Atrys


 * Aliases: "The Poet", "the Redeemer", "the Teary Eyed Boy".


 * Portfolio: Love, cemeteries, mothers, children, music, the wounded, the dead, loss, mourning, suffering.

Atrys (AH-trys) is an obscure deity and a caretaker of all troubled souls.
 * Symbol: A violet, thorny rose.

He is the patron of melancholy, musicians, and mournful people who go through trials and suffering. He is the protector of all folk who are treated with injustice and governs over lost love.

Legends of Atrys are old, even compared to many legends of other gods. Stories speak of the souls of all the children who died by rage in unjust wars during the Oblivion Years and ever since, that fused into a powerful entity. Folk believe that the "boy" Atrys (as some call him) has been to the other side and is free of the reach of mortals. He is now serene and sad for those trapped in the physical world, watching over them and subliminaly guiding their ways.

In mythical lore, Atrys in never known to speak. Many claim that they have actually seen him, in the form of a boy, but none ever mentioned an exchange of words or visions. He is depicted as more of a listener and helper, not as a judgemental or pushy god. People tend to leave objects owned by the dead in their graves, or even gifts of their own, believing them to be in possession of Atrys once laid there, as a "thank you" for all the burdens he shares with mortals.

There are no buildings as dedicated temples to Atrys; the places of worship are the actual cemeteries, or a beautiful garden.

The Boy Thorns
The Boy Thorns (aka the Thorns of Atrys) resemble the thorns of roses but are about three foot long. They grow in cemeteries during times of great distress, and have always sprouted at nighttime.

They are the most direct physical manifestation of Atrys anyone has ever recorded, capable of object manipulation, slight movement, or even attacking with blinding speed.

Legends state that the Boy Thorns manifest to thwart or punish tomb raiders, or simply to reveal the pain the god goes through in times of mortal wars, while protecting those already lost (the dead).

The Violet Bards
Atrys' most devout followers, the Violet Bards, are those who abandon their property for a life of wandering and giving. Most of them are indeed musicians, but it is not necessarily so.

They tend to roam the land, comforting others, playing music or sharing stories, tending to the dead and their families' needs, delivering love letters across the realm, and numerous other humane acts.