Tarien

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Lesser Deity

Colors: Orange and Green

Symbol: A coyote's head on a field of stars

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Celestial symbol: The Constellation 'Coyote's Laugh'

Home Plane: Heroes' Welcome

Portfolio: Trickery, Gnomes, Halflings, Pranks, Rogues, Bards

Domains: Good, Chaos, Charm, Luck, Travel

Cleric Alignment: CG, CN, NG

Favored Weapon: The Last Laugh (Short Sword)

Other Names: The Bard King, The Coyote, The Trickster God, Alamarn the Bard King (Myrddion) The Singer (Elves), The Laughing One (Gnomes, Halflings) The Great Laugh (Dwarves), Mirth (Dran)

The middle child of Daeus and Althea and brother to Gilead, Tarien the Coyote is revered as a trickster god in some lands and as an inspiration for music, song and generosity in other lands. Tarien is beloved in many parts of the world but there are other parts that believe him to be little more then a trouble marker. While he encourages the worth and value of laughter he seeks to mainly inspire devotion, courage, art and generosity while teaching the children of the world to keep their eyes heavenward and to stand strong in the face of danger and opposition. Tarien delights in the brining of joy to the world in all forms and all manners. His folk are called to uplift sorrowful hearts and to spread laughter and to teach wisdom to all that would hear it. He loves the beauty of music and it is among his favored tools. He is called the singer at times and the bard king because of this. He is a lover of festivals, celebrations, dance, symphony, merry making and the great last laugh. Friendly, graceful, kind and of good fortune, Tarien's province over narrow escapes and lucky discoveries cause him to be reverenced by a number of individuals. Wilder cultures that invoke his chaotic aspects know him as The Coyote. As The Coyote, he prowls from the heavens, teaching others through pranks and mischief.

Dogma

Bring laughter to the lives of others. Teach them humility and an appreciation for the life that they have through pranks and jokes. Teach them that one must learn to laugh at themselves before they can laugh at others. Bring luck and chance to those who are too rigidly in the grasp of order and law. Teach others to adapt through the injection of the unexpected, uninvited, and occasionally unwanted, so long as you bring no permanent or lasting harm to others. Let music guide your steps and when nothing else seems to work, join in the dance. Be bold for to be bold is to live. Be willing to take risks and conduct yourself as a master of your own fate. Chase your unique goals and The Coyote will pass his will over you in due time or season.

Clergy and Temples

Clerics of Tarien pray for spells in the morning. Luckbringers, Laughing Ones, The Jokers and more, Tarien's clergy is beloved in some lands and reviled in others. In places that promote pomp and circumstance, Tarien's people are almost always seen as a nuisance because they delight in bringing peoples perspectives back down to the solid earth with a well placed and well meaning joke or prank. Only a priest of Tarien would be willing to rig the sermon of a follower of Maugrim with a pie in the face joke. By and large, they are loved and well looked for. Typically as graceful, kind and as witty as the deity they wish to follow, they greet one another by touching holy symbols and embracing warmly. There are few rituals, rites, official prayers and even uniforms. They encourage freedom and espouse individuality from beginning to end. Energetic and lovers of fun and adventure, those people who don't take themselves to seriously will always find a place for a priest of Tarien.

Clerical Vestments

The priests and priestess of Tarien are usually easily spotted as their garments are typically bright colored and attention gathering. Face paint, even theatrical masks, in humorous or fanciful designs is commonplace. Patchwork or brightly colored open robes over tunics and leggings is the standard, as are bells around the ankles or wrists, and other noisemakers that can easily make children laugh or smile.

Avatars

A great joyous halfling or a tub bellied gnome are among his favored appearances. His eyes are jeweled and his garments bright and garish. A natural born performer who delights in bringing smiles to the face of others. He is not a god who is ever depicted as wrathful, angry or distressed and his appearances reflect his whim, whit and nature as the bard king and the great trickster. A heaven born coyote and a great whirlwind are among his other forms. As The Coyote he prowls the heavens, teaching others through pranks and mischief and as The whirlwind he passes through the hearts, minds and souls of others. Bringing change as he passes.