It had started off as a joke. I had been making a world for a new campaign for our dungeons and dragons group. Naturally, this required me to create a pantheon of gods. Although most were farily forgettable, one stuck with me. The Goddess Ra'ah, the Divine Healer. She was fairly generic, being a Goddess whose followers sought to heal and cure. But something about her made her stick in my mind.

Nonetheless, she was a part of the world. We had begun playing, having a blast. It was only when I gave myself a papercut that it started. I was in character as a priest of Ra'ah, and so covered with a hand, and spoke with a solemn voice.

"May the Lady's light heal me."

Of course nothing happened. But we loved it. It gmbecame a running joke to us. Whenever we hurt ourselves even slightly, one would touch it, and ask for Ra'ah to heal us. It was silly. We knew it was nonsense. But it was our nonsense.

Even when Sandra had a bad fall, breaking her arm we kept it up. Each time we met up, I would lead the prayer of healing. We found a sort of comfort in it. We weren't really religious people, but the ritual was calming. She said it made it more bearable.

After her cast was off, she designed and had made copies of her holy symbol. It was a stylised sun, with the head of a rose in its centre. It was touching when she presented them to us, with more than one of our number growing watery eyed.

I walked into a door handle in the session following. As usual, I omoit my hand against it out if instinct. But this time I touched the symbol, speaking again.

"May the Lady's light heal me."

To our amazement, the symbol beneath my hand began to glow a soft white. The glow was matched by the others, all around the the table waiting for me to bring in a prop. The glow from each grew, before somehow detaching and floating through the air. They gathered into a single point, before a flash temporarily blinded us.

I blinked it away, mouth falling open at the sight before me. A beautiful woman stood there, a gentle smile on her face. Her eyes were golden, circled by tattoos of twisting vines. She wore a simple white dress, with a pair of dives sitting on her shoulders. I knew who she was immediately, her design held in my mind. Somehow, impossibly, this was Ra'ah.

"My beloved followers. It is good to truly see you."

Her voice was gentle, flowing through the air. It warmed my heart, putting me at ease though I knew I should be scared. The pain in my side melted away as she smiled at us, hands clasped before her. I put down the prop goblet I had made, bowing my head. I knew what to say, as the priests in my world would say.

"My Lady, your presence is a blessing to us all."

My friends concurred, standing to bow. She gave a small laugh, light and geniune.

"Oh, please raise your heads. It is I who should be bowing. You gave me life, for that I am grateful."

I watched her bow in turn to us all, before lightly stepping forwards. She put a hand on my shoulder, her touch like a sunbeam on a cold autumn day.

"My Herald. I am in your debt most of all for being the core of my religion."

She turned to the others, giving them each a heartfelt smile.

"But that does not mean I am not indebted to you all as well, for following on the beginning. You all created me. There is nothing I can do to repay you as much as you deserve. But I can do what I can."

I could see the same feelings on my friends faces as I felt. Wonder, peace and joy. Ra'ah lightly stepped up to each, subtly growing or shrinking to be just slightly taller than each. She gave them a kiss on the forehead, making their eyes spark.

"You are all my Clerics. I give you the power to ignore harm, and heal those who you touch. I give you the strength to protect the innocent, and save them from evil."

She turned to me, her eyes damp. Her smile was wide, joy the evident cause of her tears. She gave me a kiss on my forehead, like the others. I felt a jolt, as a part of my mind shifted. But instead of pulling away, she rested her forehead on mine for a moment.

"As my Herald you too have the power of my Clerics. But you also can call on me, wherever you need."

I struggled to find my voice. She noticed, nodding to me.

"Please, speak."

I swallowed, moving to stand by my friends.

"What, what do you want us to do?"

Ra'ah gave a giggle again, walking up to us. She picked up one of our character models, looking it over.

"My only want is for you all to live long, happy lives. If you are asking what I wish, I would wish you spread my name, and help those who cannot help themselves. But I do not demand. If you wish to spread it, I wish for you to do it of your own free will."

She put the model down, stepping back.

"Those gifts I give you are precisely that. Gifts. I will not take them back from you. Use them as you will. The only thing I ask is that you do not forget me."

I looked to the others. They turned to look at me, each giving a shallow nod. I smiled back at them, before turning my gaze back to Ra'ah.

"We will not."

Her smile widened, and she held out her arms.

"Thank you. Thank you all."

Her form faded, leaving us alone. I looked at my friends, both exhausted but energised at the same time.

"So.... that happened."