General Information

Titles

• The Serpent’s Kiss, Guardian of the Lotus, The Enchantress of the Deep, Lotus Mother

Edicts

• Protect and nurture your family and those under your care, respect and harness the power of serpents and sorcery, seek and maintain the balance of fertility and growth, ensuring the continuation of your lineage or chosen family, honor the wisdom of ancestors and pass down traditions, especially in sorcery and the arcane arts.

Anathema

• Betray or abandon your family or those you are sworn to protect, kill or harm snakes unnecessarily or disrespect their sacred nature, disrupt or curse the fertility of the land or others without just cause, abuse sorcery or arcane power for selfish destruction rather than preservation or growth.

Areas of Concern

• Family, fertility, snakes, and sorcery

Pantheons

• Celestial Harmony

Symbol

• A lotus flower with a snake coiled within it

Sacred Animal

• Snake

Sacred Colors

• Emerald Green, Deep Pink, and Midnight Blue

Artistic Holy Symbol

Divine Intercession

Boons

Minor Boon

A soft, hissing whisper follows you, and snakes in your presence appear more attentive and responsive. Midorihama grants you the ability to speak and understand the language of snakes. You can communicate with snakes as if under the effects of the speak with animals spell for 24 hours.

Moderate Boon

Your skin shimmers with an emerald-green and black pattern, resembling the sacred colors of Midorihama. Your skin briefly takes on the appearance of snake scales, granting you a +2 status bonus to AC for 10 minutes. Additionally, you gain resistance 5 to poison damage for the same duration. You can use this ability once per day.

Major Boon

Your body elongates and takes on a serpentine form, your scales glowing with a divine light. Midorihama grants you the power to transform into a more serpentine form. Once per day, you can cast Metamorphosis to transform into a naga-like form, gaining abilities and attributes that reflect her divine serpentine nature.

Curses

Minor Curse

Your veins periodically throb with a faint, greenish glow, and you feel a constant mild burning sensation. You are constantly afflicted by a minor poison that causes discomfort and distraction. You take a -1 status penalty to all skill checks and saving throws related to concentration and physical endurance.

Moderate Curse

A snake-shaped mark appears on your body, glowing whenever you are near snakes or poison. You are marked by Midorihama’s wrath, causing snakes to be hostile towards you. Any snake that encounters you will attack unless magically compelled otherwise. Additionally, you gain weakness 5 to poison damage.

Major Curse

Your skin develops a faint, scaly texture that is only visible when you are in emotional distress, reinforcing your sense of isolation. You are cursed to be isolated from those you love and from meaningful companionship. Any attempts to form deep bonds or relationships are met with supernatural interference, causing misunderstandings, jealousy, and separation. You suffer a -2 status penalty to all Charisma-based checks when interacting with those you wish to befriend or love.

Devotee Benefits

Divine Ability

• Wisdom or Charisma

Divine Font

• Harm or Heal

Divine Sanctification

• Can choose holy or unholy

Divine Skill

• Arcana

Favored Weapon

• Jaws or Urumi

Domains

• Magic, Naga, Passion, Wyrmkin

Alternate Domains

• Family, Glyph

Cleric Spells

• 1st: charm

• 2nd: invisibility

• 3rd: lightning bolt

• 4th: reflective scales

• 5th: subconscious suggestion

• 6th: mislead

• 7th: contingency

• 8th: Boil Blood

• 9th: wrathful storm

Midorihama, known by her revered titles "The Serpent's Kiss," "First Mother," and "Queen of Nagas," is a deity whose influence permeates the domains of family, fertility, snakes, and sorcery. She is particularly venerated by the snake-like humanoids known as the nagaji and is a central figure in the pantheon of Shenyun. Her worship is characterized by a deep reverence for snakes, a commitment to magic, and the values of family and heritage.

Appearance and Iconography

Midorihama is depicted as an awe-inspiring naga of an unknown type, her scales gleaming with brilliant colors and her hair vibrant and full of life. She is often shown in art as either emerging from an egg or protectively coiled around a clutch of eggs, symbolizing her roles as both creator and guardian.

Worship Practices: Midorihama's worship is vibrant and diverse, reflecting her various aspects. Rituals often involve the handling and veneration of snakes, the use of magic, and ceremonies that honor family bonds and fertility. Her temples are places of both magical study and family worship, where her followers seek her guidance and blessings.

Cultural Impact: Midorihama’s influence is particularly strong in Sazanami, the realm she founded, and extends to other regions like Midori No Jouka, Hoshima, and Nishiki. Her teachings have shaped the cultural and spiritual practices of these areas, emphasizing the importance of heritage, the pursuit of knowledge, and the reverence of snakes.

Daily Worship: Involves snake-handling ceremonies, magical rites, and community gatherings. Services emphasize the importance of family, the reverence for snakes, and the pursuit of magical knowledge.

Festivals and Ceremonies: Major events include the Festival of Scales, where followers celebrate through rituals, snake dances, and magical displays. These events are key moments for community bonding and spiritual renewal.

Community Engagement: Temples often serve as centers for magical education, family counseling, and community support, reflecting Midorihama’s values of knowledge, family, and protection.

Origins and Ascension: Once a mortal naga sorceress, Midorihama used her immense magical powers and the support of her many daughters to establish Shen No Kyuuden, ruling as its first queen. Her leadership and the institutions she founded have persisted through generations, with her female descendants continuing to rule as Matriarchs. Near the end of her life, she ascended to divinity through unknown means, becoming a goddess worshipped not only in her homeland but also in many neighboring nations.

Creation of the Nagaji: Midorihama is credited with creating the nagaji, a race of snake-like humanoids. She gifted them with free will, and they remain among her most devout followers. This act of creation highlights her role as a mother figure and a patron of new life.

The Lotus Annals: Written by her great-granddaughter Holadi, the Lotus Annals contain many stories and parables told by Midorihama before her ascension. While not considered a true holy text, the Annals provide significant spiritual wisdom and guidance for her followers, emphasizing the values of family, magic, and the reverence of snakes.