Sehanine Moonbow
Daughter of the Night Skies, Goddess of Moonlight, Lady of Dreams, The Luminous Cloud, The Lunar Lady, Moonlit Mystery, The Mystic Seer
Sehanine Moonbow, also called Daughter of the Night Skies, Goddess of Moonlight, the Lunar Lady, Moonlit Mystery, the Mystic Seer, the Luminous Cloud, and Lady of Dreams was an elven goddess of death, dreams, heavens, journeys, moon (full moon to be precise), moon elves, stars, and transcendence as well as the most powerful female member of the Seldarine.
Around the time of the Spellplague, Sehanine Moonbow was the fey aspect of the Faerûnian goddess, Selûne. However, with the coming of the Second Sundering, she was once again an independent goddess. Sehanine is Corellon’s beloved; Corellon is Sehanine’s creator. Sehanine is Corellon’s shadow; Corellon is Sehanine’s reflection. Sehanine is the moon; Corellon is the moon’s crescent. Sehanine is the night sky; Corellon is the sun and all the stars.
No god of the Seldarine is as intertwined with Corellon or presents so many paradoxes for worshipers to unravel, but this role befits Sehanine, for she is a god of mysteries as much as anything else. Many non-elves find it easiest to think of Sehanine as the companion of Corellon and the god of the moon, but to elves she is much more than that. The moon passes from one phase to the next, and Sehanine watches over all such cycles, be it from season to season or cradle to grave. She is midwife to elf mothers, ushering souls into the world. She is also thought to stand beside dying elves, to greet their departing spirits and set them on the path to Arvandor. Sehanine serves as patron of the lost and any who travel, as well as those who seek meaning. Elves beseech her to provide relief from madness, and they mark her symbol on graves and tombs to invoke her protection of the dead. In these comforting aspects, Sehanine is often imagined as a willowy, gentle male elf with shining eyes that reveal both melancholy and tenderness in their gaze when depicted alongside his beloved Corellon.
In stories of the Seldarine, Sehanine is Corellon’s steadfast companion, the one being who can persuade Corellon to pause and reflect rather than allow his emotions to rule him. Corellon can be resplendent with joy or shaking with anger, but a word or a look from Sehanine is enough to check or subtly alter Corellon’s mood and behavior, redirecting the god to a less extreme course of action. Some elven legends treat Sehanine as Corellon’s spouse or as a favored child, but other stories hint at a deeper truth. They say Sehanine was formed from the first drop of blood spilled from Corellon’s body, and so she reminds Corellon that even as a divine being, he can be harmed.
When Araushnee tampered with the sheath of Corellon, so it would break during Corellon's fight against Gruumsh, she did so under a full moon, not only when Sehanine was at her strongest, but also in plain sight of her. When the sword broke, Sehanine came in to help Corellon prevail against Gruumsh. Sehanine confronted Araushnee during daytime, and got trapped and imprisoned by Vhaeraun. Around the time, when the War of the Seldarine ended, she came free under heavy but undefined sacrifices and kept Araushnee from poisoning Corellon. She then created Angharradh with Hanali Celanil and Aerdrie Faenya.
Around the time of the Spellplague, Sehanine Moonbow was the fey aspect of the Faerûnian goddess, Selûne. However, with the coming of the Second Sundering, she was once again an independent goddess. Sehanine is Corellon’s beloved; Corellon is Sehanine’s creator. Sehanine is Corellon’s shadow; Corellon is Sehanine’s reflection. Sehanine is the moon; Corellon is the moon’s crescent. Sehanine is the night sky; Corellon is the sun and all the stars.
No god of the Seldarine is as intertwined with Corellon or presents so many paradoxes for worshipers to unravel, but this role befits Sehanine, for she is a god of mysteries as much as anything else. Many non-elves find it easiest to think of Sehanine as the companion of Corellon and the god of the moon, but to elves she is much more than that. The moon passes from one phase to the next, and Sehanine watches over all such cycles, be it from season to season or cradle to grave. She is midwife to elf mothers, ushering souls into the world. She is also thought to stand beside dying elves, to greet their departing spirits and set them on the path to Arvandor. Sehanine serves as patron of the lost and any who travel, as well as those who seek meaning. Elves beseech her to provide relief from madness, and they mark her symbol on graves and tombs to invoke her protection of the dead. In these comforting aspects, Sehanine is often imagined as a willowy, gentle male elf with shining eyes that reveal both melancholy and tenderness in their gaze when depicted alongside his beloved Corellon.
In stories of the Seldarine, Sehanine is Corellon’s steadfast companion, the one being who can persuade Corellon to pause and reflect rather than allow his emotions to rule him. Corellon can be resplendent with joy or shaking with anger, but a word or a look from Sehanine is enough to check or subtly alter Corellon’s mood and behavior, redirecting the god to a less extreme course of action. Some elven legends treat Sehanine as Corellon’s spouse or as a favored child, but other stories hint at a deeper truth. They say Sehanine was formed from the first drop of blood spilled from Corellon’s body, and so she reminds Corellon that even as a divine being, he can be harmed.
History
How Sehanine Moonbow came to be was unknown, but one theory posited, that she was Corellon’s daughter. It was believed, that the elves originated from a mixture of Corellon’s blood and Sehanine’s tears. She and Araushnee (later known as Lolth) were rivals over the favor of the Protector. She was one of those who participated at the creation of Sehandrian, Corellon's sword.When Araushnee tampered with the sheath of Corellon, so it would break during Corellon's fight against Gruumsh, she did so under a full moon, not only when Sehanine was at her strongest, but also in plain sight of her. When the sword broke, Sehanine came in to help Corellon prevail against Gruumsh. Sehanine confronted Araushnee during daytime, and got trapped and imprisoned by Vhaeraun. Around the time, when the War of the Seldarine ended, she came free under heavy but undefined sacrifices and kept Araushnee from poisoning Corellon. She then created Angharradh with Hanali Celanil and Aerdrie Faenya.
Divine Domains
Grave, Knowledge, Light
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Full moon under a moon-bow
Tenets of Faith
"Life is a 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."
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
In her avatar form, Sehanine Moonbow looked like a 5 ft. tall youthful, ageless, female elf clad in a diaphanous gown, that looked like it was made of moonbeam and dropped moonbeam drops every 10 minutes, that could be bottled as potions of invisibility.
Another depiction of Sehanine was as a male elf. This depiction portrayed the Protector and Sehanine as lovers. Characteristic about Sehanine's willowy male form were his eyes. They showed a sense of melancholy and tenderness when he was depicted with Corellon.
Special abilities
Sehanine Moonbow was noted as the most powerful of the female elven deities but her power was not stable. To be more precise, it fluctuated with the phase of the moon. She was at her most powerful under full moon,[8] weak under new moon or fully eclipsed moon,[19] and practically powerless during daytime.[20]
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She could cast spells from all spheres and schools but favored those of the all, astral, charm, divination, guardian, healing, necromantic, protection, summoning, sun, and travel.[15]
Illusion spells cast by the Lunar Lady were hard to resist against and just looking at her could cause a person to sleep for ten to forty minutes. She could cast sleep and false seeing, the former three times per day, the latter once every minute against one creature within 120 ft. (36.58 m) and was particulary hard to resist. While walking, she created a trail of motes of moonlight and shot it anywhere she wanted to shoot with it. Once every minute, she could create a moonbow and moonbridge. When casting dream, she did not need to enter a trance.[15]
The Daughter of the Night Skies was completely immune to illusions and any effect directed at altering her mind. It was impossible to hurt her with a weapon that was less enchanted than a +2 weapon.[1
Apparel & Accessories
Sehanine Moonbow owned the Moonshaft, a +2 quarterstaff with the abilities of staff of the moonglow and staff of night.[15] This weapon was her favored weapon,[13] but was not used as often as other items and abilities such as wands, spells, and her innate abilities. Other items of hers were her gown, a cloak of displacement, a wand of polymorphing, and a wand of paralyzation.[15]
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
The Lunar Lady was a very protective deity towards elves. She sent omens to keep her people from danger, crafted illusions around elven hideouts like Evermeet, Myth Dyraalis, Rucien-Xan, and Synnoria, and organized the journeys for elves to these lands.[14]
She hated undead and her followers made it their duty to destroy these beings.[13] She was intolerant towards necromancy in general with the sole exceptions being the practice of white necromancy (only tolerated) and the creation of baelnorn liches, which she wouldn't tolerate if it was not necessary.
Nonetheless, she was quite an aloof deity and apart from the aforementioned deeds, she kept herself apart from the happenings of Toril.[14]
As a general rule, she did not speak in a direct manner. Instead, she relied on dreams, visions, etc. to relay information.[14] This did not mean that she was incapable of speaking in a clear manner as she was seen doing that too.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Sehanine Moonbow was a member of the Seldarine and had good relationships with the other members. She was either the daughter or wife of Corellon Larethian and had at least one son, Tethrin Veralde with him.
Her personality trait of kindness was such, that she could bring Fenmarel Mestarine, who isolated himself after an affair with Lolth, to Arvandor on occasion, as well as to calm down Shevarash during his fits of rage.
She was an aspect of Angharradh alongside Aerdrie Faenya and Hanali Celanil. However, she was the primary aspect and the others merely secondary ones.
Sehanine Moonbow was an enemy of the Dark Seldarine. She opposed Lolth and was specifically hated by Vhaeraun for escaping his prison. The one exception to this rule was Eilistraee, whom she considered an adopted daughter, but had a strained and distant relationship with.
Sehanine Moonbow was an ally of Baravar Cloakshadow, Cyrrollalee, Dumathoin, Kelemvor, Leira, Lurue, Milil, Mystra, Oberon, Savras, Segojan Earthcaller, Selune, Titania, and Urogalan.
Sehanine Moonbow was an enemy of Cyric, Gruumsh, the Gods of Fury, Myrkul, the Queen of Air and Darkness, Shar, and Velsharoon.[14][24]
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