[ Guardinals ] [ Custodian | Luminary | Scout | Yeoman ] [ Paragons ]
Zvestra
Lady Zvestra (planar avoral guardinal companion [she/her] / NG)
Portfolio: Adaptation, duality, uncertainty
Realm: Elysium / Belierin / the Azure Veil
Lady Zvestra, the former leader of the avorals and briefly a member of Talisid’s Five Companions, is a cutter shrouded in mystery and controversy. She has sapphire-blue feathers that shimmer like a twilight sea and carries herself with a regal grace, always dressing in the finest of gowns. Zvestra was chosen to replace Duke Windheir due to her unparalleled mastery of both arcane and divine magic. However, her tenure as one of the Five Companions was remarkably short, and her sudden departure has sparked scandalous rumours that rippled through Elysium’s normally harmonious society. Some whisper that Zvestra’s ambitious experiments with planar magic accidentally opened a rift to the Abyssal layer of Kearackinin, forcing Talisid to intervene. Others claim she secretly consorted with a mortal archmage, prioritising their ‘research’ over her duties. The most damning rumour suggests that Zvestra brokered an unthinkable pact with Pazuzu—not for personal gain but to secure peace for a vulnerable air world called Trinona (Clusterspace) on the Prime—a decision that fractured trust among her peers. Whatever the truth may be, Zvestra stepped down quietly, leaving behind unanswered questions and a legacy of both brilliance and suspicion. She was succeeded in the Five Companions by Sathia.
Zvestra’s philosophy of goodness is rooted in adaptation, duality, and uncertainty, reflecting the complex nature of her actions and beliefs. She teaches that goodness is not rigid but must adapt to the shifting circumstances of the multiverse, even if it means making morally ambiguous choices. Duality underscores her belief that light and shadow coexist in all things; just as day cannot exist without night, so too must goodness sometimes confront its own limits to grow stronger. Finally, uncertainty defines her worldview—Zvestra accepts that not all answers are clear or immediate and that walking the path of righteousness often means navigating shades of gray. Her philosophy resonates with those who struggle with moral complexity, offering guidance to those who seek to do good in imperfect circumstances. Zvestra now resides in the Azure Veil, a floating sanctuary hidden within the mists of Belierin, cloaked in protective wards and accessible only to those she invites. Here, she continues her arcane studies in solitude, while overseeing whatever mysteries the guardnials have locked away on the layer—her actions still noble but now tainted with the shadow of what might have been.
Source: Warriors of Heaven [2e] p74; Jon Winter-Holt