The Divine Tallia

Goddess of the hunt, guardian of wild spirits, she who pursues

Tallia is the daughter of the twin gods Marik and Maryse, by a woman called Lania. Lania was a famous warrior, renown for her ability to seek out enemies who hid from her. Her love for the twins and her sorrow that they could never have the child they so wished led her to offer her own body as a vessel for Maryse, so that the twins could have a child.

The twins accepted her offer, but Maryse, out of respect for Lania, let her share the events of the time which followed, the two of them inhabiting the same body throughout the pregnancy and the birth. Once Maryse withdrew from Lania, Lania was so overcome with both love and grief at being alone, that she offered herself as a sacrifice to feed the infant and let it truly rise to greatness.

Thus the twins cut open Lania, and placed the new born baby within her body, and it in turn took her into itself, growing instantly into a young and beautiful woman, having the aspects both of the fighter from the twins, and the seeker from Lania.

Tallia is a lone creature, and her priestesses keep no temple buildings. They wander in the wild places of the world, living on that which they can catch in the land. Tallia is bisexual, and her followers find warmth and friendship in any bed, but are rarely still there the next morning. Nevertheless, once those who follow Tallia get on a trail, nothing can hide from them.

Tallia has dark skin, and many describe this as being because of the way in which Lania ended her days. Death rituals are nullified, and a mark of doom imposed on all who do them, and it is believed that Lania suffered this mark as she was cut open. The baby, upon eating her, took this mark within itself. It is believed that there is a curse on Tallia from this mark that she can never find lasting companionship. This may account for the nature and lifestyle choices of her priestesses.