Serafina

Serafina the Torchbearer is a lesser Immortal associated with compassion, charity, self-reliance, and thaumaturgy. Originating on the continent of Constantia as a minor spirit looked to for guidance by the poor and the downtrodden, she has since risen in status and notoriety thanks to the Viali taking her on as their primary patron Immortal when they fled to the continent of Arad. She is now more regularly recognized by most cultures, even if not having a particularly significant place in any pantheons outside Viali culture.

In more recent times Serafina has increasingly been taking up the mantle of helping protect mankind from the nethrim - particularly in the Lost Lands - though as always, she prefers to guide and inspire man rather than directly intervene. It has become increasingly clear that while Serafina greatly values compassion and peace among men, she also recognizes the need to fight in some situations, and has been known to bestow boons and blessings upon those that selflessly fight to protect the weak and the innocent. She is said to have united some Immortals, such as Aphraen and Vandin, against the rising threats of the nethrim and, in particular, powerful beings of darkness such as Aranas.

To the Viali, Serafina is the most revered of Immortals, even if considered lesser in power and overall prominence in the cosmic scheme of things compared to others. Due to her teachings of self-reliance, her general insistence against her own veneration, and the suffering of the Viali ancestors at the hands of the exceedingly zealous theocracy of Constantia, she is very rarely actually worshiped. Instead, the Viali look to her example and guidance to try and better themselves, particularly to try and hone the virtues of compassion, humility, patience, and diligence. While being the patron Immortal of the Church of Light, Serafina is not the focus of said organization. She is most often depicted as an olive-skinned woman with curly black hair, wearing a simple white robe and with large white feathered wings on her back. She is nearly always shown holding a torch in one hand, symbolizing her role of guiding mankind with her teachings as well as being a symbol of the Inner Light.

The Faewyr regard Serafina as a gentle lesser spirit foreign to their own pantheon but nonetheless accepted as an Immortal. She often visits those whose hearts could use softening, urging kindness, unity, and mercy. Those who are willing to listen to her guidance and harbor the sincerest of desires to aid their fellow man may discover they have the gift to provide warmth and light, the meek and gentle providing healing while those more concerned with protection of their fellow man are blessed with supernatural strength and constitution. She most often takes the form of a dove, though occasionally appears as a pale, ethereal woman holding a lit golden candle.

The Huec people see Serafina as a splinter of their god Toteoh in the form of a great four-winged white plumed bird, representing the Shattered God's conscience and mercy. If such a bird is ever sighted during a trial, battle, conflict, or similar, some degree of mercy is almost certain to be given to those on the losing end of the situation.

The Hillfolk of Karnath, while not overly concerned with Immortals in their culture, tend to respect Serafina more than most due to her practical and applicable teachings of "good old-fashioned self-reliance and good-heartedness."