotus flower wherein a snake lies coiled
Sacred Animal
Snake
Source: Dragon Empires Gazetteer, pg(s). 61 (1E)
Gods & Magic, pg(s). 132
f. (2E)

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. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 James Jacobs, et al. “Life in the Dragon Empires” in Dragon Empires Gazetteer, 61. Paizo Inc., 2011
  2. 2.0 2.1 Alex Greenshields. Red Harvest, 3. Paizo Inc., 2012
  3. 3.0 3.1 Matthew Goodall, et al. “Divine Influence” in Champions of Balance, 16. Paizo Inc., 2014
  4. Brian Yaksha. “Ravithra” in Belly of the Black Whale, 72. Paizo Inc., 2020
  5. Brian Yaksha. “Ravithra” in Belly of the Black Whale, 74. Paizo Inc., 2020
  6. Alex Greenshields. Red Harvest, 5. Paizo Inc., 2012
  7. Paizo Inc., et al. “Character Options” in Gods & Magic, 102. Paizo Inc., 2020