Avandra

Avandra
Symbols of Avandra.
Deity information
Type	Prime Deity
Title	The Changebringer The Change Bringer The Changebearer She Who Makes the Path Luck Bringer Lady Luck The Bringer of Paths
Province	Change, Freedom, Luck
Common symbol	Woman's profile embossed on a gold coin or pendant
Gender	Feminine
Pronouns	She/her/hers
Alignment	Chaotic Good
Worship
Worshipers	Merchants, Adventurers, Travelers
Holy day	New Dawn (Horisal 1st)
Major temples	The Menagerie
Associated domains	Moon Nature Trickery
Vestiges	Jewel of Three Prayers Kiss of the Changebringer
Appearances
First seen	"The City of Flowing Light" (3x42)
Last seen	"A Test of Trust" (3x80)
Stream	Campaign Three (7 episodes)

Fan art of Avandra, the Changebringer, by Christian Thor Lally.

Avandra, the Changebringer, also known as "She Who Makes the Path", is the goddess of freedom, trade, travel, adventure, and luck. She encourages her followers to venture into the unknown. Her nature leads to few temples dedicated to her in the centers of civilization, but they can be found near well traveled roads. Her worshipers include merchants, free spirits and adventurers.

Appearance and symbols

Avandra is usually depicted as a dark-skinned young woman with light brown hair (sometimes silver) that changes into a road behind her, symbolic of the many possible roads ahead.

When Fresh Cut Grass communed with Avandra and she appeared close to him, she was exceptionally tall, her clothing seemed to whip in the wind like her hair did, and her eyes were "open, golden spaces", although also soulful and welcoming.

Personality

As a goddess of change and trickery Avandra can be very mercurial, and although she isn't necessarily manipulative, she does change her approach to different issues, sending messages to her followers in different ways and tones in order to find the one that will resonate with them the most.

Commandments of the Changebringer

“

Commandments of the Changebringer

• Luck favors the bold. Your fate is your own to grasp, and to do so is to have the Changebringer behind you.

• Change is inevitable. The righteous can ensure that such change is for the better.

• Rise up against tyranny. Fight for the freedom of yourself and others when you can, and inspire others to fight when you cannot.

”

– 

from the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn

[!h]

Worship

People who are not disciples of Avandra nevertheless sometimes pray to her to fare well on a journey.

Issylra

Avandra is one of the main deities Vox Machina saw represented on the holy symbols worn by the guards of Vasselheim.

Tal'Dorei

Avandra is one of the main deities worshiped along the Lucidian Coast and on the Rifenmist Peninsula (outside the Iron Authority, which is dedicated to Bane). In Emon's Temple District, merchants seek Avandra's favor before a risky venture.

As of 843 PD the cylindrical Horizon Temple in Whitestone was dedicated to her. It is on the southern edge of the city-state, at the intersection of five different streets; each exit leads to a road, including the one leading to the southern exit of Whitestone. Inside the temple there is iconography of Avandra, and people leave trinkets and small treasures as offerings.

Wildemount

The Changebringer is not one of the deities approved for worship in the Dwendalian Empire. (The Triumph Chime in Zadash used to be a temple to Avandra.) Nevertheless, some continue to worship her in secret, with some families (such as the Schuster family in Hupperdook) having worshiped her for years.

There is a beautiful temple to Avandra called the Pearl Shrine in the Crescents in Port Damali.

There are two small temples of the Changebringer in Uthodurn.

Known worshipers

Fan art of the Changebringer and her paths, by Robert Kemp.

• Alyxian
• Wallace and Gilda Schuster
• The Stone family
• Father Dwondaff Pierce, dwarven head of the Pearl Shrine in Port Damali
• Lady Diassa Kwynn
• Imahara Joe
• Guide Osli Kámyda, priest in the Horizon Temple of Whitestone
• Fresh Cut Grass, an Aeormaton cleric

History

Some speculate that Avandra was responsible for the creation of the halflings.

Soon after the Raven Queen ascended to godhood, she told three of her champions to seek out Melora for instruction about what to do with the body of a fallen hero. Melora sent a vision to one of these champions, Stone, telling him to take the limbs of the hero and wander until he discovered an oasis with a cave veined with red and gold, and to feed the limbs to the beasts that would gather there, and that it would become the site of a menagerie as a gift from Melora to Avandra, to remind her that nature is infinite.

Avandra is known to be the longtime archnemesis of Asmodeus. It's said that during the Calamity, her Vestige of Divergence, the Kiss of the Changebringer, was stolen from her neck by Asmodeus himself and locked within the vaults of Bazzoxan. Avandra defeated Asmodeus by tricking his armies into attacking one another. (Asmodeus's devastating betrayal of Sarenrae earlier in that war led to a close bond between the followers of the two goddesses.)

It was with Avandra's blessing that Pelor succeeded in vanquishing Tharizdun, the Chained Oblivion.

Depiction of the site within the Betrayers' Rise where Alyxian prayed to Avandra and received her blessing, by Kent Davis from Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep, p. 74.

During the Calamity she also gave her blessing to the Apotheon to help him resist the Crawling King in the depths of the Betrayers' Rise, and allegedly grieved for him and his tragic destiny. Within the Betrayers' Rise is a door marked with a damage-resistant image of Avandra, which can be opened with the Jewel of Three Prayers that Alyxian wore, and which leads to a hallway with a mural depicting Alyxian with Avandra and Sehanine. Hidden deeper within the Betrayers' Rise is the altar where Alyxian prayed for Avandra's aid, now surrounded by a massive formation of glowing crystal.

Ultimately a temple to Avandra was raised within the walls of Bazzoxan.

Campaign Three: Bells Hells

"A Stage Set" (3x32) When Fresh Cut Grass was wondering about their identity and destiny Imahara Joe gave him a medallion of the Changebringer, telling him how it had helped him.

"Blood and Dust" (3x33) While trying to escape the Seat of Disdain in a crawler, FCG, indecisive about which direction to choose, flipped the coin-shaped medallion of Avandra to decide.

"What Dreams May Come" (3x34) After the battle against Otohan Thull Fresh Cut Grass revived Fearne so she could heal the rest of their friends, but she was indecisive about who should she Revivify: Orym or Laudna, since the time and the resources for the spell were limited. Letters loaned their coin to the druid to help her decide, and tentatively prayed to the Changebringer for guidance. After reviving Orym and leaving the battle ground with Laudna's corpse the aeormaton asked for his medallion, but Fearne refused to give it back.

Later the same day Fresh Cut Grass asked Imahara Joe if he really believed in Avandra, and if such worship had helped him. He replied that it had, and though he was not the most devoted of her followers, it never hurt to have a little faith.

"Pyrrhic Return" (3x35) Back in Jrusar FCG seemed to be still interested in the medallion of Avandra, so they asked again, and Fearne, after some lingering, returned the coin to the aeormaton, although pointing out she kinda associated the object (and Avandra) with Laudna's death. Fresh Cut Grass, however, pointed out that the medallion of the Changebringer was also a reminder of Orym's survival.

"A Desperate Call" (3x36) When Bells Hells traveled to Whitestone with Keyleth's help, FCG asked the archdruid, who had had some experience with deities, if Avandra was trustworthy; she confirmed that the Changebringer was one of the good ones, free-spirited, and even fun, although she had not met her personally.

Later that same day Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo informed her husband that in the Horizon Temple (where Fresh Cut Grass could ask about the goddess) someone had defaced one of the statues with eggs.

When Bells Hells were in Pike Trickfoot's home, planning about how to approach their next mission helping Laudna in Delilah Briarwood's domain, Letters wasn't sure if they could join the rest of the team, since the plan involved sending them in spirit to their destination, and the aeormaton didn't believe he had a soul. Pike offered to check it using her divine magic, and when she did, she confirmed that Fresh Cut Grass was alive and had a soul, and she also noticed that Avandra had her attention on the cleric, pointing at the medallion with the symbol of the Changebringer.

"A Dark Balance" (3x38)

Fan art of FCG in the Horizon Temple, by KarrahE.

Before leaving Whitestone Fresh Cut Grass visited the Horizon Temple (whose statue apparently had already been cleaned) and asked Guide Osli Kamyda advice about how to connect to the Changebringer. The priest talked them about how roads were sacred for Avandra, and that since she was probably paying attention to the aeormaton already, she would end up sending signs. FCG dedicated a tentative prayer to the goddess, and as an offering he used part of the few spell components he carried on his person, burning incense and leaving a little silver powder.

"Compulsions" (3x40) As Bells Hells traveled to Yios aboard the Silver Sun, FCG made a small prayer to the Changebringer, asking her for a sign. Shortly after, some cockatrices appeared fleeing from a chimera. During the battle, when some of the small monsters escaped, the cleric commented that they should thank the Changebringer.

"Call of the Wild" (3x41) FCG, unsure about how to interpret the signs Avandra had possibly been sending him during their journey, asked Fearne for advice, and she, being under the effects of an hallucinogenic mushroom, tried to contact the Changebringer; that led to an interaction with a beetle that, from her perspective, had a humanoid face and a friendly demeanor. After that, the druid determined that Fresh Cut Grass had the goddess' approval.

"The City of Flowing Light" (3x42) In their last morning in the Gloomed Jungles Laudna and Fearne briefly joked about the former's death, saying that they could blame the Changebringer for the difficult choice they made that day.

When Bells Hells arrived in Yios they visited a casino and played several gambling games. In one of them, Fresh Cut Grass, nervous, cast Divination for the first time to ask Avandra what should he do: she advised him to fold, but FCG checked instead; however, he got scared and ended up folding, thanking the Changebringer after noticing how much gold Chetney and Fearne were using for the game.

"The Fey Key" (3x47) While Bells Hells were looking for the Malleus Key built in the Unseelie Court, Fresh Cut Grass expressed their confidence in Avandra by flipping the Changebringer's coin to decide their position on different decisions (without actually casting any spell with it), to which their friends expressed their concern, explaining that the cleric should trust their own judgment instead of blindly trusting in the divine will.

"An Exit Most Fraught" (3x48) FCG continued to use their coin to make decisions, although the process was much faster and the results always pointed to the most logical course of action. After Bells Hells left the Feywild, Orym took an interest in the cleric's well-being, and FCG admitted that after discovering things about his past, he had decided to trust the faith in the Changebringer to see what the future held for him.

"The Aurora Grows" (3x49) FCG asked Avandra about her alignment and interest in the apogee solstice, getting some scary answers from the coin. They later determined that since the Changebringer was a goddess she probably wanted to be surrounded by mystery, thus giving her cleric misleading answers about herself, but providing useful insight about the aeormaton's own decisions (the rest of Bells Hells weren't quite sure how true that explanation was).

"Red Moon Rising" (3x50) When talking about their plan of crashing the Silver Sun into the Malleus Key, Bells Hells showed concern about the safety of the crew members. Fresh Cut Grass decided to ask Avandra if she thought they needed to sacrifice those people in the process, but the result of the toss coin wasn't good. FCG decided to interpret it in a more benign way, stating that he thought it meant the Changebringer thought a sacrifice (without specifying) would be needed to succeed, and that he himself should stay on the ship. The rest of the party, who were worried about FCG's excessive trust in the coin, applauded him for showing a willingness to apply some interpretation and nuance to the results of his coin flips. However, FCG later said he was okay with sacrificing Captain Xandis with the skyship since the Changebringer said to do it, and it was unclear if the cleric was entirely joking. Later, when Imogen, Laudna, Chetney, Ashton and Orym were leaving to infiltrate the Tishtan excavation site, Orym told FCG, "Changebringer be with you," and FCG replied, "And also with you."

"The Apogee Solstice" (3x51) When Fresh Cut Grass decided (after consulting with his coin) that he and Fearne should rejoin the rest of their team, he prayed to Avandra to bring Xandis and Ira Wendagoth fortune in their mission of crashing the skyship. During Ludinus Da'leth's speech next to the Malleus Key, he looked in FCG's direction and told him that FCG was not given life by any god, but by the hands of mortals. FCG responded by clutching his coin.

"Far From The Others" (3x52) After meeting F.R.I.D.A. and Deanna Leimert, two travelers with strong but complicated ties with divinity, FCG expressed how satisfied he was with his coin of the Changebringer, tossing it a couple of times to inquire if they would survive the night and if the gods were aware of Predathos; the results weren't very good, and the cleric explained that maybe it was because Avandra (just like Pelor seemed to be doing, according to Deanna) was distancing herself from Exandria and her connection with it was getting weaker. When the empathy cleric explained that following the Changebringer gave them purpose, Imogen was surprised to discover that her friend considered that without their goddess they didn't have a purpose.

"Ripples" (3x53) While visiting the Vellum Steeple Archive in Uthodurn FCG and their group learned that magic had been working badly recently. Wanting to help, the cleric offered their goddess' help, and tossed the coin while asking Avandra if she would be able to fix the magic. However, the answer the coin gave them was negative.

"By Goat or By Boat" (3x56) When Bells Hells were preparing to enter the Savalirwood via the Boreal Omen River, FCG cast Commune for the first time, tentatively asking if the Changebringer was there, and if she was real: the goddess indicated her presence by curving the image of the river, and then, through the wind, allowing the aeormaton to catch glimpses of her long hair, as well as her figure on the horizon; when the cleric asked if Avandra had been watching them, she used the wind to toss their coin to the ground, yielding a positive result; finally, when Fresh Cut Grass asked the Prime Deity if she needed help, she gave a positive, if distant, answer before walking away; FCG was able to watch as their goddess was reunited with other figures in the distance, presumably other gods.

"The Sorrow of Molaesmyr" (3x57) While Bells Hells explored the ruins of Molaesmyr FCG cast Divination to find the best path to the Gildhollow Tower without risk of dying. Avandra used the wind to briefly clear the path that the adventurers should follow, and although they had to face some ghosts along the way and flee from the Wolf-King, all members of the group reached the tower safely.

"Escape From The Past" (3x58)

Fan art of Avandra's warning, by Cha Cha Rae.

Before leaving the Savalirwood, FCG cast Commune to ask Avandra about the well-being of Ashton, Orym and Laudna and find out where it would be easier to locate them; the aeormaton also took the opportunity to ask about the future of his relationship with FRIDA. The goddess sent him a vision of the convergence point of many roads, from which she could be seen in the distance; she confirmed that Fresh Cut Grass' friends were alive, that they would be found in Jrusar, and that the future of the cleric's relationship with the gunslinger was yet to be determined; however, before the spell ended the Changebringer suddenly approached the crossroad, appearing immense and intimidating in front of FCG, warning her follower of the approaching danger, demanding that they and their friends help stop the release of Predathos. FCG also noticed that his coin was warm and shinier than before, and when he identified it, he learned her blessing had given the coin magical properties.

"Reunited" (3x64) Several followers of Avandra traveled to Jrusar, probably answering her divine call to face the dangers in Marquet. While trying to reach that city, FCG attempted a Divine Intervention for the first time, asking the Changebringer to restore the magical charges of the Staff of Dark Odyssey; however, they failed.

"A Path of Vengeance" (3x65) Through FCG's first use of the Guided Grace of his coin, Avandra confirmed to the cleric that Exandria was round.

"Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) FCG cast Divination so that the Changebringer could show Bells Hells which direction to take to find the blue perennem flowers in the Grey Valley. He made his coin spin on top of Orym's shield, and Avandra's wind stopped it and made it fall pointing to the west, which made some members of the group, such as Imogen, visibly impressed by the goddess' direct answer.

"For The Tempest" (3x68)

Fan art of the Changebringer and FCG, by Lady Rossë.

The night Bells Hells spent in the Grey Valley FCG cast Commune before going to sleep. Avandra confirmed to him that the gods could help the adventurers, and, more closely, that she was worth saving; when the cleric asked if she was afraid, the Changebringer big mighty mountains exploding before admitting her fear.

After Bells Hells returned to Zephrah and talked about how to fight their enemies they wondered if they could use a special harness, and who was the best person to repair it. They had two potential candidates, Dancer and D, and Fresh Cut Grass, nervous about both options, tried using Divination to know which choice was best. The aeormaton cast the spell trice, and on each occasion the answer provided by Avandra (or one of her celestial servants) was more ambiguous, given the nature of the spell (and perhaps the tricky nature of the goddess).

"Roots Between Worlds" (3x74) Through the use of FCG's magical coin Avandra helped Bells Hells travel through the jungles of Kalutha, and confirmed to her cleric that they weren't going to die visiting Evontra'vir.

"An Ancient Flame" (3x75) While FCG and his friends were trying to find the spark of Rau'shan, the cleric prayed to the Changebringer twice to help them find a path and be able to move across the narrow cavern where they were.

"A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) FCG visited the Horizon Temple in Whitestone, where Osli Kámyda told them that even in those difficult times followers of the goddess were still coming to pray (the cleric himself had felt Lady Luck distracted, but the fact that even she could be nervous made him feel better). The aeormaton decided to pray in front of the Changebringer's statue (asking to receive any harm that would otherwise hurt their friends in the future), and ended up receiving a vision in which she, with the eyes glowing bright red, spoke through the stone, assuring them that they and their friends were walking a path of bravery, but reminding them that they still had free will and could choose to do things differently; she also told them that she wouldn't be able to show Ashton any miracle if he didn't have an interest in notice them in the first place. After that the eyes of the statue went back to normal, and when the adventurer was leaving he heard Kámyda comment about a puddle that had gathered at the base of the statue, since the rock had produced physical tears during the interaction with FCG.

"The Promise and the Price" (3x77) and "Fractures" (3x78) While Ashton Greymoore was agonizing after absorbing the power of Rau'shan's spark, FCG tried to use a Divine Intervention so that the Changebringer would save their friend. However, the goddess was too far and too distracted, and didn't grant the petition (although the genasi survived anyway). Later, the cleric admitted that they shouldn't have pressured their friend so much about believing in Avandra, and he told them that his problems should be fixed by himself, not the goddess.

Later, Imogen was very worried about Laudna after she walked away, so FCG used the Changebringer's coin to confirm that the warlock was safe.

"To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79) During an exercise about honesty organized by the Fatestitcher and FCG himself, the cleric admitted that since his vision in the Horizon Temple he was afraid that Avandra didn't actually care about him and was only manipulating him, although that also made him feel very guilty because maybe the goddess did care and he was just being horrible with her.

"A Test of Trust" (3x80) During the exercise about trust Bells Hells had to look for three ivory branches while trying to deal with the potential presence of doppelgangers among them. FCG, not knowing if they should trust Orym, cast Divination to ask Avandra, receiving a vision in which she revealed to them that the halfling was himself, their trusted ally.

"Doorways to Darker Depths" (3x86) During Bells Hells' mission on Ruidus they briefly returned to Exandria through a portal connected to Lake Umamu, in Issylra. There, they fought an undead entity, and when FCG used Turn Undead against it, they felt Avandra's presence way stronger than in the red moon. Moreover, when they returned to Ruidus, the cleric tried to cast Scrying to locate Ira Wendagoth, but then the power of the Changebringer felt very weak and distant, and the spell didn't even work.

"Mission Improbable" (3x90) When FCG, Ashton and Fearne went with Ira Wendagoth and caused a explosion in an excavation in Vaterra Kreviris, they started running away from the effects of the detonation, but its light was fastly approaching. In desperation, Fresh Cut Grass tried to use Divine Intervention, but although they felt the Changebringer's willingness to help, the magical barrier surrounding Ruidus interfered.

Fan art of Avandra and Fresh Cut Grass, by @viridializard.

Appearances and mentions

• Campaign One
  • "The Mines of the Many" (1x98), mentioned only
  • "The Endless Atheneum" (1x106), mentioned only
• Campaign Two
  • "Lost Treasures" (2x22), mentioned only
  • "Causatum" (2x70), mentioned only
• Campaign Three
  • "A Stage Set" (3x32), mentioned only
  • "Blood and Dust" (3x33), mentioned only
  • "What Dreams May Come" (3x34), mentioned only
  • "Pyrrhic Return" (3x35), indirect mention
  • "A Desperate Call" (3x36), mentioned only
  • "From the Boughs" (3x37), indirect mention
  • "A Dark Balance" (3x38), mentioned only
  • "Compulsions" (3x40), mentioned only
  • "Call of the Wild" (3x41), mentioned only
  • "The City of Flowing Light" (3x42), voice only
  • "The Fey Key" (3x47), mentioned only
  • "An Exit Most Fraught" (3x48), mentioned only
  • "The Aurora Grows" (3x49), mentioned only
  • "Red Moon Rising" (3x50), mentioned only
  • "The Apogee Solstice" (3x51), mentioned only
  • "Far From The Others" (3x52), mentioned only
  • "Ripples" (3x53), mentioned only
  • "Hope Within History" (3x55), mentioned only
  • "By Goat or By Boat" (3x56), via Commune
  • "The Sorrow of Molaesmyr" (3x57), mentioned only
  • "Escape From The Past" (3x58), via Commune and a vision
  • "Reunited" (3x64), mentioned only
  • "A Path of Vengeance" (3x65), mentioned only
  • "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66), via Divination
  • "Bloody Flowers" (3x67), mentioned only
  • "For The Tempest" (3x68), via Commune and Divination
  • "Nice" (3x69), mentioned only
  • "Embattled in Bassuras" (3x70), mentioned only
  • "Mist and Whimsy" (3x71), mentioned only
  • "Phantasmal Parley" (3x72), mentioned only
  • "Kindling the Spirits" (3x73), mentioned only
  • "Roots Between Worlds" (3x74), mentioned only
  • "An Ancient Flame" (3x75), mentioned only
  • "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76), in a vision
  • "The Promise and the Price" (3x77), in a vision
  • "Fractures" (3x78), mentioned only
  • "To Hurt Is to Heal" (3x79), mentioned only
  • "A Test of Trust" (3x80), via Divination
  • "Ruidus" (3x83), mentioned only
  • "Red Rural Revelations" (3x84), mentioned only (unnamed)
  • "Intense Interrogations" (3x85), mentioned only
  • "Doorways to Darker Depths" (3x86), mentioned only
  • "Arrival at Kreviris" (3x87), mentioned only
  • "Divisive Portents" (3x89), mentioned only
  • "Mission Improbable" (3x90), mentioned only
  • "True Heroism" (3x91), mentioned only

• Kith & Kin (mention)
• Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep

Trivia

• Her holy day is New Dawn, on the first of Horisal. It is celebrated with feasts in Emon at midnight and on the Menagerie Coast at dusk.
• There is a gambling game in Ank'Harel known as "Avandra's Favor". It was also being played in a casino in Kymal as of 843 PD, called "Changebringer's Favor".
• In the Myriad's speakeasy beneath the Grumpy Lily, they serve a strong, syrupy drink called the Changebringer's Nectar, elsewhere described as "maple syrup grain alcohol."
• "Chay-Chay" is the new nickname FCG has for her.
• It is possible that Avandros' name derives from the Changebringer's.

References

Art: