Elven Pantheon

Greater Elven Deity
Symbol: Three interconnecting rings on a downward pointing triangle
Home Plane: Arvandor
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Spring, fertility, planting, birth, defense, wisdom
Worshipers: Community elders, druids, elves, farmers, fighters, midwives, mothers
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: Chaos, Elf, Good, Knowledge, Plant, Protection, Renewal
Favored Weapon: “Duskshaft” (longspear or shortspear)

Angharradh (an-gahr-rath) is the unified face of the deity who is both three separate goddesses--Aerdrie Faenya, Hanali Celanil, and Sehanine Moonbow--as well as a single goddess who subsumes their three separate aspects. As such, Angharradh’s nature reflects the personality traits of each of the Three, including the impulsive and whimsical nature of the Winged Mother, the romantic and affectionate nature of the Heart of Gold, and the serene and ephemeral nature of the Daughter of the Night Skies. The fusion of the Three was born of Araushnee (Lolth’s) betrayal and the collective threat to Arvandor and the Seldarine. As such, the Triune Goddess exhibit’s the fierce protectiveness and unbending resolve of the Queen of Arvandor. Despite her vigilance, the Elven Retreat, its reversal, and the return of a drow to Cormanthor have weakened Angharradh’s spirit, and the three goddesses have been spending more and more time separated, preferring the ability get more done as a group than as an individual.

The church of Angharradh is essentially the unified face of three separate, but closely allied, churches. Clerics of Angharradh serve the Triune Goddess much like the clergies of Aerdrie Faenya, Hanali Celanil, and Sehanine Moonbow. Most clerics of the Triune Goddess are affiliated with one aspect of the Three, and their activities reflect their association with that particular aspect. Clerics of Angharradh are also considered wise women and sages and are often consulted on important issues. They can serve as clerics of Aerdrie Faenya, Hanali Celanil, and Sehanine Moonbow, as well as their single embodiment, Angharradh. They attend births, bless young children, help planting and harvest, and bless warriors going into battle. Particularly successful totem sisters are sought out by other tribes and aspiring totemic practitioners for advice and counsel.

Clerics and druids of Angharradh pray for their spells at a time of their choosing, but it must be the time when one of the three goddesses is prayed to. Members of Angharradh’s clergy celebrate the holy days and important ceremonies of one of the Three; depending upon which aspect of the Triune Goddess they particularly venerate. The only holy day celebrated exclusively by those who pray to Angharradh is the Melding of the Three, held quadrennially on Cinnaeloscor (the Day of Corellon’s Peace), more commonly known as Shieldmeet. While this holy day is more generally observed by elves in honor of Corellon, the moon elves celebrate the tripartite aspects of Angharradh and the unification of the Three that have led to centuries of peace in Arvandor and elven realms in Faerun. In addition to singing great hymns to the Triune Goddess, Angharradh’s faithful often assemble to invoke great feats of cooperative magic on this day. Many clerics and druids multiclass as fighters.

History/Relationships:

Before the Fair Folk walked the forests of Faerun, the Triune Goddess arose from the great battle between the Seldarine and those who followed Araushnee, later known as Lolth. The Three drew together to heal Corellon after he was felled by Araushnee’s machinations, taking their place in the form of the One alongside Corellon as the Queen of Arvandor. Angharradh is second only to Corellon among the Seldarine and works closely with the other elven deities. Other allies include Berronar Truesilver, Chauntea, Cyrrollalee, Eilistraee, Lurue, Mielikki, Milil, Mystra, Selune, Sharindlar, Sheela Peryroyl, Silvanus, Sune, and Yondalla. Her foes include the traditional opponents of the Seldarine: the drow pantheon (other than Eilistraee), the Deities of Fury (Auril, Malar, Talos, and Umberlee), and the goblinoids deities.

Dogma:

Unity and diversity bring strength. Be ever vigilant against She Who Was Banished and work together in defending the lands of the Fair Folk from those who would work evil. Celebrate the One and the Three for their collective purpose and individual expressions of life. Through melding of widely different skills and interests, creativity, life, and artistry are nurtured and new ideas discovered.

((This information was taken from the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms Campaign Accessory: Faiths and Pantheons Manual. Pg. 125))

Intermediate Elven Deity
Symbol: Dolphin
Home Plane: Arvandor
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Oceans, sea elves, creation, knowledge
Worshipers: Druids, elves, fisher folk, rangers, sages, sailors
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: Chao, Elf, Good, Knowledge, Ocean, Water
Favored Weapon: “Trifork of the Deeps” (trident)

Deep Sashelas (deep sa-she-lahs) is a charismatic leader and an inspired creator whose art is everchanging. Unlike the other Seldarine, Deep Sashelas is rarely satisfied with what he's done and always seeks to improve it. Deep Sashelas can be fickle and flighty, and there are many myths that involve his amorous exploits with such creatures as mermaids, mortal sea elves, human females, and even a demigoddess. His consort, Trishina, has some tolerance for such straying, but not too much. Sashelas's fellow Seldarine derive great amusement from Trishina's ability to spot Sashelas's wandering attentions and stymie him, usually by warning off the object of his desire.

The church of Deep Sashelas is a broadly based church organized along regional lines with each region corresponding to a sea or ocean. The clergy of Deep Sashelas are more organized than most elven clergies because of their role as mediators and befrienders of nonaquatic races. His clerics and druids, known as delphions, interact regularly with dolphins who inhabit the region surrounding their home communities, and senior druids are almost always accompanied by their dolphin companions.

Sashelan clerics establish and maintain contacts with land-dwelling elves, if feasible. As a result of their extensive networks of contacts, Sashelas's clerics have prevented many sahuagin incursions from succeeding, gaining the latter's undying hatred. Delphions also conduct ritual shark hunts and attack sahuagin communities.

Clerics and druids of Deep Sashelas pray for their spells at whichever high tide is closest to midday. Deep Sashelas is honored individually through the creation of works of art and other wonders, and prayers are given to the Lord of the Undersea upon initiating and after completing such projects. Daily observances by Sashelas's clergy thank Deep Sashelas for his benevolence and the beauty of the undersea world, but the most important rituals are timed to coincide with especially high and low tides, known as the High Flow and the Deep Ebb, respectively. During such ceremonies, the Delphions make offerings of precious natural objects and items of great artistry. Meanwhile, acolytes swim in complex patterns accompanied by dolphins, and sing deep, reverberating songs of praise to the Lord of the Undersea and his creations. While both ceremonies are similar in form, the High Flow is a joyous celebration emphasizing beauty, creativity, and artistry, while the Deep Ebb is a grim, martial ceremony emphasizing the rememberance of those who are lost and vigilance agaisnt the enemies of the Undersea. Many clerics and druids multiclass as rangers.

History/Relationships:

Like the other elven gods, Deep Sashelas answers to Corellon and opposes the efforts of the drow pantheon (with the exception of Eilistraee). However, in some respects the Lord of the Undersea could be considered part of another pantheon entirely, composed of the various undersea deities. Deep Sashelas's allies include Cyrrollalee, Eilistraee, and Valkur. He opposes various deities of the depths, including Umberlee and the deities of the kuo-toa and sahuagin.

Dogma:

Swim the great currents and the shallow seas. Exult in the dynamic beauty and life of the bounteous Undersea. Revel in the joy of creation and increase its myriad aspects. Seek not to hold that which is everchanging, but instead love the change itself. Seek out fellow swimmers who honor the ways of the Lord of the Undersea, and ally with them agaisnt those who see only the darkness of the deeps. Follow the way of the dolphin. Promote knowledge and use of the sea by reasonable folk, and fight those that would tain or deplete its beauty and bounty.

((This information was taken from the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms Campaign Accessory: Faiths and Pantheons Manual. Pg. 126))

Lesser Elven Deity
Symbol: Pair of elven eyes in the darkness
Home Plane: Arvandor
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Feral elves, outcasts, scapegoats, isolation
Worshipers: Druids, elves, outcasts, rangers, rogues, spies, wild elves
Cleric Alignments: CE, CG, CN
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Elf, Plant, Travel
Favored Weapon: “Thornbite” (dagger)

Fenmarel Mestarine (fehn-muh-rehl) is eternally sullen and serious, a perfect counterbalance to fun-loving Erevan Ilesere. He has no interest in communicating with members of other pantheons or nonelves unless absolutely necessary, and when he does speak he is usually bitter and cynical. Although he tries to avoid commitments of any sort, the Lone Wolf always abides by his word, no matter how reluctantly it is given. Fenmarel watches over the elven borders in disappearing woodlands, jungles, and similar environments, not unlike Corellon in more sizable homelands. Of all the elven races, Fenmarel takes a keen interest mainly in the wild elves, hidden deep within the thickest forests of Faerun.

The church of Fenmarel consists primarily of outcasts and small tribes of wild elves, and, as such, has little in the way of formal hierarchy. Outcasts from elven society who make their way among other cultures are typically lay followers and not clerics. Members of Fenmarel’s clergy instruct their fellows in the skills first taught by the deity, including how to spy, survive on their own, engage in deceptions and guerrilla tactics, and use poisons to take down enemies with subtlety, but otherwise they have few formal responsibilities aside from ensuring their personal survival.

Clerics and druids of Fenmarel pray for their spells at dusk, when darkness begins to settle over the land. The church of Fenmarel does not celebrate widely recognized holy days. Instead, each individual or band venerates the Lone Wolf in personal worship services of their own devising. Many outcasts mark the day of their personal banishment with private contemplation, while tribes of feral elves mark anniversaries of important events in the group’s oral history, many of which are correlated with astronomical events easily noted by the naked eye. Many members of his clergy multiclass as rangers or rogues. They turn rather than rebuke undead.

History/Relationships:

The Lone Wolf is somewhat of an outcast among the Seldarine, his nominal allies, although supports them in their endless war against the evil drow deities. He gets along well only with Solonor Thelandira (said to be his brother), Shevarash, Gwaeron Windstrom, and Eilistraee. Only the kind-heartedness of Sehanine Moonbow can draw the Lone wolf back to the other Seldarine on rare occasions.

Dogma:

The world is a harsh and unforgiving place, with uncompromising demands on those who would forge their own path. Rely not on others for protection, for betrayal comes easily, but on the skills of camouflage, deception, and secrecy. Follow the way of the Lone Wolf, for his is the path of self-sufficiency.

((This information was taken from the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms Campaign Accessory: Faiths and Pantheons Manual. Pg. 127))

Intermediate Elven Deity
Symbol: Setting sun
Home Plane: Arvandor
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Time, longevity, the moment of choice, history
Worshipers: Bards, divine disciples, elves, lore masters, scholars, teachers
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: Chaos, Elf, Good, Knowledge, Time
Favored Weapon: “The Timestave” (quarterstaff)

Labelas Enoreth (lah-bay-lahs ehn-or-eth) is a philosopher-deity, a patient teacher and instructor. His demeanor is calm and meditative, and he is not given to sudden action or hasty speech. According to legend, he traded an eye for the ability to peer through time. Labelas concerns himself with transgenerational changes and the growth of learning and wisdom among elves, and thus rarely involves himself directly in the lives of individuals. The church of Labelas is small, but highly organized, for records of its traditional practices and beliefs date back millennia. Clerics of Labelas are the keepers of elven history and lore, and they are charged with searching for hidden facts of the past. They compile and protect such sacred knowledge and record it for the instruction of future generations. Members of Labela’s clergy are also philosophers and teachers, responsible for educating the young and promoting and acquiring knowledge.

The faithful of Labelas do not celebrate individual holy days, for the passage of time is uniform, independent of the events that unfold in each regular interval. Instead, the Lifegiver’s followers gather each day in small groves near his temples as the sun sets to mark the passage of another day, a daily ritual known as the Marking of Time. They utter prayers to Labelas, including prayers for their daily spells, and recite all that they have learned in the past day to be recorded by the lore keepers of Arvandor who serve the Lifegiver. Many clerics multiclass as bards, divine disciples, or lore masters.

History/Relationships:

Labelas maintains close relationship with most of the Seldarine, although Erevan Ilesere sorely tests his patience. Labelas has long had a close relationship with Mystra in all her incarnations. Other allies include Deneir, Cyrrollalee, Eilistraee, Milil, Oghma, and Savras. Clangeddin Silverbeard still nurses a grudge against Labelas stemming back to a battle on the isle of Ruathym during the Time of Troubles. Labelas opposes the deities of entropy and death, particularly Enough (the gnolls demon), Velsharoon, and the evil drow deities.

Dogma:

The march of time is inexorable, but the blessings of the Lifegiver enable the children of Corellon to live long and fruitful lives, unmarked y the passage of years. Record and preserve the lessons of history, and draw lessons from that which has unfolded. In the end, the sun always sets ere the next day dawns anew.

((This information was taken from the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms Campaign Accessory: Faiths and Pantheons Manual. Pg. 128))

Intermediate Elven Deity
Symbol: Misty crescent above a full moon
Home Plane: Arvandor
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Mysticism, dreams, death, journeys, transcendence, the moon, the stars, the heavens, moon elves
Worshipers: Diviners, elves, half-elves, illusionists, opponents of the undead
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: Chaos, Elf, Good, Illusion, Knowledge, Moon, Travel
Favored Weapon: “Moonshaft” (quarterstaff)

Sehanine Moonbow (she-ha-neen moon-boe) rarely concerns herself directly with events in Faerun aside from weaving illusions around secret elven retreats and guiding elves coming to those lands. Her power waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon, growing strongest when the moon is full. As befit’s the elven goddess of mysteries, Sehanine is cloaked in secrets and illusions and rarely speaks her mind directly, preferring to communicate through a process of dreams, visions, and other mystic experiences. Sehanine is a truly spiritual and ephemeral being who evades any attempt to define her and whose serenity surrounds her like a mantle of moondust. She is also an aspect of Angharradh, the Triune Goddess.

The church of Sehanine is clouded in mystery, and little is known about its secretive hierarchy. Sehanine’s clerics are the seers and mystics of elven society. They serve as the spiritual counselors to elves and half-elves who seek to embark on journeys in search of enlightenment so as to transcend their current state of being. As shepherds and protectors of the dead, Sehanine’s clerics organize and administer funeral rites and guard the remains of the fallen. They seek out and destroy undead creatures, for Sehanine holds such creatures--with the notable exceptions of baelnorns and other good-aligned undead beings who voluntarily prolong their existence in order to serve their kin--to be blasphemous. As defenders of elven homelands, Sehanine’s clergy are responsible for weaving and maintaining the illusions that guard those sanctuaries that remain and for divining potential threats to their continued existence. The prime task of adventuring clerics is the retrieval of lost arcane and magical knowledge, especially if it pertains to illusions or divinations. Other seek out isolated elven enclaves, bringing them news of the world outside the forests.

Clerics of Sehanine pray for their spells whenever the moon is fullest during the day. Sehanine’s faithful celebrate a wide bariety of holy days, all tied to the position of various heavenly bodies, particularly the phase of the moon and various types of eclipses. Many of these celebrations occur once per decade, once per century, or even once per millennium. The most frequent celebrations of Sehanine’s faithful are held monthly beneath the light of the full moon. Lunar Hallowings, as such holy days are known, are marked with personal meditation and collective entrance into a communal trance. On occasion, Sehanine manifests through her assembled worshipers, knitting together their spirits in a true sharing of minds. Such holy days are concluded with a joyous freeform dance beneath the most visible manifestation of the moon that lasts until the first rays of dawn. Once per year, sehanine’s faithful gather on the night of the Feast of the Moon for the Mystic Rites of the Luminous Cloud. Similar in many ways to the monthly Lunar Hallowings, these rites are notable for the visible manifestation of the Sehanine whereby the assembled worshipers are transformed into shimmering, silvery light that lifts up and darts across the heavens. During such mystical flights across the sky, the sacred mysteries of Sehanine are revealed to the participants, with each participant learning secrets appropriate to his current level of spiritual development. The ceremony concludes when the nimbus of light returns to the earth and the forms of Sehanine’s worshipers coalesce. Many clerics multiclass as diviners or illusionists.

History/Relationships:

Sehanine is the mightiest of the female deities of the Seldarine. Her tears are said to have mingled with Corellon’s blood to form the elven race. She is closely allied with all the Seldarine, particularly Corellon, Aerdrie, and Hanali, and gets along well with other deities, including Baravar Cloakshadow, Cyrrollalee, Dumathoin, Eilistraee, Kelemvor, Lurue, Milil, Mystra, Savras, Segojan Earthcaller, Shaundakul, Selune, and Urogalan. Her foes include Cyric, Gruumsh, Malar, Shar, the Deities of fury, Velsharoon, and the evil drow deities.

Dogma:

Life is series of mysteries whose secrets are veiled by the Luminous Cloud. As the spirit transcends its mortal bounds and new mysteries are uncovered, a higher form is achieved and the cycle of life continues. Through contemplation and meditation, communion with the Lady of Dreams is achieved. Through dreams, visions, and omens revealed in sleep or the reverie, the Daughter of the Night Sky unveils the next step along the path and the next destination on the endless journey of mystic wonder that is life and death and life.

((This information was taken from the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms Campaign Accessory: Faiths and Pantheons Manual. Pgs. 129-130))