Haryxmi

Introduction

Commonly portrayed either as a seductive human woman, or a brass dragon, Harxymi is the trickster goddess of alcohol, entertainment, music, humor, pranks and seduction.  Though her nature makes her seem youthful and thus perhaps a “younger” goddess, Harxymi has been around since mortals first gathered around to tell stories around tribal campfires in ancient times.  Indeed, her priests claim that she is the inspiration behind storytelling and thus played a part in the development of the oral histories of the ancients.  Harxymi herself cares not for history, as she seems to live more in the moment and thus isn’t overly concerned with the past.

To Harxymi, “living in the moment” means “where’s the fun at?”  She seeks to inspire fun and humor in even the dourest of situations.  There is usually at least a minor nugget of humor to be mined in even the grimmest of times.  If people can’t see it on their own, perhaps they can be tricked into seeing it.  If not, then it’s time to move on and search elsewhere for the next moment of revelry.  What constitutes fun?  Jokes, stories, music, parties, pranks, sex.  These are all fun and should be sought out at every opportunity.  Alcohol should be added to those things because it enhances the amount of fun one can have.  Alcohol can also “inspire” fun in those who might normally be of too taciturn a demeanor to find fun on their own.  What of the butt of a prank or joke?  What of a lover left behind in the wake of seduction?  Who cares?  That’s the past, the opportunity for fun lies just around the next corner.  Get moving!

This isn’t to say that Harxymi can’t sit still for a moment.  If she senses an opportunity for great enjoyment at the end of a long task, she will slow down to investigate and often stay to inspire artists of all stripes.  A bard working on a beautifully composed ballad that promises to spread far and wide and thus create much enjoyment will find Harxymi a willing accomplice in the form of divine inspiration. 

Centers of Worship

Harxymi has an interesting relationship with many of the inhabitants of Merisyl.  She has comparatively few dedicated followers, but during times of celebration, praises in her name soar to dizzying heights.  This is understandable in that Harxymi is not generally seen as a source of comfort when times are hard for mortals.  It’s hard to engage in whimsy or revelry when one is struggling to put food on the table during poor harvest times.  Nor is one likely to find many humorous moments during an invasion or other times of great turmoil.

On a daily basis, most dedicated followers of Harxymi can be found in the more artistic districts of larger cities.  Given her areas of concern, she finds most of her followers amongst entertainers and other artistic types.  Many traveling bards pay homage to Harxymi and often rely on her wily tricks to help them get by when they run into trouble on the road. 

She also has a dedicated following amongst brewers and vintners all over Merisyl, as she is often portrayed as the one that first introduced mortals to the (often dubious) “blessing” of alcohol.  This of course, also leads to her having many “dedicated” followers amongst drunkards and alcoholics of all stripes.

The Church

The Gregarious Girl doesn’t have time to sit still for organization and rules.  There’s too much fun to seek out!  Therefore, Harxymi has no real need of a formal church.  Many are the shrines to her scattered about in festive places though.  One can usually find at least a small shrine dedicated to Harxymi in places such as taverns, theaters, inns, festival halls and even town commons.  Basically anywhere that communities might gather for celebrations or to forget their worries, one can generally find some representation of Lady Muse, even if just a small plaque or statue.

The closest that Harxymi can be said to come to an organized church is when a collection of her followers gathers together in an acting troupe or traveling show.  Many of these are led by an actor/musician/performer who is also a priest or priestess of Harxymi.

Paladin/Anti-Paladin Code

Harxymi does not have any paladins dedicated to her.

Temples & Shrines

Harxymi has no need of temples.  Wherever there is laughter, merriment, flirtation, drinking and general merry-making, there is the Lovely Lush’s place of worship.  Her shrines are numerous though, and many are the poems, limericks, jokes, tokens of intimate encounters, and small gifts of drink left at them in her honor.

A Priest’s Role

Most priests of Harxymi seek to spread fun, entertainment and merriment wherever they go.  The ways they do this are many and varied.  Some seek to sponsor or lead acting troupes or carnivals.  Some seek to compose the perfect song, poem or play, while others seek to perform one of those.  Those priests of a more lascivious disposition often seek to flirt their way into a seductive rendezvous to honor Harxymi’s aspect as the Sultry Smile.  They don’t worry too much about any lingering hurt feelings after such an encounter, though most of them do not seek to seduce those who may regret it afterwards.

Some of Harxymi’s clergy seek to spread her word through becoming master vintners or brewers.  Many a well-known winery or brewer will include Harxymi’s holy symbol in the labels on their products.  This has helped to make The Lovely Lush’s name synonymous with great beverages and often causes many a consumer to raise a tankard or wine glass in her name.

A few of Harxymi’s priests are of a somewhat more serious bent in that they purposely seek to spread merriment in places where it is most needed.  Communities facing hard times will sometimes receive visitations from these priests who seek to take their minds off of their problems if only for a short period of time.  These visitations can at times backfire if a priest seeking to do good by spreading merriment misreads the temperament of a particular community.  There are stories of priests of Harxymi meeting their ending at the hands of communities that they sought to bring merriment to.  Endings that are anything but merry.

Fittingly, on the occasions where a member of Harxymi’s following dies, the occasion is not a somber funerary rite, but a festive celebration of the person’s life.

Adventurers

Many adventurers pay at least some lip service to Harxymi.  A light-hearted joke or prank at the right moment can lighten even the most desperate of moods.  There can also be some practical applications of the pranks and tricks Harxymi is so fond of in certain circumstances.  Indeed, some of them have helped out many a slippery rogue in a pinch, so a fair number of them pay homage to her when circumstances warrant.  That being said though, most adventurers pay homage to Harxymi when they raise a tankard or glass to celebrate the successful conclusion of an adventure while telling tall tales around a warm fire in a festive tavern.

Clothing

The Tricky Tart is herself most fond of brightly colored, festive clothing.  Thus her clergy seek to emulate her as often as possible and almost always wear clothing suitable for a celebration of some sort, as that is what they are most often seeking to find or bring about.

Holy Texts

What, you thought The Lovely Lush sat still long enough to impart long, dry, boring lessons to be transcribed into long, boring old tomes?  Hardly!  There are celebrations to dive into and alcohol to be consumed!  Though there are those among her clergy that claim that anything creative or fictional set to paper is a text inspired by Lady Muse and thus at least on some level a “holy” text thanks to her.

Aphorisms

“Celebrate today, for who knows what tomorrow brings!”  A common saying amongst Harxymi’s followers, often used to entice people into celebrating with them.  Although more cynical sorts like to point out that the only thing said followers expect tomorrow to bring is another celebration.

“I fail to see the humor in this.”  Said by Harxymi’s followers when they find themselves in a no-win situation.  Most often used by adventurers.

“Just kidding!”  Often the last words from a follower of Harxymi who has played a prank on the wrong (and apparently) violent target.

Relations With Other Religions

To put it bluntly, Harxymi finds most of the other deities of Merisyl to be downright boring, boring, boring!  Szalavalar…order, contracts, engineering…boring!  Caltolav…hard work?  Boring!  Nuvria…solitude.  Boring!  And Harxymi (or her followers in her stead) could go on.  She does have some respect for Premyzic, however, since his portfolio includes agriculture.  And agriculture leads to alcohol!  

Realm

Harxymi considers the entire Draconic plane to be her realm.  She doesn’t settle down in one place for any extended period of time.  This is partly due to her frequently traveling to the Material Plane in search of new festivities as well as her needing to keep on the move, as one or another of her fellow draconic deities are usually annoyed by her playing some prank or trick on them.

Planar Allies

Wine Blossom:  A precocious fairy dragon known for playing numerous pranks.  She has levels in both rogue and sorcerer and uses her skills to pull pranks on those she considers too curmudgeonly for their own good.  These pranks are usually designed to take place in public so that others can take full enjoyment from them and “spread the laughter.”

Keg Thumper:  An advanced water mephit with many levels in alchemist.  Keg Thumper is a master brewer and has come up with many different alcoholic concoctions that he shares with brew masters that he considers worthy.  All they have to do is pay homage to the Lovely Lush afterwards.  If they fail to do so, Keg Thumper lives up to his name and the brewer in question finds himself suddenly short on stock.

Lord Laughing Last:  A mysterious individual who has appeared variably as a male human, morphic or elf, always radiating an unusual amount of body heat.  Lord Laughing Last is one of the best assassins on Merisyl.  He often targets those that offend Harxymi’s sensibilities and uses traps and tricks to end their lives in the most amusing manner possible.  It is believed that Harxymi does not direct him in his endeavors, but that he instead follows his own designs on what he considers best for his Lady Muse.  Though she rarely seems to object to his endeavors, even if she doesn’t necessarily approve of them.  Lord Laughing Last’s true nature is undetermined, though rumors abound that he is actually a powerful devil (perhaps even a pit fiend), that the Tricky Tart made laugh, and despite their near diametric differences in alignment, he finds himself eternally grateful to her for giving him something he thought impossible for one of his kind:  a sense of humor.  It is also rumored that his services can be purchased by telling him a joke he has never heard before.  Though brave is the individual that would seek him out to test this theory.