Elf deities

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The Seldarine (Tel'Seldarine in the elvish language) is the pantheon of the good and neutral elven gods in many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The name roughly translates as "the fellowship of brothers and sisters of the wood." The Seldarine are led by the greater deity Corellon Larethian. Their home plane is Arvandor (part of Arborea/Mount Olympus).

In the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of player characters, non-player characters, and creatures.

Elf (<i>Dungeons & Dragons</i>) fictional humanoid race from Dungeons & Dragons

An elf, in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, is a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for player character. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow. Becoming physically mature by the age of 25 and emotionally mature at around 125, they are also famously long-lived, capable of living more than half a millennium and remaining physically youthful. Possessed of innate beauty and easy gracefulness, they are viewed as both wondrous and haughty by other races; however, their natural detachment is seen by some as introversion or xenophobia.

A deity is a supernatural being considered divine or sacred. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines deity as "a god or goddess ", or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greater than those of ordinary humans, but who interacts with humans, positively or negatively, in ways that carry humans to new levels of consciousness, beyond the grounded preoccupations of ordinary life". In the English language, a male deity is referred to as a god, while a female deity is referred to as a goddess.

Contents

There is also a Dark Seldarine, which is the name given to the Drow deities.

Members

The members of the Seldarine are:

Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories. Several years later, Greenwood brought the setting to the D&D game as a series of magazine articles, and the first Realms game products were released in 1987. Role-playing game products have been produced for the setting ever since, as have various licensed products including novels, role-playing video game adaptations, and comic books. The Forgotten Realms is one of the most popular D&D settings, largely due to the success of novels by authors such as R. A. Salvatore and numerous role-playing video games, including Pool of Radiance (1988), Eye of the Beholder (1991), Baldur's Gate (1998), Icewind Dale (2000) and Neverwinter Nights (2002).

Trickster literary archetype

In mythology, and in the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story, which exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge, and uses it to play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules and conventional behaviour.

Grugach

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the grugach is a type of elf.

Races of the Wild [1] introduced:

Dragon magazine issues #155, 236, and 251 expanded the pantheon to include:

<i>Dragon</i> (magazine) magazine

Dragon was one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products; Dungeon was the other.

Not truly part of the Seldarine but venerated by surface elves and associated with the Seldarine are:

Mielikki is a fictional goddess in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Mielikki is the goddess of autumn, druids, dryads, forests, forest creatures, and rangers. Her symbol is a gold-horned, blue-eyed unicorn's head facing left, and her Third Edition D&D domains are Animal, Good, Plant and Travel. Mielikki is Neutral Good.

Some of the wild elves of the Forgotten Realms also venerate beast-totems known as Bear, Eagle, Raven, and Wolf, all aspects of Rillifane Rallathil.

Aerdrie Faenya

Aerdrie Faenya is the elven goddess of Air, Weather, Freedom, Impulse, Fertility, and Birds. Aerdrie appears to be a tall, elven woman with feathered hair and eyebrows. A pair of large bird-like wings, with feathers that constantly change color, sprout from her back. The lower half of her body vanishes into a misty whirlwind, so that she never appears to touch the ground. [6] Her symbol is a cloud with a bird silhouette. [7] Aerdrie's realm, a floating palace called the Aerie, shifts across the border between Arborea and Ysgard; sometimes it is found in Arvandor and sometimes in Alfheim.

Corellon Larethian

Corellon Larethian is the leader of the elven pantheon, and the god of Magic, Music, Arts, Crafts, Poetry, and Warfare. Corellon is also considered a member of the default D&D pantheon. He is the creator and preserver of the elven race, and governs those things held in the highest esteem among elves. His symbol was originally a crescent moon; in the 4th edition his symbol is a silver star on a blue field. Corellon Larethian was created by James M. Ward for the Deities & Demigods rulebook (1980). [8]

Deep Sashelas

Deep Sashelas is the elf patron deity of aquatic elves. He is also a god of creation, knowledge, beauty, and magic. Sashelas is known as the "Knowledgeable One," and is the master of dolphins. Sashelas is married to the goddess of Dolphins, Trishina. Sashelas makes his home on the plane of Arborea, and lives in the realm of Elavandor. His holy symbol is a dolphin. [7]

Elebrin Liothiel

Elebrin Liothiel is the elven god of orchards, gardens and the harvest. He is depicted as a young male elf dressed in a tunic and breeches in muted shades of gold and a cloak in the color of green spring leaves. His symbol is a chestnut on top of a leaf. [1] Liothiel's clerics tend to the communal gardens and orchards of elven settlements while learning to harmonize with nature rather than dominating over it. His shrines are often built on simple platforms upon tall trees or sometimes domed buildings made of saelas.

Erevan Ilesere

Erevan Ilesere is the elven deity of Mischief, Change, Rogues and Changelings. Erevan is a fickle, utterly unpredictable god who can change his appearance at will. [6] Some humorous tales say that Erevan changed form and sex in order to conceive and bear the unicorn god Eachthighern with the ki-rin god Koriel. Erevan is a close ally of the Seelie Court. Erevan lives in the realm of Arvandor on the plane of Arborea.

Fenmarel Mestarine

Fenmarel Mestarine is the elven deity of feral elves (such as grugach), outcast elves, scapegoats and solitude. His chief symbol is a pair of elven eyes in darkness, though his savage priests are more likely to use the talon or fang of a wild beast slain without assistance. Fenmarel Mestarine was first detailed in the book Monster Mythology (1992), including details about his priesthood. [9]

Hanali Celanil

Hanali Celanil is the elf deity of romantic love and beauty.

Hanali lives in the realm of Arvandor on the plane of Arborea. [6] Her symbol is a gold heart. [7]

Labelas Enoreth

Labelas Enoreth ( /læbɛlɑːsˈɛnɔːrɛθ/ lab-el-ahss EN-or-eth) [10] is an elven deity in many Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings. In the Forgotten Realms, he is the Lord of the Continuum who governs the orderly passage of time and guards against those who would alter the path of history. Together with Sehanine Moonbow he oversees the long life span of the elves and their lives after they have left the mortal realms. His symbol is the setting sun, and his domains are chaos, elf, good, knowledge, and time.

Naralis Analor

Naralis Analor (also spelt Naris Analor [2] ) is a minor elven god associated with healing, easing of pain, and death. His symbol is a shield bearing a white dove. He is considered a member of the Seldarine. Naralis Analor's primary interest is not just the safeguarding of elven souls after they depart, but also healing of the living. He is one of the few death gods who isn’t malevolent or uncaring, and he’s very popular in those worlds where his worship is practiced.

Rillifane Rallathil

Rillifane Rallathil is the elven god of Nature, and patron deity of wood elves. Rillifane appears as a green-skinned elf clad in bark armor and carrying a magic bow that slays any target hit by one of its arrows. Rillifane is on good terms with other members of the Seldarine, and considers the centaur deity Skerrit the Forester a close friend. James M. Ward created Rillifane Rallathil for the Deities and Demigods Cyclopedia (1980). [11]

Sehanine Moonbow

Sehanine Moonbow is the elven goddess of the moons. She is one of the more powerful members of the Seldarine. The Lady of Dreams actively opposes the nefarious schemes of the Spider Queen and the other drow powers. She is sometimes said to be the wife of Corellon Larethian. Her preferred weapon is the Moonstaff (quarterstaff). Her symbol is a full moon topped by a crescent-shaped haze. Sehanine (Moonbow) was first detailed as a deity in the book Monster Mythology (1992), including details about her priesthood. [12]

Solonor Thelandira

Solonor Thelandira is the elven god of hunting, archery, and survival in wild and harsh places. He teaches his followers the arts of hunting; including archery, moving unseen and hiding in wild places. He watches over the borders of wilderness and farmed land and seeks to maintain the balance between them[ citation needed ]. His symbol is a silver arrow with green fletching, and his sacred animal is the stag. Solonor is never in one place for long, as he is always hunting. His magical bow can fire as far as the horizon and his quiver that never empties. He hunts not to kill for killings sake but to maintain the balance of nature and to destroy evil. He does not close with foes, but tracks them and shoots from a distance. He can create an arrow of slaying, and if this strikes home it will kill all enemies. Many fiends have fallen to a single shot. Solonor Thelandira was first detailed in Roger E. Moore's article "The Elven Point of View," in Dragon #60 (TSR, 1982). [13]

Vandria Gilmadrith

Vandria Gilmadrith, a daughter of Corellon Larethian, is the Seldarine goddess of war, justice, and grief. She is unique among the Seldarine as being the only deity with a lawful alignment. For this reason, during times of peace she usually has fewer followers among the elves than among other races. When the elves go to war en masse, however, they turn to her for help and guidance. Elven patron saint of warhammers.

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 Williams, Skip (2005). Races of the Wild. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN   0-7869-3438-7
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Voskuil, Denise Lyn. "The Elfin Gods" Dragon #155 (TSR, 1990)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Perry, Chris. "The Seldarine Revisited." Dragon #236 (TSR, 1996)
  4. 1 2 3 4 Perry, Chris. "Magic of the Seldarine." Dragon #251. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998
  5. Reimer, David S. "In the Frost and the Snow." Dragon #155 (TSR, 1990). Available online:
  6. 1 2 3 Moore, Roger; Moore, Georgia (April 1982), The Gods of the Elves (PDF) (60), Dragon, p. 9-11
  7. 1 2 3 Running the Realms by Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb, copyright 1993 TSR Inc.
  8. Ward, James and Robert Kuntz. Deities and Demigods (TSR, 1980)
  9. Sargent, Carl. Monster Mythology (TSR, 1992)
  10. Mentzer, Frank. "Ay pronunseeAY shun gyd" Dragon #93 (TSR, 1985)
  11. Ward, James and Robert Kuntz. Deities and Demigods (TSR, 1980)
  12. Sargent, Carl. Monster Mythology (TSR, 1992)
  13. Moore, Roger E. "The Elven Point of View." Dragon #60 (TSR, April 1982)

Further reading