Ask most men about the Gods of the Elves and though they might be able to tell you wild stories they have heard, there would be little in the way of facts to their tales, for Elven religion is shrouded in mystery, much like the Elven race. Elves worship a pantheon of Gods, much as do Dwarfs and Men, but not in any way recognisable to the other races.
Elven culture is suffused in mysticism and magic, and Elves believe their Gods surround them and are a part of them. An Elf considers his every action, his every thought, to be mystical in some respect, and therefore everything they do is somehow connected to the Gods, every action is a devotion in its own right. It is unclear how the Elves worship their Gods or what rituals and ceremonies they might undertake. Some speculate that given the Elves live such a long time, how they regard these beings is necessarily different from the ways Humans and other short-lived races might perceive them. A few whisper that perhaps the Elves are even Gods themselves!
The Cadai
The Cadai are members of the Elven Pantheon of deities and represent the gods of the heavens. While the High Elves of Ulthuan worship the entirety of the Elven Pantheon, they prefer those deities who comprise the Cadai. These gods represent all the virtues and fundamental aspects of Elven life. The Cadai are ruled by Asuryan the Creator.
Asuryan
Asuryan, the Creator is the greatest and oldest of all the Elf gods. He is lord of the Cadai, the gods of the heavens. According to the High Elves he has been shaping their destiny according to his plan since the dawn of time. When a quarrel breaks out or there is a disagreement between the gods in heaven, his is the final say and the other gods submit to his judgement.
From his diamond throne Asuryan observes the world, draped in a cloak of lustrous white feathers, bearing a sceptre and wearing a mask which is half white and half black. Asuryan can take the form of a Phoenix or a Great Eagle when he chooses, and he is sometimes known as the "Phoenix King" to many High Elves, despite the ruler of Alithanar sharing the same name.
The most common of Asuryan's symbols is a stylised pyramid with a phoenix in the centre spreading its huge wings. At the tip of the pyramid is portrayed the eternal flame as a shining sun unleashing rays of light. The chief temple to Asuryan is the Shrine of Asuryan on the Isle of Flame in the Inner Sea north of Naoth Tylasur. It is here that the new Phoenix King is tested before being crowned by passing through the ever-burning flame at the heart of the shrine.
Isha
is the Elven Goddess of harvest and of natural bounty, mother of the earth and bringer of fertility. It was she who taught the Elves the skills of agriculture and how to care for the land on which they lived. With Isha's blessing the province of Avelorn remains free of winter's touch. Her husband is Kurnous, the God of the Hunt, and she is the daughter of Asuryan and Lileath. She is a merciful goddess who sends aid to those most in need of it.
Isha is commonly portrayed as a gloriously beautiful Elf maiden full of life, her long golden tresses flowing around her. Her symbol is an eye shedding a tear, which represents the tears Isha sheds for her mortal children, for although Elves are very long-lived, they are not immortal and must someday die. She is worshipped across Alithanar, but particularly in Alvendar where farmers give offerings to her temples in the hope of a good harvest. She is also considered one of the chief deities of the Wood Elves due to her connection to nature and her marriage to Kurnous. The High Elves consider the Everqueen to be the symbol of and most beloved of Isha.
Hoeth
Hoeth, the Lord of Wisdom and Knowledge, is the Elven god of learning and sorcery. Although a member of the Elven pantheon and held in esteem by all of the High Elves, Hoeth does not have much of a priesthood nor an organised system of churches in Alithanar, save at the White Tower of Hoeth. Yet all Elven scholars, teachers, and mages -- all who seek truth and understanding -- are his servants in the world.
The centre of Hoeth's worship is the White Tower, raised at the order of the Scholar King Bel-Korhadris where mages go to learn the art of High Magic. The White Tower is guarded by the Swordmasters of Hoeth, an ancient order of ascetic warrior-monks who stand guard over the Tower and the scholars who dwell within. These devotees of the sword devote themselves to the worship of Hoeth in a manner no less demanding than those who study High Magic. They learn to control their bodies and their minds through meditation and exercise.
In traditional Elven religious iconography, Hoeth is depicted as an elderly Elf, clad in the robes of a Loremaster.
Lileath
Lileath, known to humans as the "Lady of the Lake," is the Elven Goddess of Dreams, Prophecy and Fortune, also sometimes known as the Maiden. She is supposed to be the giver of dreams; those that have pleased her receive pleasurable dreams whereas those that have upset her receive nightmares. Lileath is portrayed as a gloriously beautiful Elf maid with white angelic wings, dressed in flowing garments of pure white gossamer and carrying the Staff of Lileath. Worship of Lileath is popular among the seers of the High Elves who claim to divine the future through the interpretation of dreams.
Lileath was reputed to have given three gifts to the Elves, known as the "Blessings of Lileath." These included the Star Crown, said to give the wearer visions of all times and places known to the gods; the Amulet of Sunfire, which burned so bright and pure no evil creature could stand its presence; and the Staff of Lileath, which grants its wielder potent arcane might.
The Star Crown was shattered into many shards during The Sundering, the Amulet of Sunfire was lost when its wearer fell into the sea after his ship was caught in a great storm, while the Staff of Lileath is currently in the possession of the High Loremaster.
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