Lunitari

Background

Lunitari is the True Neutral goddess of arcane magic on the world of Krynn in the Dragonlance continuity. She is the daughter of Gilean, supreme god of the Neutral gods of Krynn, and is said to have been born from his thoughts without the need for a mate.

(The story of Lunitari's creation parallels the myth of the Greek goddess Athena, who is said to have sprung fully-formed from the head of Zeus, although at least one version of this myth claims this happened because Zeus had swallowed his pregnant first wife, Metis. In the tale of Lunitari, Gilean has no mate and thus there is no parallel for Metis.)

Portfolio

On Krynn, Lunitari sponsors one of three Orders of High Sorcery, being the patron of all wizards who don the Red Robes as an outward sign that their main outlook is Neutral. In the 3.5 edition, she especially favours the magical schools of Illusion and Transmutation.

Although Lunitari is a playful trickster, she is serious about preserving the order and structure of magic, and wishes to spread its use throughout the world. To this end, she will work together with her cousins Solinari (patron deity of Good magic) and Nuitari (patron deity of Evil magic). She sponsors no priests, but is worshipped by the Wizards of the Order of the Red Robes, who she encourages to preserve the balance between Good and Evil magic, which are overseen by her cousins Solinari and Nuitari, and to expand the learning and use of magic across Krynn.

Wizards who join the Order of the Red Robes must be somehow Neutral-aligned, and may probably have the alignments Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Evil, Neutral Good or True Neutral. Numerically, the Order of the Red Robes is the largest of the three Orders of High Sorcery, surpassing the Good-aligned Order of the White Robes which answers to Solinari, as well as the Evil-aligned Order of the Black Robes which answers to Nuitari.

Alignment

True Neutral

Cleric alignments (if any)

Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Evil, Neutral Good, True Neutral

Holy Symbol

None, but the red moon of Krynn is named after her and is considered to be her astrological symbol.

Favored Weapon

As a deity of the Orders of High Sorcery, Lunitari encourages her followers to depend on magic rather than force of arms to solve their problems. In memory of the friendship between Huma and Magius, however, Wizards of High Sorcery are allowed to carry and wield a silver dagger.

Spell-Domains

None, as Lunitari does not have a priestly order and does not provide divine magic - at least not on Krynn.

Sithicus

The moon of Sithicus used to be (or at least resemble) the same black moon that shines upon the distant world of Krynn; visible only to Evil spellcasters and the undead, yet affecting all users of arcane magic in the domain as though they were all members of the Order of the Black Robes. Its solitary presence in the heavens of Sithicus was a strong indication that the Balance between Good and Evil did not exist there.

Leading up to the Hour of Screaming Shadows, the moon Nuitari was joined in the heavens of Sithicus by the bright Solinari and the crimson Lunitari. After the calamity passed, the three moons had somehow fused into a single orb that combined the bright light of Solinari, the red glow of Lunitari and the umbral radiance of Nuitari. The moon continues to be named for the deity of evil magic and influences all users of arcane magic in the land, but it is now a symbol all by itself that the Balance exists and that justice can surpasses the curse of the Demiplane of Dread.

Trivia

• The Red-Robed, Krinnish Wizard Wick of the Heroes of Chibiloft is an apostate worshipper of Lunitari, having violated her edicts against wielding a sword and maintaining peace with his fellow Wizards, and having cursed both her and Mystra for their influence on his life before he came to the Demiplane of Dread. While he still worships her (or claims to), he does not wish to face her until he has come to the end of his natural, mortal span. As such, Lunitari is at least associated with Chibiloft -- in the Netbooks, anyway.

• The Red-Robed, Krinnish Wizard Traven is likewise a worshipper of Lunitari. Although he has fallen to Evil, he does not recognize his alignment-shift, continues to see himself as a true Wizard of the Red Robes, and worships Lunitari before all other gods.