Eilyene - The Light
Eilyene
The Mother
(The She-Sun, The Dawn, Dawnmother, The Light)
Full Deity on Prime Material Plane
Alignment: Good
Portfolio: Sun, Life, Renewal, Birth, Spring
Aliases: None
Domain Name: Asul-Eros, Havena
Superior: O'hl
Allies: Rasfor, Palin, Keyis, Prens
Foes: Shade', Brauun, Caen
Symbol: Eight point sunburst atop a shield
Worshippers Alignment: LG,G,NG, LN,N
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Overview:
Eilyene is the Lightbringer. “She Who Walks With The Dawn.” Eilyene is the goddess of light, protection within light, and renewal. She is seen in sunlight, reflection of the sun, and in the faces of newborn infants. She shows herself often to her faithful in the form of a ray of light, or a thick obscuring beam from the sun. She is worshipped by beautiful women, asking for their youth to keep, as well as nursemaids. Children pray to her, asking for her to bring them the dawn, and push the terror invoking shadows of night.
Eilyene is a loving goddess. She acts often with her faithful, but her most enjoyable act is showing her presence to those on the fence about her existence. She is a ray of light in a dark dungeon, or a surrounding column of light preventing undead from touching a mortal in peril. These bring Eilyene the most joy, knowing the mortals will seek the stars above, looking for her. She is known throughout most of Edus, and is known by different names in different countries. Her faithful and followers are always welcome in towns and cities and even are asked to bless certain holidays for good weather and sunshine.
Appearance:
Eilyene is a towering blonde woman of human appearance, that shifts from a radiant glow to a dull hum of light, surrounding her naked and pure form. Her eyes of bright blue stare with no judgement, and her hands glow with the light of a new dawn. She always walks and where her feet touch, she leaves lasting footprints, glowing like pools reflecting the sun.
Other Manifestations:
She has appeared as a female knight in brightest platinum armor, a glowing stag of pure white with light glowing antlers, A rabbit or white fur with striking blue eyes, and a halo of light with eight starbursts.
----------------------------------------------- The Church: Clergy: Wizards, Cleric, Spec Priests, Monks, Paladins, Crusaders*
Clergy Alignment: G or LN *
Turn Undead: Full (Crusaders= None)
Cmnd. Undead: None
Bonus Prof: Religion: Edus, Religion: Ancient
With more wealth than any other two religions combined, The Church of Eilyene is one of the most popular and most far reaching across Edus. The churches often display their level of opulence and riches. Most temples are multi-floored and have eight towers or spires to match the sunburst holy symbol of the Goddess of Dawn. Most churches are oriented with doors opening to the west, and have a round central room. At the back of the temple, windows full of stained leaded glass to allow the dawn of day to shine through behind the statue and altar. The eight towers or spires are for private prayer rooms, bedrooms for priests, and common rooms for eating, meeting, and leisure.
Most churches are run by an official Prioress or Abess. They are usually female and the High Priestess. There are usually five to seven High Sisters or High Brothers as priests, supported by ten to fifteen acolytes. Some have five to ten Judges, Paladins, or Crusaders to protect or serve lawful roles; another ten or so Brothers or Sisters serving as servants or squires to the Paladins and Crusaders.
| TITLE | RARITY | DESCRIPTION |
| Follower | Common | Normal folk, church-goers |
| Children | Common | Acolytes within the church |
| Awakened | Uncommon | Full clerics without a church |
| Lightbringer | Uncommon | Full cleric |
| Light Captain | Elite | Cleric in charge of Church |
| Light Lord | Rare | Cleric in charge of churches in one county |
| Dawn Master | Unique | High cleric, Prophet of Eilyene |
There is a small group of Lightbringers, called “Dawn Shields". The Order of the Dawn Shields are a militant organization that travel the lands of Edus, seeking corruption and hidden evil within cities, using their powers to “bring light to the dark hearts of men.” Their Inquisitorial actions often bring frowns from citizens, and even outright rage from true Lightbringers. The symbol of the Dawnshields is the gold yellow star of Eilyene, but outlined with blood red. They often have been seen crucifying corrupted barons, and hanging vile officials, before moving on to another city.
Dogma: "Do no harm to those who seek aid. Protect the innocent and punish the guilty. Light brings life and be the Light upon Edus." This is the motto or Dogma of the church of Eilyene. There is nothing but positive and optimistic stories and fables within the dogma of Eilyene. Stories of clerics saving lives and bringing the righteous back to life, clerics and paladins fighting undead and stopping dragons or Orcish hordes from killing towns or innocents abound within the teachings. Light and goodness are two sides of the same coin and used often to describe the purity of the holy order. "Light defeats Dark", "Another dawn will always come" and "Life always will survive" are some of the common sayings from the faithful of Eilyene.
Day-to-day Activities: Lightbringers seek to grow: Grow light within the world, grow hope when hopelessness is all there is, and even literally, by planting seeds and growing new plants, nurturing them like children. They seek to drive out evil and corruption, adding the light into every aspect of their life and the lives around them. Lightbringers do this by battling monsters, killing undead, and seeking out and stopping corruption in civilized areas; driving evil back into the shadows and seeking to bring light and hope to those who do not have them.
Lightbringers encourage travel, adventuring as they do, is the easiest way to become missionaries for Eilyene. Recovering magical items helps strengthen the church and can be used to help the populace. Any magical item that creates light, or brings hope of some sort are taken, studied and recreated for the Church.
Churches of Eilyene are known to sponsor competitions, usually for creating magical items that can support or promote the church. Having massive festivals for creation of art, music or literature are not uncommon across Edus.
Temples and smaller shrines of Eilyene are found through the smaller towns and villages of Edus, and are known to not only help and heal, but also harbor the weak and often give aid to those seeking it. Returning aid is an unspoken, but nonetheless expected, return to the church in times of boon, feeding the church, or giving extra bounties of food for future storage in case of famine. Money isn't sought after by the Church of Eilyene, because of the amount of adventurers and crusaders the church has are constantly adventuring. Lightbringers are expected to make regular offerings of ideas, discovered items or food to the Church, for continued protection and healing. Any non-believers must pay homage to the church in more pricey ways: gifts of magical items or coin.
Important Holy Days/ Ceremonies:
Ceremonies and services are held at dawn. The First Light of the Day is a holy blessing from Eilyene, and marriages or binding ceremonies held at that time are always blessed by the Dawn Mother. Anyone visiting the church or staying there will find most people are up before dawn and loudly active within the church, singing and cleaning. Funerals are held at dusk to say goodbye and mourn, with a matching ceremony at the next dawn to celebrate the passing's life and welcoming them into Eilyene's Light.
Major Centers of Worship:
- Church of the Eight Points in Kings Watch, run by Vicar Velmut of House Von Ernstwulf
- Towers of the Morning Sun in Southgate, Gothmyr, run by
- Temple of the Sun in Ciudal Sahn, in Hepulchor.
- The Church of the Dawn in Pennimair.
- The Temple of the Dawn Rays in Anistlav.
Affiliated Orders:
Order of the White Light is the Knightly order of Paladins and Crusaders that follow the strict tenants of Eilyene.
Order of the Bright Shield is the clerical order of adventuring clerics, monks.
Dawnshields
There is a small group of Brightshields, called “Dawn Shields". The Order of the Dawn Shields are a militant organization that travel the lands of Edus, seeking corruption and hidden evil within cities, using their powers to “bring light to the dark hearts of men.” Their Inquisitorial actions often bring frowns from citizens, and even outright rage from true Lightbringers. The symbol of the Dawnshields is the gold yellow star of Eilyene, but outlined with blood red. They often have been seen crucifying corrupted barons, and hanging vile officials, before moving on to another city.
A church run by Dawnshields, has been founded and established just North of Fort Regna, named "Church of Absolving Light". They have been recorded kidnapping "sinners" and burning them at the stake 'in absolving light' in front of their citadel church.
Priestly Vestments: A white tabard with a yellow 8-pointed starburst upon a silver shield. Some carry banners with a 8-pointed starburst with light rays going across the banner.
Lightbringer (Specialty priest)
CLERIC OF EILYENE
PALADIN OF EILYENE
Type
Religious, Pantheon
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