Iarel

Iarel the Serpent Queen is a powerful Immortal whose spheres include medicines, poisons, serpents, and the secrets of the occult.

Despite the stigmas often associated with snakes, the Serpent Queen is generally well-regarded by mortals as she shares the secrets of both medicines and the occult with them, though usually at some kind of price - often requiring some sort of task or service to be completed beforehand. In manner she is stately and ceremonious, yet patient and sympathetic toward those beneath her in station, status, or power. She is usually depicted as tall, lithe, and breathtakingly beautiful, with ebony skin and jet-black hair. It is not uncommon for her to be shown with snakelike slit-pupiled eyes, and she will often have one or more serpents wrapped about her - usually about the shoulders like a shawl, or twined up one arm. Her garb varies from depiction to depiction, but usually includes a circlet of intertwined gold and silver and a serpent-wrapped staff.

It is often said that Kebyet holds a grudge against Iarel for being the only Immortal that may be considered an equal, or even the greater, in terms of beauty.

To the Viali, Iarel is the de facto leader of the Aengels, being both exceptionally wise and exceptionally powerful, and is responsible for the creation of mankind. However, the Viali are wary of placing too much reverence and import upon the Serpent Queen, in order to avoid mimicking the overbearing theocracy of their Constantian ancestors that cast them out of their homeland so long ago. In addition to her place as primary counsel and director among the Aengels, the Viali see Iarel as a patron of medical practitioners and conventional (non-occult) healers. While her mastery of the occult is often considered to not be meant for mortal usage, she has been known to occasionally impart knowledge of some lesser occult rituals to mortals who proved worthy enough of her trust, or during particularly dire situations when mankind was significantly threatened. Constantian belief states that Iarel sees Serafina as an upstart and a rebel, though the Viali believe that Iarel and Serafina are in fact respectful and cooperative with one another.

She has a divided reputation with the Nuum - some continue to revere Iarel as she is credited with teaching the Nuum many occult secrets, while others believe she has nothing left to teach that is not already known by Nuumic scholars and occultists, and it is now time for her to be surpassed by her students. Most can agree, however, that Iarel has become rather embittered toward the Nuum in the modern age, and more than a few are wary of the Serpent Queen's wrath toward the upstart mortal nation that claims to have mastered powers that were once the domain of Immortals alone, while largely shunning the one most responsible for teaching them.

The Faewyr see Iarel as an Immortal both powerful and mysterious, having mastered many occult secrets. She has additionally gained the respect of many of the Animal Spirits - particularly the serpents, who share her love of secrets. Considered among the most powerful of Immortals, the Faewyr are wary of drawing the attention of the Serpent Queen, as she is prone to forget how her god-like ambitions and powers may adversely (though unintentionally) affect mortals who happen to be in the vicinity - much like a mortal man not realizing the damage he might do by building in what was previously the domain of insects and small animals beneath his notice. More than one natural disaster has been attributed to Iarel's occult manipulation of the mortal world's state and elements, though harming mankind is not believed to have ever been her intent, but rather an unconsidered side-effect. (Many Faewyr myths and legends allude to Naia being the illegitimate daughter of Iarel and Vodr, though to bring attention to this possibility is believed to be inviting the ill will of the two most powerful beings in the Faewyr pantheon, and it is thus rarely discussed.)

The Huecatn see Iarel as an aspect of their shattered god Toteo, being the incarnation of his ambition and mastery over occult power. Her form is that of a great many-eyed serpent, and her influence is often invoked in matters of human sacrifice in order to endow the souls of those sacrificed with occult power so that they can accomplish whatever the sacrifice was meant for.