Erastil
The first gift you ever receive is your family. We all grow from the seeds of our parents’ plant. —Parables of Erastil
Old Deadeye, Elk Father, the Old Hunter
Erastil, also known as Old Deadeye, is an ancient deity who first became known on Golarion when early humanoids began to domesticate and dominate their natural surroundings. Pastoral legends claim that Old Deadeye crafted the first bow as a gift to mortals so that they might learn to hunt and survive in the dangerous world. Though civilization has continued to advance beyond simple villages, Erastil remains popular in tradition and in the frontiers of the world, a transitional figure between the worship of the Green Faith and the religions of cities.
Erastil is primarily a nature deity focusing on the plants and animals that farmers, hunters, and ranchers deal with in their challenging lives. He is also a god of close-knit communities and families, and has a protector aspect that only surfaces when such things are threatened. Erastil eschews crusades and brazen heroism, and he has no grand plans to eradicate chaos and evil from the world; he simply wants people to be able to live their lives in peace without the threat of being devoured by monsters, conscripted into an army, or destroyed by world-ending magic. He is a stern patriarch whose spirit is as hard as wood. He isn’t afraid to face down a bully, nor is he too proud to calm a frightened child. He teaches how to read the turning of the seasons, how to know when to sow and reap, how to tell when livestock are sick or gravid, how to poultice a wound and set a broken leg, how to spot a straggling sheep or the signs that a dog has gone rabid. He believes that cooperation leads to friendship and safety, and that if mortals respect the gifts of nature, it will sustain them. He loves customs that encourage strong family bonds—no matter how quaint they are by modern standards—and enjoys hunting for sustenance but not for sport. Happy weddings and new babies make him smile. He is not one to spout philosophy, and instead gives practical advice and hands-on teaching.
Erastil’s avatar is an upright hunter with the head of an elk, clad in well-used leathers and carrying a simple bow. Old legends say that halflings and humans each see him as a member of their own race, even when members of both races are looking at him at the same time. Some representations show him as fully human—usually of Ulfen or Kellid heritage—depicting how he sometimes appears to children, lost travelers, or those he simply doesn’t wish to reveal his divine nature to. In most stories, Old Deadeye’s arrows never miss, and a few communities still own a spent arrow supposedly once fired by Erastil, passed down through the generations and treasured for its connection to the god.
Depictions of Erastil in artwork are uncommon, as his followers prefer focusing their energy on more practical matters. Those physical representations that do exist are often carved wooden placards bearing his likeness—these aren’t worshiped as icons, but serve as constant reminders of his presence. In other communities, a stuffed elk’s head or just its horns serve this purpose. In more elaborate representations, Erastil is shown fighting off wild animals or teaching people how to hunt. On the walls of a few ancient caves predating the Azlanti era are painted primitive silhouettes of an elk-headed man performing similar acts.
Unlike many other good deities, Erastil does not send his followers out into the world to fight and crush evil. Eschewing crusades and other ventures that take his followers away from their homes, Erastil watches over those who devote their lives to family and community. He is primarily an agricultural deity, specifically focusing on those aspects of nature that either can be tamed or are of use to his followers. His domain encompasses the plants and animals that farmers, hunters, and ranchers deal with in their everyday lives. While he is a protective deity, Erastil steps in only when quiet, pastoral lives are threatened. He desires his followers to live their lives in peace, with no risk of being conscripted into armies, devoured by monsters, or destroyed by magic.
Family is of vital importance to the Elk Father. He places a high value on marriage and children, considering caring for a spouse and family to be one of the most important tasks in life. Erastil’s communities advocate for the unmarried to wed as soon as possible, though they never force a marriage for the sake of tying the knot. Widows and widowers often remarry, especially if they are caring for children. Erastil frowns upon adultery and anything else that bends or breaks the bonds of marriage, such as a union built on lies. However, he understands when a marriage has been sullied by the likes of abuse and supports separation when it encourages the safety of an individual and community.
Erastil sees building families as a goal for all people. Those who cannot bear children should still be ready to take in those who need a family, and his followers encourage those who remain single to act as surrogate parents and role models for children. He values traditions that build families, even when they are viewed as quaint by others, but he is willing to accept new traditions as long as they strengthen families rather than weakening them. The Elk Father is known to be slow to adapt to change, often trying to fit foreign ideas into a familiar framework, but he always supports strong relationships rather than rejecting them—he thus accepts all manner of matrimony and family, so long as they are supportive of their respective communities.
Erastil is thought by most to have his own family, but he rarely speaks of them to his followers or involves them directly in his faith. The Elk Father wishes to avoid worshippers becoming distracted by their god’s relationships—mortals should view their own families, whatever their makeup, as sacred, rather than focus on the family of a god simply because it is divine.
When granting gifts, Erastil prefers practical boons over flashier miracles. Many believe he is the deity who originally gifted mortals the bow so they could hunt for sustenance—but not for pleasure. He teaches farmers how to know when to sow and reap; ranchers how to tell when livestock are sick, lame, or gravid; and both how to heal humans and animals. His values are those of a slow-paced, pastoral life, one in which his followers respect and are sustained by the gifts of nature. He also teaches cooperation, and his priests are often the first to arrive at a barn-raising or house-building. Their sermons are as likely to be lessons in how to spot corn blight as anything philosophical.
The vast majority of Erastilian priests are clerics, with a few druids and the occasional ranger. Champions of Erastil exist but are far less common than those of Torag or Iomedae. Although priests of Erastil act as leaders of the faith as the community requires, they live among the communities they serve and might be established artisans, farmers, or hunters in their own right. They support the community, often by providing healing services to livestock as well as people, blessing crops, and assisting with trade. Priests of Erastil are expected to marry, though it is not a requirement; many priests see their entire community as their family and a sacred commitment.
Erastilian worship services are short and to the point, with sacred music designed to be sung and played while working. His temples, like his priests, serve multiple duties. In addition to being used for worship, these simple buildings serve as a general gathering place and a space to engage in crafts that require a lot of space and a roof. Erastil’s major festival, Archerday, is celebrated with archery competitions, feasting, and often proposals of marriage.
Adventurers rarely worship Erastil, as he tends to attract those who prefer to stay home and concern themselves with their community and family. Those who do serve him tend to adventure for the good of their community; they may attempt to determine the cause of monster attacks on their settlement, earn money for something the villagers need and can’t build themselves, or gain knowledge that is of use to their people.
Despite being ill-suited to planar politics, Erastil does have several allies among the deities of Golarion. Although Erastil views Abadar as a good fellow who’s perhaps forgotten where he came from, both want peaceful, orderly homes for their followers. Erastil frowns on Abadar’s pomp and occasional heartlessness, but the god of cities sees the value of Erastil’s work in setting people and villages on the path to the grand communities they could eventually be—even as he smirks over opinions he usually views as outmoded. Erastil also appreciates the work of Torag, especially his dedication to craftsmanship and clan, but neither stubborn deities can find much more of a common ground with the other besides the mutual respect of two old men nodding across a taproom. Erastil’s paternal affection for Desna is real, but distant and tinged with a slight sadness. Her independence and providence over the reliable cycles of the moon and stars could make her a trusted friend, but her distance, whimsy, and encouragement of self-indulgence makes her too untrustworthy in all but times of direst need. He is more patient in his interactions with Shelyn, for her support of marriage and families strengthens communities. The goddess of art has, on numerous occasions, sought out the god of hunters, asking him to guide her to the most amazing vistas and unique settings in the multiverse. Erastil regularly indulges her, enjoying her company even as he argues with her over the value of art and life. They disagree on most topics, but Shelyn’s congeniality and honest appreciation of Erastil’s time have preserved their friendship.
Evil deities are largely of a kind to Erastil, and he has little time or interest in doing much more than contributing arrow fire to drive them away. While he views Lamashtu and Rovagug as a frontier scout might wild monsters, he reserves an especial hatred for Urgathoa. That goddess’s gluttony and fostering of diseases regularly blight his people, whether in the form of deadly plagues, the tainting of game and fields, or in cultivating the sick-hearted desire for more than one’s neighbors. Urgathoa is aware of the god’s loathing, and goes out of her way to needle Erastil, setting her minions upon fragile frontier communities whenever the opportunity arises.
Erastil’s followers are generally friendly toward members of other good-aligned religions, but they also harbor a sense of superiority that can vary from private conviction to outright paternalism. The faith tends to be an all-or-nothing affair, and thus attracts people with somewhat black-and-white worldviews. Most of Erastil’s faithful, however, have good hearts, and though they may grumble and mutter disapprovingly at those with different beliefs, they’ll also help people in true need without hesitation. Many see themselves as having a parental role toward those around them. If they don’t engage in outright evangelism for their faith and worldviews, they still consider it important to attempt to instill proper values in their neighbors while aiding them: they may teach local youth valuable skills while emphasizing the importance of using those skills to contribute to their families and communities, or help a newcomer fix up a house while encouraging him to use it to start a family. They are unlikely to take action against cults of evil deities unless those worshipers directly threaten their community, although any adherent of a malevolent deity who strikes up a conversation with one of Erastil’s followers can expect a stern lecture on her misguided beliefs.
Arangin: Said to be the resurrected spirit of the paladin Jaydis Von’s equally heroic and storied mount, Arangin appears when servants of Erastil most need aid, carrying the lost out of labyrinthine forests and saving the wagons of desperately stuck pioneers from hidden bogs. This ruby-toned heavy horse has an Intelligence score of 8 and understands Common but speaks no languages.
Blackfeather: Able to take the form of a man, an eagle, or an eagle-man hybrid, this fierce avoral archer is a skilled and deadly archer who hunts only for sustenance or to defend the innocent. Often he is content to perch on a rooftop, silently watching over a village when strangers appear, ready to aid in case there is trouble.
The Grim White Stag: This enormous stag serves as Erastil’s herald. The Grim White Stag was once a powerful spirit creature, worshiped by early humans under the tutelage of druids of the Green Faith. When Erastil’s religion became more prominent, it allied with Old Deadeye, respecting his wisdom, strength, and nobility. Some regional tales say that in the early days of the world, Erastil hunted the beast, seeking to make a bow of its horns, yet it proved so agile and hardy that after weeks of pursuit, the god of the hunt tired of tracking the beast. At night, as the god stopped to rest and enjoy a simple meal, the stag fearlessly approached, bowing low to the tenacious tracker. Erastil, understanding that the beast was no savage, welcomed the Grim White Stag into his camp and shared his meal with the ancient spirit of the forest. From then on, the two have understood and respected one another, sharing the same reverence for the forests and creatures there, as well as care for all who would live honestly and in peace with the denizens of the wilderness.
Scorchbark: Nearly crippled in a skirmish with a barbed devil, this reckless young treant now displays his burns like a badge of honor. He is obviously wary whenever an enemy uses fire near him, but is a stalwart ally and never lets it deter him from his responsibilities or cause him to hesitate in battle.
Erastil is primarily a nature deity focusing on the plants and animals that farmers, hunters, and ranchers deal with in their challenging lives. He is also a god of close-knit communities and families, and has a protector aspect that only surfaces when such things are threatened. Erastil eschews crusades and brazen heroism, and he has no grand plans to eradicate chaos and evil from the world; he simply wants people to be able to live their lives in peace without the threat of being devoured by monsters, conscripted into an army, or destroyed by world-ending magic. He is a stern patriarch whose spirit is as hard as wood. He isn’t afraid to face down a bully, nor is he too proud to calm a frightened child. He teaches how to read the turning of the seasons, how to know when to sow and reap, how to tell when livestock are sick or gravid, how to poultice a wound and set a broken leg, how to spot a straggling sheep or the signs that a dog has gone rabid. He believes that cooperation leads to friendship and safety, and that if mortals respect the gifts of nature, it will sustain them. He loves customs that encourage strong family bonds—no matter how quaint they are by modern standards—and enjoys hunting for sustenance but not for sport. Happy weddings and new babies make him smile. He is not one to spout philosophy, and instead gives practical advice and hands-on teaching.
Erastil’s avatar is an upright hunter with the head of an elk, clad in well-used leathers and carrying a simple bow. Old legends say that halflings and humans each see him as a member of their own race, even when members of both races are looking at him at the same time. Some representations show him as fully human—usually of Ulfen or Kellid heritage—depicting how he sometimes appears to children, lost travelers, or those he simply doesn’t wish to reveal his divine nature to. In most stories, Old Deadeye’s arrows never miss, and a few communities still own a spent arrow supposedly once fired by Erastil, passed down through the generations and treasured for its connection to the god.
Depictions of Erastil in artwork are uncommon, as his followers prefer focusing their energy on more practical matters. Those physical representations that do exist are often carved wooden placards bearing his likeness—these aren’t worshiped as icons, but serve as constant reminders of his presence. In other communities, a stuffed elk’s head or just its horns serve this purpose. In more elaborate representations, Erastil is shown fighting off wild animals or teaching people how to hunt. On the walls of a few ancient caves predating the Azlanti era are painted primitive silhouettes of an elk-headed man performing similar acts.
Unlike many other good deities, Erastil does not send his followers out into the world to fight and crush evil. Eschewing crusades and other ventures that take his followers away from their homes, Erastil watches over those who devote their lives to family and community. He is primarily an agricultural deity, specifically focusing on those aspects of nature that either can be tamed or are of use to his followers. His domain encompasses the plants and animals that farmers, hunters, and ranchers deal with in their everyday lives. While he is a protective deity, Erastil steps in only when quiet, pastoral lives are threatened. He desires his followers to live their lives in peace, with no risk of being conscripted into armies, devoured by monsters, or destroyed by magic.
Family is of vital importance to the Elk Father. He places a high value on marriage and children, considering caring for a spouse and family to be one of the most important tasks in life. Erastil’s communities advocate for the unmarried to wed as soon as possible, though they never force a marriage for the sake of tying the knot. Widows and widowers often remarry, especially if they are caring for children. Erastil frowns upon adultery and anything else that bends or breaks the bonds of marriage, such as a union built on lies. However, he understands when a marriage has been sullied by the likes of abuse and supports separation when it encourages the safety of an individual and community.
Erastil sees building families as a goal for all people. Those who cannot bear children should still be ready to take in those who need a family, and his followers encourage those who remain single to act as surrogate parents and role models for children. He values traditions that build families, even when they are viewed as quaint by others, but he is willing to accept new traditions as long as they strengthen families rather than weakening them. The Elk Father is known to be slow to adapt to change, often trying to fit foreign ideas into a familiar framework, but he always supports strong relationships rather than rejecting them—he thus accepts all manner of matrimony and family, so long as they are supportive of their respective communities.
Erastil is thought by most to have his own family, but he rarely speaks of them to his followers or involves them directly in his faith. The Elk Father wishes to avoid worshippers becoming distracted by their god’s relationships—mortals should view their own families, whatever their makeup, as sacred, rather than focus on the family of a god simply because it is divine.
When granting gifts, Erastil prefers practical boons over flashier miracles. Many believe he is the deity who originally gifted mortals the bow so they could hunt for sustenance—but not for pleasure. He teaches farmers how to know when to sow and reap; ranchers how to tell when livestock are sick, lame, or gravid; and both how to heal humans and animals. His values are those of a slow-paced, pastoral life, one in which his followers respect and are sustained by the gifts of nature. He also teaches cooperation, and his priests are often the first to arrive at a barn-raising or house-building. Their sermons are as likely to be lessons in how to spot corn blight as anything philosophical.
The vast majority of Erastilian priests are clerics, with a few druids and the occasional ranger. Champions of Erastil exist but are far less common than those of Torag or Iomedae. Although priests of Erastil act as leaders of the faith as the community requires, they live among the communities they serve and might be established artisans, farmers, or hunters in their own right. They support the community, often by providing healing services to livestock as well as people, blessing crops, and assisting with trade. Priests of Erastil are expected to marry, though it is not a requirement; many priests see their entire community as their family and a sacred commitment.
Erastilian worship services are short and to the point, with sacred music designed to be sung and played while working. His temples, like his priests, serve multiple duties. In addition to being used for worship, these simple buildings serve as a general gathering place and a space to engage in crafts that require a lot of space and a roof. Erastil’s major festival, Archerday, is celebrated with archery competitions, feasting, and often proposals of marriage.
Adventurers rarely worship Erastil, as he tends to attract those who prefer to stay home and concern themselves with their community and family. Those who do serve him tend to adventure for the good of their community; they may attempt to determine the cause of monster attacks on their settlement, earn money for something the villagers need and can’t build themselves, or gain knowledge that is of use to their people.
Relations with Other Religions
Erastil can be gruff and reserved, but he is still on good terms with most nonevil deities of Golarion. However, he is very set in his ways and frequently criticizes the particulars of his fellow deities’ faiths and practices. Although Erastil’s stodgy demeanor means that few deities go out of their way to fraternize with him, his skills at archery and tracking are among the greatest in the Outer Planes. More than once other deities have sought out the god of hunters for his aid and insight into slaying marauding beasts or finding someone lost in the multiplanar wilds—begrudgingly enduring Erastil’s instructions for and opinions on making sure such a thing never happens again.Despite being ill-suited to planar politics, Erastil does have several allies among the deities of Golarion. Although Erastil views Abadar as a good fellow who’s perhaps forgotten where he came from, both want peaceful, orderly homes for their followers. Erastil frowns on Abadar’s pomp and occasional heartlessness, but the god of cities sees the value of Erastil’s work in setting people and villages on the path to the grand communities they could eventually be—even as he smirks over opinions he usually views as outmoded. Erastil also appreciates the work of Torag, especially his dedication to craftsmanship and clan, but neither stubborn deities can find much more of a common ground with the other besides the mutual respect of two old men nodding across a taproom. Erastil’s paternal affection for Desna is real, but distant and tinged with a slight sadness. Her independence and providence over the reliable cycles of the moon and stars could make her a trusted friend, but her distance, whimsy, and encouragement of self-indulgence makes her too untrustworthy in all but times of direst need. He is more patient in his interactions with Shelyn, for her support of marriage and families strengthens communities. The goddess of art has, on numerous occasions, sought out the god of hunters, asking him to guide her to the most amazing vistas and unique settings in the multiverse. Erastil regularly indulges her, enjoying her company even as he argues with her over the value of art and life. They disagree on most topics, but Shelyn’s congeniality and honest appreciation of Erastil’s time have preserved their friendship.
Evil deities are largely of a kind to Erastil, and he has little time or interest in doing much more than contributing arrow fire to drive them away. While he views Lamashtu and Rovagug as a frontier scout might wild monsters, he reserves an especial hatred for Urgathoa. That goddess’s gluttony and fostering of diseases regularly blight his people, whether in the form of deadly plagues, the tainting of game and fields, or in cultivating the sick-hearted desire for more than one’s neighbors. Urgathoa is aware of the god’s loathing, and goes out of her way to needle Erastil, setting her minions upon fragile frontier communities whenever the opportunity arises.
Erastil’s followers are generally friendly toward members of other good-aligned religions, but they also harbor a sense of superiority that can vary from private conviction to outright paternalism. The faith tends to be an all-or-nothing affair, and thus attracts people with somewhat black-and-white worldviews. Most of Erastil’s faithful, however, have good hearts, and though they may grumble and mutter disapprovingly at those with different beliefs, they’ll also help people in true need without hesitation. Many see themselves as having a parental role toward those around them. If they don’t engage in outright evangelism for their faith and worldviews, they still consider it important to attempt to instill proper values in their neighbors while aiding them: they may teach local youth valuable skills while emphasizing the importance of using those skills to contribute to their families and communities, or help a newcomer fix up a house while encouraging him to use it to start a family. They are unlikely to take action against cults of evil deities unless those worshipers directly threaten their community, although any adherent of a malevolent deity who strikes up a conversation with one of Erastil’s followers can expect a stern lecture on her misguided beliefs.
Planar Allies
Most of Erastil’s divine servants are animals or benign forest creatures. Some of them reside permanently on the Material Plane, patrolling frontier areas and keeping an eye out for settlers in need. A few “legendary” animals known to villages are actually Old Deadeye’s minions rather than true animals, making appearances once or twice a generation to protect the community. In addition to Erastil’s servitor race, the stag archons, the following allies serve Erastil, and are suitable for conjuring with planar ally or similar spells.Arangin: Said to be the resurrected spirit of the paladin Jaydis Von’s equally heroic and storied mount, Arangin appears when servants of Erastil most need aid, carrying the lost out of labyrinthine forests and saving the wagons of desperately stuck pioneers from hidden bogs. This ruby-toned heavy horse has an Intelligence score of 8 and understands Common but speaks no languages.
Blackfeather: Able to take the form of a man, an eagle, or an eagle-man hybrid, this fierce avoral archer is a skilled and deadly archer who hunts only for sustenance or to defend the innocent. Often he is content to perch on a rooftop, silently watching over a village when strangers appear, ready to aid in case there is trouble.
The Grim White Stag: This enormous stag serves as Erastil’s herald. The Grim White Stag was once a powerful spirit creature, worshiped by early humans under the tutelage of druids of the Green Faith. When Erastil’s religion became more prominent, it allied with Old Deadeye, respecting his wisdom, strength, and nobility. Some regional tales say that in the early days of the world, Erastil hunted the beast, seeking to make a bow of its horns, yet it proved so agile and hardy that after weeks of pursuit, the god of the hunt tired of tracking the beast. At night, as the god stopped to rest and enjoy a simple meal, the stag fearlessly approached, bowing low to the tenacious tracker. Erastil, understanding that the beast was no savage, welcomed the Grim White Stag into his camp and shared his meal with the ancient spirit of the forest. From then on, the two have understood and respected one another, sharing the same reverence for the forests and creatures there, as well as care for all who would live honestly and in peace with the denizens of the wilderness.
Scorchbark: Nearly crippled in a skirmish with a barbed devil, this reckless young treant now displays his burns like a badge of honor. He is obviously wary whenever an enemy uses fire near him, but is a stalwart ally and never lets it deter him from his responsibilities or cause him to hesitate in battle.
Holy Books & Codes
The Parables of Erastil is the common text of the Erastilian faith. It gives homilies on strengthening family bonds, almanac-like advice on planting, and lore about game animals and tracking. The number of chapters varies from place to place, as communities omit things irrelevant to their way of life or add fables emphasizing local events or traditions.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Often called Old Deadeye by his faithful, Erastil is also known as Elk Father and the Old Hunter. His holy symbol is a bow made of elk antlers with a nocked arrow.
Old Deadeye shows his approval through bountiful hunts, bumper harvests, mild weather, the appearance of straight paths, and the like, but he prefers to limit his direct intervention to helping needy people in lean times, as he does not want to encourage laziness. A hungry family might find their tiny garden provides bushels of vegetables, an old cow might start giving milk again, a weary hunter’s prey might stumble or become entangled, and so on. Hoofed animals are considered channels for Erastil’s power, with elk-horns being favored by his worshipers for making simple tools and weapons. Forked lighting is considered a sign of his presence, and creatures or structures struck by lightning are said to have been felled by Erastil’s arrows. His anger is reserved for followers who betray his principles; he usually punishes them by changing them into something more useful to their community, such as a pig or a fruit tree. Mothers often warn misbehaving children that Erastil will transform them, and most communities have at least one small, gnarled tree that local legend claims was once an especially unruly child.
Old Deadeye shows his approval through bountiful hunts, bumper harvests, mild weather, the appearance of straight paths, and the like, but he prefers to limit his direct intervention to helping needy people in lean times, as he does not want to encourage laziness. A hungry family might find their tiny garden provides bushels of vegetables, an old cow might start giving milk again, a weary hunter’s prey might stumble or become entangled, and so on. Hoofed animals are considered channels for Erastil’s power, with elk-horns being favored by his worshipers for making simple tools and weapons. Forked lighting is considered a sign of his presence, and creatures or structures struck by lightning are said to have been felled by Erastil’s arrows. His anger is reserved for followers who betray his principles; he usually punishes them by changing them into something more useful to their community, such as a pig or a fruit tree. Mothers often warn misbehaving children that Erastil will transform them, and most communities have at least one small, gnarled tree that local legend claims was once an especially unruly child.
Tenets of Faith
Old Deadeye believes that leadership is a virtue of strong souls and that groups function best when led by a benevolent leader—whether that group is his church, a community, or a family. Many communities strong in Erastil’s faith follow the leadership of a village patron or matron, another elder, or the scions of a family renowned for their clearheadedness and past members’ leadership roles. In Erastilian families, one family elder is likewise viewed as the leader of the clan or head of the household. The members of such groups typically defer to that leader’s plan for peace and prosperity, contributing their own talents, skills, and labor for the betterment of the whole community.
Erastil believes that children should honor their parents and know when it is time to work or time to play. He dislikes the chaos and trouble that adventurers bring, and while they may have their uses when monsters come sniffing about, it is best if adventurers take care of the problem quickly, receive a meal and a place to sleep, then move on before their wanderlust catches on in otherwise quiet communities.
Erastil believes that children should honor their parents and know when it is time to work or time to play. He dislikes the chaos and trouble that adventurers bring, and while they may have their uses when monsters come sniffing about, it is best if adventurers take care of the problem quickly, receive a meal and a place to sleep, then move on before their wanderlust catches on in otherwise quiet communities.
Holidays
Erastil believes extensive and complicated ceremonies take time away from necessary things like tending to crops and putting food on the table, so most religious events are short and to the point. The solstices and equinoxes are holy days for the church (the week of the vernal equinox is called Planting Week by the faithful, and week of the autumn equinox is called the Harvest Feast, even though the associated rituals only take about an hour). The summer month of Erastus is named for Erastil.
Archerfeast: This holiday on 3 Erastus is a day of feasting, fun, and relaxation. Villages hold archery and stone-throwing contests, ranchers rope and trade calves and lambs, and young people ask permission to wed. Cider is served cold during the day and hot at night. At sundown, an animal is offered to the god, and everyone in the community eats a piece to share in his blessing.
Archerfeast: This holiday on 3 Erastus is a day of feasting, fun, and relaxation. Villages hold archery and stone-throwing contests, ranchers rope and trade calves and lambs, and young people ask permission to wed. Cider is served cold during the day and hot at night. At sundown, an animal is offered to the god, and everyone in the community eats a piece to share in his blessing.
Symbol
Edicts
care for your home and family, fulfill your duties, keep the peace, protect the community
Anathema
abandon your home in its time of need, choose yourself over your community, tarnish your reputation, tell lies
Areas of Concern
family, farming, hunting, and trade
Centers of Worship
Andoran, Cheliax, Galt, Isger, Lands of the Linnorm Kings, Mana Wastes, Molthune, Nirmathas, River Kingdoms, Varisia
Enemies
Urgathoa
Relationships
Cernunnos (son), Halcamora (daughter), Jaidi (wife)
Temples
wooden longhouses or halls that also double as assembly places for people in the community
Worshippers
farmers, hunters, rangers, settlers, shapeshifters, traders, trappers
Sacred Animal
stag
Sacred Colors
brown and green
Favored Weapon
longbow
Domains
earth, family, nature, wealth
Alternate Domains
duty
Divine Ability
Constitution or Wisdom
Divine Font
heal
Divine Skill
Survival
Divine Classification
God
Religions
Church/Cult
Children
Ruled Locations
Aphorisms
Any folksy, rural saying is likely to spill from the mouths of Erastil’s faithful as if it were the god’s dogma. Two in particular are favorites.Never trust a fool: This saying serves as a reminder not to listen to somebody known to have silly or dangerous ideas. Whether the fool is the village idiot trying to catch the moon with a spoon or a traveling adventurer trying to inspire the locals to rise up against the local lord, a sensible person ignores him, as no good will come of this “work.”
Nothing is more satisfying than the fruits of a day’s labor: This reminder to work hard and take satisfaction in it, rather than aspiring to more, is often used to chastise folk who shirk their tasks, including children who put play before work. It is also a rebuke to those who wonder what’s so satisfying about a simple country life. Gold and gems make one weak; hard work in a field shows strength of body and character.
The hardest task becomes easy with a friend: Similar to “many hands make light work,” this message suggests that a task that would be hard or impossible alone is easy to do with help.
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