[ Eladrin ] [ Aestetica | Paragons | Court of Stars ]
Ashava
The True Spark, Lady of the Lost, Dancer in the Moonlight (planar goethi-zocteri eladrin empyreal lord [she/her] / CG)
Portfolio: Dancers, lonely spirits, moonlight
Realm: Arborea / Arvandor / Sparkling Fens
Alright, berk, pull up a mossy log and listen to my chant on Ashava, the True Spark. She’s the blood who makes sure no soul’s left wandering, no matter how lost or lonesome they might seem. If you’ve ever felt the pull to dance under the moonlight or you’ve found your way home safely out of a fen when by rights you should’ve been a corpse, you probably owe Ashava a nod.
Ashava embodies that feeling of freedom that cutters get when they lose themselves in the music. More than just a jig in a festhall, to Ashava it’s the souls’ way of speaking. She uses dance to lead the lost to safe ground, and inspire even jaded souls to find their own rhythm. She’s got a soft spot for the lonely wanderer—be they mortal or ghost. If your spirit needs guidance, Ashava’s the one who’ll take your hand and see you safely home.
Her powers are strongest under moonlight—the gentle silvery glow reveals the hidden, soothes the heart and keeps evil at bay. It’s like a calling card for her, her lantern and her shield.
Picture a seven-foot-tall woman, all long dark hair and olive skin, cheeks flushed like she’s just spun off the dancefloor. She positively glows from within—a soft, silvery light that flickers in her eyes like marshfire. Her gown’s woven from starlight the chat goes, so she’s half-shadow and half-radiance. She’s usually crowned with a wreath of colourful moss, a nod to her love of wild places. When she’s not waltzing in her humanoid form, she’ll usually appear as a floating orb of moonlight, bobbing through the mists to guide the lost.
Ashava’s the sort who’ll pull you into a dance, even if you’ve got feet like two left boots. She’s warm, inviting, and endlessly patient with the lost and the lonely, but if you cross her by preying on the vulnerable—like one of those sodding will-o’-wisps—and she’ll turn fierce as a dire wolf. Her joy is infectious, and she can make even the most cynical cutter feel like they belong.
Ashava’s philosophy is all about gentle guidance. She won’t drag you along by the ear, but she’ll light the path and dance ahead, showing you the way. For her, goodness is about compassion, creativity, and letting every soul find its own truth—preferably with a bit of flair. For Ashava, every act of self-expression is a tiny rebellion against despair.
Among the eladrin, Ashava’s a bit of an oddity. Most of her kin are all about wild joy and freedom, but Ashava brings a touch of melancholy—a reminder that freedom means nothing if folk get left behind. She often works with Desna (who loves a good journey) and Shelyn (who’s keen on art), but she’s been known to butt heads with the likes of Abadar, who’d rather everyone just stick to the rules. Still, even the stuffiest archon can’t deny the good she does, leading lost souls home.
Her followers are a colourful lot—dancers, mourners, wanderers, and anyone who’s ever felt adrift. They leave lanterns burning at the edge of the clearing to light the way for the lost, and then they dance all night under the moon as a form of devotion.
The Sparkling Fens
Location: Arborea / Arvandor / The Sparkling Fens
Ashava calls her home the Sparkling Fens, a moon-drenched swamp at the foot of Arvandor’s Mountain of Lingering Soulsong. The place is a maze of glowing marshlights—all aspects of Ashava herself, really—that guide travellers and petitioners alike. The air’s thick with haunting melodies, and the dancing never ends. While the fens might seem endless and confusing, no one stays lost for long. Ask any planewalker who’s wandered too deep into Arborea’s wilds and they’ll tell you about the “moonlit lady” who waltzed them to safety. So next time you’re feeling a little barmy and the shadows start closing in, look for the moonlight and listen for the music. If you’re lucky, Ashava might just lead you home.
Source: Chronicle of the Righteous [PF1e] p8; Divine Mysteries [PF2e] p192,308–309; Gods & Magic [PF2e] p128–129; Jon Winter-Holt