Api-Niyap

Name: Api-Niyap, (to call her "Api" or "Niyap" is ok, too) The Phoenix, Fire-Kindler, Harvest-Maiden, Aep-nuye-an "The Plenteous" Alignment: Neutral Good. Spheres: Fire, Fertility Domains: Growth, Harvest (Agriculture?), Labor

Appearance: The cornucopia or basket carrying maiden, often carrying a jug or basket. She often is portrayed as deeply tanned from fieldwork. Her colors are like the seasonal trees, fiery autumn red and lush spring greens. In spring her hair is short and green, but over the year grows longer and darker to a beautiful burned black in autumn. A glowing young woman who wears sweat and earth gracefully, when barefoot coaxes the grass and plants around her.

Personality: Api-Niyap embodies the steady and reliable patience like a farmer who watches the changing seasons, yet there is a fire burning deep in her that shows through in moments of intense emotion. Usually her pleasant attitude can be described in such a fire-like way, as "warm" or "glowing." As the harvest deity and deity of hearth, she has no opposition to water (and welcomes rain), but the ocean and sea is uncomfortable and unknown to her. Winter it can be said is her least favorite time and she opposes cold.

Api-Niyap is a reliable and loyal deity. Her promises are not broken, but they may take time to complete. She is favored of farmers and matchmakers, or young couples desiring children and long marriages. Of fertility and love, she does not embody the passionate love and seduction of Chandra. It is the gentle love of a nurtured fire, to start small and grow with care and support. She is a matchmaker, who brings together encouragingly. The spark of love is something mysterious, and Api-Niyap does not create it. She supports it and nurtures it, just as a farmer tends carefully to growing crops. So too is her relationship with others. She is supportive and nurturing, who listens to troubles and gives encouragement and sympathy. She gives advice only if pressed, preferring that actions tell the story properly. Hard work confronted with endurance is her style. When she disagrees with someone she is very stubborn. Paying attention to and rejoicing in small and simple things is her style.

Of Fire she is the hearth tender. The guardian of fire, and the cook. She represents the power of harnessed fire, and represents the irrepressible dangers of fire left uncontrolled. It can feed better than any food, and yet it will eat anything that it is given. Mindful caution, respect and dignity are the things she would teach about fire. The joy bringing torch at celebrations, the comforting candle, the cooking fire, the burned field ready for planting, the warmth in winter's desolation.

Of animals, the Phoenix is the sacred animal of Api-Niyap because it is a symbol of eternal growth, endurance and fire. The ox is also the sacred animal of Api-Niyap because of it's endurance and virility.

Goals: To cure the troubles of the world. For Api-Niyap, the troubles of the world is caused by the suffering from desires. Gods and mortals are the same, they all want something, and suffer or cause suffering for this. The way to solve this is to make the world become without lacking and without unfulfilled needs. For Api-Niyap, this is firstly the simple things: food and shelter. This kind of thing that is important for life. But it also needs the heart that always grows and desires more, to seek this perfection.

Can such a paradoxical goal be achieved? Api-Niyap will try stubbornly to achieve this. And maybe through her actions show this path to others.

Stats: 3d6 Attack, 3d6 Defense, 80 Health