Ekera of Sister, Avatar of Serenity

Ekera of Sister, Avatar of Serenity

Ekera, despite being seen as an enigmatic, and sometimes fearsome figure, is a well-loved and trusted avatar not only to those of her own faith, but with those who follow other gods. While her ways have garnered some criticism from the most orthodox followers of Serenity, she is most notable for being an avatar who successfully blends the tenets of other faiths with the Serene, making her popular with the interfaith community. 

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Ekera was born on the island of Sister and was raised to be a proud member of her community. She valued her family, community, and the well-protected ecosystem of the island. Growing up, she found she excelled in physical activities and was also powerfully gifted in the use of Serene magic, so she committed herself to serving her community as a protector who would guard her island and its people from anyone who would threaten them. Ekera had a very straightforward plan for her life — she wanted to protect her island, build a family, and live out her final years as a respected healer. However, this was not meant to be.

One seemingly ordinary day, Ekera was patrolling the edge of the wilds when she spotted a team of strange men attempting to disembark the island with a large tiger in tow, who seemed to be bound in some kind of magical chain and in clear distress. Ekera, who was sworn to protect her island and all of her creatures, attacked the men in a rage. Though she managed to take out three of the invaders, the others were able to escape in what looked to be a large, gilded ship emblazoned across the side with the words Siren of Solan. Ekera returned to the community, ashamed of her failure, but determined to make things right again. She gathered enough supplies for a long trip and headed out on the first ship bound for Resta.

From Solan, Ekera was able to track the kidnappers to a wealthy estate in the Restan countryside, where she found a menagerie filled with a variety of exotic animals — including the tiger that had been stolen from Sister. It was heavily guarded, but she fought her way through the defenses in order to free the creature, along with several other caged animals. Just as the pair was about to escape, however, they would find themselves confronted by the wealthy Restan man whose menagerie she had liberated, along with more mercenaries she could count. She and the beast took out dozens of fighters together in a glorious battle that ended with the tiger tearing out the rich man’s throat before it and Ekera were overwhelmed and killed by the remaining soldiers. 

As she died, Ekera thought that this would be her final waking moment before moving on to the afterlife. This would explain the surprise she felt as she awoke several hours later in the back of a moving wagon, covered by a sheet of burlap. At first, she thought she may have survived the battle somehow, but she quickly realized that she was no longer a living person, but was a sai’mul — one who has died without passing into the afterlife. 

This realization devastated Ekera. She was severed from her connection to the divine magic she once valued so deeply, and she knew that not only could she never return to Sister, she would be separated from her family and community even after they passed to the next life. For several days, she simply wandered, seeking out places that reminded her of home, while trying her best to avoid other people. She made a small camp in Lightning Ridge, where she contemplated what she should do. Despite feeling disconnected from the gods she had once revered so highly, she almost felt as if they had given her an answer as she spotted a pair of poachers stalking through the ridge, wheeling a large cage of chinchillas — likely to be bred and sold, or slaughtered for their pelts. Ekera liberated the chinchillas and handily scared off the poachers. 

From then on, Ekera spent her years caring for the place she now considered her home. She appreciated the company of the animals around her, but she was still pained by the disconnect she felt from other humans. She wore a hooded cloak to conceal her features whenever she felt in danger of encountering other people, and rarely spoke to anyone. This way of life continued for nearly a decade. 

Ekera continued to quietly search for ways to regain her connection with the gods enough to perform Serene magic once more. This search would take her life on another unexpected turn when she visited the lab of Richard Broger, who was known for researching the nature of sai’mul and various types of soul magic. It was here that she met Elidol Dawnstrike, the man who would become the Avatar of Chaos. The pair bonded over their undeath, and Ekera would soon be pulled into the quest that would lead her to become the Avatar of Serenity, granting her what she had originally sought in her initial journey — a renewed connection to Serene magic. Her relationship with Elidol, as well as her status of Avatar, led to a new sense of purpose for Ekera, as well as a stronger sense of connection with other people.