Lurue
The Queen of Unicorns, Lurue, is the goddess of mythical beasts and good magical creatures.
As well as being the protective deity of creatures such as Unicorns, Pegasi, Griffons and Kirin, she has some influence with most sentient creatures that are not humanoid. She also cares for those natural beasts who have been influenced by magic to give them intelligence, or change their form or abilities.
Her usual avatars are that of a large pearly-white unicorn mare, or a humanoid figure holding a silver horn-tipped spear. She is able to manifest pegasus wings or other aspects of mythical beasts if she deems it useful. The silver nimbus visible around the moon at night is considered a manifestation of her power and favour.
Many of her followers consider her, and her magical creatures to represent a kind of unattainable ideal of virtues. Unicorns representing purity, pegasi representing freedom, kirin representing kindness, etc. A common saying among them is to "search for the unicorn and in the pursuit, find happiness." In this they express that it is in striving for those good ideals, although you will never fully achieve them, that you can create happiness in your own life and the lives of others.
The black unicorns were an even worse creation created by the infamous Red Wizards of Thay. This magic created a demonic offspring with both unicorn and tanar'ri blood, and kept the magic and intelligence of the creature intact, while instilling a carnivorous and hateful spirit in the being.
Lurue vowed to destroy these beings wherever she was able. Through a combination of humankin exploitation and Lurue's own divine influence, the landscape of Thay is practically devoid of wild magical beasts and the regular flora and fauna remain sparse and unproductive as a result.
Similarly, she opposes the deity Malar, the bloodthirsty beastlord, who incites his followers to hunt, kill and terrorise for sport. She considers him complicit in the original creation of the Black Unicorns.
She has a close friendship with Nobanion, the Lion King, as celebrated in songs of the Lion and the Unicorn. Nobanion was affected and driven into a bestial madness when he was caught up in the spellplague, and it was only in the last years of the Time of Troubles that he was cured.
She is also linked closely with the Weave and the deities of magic, such as Mystra, Savras and Azuth.
As well as being the protective deity of creatures such as Unicorns, Pegasi, Griffons and Kirin, she has some influence with most sentient creatures that are not humanoid. She also cares for those natural beasts who have been influenced by magic to give them intelligence, or change their form or abilities.
Her usual avatars are that of a large pearly-white unicorn mare, or a humanoid figure holding a silver horn-tipped spear. She is able to manifest pegasus wings or other aspects of mythical beasts if she deems it useful. The silver nimbus visible around the moon at night is considered a manifestation of her power and favour.
Many of her followers consider her, and her magical creatures to represent a kind of unattainable ideal of virtues. Unicorns representing purity, pegasi representing freedom, kirin representing kindness, etc. A common saying among them is to "search for the unicorn and in the pursuit, find happiness." In this they express that it is in striving for those good ideals, although you will never fully achieve them, that you can create happiness in your own life and the lives of others.
Winged Queen
She is accepted within the elven pantheon (and in Evermeet,) as a figure called Yathaghera, the Winged Queen. This figure is in fact a trusted close subordinate who represents Lurue in power and politics with the elves. Yathaghera appears as a winged elf of otherworldly beauty.Enemies
One way to ensure her emnity was to attempt to corrupt a unicorn and turn it into a Nightmare or a Black Unicorn. Nightmares are also a species of fiendish creature from the neutral evil outer planes (Hades, Carceri and Gehenna), but a version could be created by corrupting the body of a hornless unicorn with fiendish blood.The black unicorns were an even worse creation created by the infamous Red Wizards of Thay. This magic created a demonic offspring with both unicorn and tanar'ri blood, and kept the magic and intelligence of the creature intact, while instilling a carnivorous and hateful spirit in the being.
Lurue vowed to destroy these beings wherever she was able. Through a combination of humankin exploitation and Lurue's own divine influence, the landscape of Thay is practically devoid of wild magical beasts and the regular flora and fauna remain sparse and unproductive as a result.
Similarly, she opposes the deity Malar, the bloodthirsty beastlord, who incites his followers to hunt, kill and terrorise for sport. She considers him complicit in the original creation of the Black Unicorns.
Allies
She is considered closely related to other deities of nature. The goddess of the Moon, Selune, was considered to be her mother, and Mielikki, goddess of rangers and magical nature, her mistress and rider. Lurue is Mielikki's mount as they lead the wild hunt on midsummer's eve each year.She has a close friendship with Nobanion, the Lion King, as celebrated in songs of the Lion and the Unicorn. Nobanion was affected and driven into a bestial madness when he was caught up in the spellplague, and it was only in the last years of the Time of Troubles that he was cured.
She is also linked closely with the Weave and the deities of magic, such as Mystra, Savras and Azuth.
