Buy me a coffeeIris, Goddess of the Rainbow
Iris is the goddess of the rainbow and a messenger of the gods in Greek mythology.
- Pantheon: Greek Pantheon
- Deity Title: Goddess of the Rainbow
- Deity Symbol: Rainbow
- Home Plane: Olympus
- Deity Level: Lesser Deity
- Alignment: Neutral Good
- Aliases: None
- Superior: Zeus
- Traditional Allies: Aphrodite, Demeter, Apollo
- Traditional Foes: Hera, Ares, Dionysus
- Divine Artifact: The Golden Bow
- Servants: N/A
- Servitor Creatures: N/A
- Sacred Animal: Peacock
- Manifestations: Manifests as a rainbow, or as a beautiful woman with long, flowing hair in the colors of the rainbow.
- Signs of Favor: Rainbows, clear skies after storms, favorable winds.
- Worshipers: Artists, poets, travelers, explorers, diplomats, and those who seek beauty and harmony.
- Cleric Alignments : LG, NG, CG, LN, N
- Specialty Priests: Rainbow Mages
- Holy Days: The Festival of Rainbows (celebrated on the first day of spring)
- Portfolio: Rainbows, beauty, travel, diplomacy, nature, harmony.
- Domains: Air, Charm, Good, Travel, Trickery
- Favored Weapon: Longbow
- Favored Class: Bard
- Favored Race: Elf
- Duties of the Priesthood: Spreading Iris’ message of harmony and promoting art and beauty in the world.
- Major Cult/Temple Sites: The Temple of Iris in Delphi, Greece.
- Benefits: Access to spells related to travel, diplomacy, and nature, as well as the ability to cast rainbow-related spells. Additionally, priests of Iris gain a bonus to diplomacy and performance checks.
Iris is a messenger goddess in Greek mythology, known as the personification of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods. She is often depicted with wings on her shoulders and a caduceus in her hand, flying between the world of gods and mortals. Iris is a loyal and obedient servant of Zeus and the other Olympian gods, always ready to carry out their commands and deliver their messages to the mortals below.
Despite being a minor goddess, Iris plays a crucial role in the myths and legends of Ancient Greece. She is often called upon to deliver messages of hope, warning, or instruction to mortals in times of crisis, and is greatly respected and revered by the people for her power and wisdom. As a symbol of the rainbow, she is also associated with fertility and abundance, and is often invoked by those seeking good fortune or blessings from the gods.
Iris’s devotion to the gods and her duties as a messenger are her driving forces in life. She takes pride in her ability to swiftly and accurately deliver messages to both gods and mortals, and sees it as her purpose to ensure that communication flows smoothly between the divine and mortal realms. Although she may sometimes feel frustrated with the whims of the gods or the ignorance of mortals, Iris remains steadfast in her loyalty and dedication to her duties.
Iris is a beautiful and radiant being, often described as having long, flowing hair the color of the rainbow. Her skin is fair and flawless, with eyes that sparkle like diamonds. She wears a white tunic and a cloak made of clouds, and is often depicted with wings on her back, which allow her to move quickly and gracefully through the skies. Overall, Iris exudes a sense of purity and grace, embodying the essence of the rainbow she represents.
Overall, Iris is a respected and important figure in Greek mythology, revered for her speed, wisdom, and ability to bridge the gap between the divine and mortal realms. Her legacy lives on today in the form of the word “iris,” which refers to the colored part of the eye as well as the flower of the same name, both of which are associated with beauty and vitality.
Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow
Large celestial, chaotic good
- Armor Class: 28 (natural armor)
- Hit Points: 725 (50d10 + 450)
- Speed: 80 ft., fly 120 ft. (hover)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 (+10) | 30 (+10) | 30 (+10) | 30 (+10) | 30 (+10) | 30 (+10) |
- Saving Throws: Int +28, Wis +28, Cha +28
- Skills: Perception +28, Persuasion +28
- Damage Resistances: radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
- Damage Immunities: psychic
- Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
- Senses: truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 38
- Languages: all
- Challenge Rating: 30 (155,000 XP)
Divine Awareness. Iris is aware of and can locate any creature on the same plane of existence as herself.
Innate Spellcasting. Iris’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 28). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: control weather, fly, invisibility, locate creature, pass without trace, speak with animals, speak with plants, teleport, teleportation circle, wind walk
- 3/day each: chain lightning, control water, earthquake, gate, mass suggestion, prismatic spray, sunburst, symbol, true polymorph
- 1/day each: wish
Magic Resistance. Iris has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Rainbow Bridge. Iris can use an action to create a bridge made of rainbows that spans up to 1 mile. The bridge lasts for 24 hours or until Iris dismisses it as a bonus action. The bridge is solid and can be used by any creature to cross, but it is also slippery, requiring creatures to make a DC 25 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid falling prone.
Divine Presence. Iris can use an action to project an aura of divine energy in a 100-foot radius. For 1 minute, all creatures within the aura gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened, and they can’t be charmed or frightened by creatures of CR 20 or lower. Additionally, allies within the aura gain temporary hit points equal to Iris’s level (30).
Actions:
Multiattack. She can use two of her Rainbow actions or actions as stated.
- Rainbow Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +28 to hit, range 300 ft., one target. Hit: 70 (20d6) radiant damage.
- Rainbow Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +28 to hit, range 300 ft., one target. Hit: 60 (10d10) radiant damage.
- Rainbow Shield. Iris creates a shield of rainbow light around herself or a creature she can see within 60 feet. The shield lasts for 1 minute or until it has absorbed a total of 200 damage. While the shield is active, the target has resistance to all damage types.
- Divine Bow. Iris conjures a bow made of rainbows and fires a radiant arrow at a target within 300 feet. Ranged Weapon Attack: +28 to hit, range 300 ft., one target. Hit: 70 (20d6) radiant damage.
- Rainbow Cloak. Iris or a creature she can see within 60 feet gains a cloak of rainbow light that grants the target resistance to all damage types for 1 minute.
- Rainbow Burst (Costs 2 Actions). Iris unleashes a burst of rainbow energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 28 Constitution saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) radiant damage and 55 (10d10) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
Iris can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Iris regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
- Cast a Spell. Iris casts a spell from her list of innate spells.
- Rainbow Burst (Costs 2 Actions). Iris unleashes a burst of rainbow energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 28 Constitution saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) radiant damage and 55 (10d10) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
- Rainbow Arrow (Costs 3 Actions). Iris creates an arrow made of pure rainbow energy and fires it at a target within 600 feet. The target must make a DC 28 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) radiant damage and be restrained by a rainbow-colored energy field until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the target takes half damage and isn’t restrained.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Iris takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects:
- Rainbow Storm. Iris creates a storm of rainbow-colored rain that obscures vision and causes the ground to become slippery. All creatures in the area must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.
- Rainbow Mirage. Iris creates an illusory duplicate of herself within 120 feet. The duplicate mimics Iris’s actions and movements for 1 minute, or until it takes damage.
- A rainbow-colored mist fills a 100-foot radius centered on Iris, heavily obscuring the area. Creatures inside the mist have disadvantage on all attacks and Wisdom (Perception) checks. The mist lasts for 1 minute or until Iris dismisses it as a bonus action.
Regional Effects
The region where Iris is present is imbued with magical energy that reflects her presence and power. The following effects occur in the region:
- Rainbows appear frequently, even in clear skies.
- Creatures within 1 mile of Iris’s location gain advantage on all saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
- Any spell that Iris casts has its range increased by 50%.
- Any rainbow-colored creature or object within 1 mile of Iris’s location gains resistance to all damage types except radiant and force.
Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow is a formidable opponent for even the strongest parties of adventurers. Her innate spellcasting abilities, powerful Rainbow Bridge, and Divine Presence make her a versatile and dangerous foe, while her Rainbow Burst and Rainbow Arrow legendary actions provide significant burst damage. The regional effects and lair actions further enhance her abilities and create a challenging and exciting encounter for players.
Currently in the world
In the 1450s, Iris has been busy traveling across the world, using her rainbow bridge to visit far-flung lands and connect with different cultures. She’s been particularly drawn to the flourishing art and science of the Italian Renaissance, and has spent time mingling with artists, thinkers, and scholars in cities like Florence and Venice.
But Iris isn’t just interested in cultural exchange for its own sake. She sees herself as a bridge between humanity and the gods, and believes that by fostering greater understanding between mortals and immortals, she can help to bring about a more harmonious world.
With this goal in mind, Iris has been working to establish more temples and shrines to the gods across the world, and has been using her powers of persuasion to encourage rulers and religious leaders to be more accepting of different faiths and beliefs. She’s also been advocating for the protection of the natural world, seeing the beauty of nature as a manifestation of divine grace.
Despite her efforts, she has encountered resistance from some quarters. There are those who see her as a threat to their power, and who seek to undermine her efforts at every turn. But Iris remains steadfast in her mission, using her wits and her charm to overcome obstacles and bring about positive change.
As the world enters a new era of exploration and discovery, she is excited by the potential for greater understanding and connection between cultures. She sees this as a chance to expand her mission and bring even more people into the fold, bridging the gap between the mortal and divine worlds.
But she’s also mindful of the dangers that come with change and expansion. She knows that not everyone will be receptive to her message, and that there will be those who resist her efforts to create a more harmonious world. Nevertheless, Iris is determined to press on, using her powers and her passion to make a difference in the world.
As she travels the world and works towards her goals, Iris remains a beacon of hope and inspiration to all those who seek a more enlightened and peaceful world. Her rainbow bridge serves not just as a physical connection between distant lands, but as a symbol of the unity and diversity that she strives to promote.