Adrasteia
One of the primary daughters of Betshaba, Adrasteia is the goddess of rivers and streams. Those few priests who worship Adrasteia directly are typically attached to the nearest Temple of Betshaba, working as servants and handmaidens to Betshaban priests, as their deity works as handmaiden to Betshaba herself. Despite her subservient role and small priesthood, Adrasteia is often called upon by those who rely on fresh water, including those who participate in shipping via river, subsist off of fresh water fish and in dry areas where agriculture relies irrigation fed by rivers. Though riverside shrines are not uncommon, true temples to Adrasteia are extremely rare.
| Adrasteia |
| Goddess of Rivers and Streams |
| Descriptive Info |
| Gender: Female |
| Avatar: Elisar of the Plains, Serena |
| Consort(s): Virtus (husband), Alcyoneus and Cebren (lovers). |
| Allies: Betshaba (mother), Pavor (son), Alcyoneus (lover), Virtus (husband), Podalirius, Cebren (lover), Orestea, Minos (grandson), Luna and Themis |
| Foes: Alcina, Taltos, all Taltosian deities, but especially Orthus, Epimetheus and Podarge |
| Spiritual Info |
| Rank: Major |
| Nature: Chaotic |
| Ethos: Benign |
| Major Influence: Rivers, streams |
| Minor Influence(s): Travel (especially by river), Fish, servants; some minor interest in agriculture, especially in dry, irrigated regions. |
| Spheres: Community, Travel, Water |
Depictions
Adrasteia is typically depicted as an aged woman with white hair pulled close to her head. She usually carries her Aquatiste in her left hand and a full pitcher in the other. Her clothes are simple peasant clothes, often painted light blue and gray. She is rarely depicted with her trident and when she is it is almost always laying on the ground before her.
The morning star is sacred to Adrasteia, and her stylized morning star, called the Aquatiste, is always in her hand or at her side. The trident, borrowed from her mother, is also a weapon typically associated with Adrasteia. Adrasteia rarely finds the need to wear armor, but wears light chain mail when necessary. When touching river-water, she is completely invulnerable to all except Taltos and the Taltosian deities.
Symbols
Adrasteia's symbol is that of two blue, wavy lines over which is superimposed a nine pointed star.
Dwelling Place
Though Adrasteia has a riverside home in the Celestial plane, she spends most of her time in the Empyreal plane with her husband, Virtus. She enjoys a great deal of private time, and has taken at least two Entital lovers (Alcyoneus and Cebren). When visiting her lovers, she can be found either in her riverside home or in their chambers.
Servants
St. Orem of the Red Heart, St. Catrine of the Barge, St. Claire the Handmaiden
Doctrine
No information available on the doctrine of Adrasteia
Mission
No information available on the mission of Adrasteia
Geography
No geographic information available on Adrasteia
History of the Church
No historic information available on Adrasteia
Organization
No information available on the Organization of the Church of Adrasteia
Priesthood
There are few who are interested in becoming priests of Adrasteia, as worship of this goddess is often closely connected with that of Betshaba. Those temples to Betshaba that do have a priestess of Adrasteia, however, are considered to be truly blessed .
Acolytes of the order must serve under either a Priest of Adrasteia or of Betshaba for at least seven years before they are allowed to become Priests or Monks. There are no further ranks within this Church, as there are no full temples dedicated to Adrasteia, only shrines within temples of Betshaba.
Garments
Members of the clergy are required to wear light blue and gray robes adorned with the symbols of their faith. They may not wear lavish adornments, as humility and service is paramount to the faith.
Religious Practices
There are very few laity of Adrasteia outside the ranks of servants and slaves. Those who serve, however, venerate her beyond a mere patron, and it is said that she will ease the pain of those servants who pray to her for succor.
Calendar
Adrasteia claims no holy days as her own, but is instead worshiped on those days sacred to Betshaba.
Customs
Priests and monks to Adrasteia (typically women, though there is no taboo against men in the order) primarily serve as messengers and attendants in temples to Betshaba, but they sometimes will wander the nearby countryside helping those who fish or work at a riverside. Some, particularly adherents to St. Claire the Handmaiden, will also rove slave quarters and fields where slaves are used to check on their condition. Those slave-masters who are found to own mistreated slaves often find themselves at the business end of an extremely long lecture.
Furthermore, priests to Adrasteia receive a +1 level for caster level checks and spell effects when they are standing in the waters of a stream or river .
Taboos
Priests of Adrasteia must bath in a river or stream at least once a week or they suffer a -1 level penalty to level checks . Furthermore, they must faithfully serve someone, whether it be a priest of Betshaba or a more secular person (though it need not be a noble, in the latter case). Raising a weapon against one's ecclesiastical or secular superior is one of the gravest sins those who follow Adrasteia can commit, and doing so almost always results in the loss of priestly status by the offender until he can repent his crime (unless, the victim was of an evil sort, in which case the sin is often forgiven after a day's prayer).
