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Also known as Woodsqueen, The Mistress of the Sidhai and Sidhaisulera
("Shaped-elves"), Lindelona is a greater goddess of the Sofir "family".
Symbol: A nine-pointed star made of unicorn horns with a leaf in
the center.
Colors: Forest green, earthen brown and starlight silver.
Sacred Animals: Wolf, badger, deer.
Sacred Items: Wooden and horn vessels, simulated wooden or
metal unicorn horns.
Order of Knighthood: The Knights of the Living Bough.
Dogma: The forest is a precious source of life. Take
joy in its diversity and its beauty. Respect its inhabitants,
respect its balance, take only what you need, and for all that
you take give back something in return. Learn from the forest;
live free, adapt to change, take no more than you can use, and
make the most of what you have. The Sidhai are Lindelona's
beloved children, created in the forest to dwell there and take
joy in its abundant gifts. Live this gift of life fiercely and
passionately.
Scriptures: The Ralmelbal ("Words of the Goddess")
(Divinely inspired) -- Revelations and guidelines dictated by
Lindelona. This volume (which is always hand-written on thin
sheets of wood bound into a book) is not only a statement of
religious dogma but a definitive tract on forest ecology. It
also contains a number of sections heavy with obscure passages
that are used as both oracle and prophecy (much in the manner of
the I Ching). O Thantilm ad Hilysel ("The Book of
Forests") (Mortal commentary) -- An extensive, continuing history
of the home forests of every major elven population, dating back
all the way to the Second Day of Creation. The records in this
large volume record the life of each forest, the impact that mortals
(both elven and not) had on it, and how the forest recovered (or
didn't) from those impacts. Each history is frequently annotated
by succeeding generations of scholars.
Holy Days: The solstices and equinoxes, especially
Greengrass, the Spring Equinox, which by the Elven calendar is
the date of the Second Day of Creation.
Holy Places: Untouched, totally natural forest glades.
Sanctuary Design: Consecrated groves and clearings,
especially the elf-sculpted circular groves known as
sholienistul, whose trees are guided over decades of
growth into forming walls and an arched ceiling.
Levels of Investiture: As per Characters.
Spells:
Bless
Detect Divine Power (as Detect Magic, for clerical magic)
Heal Plant
Gift of Tongues
Extinguish Fire
Rain
Watchdog
Create Well
Divination (Belomancy, using the Ralmelbal, as noted above)
Sunlight
Oath
Freedom
Character Requirements: In addition to the "standard" cleric package,
clerics of Lindelona must also take either Ecology or Naturalist at IQ+1,
Survival (Forest) at IQ, and a Vow to protect forests (-10 points).
Special Abilities of Clerics: "Natural" animals (not giant-variety
or magical hybrids) native to forests -- even enraged or maddened ones --
will not willingly attack Lindelona's clerics, and resist any magical attempt
to force them to do so at +3. Her clerics are also able to move silently in
forests; in natural wooded areas, they effectively have one level of the
Supers Silence advantage for every level of Power Investiture
they possess. This is not a learned ability, nor can it be turned on and off.
Special Duties of Clerics: Lindelona's clerics are
charged with serving and supporting both forests and elves.
They are not required to actively enter battle for either;
Lindelona's way is usually more subtle (although if it is the
only path, her servants will joyfully join the fight).
Certain of Lindelona's clerics are charged with keeping the elven
histories, and have close relations with legions of elven bards
who both distribute these histories, and bring back information
with which to update them.
Because of the ties between Lindelona and the elves, the church
is unwelcome in most human nations, and outlawed in some. In the
Kironar empire, the church is officially banned, but in recent
decades underground congregations outside of the capitol city
have been "overlooked".
Notes: Despite her position as creator of the elves,
Lindelona does not limit her worship to their ranks. Almost as
many humans worship Lindelona as elves, although this is not
often done openly in the more anti-elven lands. Her half-elven
followers may increase the numbers by at least half again. As a
matter of fact, her order of knighthood (the Living Bough) was
founded by a half-elf, and its first two members were a full elf
and a human. Because of her lesser sphere of Dance,
Lindelona is frequently given homage by musical performers of all
stripes.
In addition to her relationship with the Sidhai, Lindelona has a
connection to unicorns (as evidenced in her holy symbol). Her
clerics frequently have unicorn allies or steeds, and it is frequently
the case that where you find the one, you will find the other.
It is not known if Lindelona also created the unicorns, but it is
known that to the extent that they venerate any god, they give
their devotion to her.
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This web page is Copyright © 1996- 1999, by Robert M. Schroeck. Narth, Narth 2000 and Lindelona are trademarks of Robert M. Schroeck. |
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