Obad-Hai (OH-bahd HI)

The Shalm

Nature, wildlands, freedom, hunting, beasts, summer

Lesser God of the Outlands, Neutral

Aliases: None
Domain Name: The Hidden Wood of Obad-Hai/Outlands
Origin: Flan
Superior: None
Allies: Beory, Berei
Enemies: Ehlonna, Karaan, Phyton
Symbol: a mask of oak leaves and acorns
Worshipper's Alignment: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Neutral, Chaotic Neutral

Obad-Hai is an ancient Flan nature deity, whose worship has spread throughout the Flanaess. He is a lover of wilderness and nature, a patron of druids, and a friend to those who live in harmony with their natural surroundings. Because of his neutrality, there is enmity between him and Ehlonna of the Forests. He is most revered by druids who live in very wild places: those of the barbarians and other underpopulated lands. He is also said to be the father of the treants.
Obad-Hai is represented as a lean, weathered man of considerable age, as if a hermit, pilgrim, or simple rustic. He can also appear as a gnome, dwarf, or halfling, and has his worshipers among those folk as well as the elven and fey races; he is also represented in the form of woodland animals of diverse kind. Shrines of Obad-Hai are usually wooden structures found in rustic settings. Services to him involve the consecration of living flowers, earth, water, and fire.
Obad-Hai carries a hornwood staff called the Shalmstaff, which allows the bearer swift and easy passage through floral and faunal hazards, and the woodwind instrument from which he takes his title. He shown as a lean and weathered man of indeterminately old age, dressed in brown or russet and looking like a hermit, although nonhuman communities show him as one of their own race. His symbol is an oak leaf and acorn. Because of their difference in perspective, Ehlonna and Obad-Hai are unfriendly rivals, and he also counts Phyton as his enemy.
Obad-hai is sometimes depicted as the husband of Beory, or her son. Either or none could be true. He represents the masculine side of nature, living in balance with all life, As Beory, Obad-hai advocates hunting for need, but not for sport. For him and his followers, the living live life then dies, returning to the Oerth at the end of their journey, as life is a cycle.

The Church

While the faith of Obad-Hai doesn't have a formal, organized church, it is one of the founding religions of the The Old Faith. The druidic cabal that follow him are spread throughout the Flanaess, and are found primarily in the forests, but there are sects found in the wild places of the world as well, especially in the northern reaches, and the major mountain chains of the world. Druids of Obad-Hai have also been seen in the Amedio Jungle and Hepmonaland.
The priesthood is non-hierarchical, treating each other as equals, irrespective of level. Age is a basis for deferment among them. Because of this, older druids of Obad-Hai hold many positions of power among the druidic councils.
His followers are also not militant and follow the druidic hierarchy, but most of Obad-hai’s druids are male. They often appear to be frumpy people, dressed in simple clothes and cloaks. The druids of Obad-hai and Beory will often work in concert, but only when need arises.

Dogma

One should live in harmony with nature in all of its variety. Those who destroy or otherwise harm nature deserve swift vengeance in an appropriate manner. Those who are one with nature have little to fear, although the well-meaning but foolish are sometimes brought down by a danger they could not avoid or divert. The wilds can be ugly, dangerous, or terrible, but these things are a part of nature and should be respected as much as those that are beautiful, harmless, or wonderful.

Obad-Hai's Clergy

Requirements Ability Scores: Wisdom 14
Alignment: Neutral
Weapons: as druids (quarterstaff at 1st level)
Armor: as druids
Raiment: simple russet garments
Major Spheres: Animal, Elemental (all), Healing, , Plant, , Sun, Weather
Minor Spheres: Charm, Divination, Necromantic, Summoning
Special Abilities: None
Turn Undead: No
Command Undead: No
Required Weapon Proficiencies Quarterstaff
Required Non-Weapon Proficiencies Herbalism, Tracking
Bonus Non-Weapon Proficiencies Musical Instrument(Shalm)
Most of the Shalm’s clerics are male, whether human, gnome, halfling, or fey. Most tend get along very well with rangers and druids. They serve as protectors of nature, acting as the agents of retribution when their protection is insufficient or too late. They teach hunting in the way that nature’s creatures do (choosing the weakest of the herd, etc.).

Granted Powers:

As Druids

Major Centers of Worship

Churches or chapels of Obad-hai are always in rustic settings and made of rough timber. Services are brief and not particularly ritualized. Living flowers, earth, water, and fire are typical service adornments.
His faith is strong among the Flan tribesmen in the Bright Lands, in Geoff, in the Gran March, among the Rovers of the Barrens, in Stonehold, in Tenh, in the County of Ulek, and in Verbobonc.

Specialty Priests

There are no specialty priests of Obad-Hai other than the druids.