Solonor Thelandira

Keen-Eye, the Great Archer, the Forest Hunter

Solonor Thelandirå (soe-loe-nohr theh-lan-dih-ruh) is always in pursuit of quarry, and he rarely remains in one location for very long. Unlike many hunters, the Great Archer stalks prey only out of concern for the overall balance between the species and to destroy evil-doers, particularly the drow: His serious, sometimes grim, demeanor reflects the difficulty he faces in forging a workable compromise between the competing forces of civilization and wilderness, instinct and knowledge. and savagery and domesticity. Solonor's word is his bond, and his pledge is never given lightly. Solonar does not chose to do battle with an enemy, but tracks and pursues instead, firing arrows from a never-empty quiver.
Solonor Thelandira is the elven god of hunting, archery, and survival in wild and harsh places. The Great Archer's prowess with the bow is unmatched by any other power venerated in the Realms. Solonor is concerned with the integrity of nature and the balance between exploitation and agriculture on one hand and fallow, wild terrains on the other. Like Corellon Larethian and Fenmarel Mestarine, the Great Archer watches over the boundaries of elven lands. He instructs the Fair Folk in the art of hiding in and moving through natural foliage so as not to be detected as well as the art of archery and hunting. Solonor is primarily revered by elven and half-elven rangers, hunters, woodsmen, and fighters.
In particular, elven hunters appeal to him for better catches of game and elven warriors trapped in hostile territory call on him for aid. In recent centuries a few humans, primarily hunters, have joined his faith as well.
Solonor is allied with all the powers who collectively compose the Seldarine. In particular, the Great Archer works closely with Corellon Larethian, Fenmarel Mestarine, and Shevarash to defend the borders of elven homelands. In many tales, Fenmarel is said to be the brother of Solonor, and despite the former's estrangement from the Seldarine for which Solonor holds Lolth responsible, the Lone Wolf and the Great Archer are still close allies. Solonor has served as Shevarash's mentor since the green elf's apotheosis, and the two are united in their hatred of the Spider Queen and her followers, the drow, although the Great Archer is not as consumed with vengeance as the Night Hunter. Solonor and Rillifane Rallathil work closely to preserve and protect the natural world.
Although the Great Archer is more tolerant of the slow growth of civilization than the Leaflord, a philosophical difference that sometimes spills over into the relations between their two faiths, they are united in their efforts to preserve the great forests of the Fair Folk from the relentless expansion of humankind. Solonor and Eilistraee are true kindred spirits, with some myths depicting them as half-siblings and other myths suggesting a burgeoning romantic relationship (much to the dismay of both Shevarash and Fenmarel). Among the non-elven powers, Solonor is closely allied with other powers concerned with the natural world, including Mielikki, Lady of Forests, another goddess with which he has been romantically linked, Silvanus the Oakfather, Skerrit the Forester, and the various Animals Lords, particularly those concerned with hunting such as the Cat Lord and Wolf Lord. Solonor despises powers that favor despoliation over nature, and actively opposes the efforts of such gods and their followers. Solonor's greatest foes are Malar and Talos, followed closely by Lolth and members of the Unseelie Court. The Beastlord's eternal, unquenchable bloodlust is a vile perversion of every principle Solonor holds dear. Likewise, the Destroyer's hunger for destruction works to tear apart the delicate balance the Greater Archer has striven to forge and maintain. The Queen of Air and Darkness, much like the Spider Queen, embodies the corruption that can take root even in the hearts of even those of fey ancestry and against which the Great Archer stands ever vigilant.
Solonor is always in pursuit of quarry, and he rarely remains in one location for very long. Unlike many hunters, the Great Archer stalks prey only out of concern for the overall balance between the species and to destroy evil-doers, particularly the drow. His serious, sometimes grim, demeanor reflects the difficulty he faces in forging a workable compromise between the competing forces of civilization and wilderness, instinct and knowledge, and savagery and domesticity. Solonor's word is his bond, and his pledge is never given lightly. Solonor does not close to do battle with an enemy, but tracks and pursues instead, firing arrows from a never-empty quiver. The favorite tactic of this deity, should he anticipate battling a particularly dangerous foe, is to physically touch that being and then retreat. Once by himself again, he can then manufacture a special arrow of slaying designed especially to kill that one opponent, should it strike home. He then hunts his quarry relentlessly, hoping to bring him down in a single shot. Many fiends from the Lower Planes have felt the bite of Solonor's deadly arrows.

The church of Solonor is a disparate one, with little communication among groups of clerics except to exchange information. Solonor's clerics serve as scouts and archers in elven armies, as bowyers, fletchers, and archery instructors in elven settlements, and as hunters and providers for far-flung rural communities.Among those Fair Folk who largely eschew the trappings of civilization, members of Solonor's clergy preside over initiation ceremonies into adulthood. Hawkeyes serve the Great Archer by working to maintain the balance of nature. Solonor's clerics are deadly enemies of those who worship Malar or Talos, and they often join forces with those who serve Rillifane Rallathil in order to exterminate followers of those evil gods whenever they make their presence known.
Clerics and druids of Solonor pray for their spells whenever the moon is highest in the sky during the day. Solonor's faithful generally eschew frivolous celebrations, considering them unnecessary distractions to the tasks at hand, Once per lunar month, under the soft light of the full moon, the Great Archer's faithful assemble to give thanks for the skills Solonor has taught and the bounty thus provided. Hunters sacrifice hunting trophies that cannot otherwise be employed, and unbroken arrows engraved with the symbol of Solonor are fired into the sky to poke holes in the firmament and allow the light of Solonor's teachings to shine forth on his people (these arrows are never fired in a direction that would cause them to fall where they might hurt someone, including straight up). Each Shieldmeet, known to the Fair Folk as the Day of Corellon's Peace, the followers of Solonor assemble to compete in great archery meets. The winner of such contests are said to receive Keen-Eye's blessing Many clerics and druids -multiclass as arcane archers or rangers.

Divine Domains

War

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Silver arrow with green fletching or living bow

Tenets of Faith

Walk in harmony with nature and oppose the efforts of those who would disturb her delicate balance. Preserve the wild places from excessive encroachment, and work with those who would settle the land to preserve the beauty that first attracted them. Hunt only for sustenance, culling the old and the weak from the herd so that all species may prosper, Like an arrow in flight, it is difficult to arrest the consequences of an action. Choose your targets carefully, for an ill-considered action can have a long-reaching impact.

Holidays

Solonor's faithful generally eschew frivolous celebrations, considering them unnecessary distractions to the tasks at hand. Once per lunar month, under the soft light of the full moon, the Great Archer's faithful assemble to give thanks for the skills Solonor has taught and the bounty thus provided. Hunters sacrifice hunting trophies that cannot otherwise be employed, and unbroken arrows engraved with the symbol of Solonor are fired into the sky to poke holes in the firmament and allow the light of Solonor's teachings to shine forth on his people (these arrows are never fired in a direction that would cause them to fall where they might hurt someone, including straight up). Each Shieldmeet, known to the Fair Folk as Cinnaelos'Cor (the Day of Corellon's Peace), the followers of Solonor assemble to compete in great archery meets. The winners of such contests are said to receive the Keen-Eye mark of the Great Archer, a blessing that confers a +1 attack bonus on all attacks made with a bow until the next Shieldmeet.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Day-to-Day Activities

Solonor's priests serve as scouts and archers in elven armies, as bowyers, fletchers, and archery instructors in elven settlements, and as hunters and providers for far-flung rural communities. Among those Fair Folk who largely eschew the trappings of civilization, members of Solonor's priesthood preside over initiation ceremonies into adulthood. Hawkeyes serve the Great Archer by working to maintain the balance of nature. Solonor's priests are deadly enemies of those who worship Malar, Talos, or Moander, and they often join forces with those who serve the Leaflord in order to exterminate followers of those evil gods whenever they make their presence known.

Priestly Vestments

The ceremonial garb of Solonor's clergy consists of suits of silvered chain mail-elven chain mail, if available-with silver cloaks and leaf green hoods. The holy symbol of the faith is either an oversized arrowhead at least three inches in length embossed on both faces with Solonor's symbol, a silver medallion embossed with the head of a stag, or three feathers attached to a leather disk hung from a leather cord.

Adventuring Garb

The silver cloaks with green hoods are exchanged outside of ceremonial occasions for leaf green hooded cloaks and leather boots (or elven cloaks and boots, if available). Solonor's followers favor bows of any sort (except crossbows), daggers, knives, and long swords, spears. Elven bows are particularly prized, as are magical bows and arrows, bracers of archery, and quivers of Ehlonna (known as quivers of Mielikki or as quivers of Solonor in the Realms). Most members of Solonor's priesthood wear leather armor, studded leather armor, or silenced elven chain mail.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Like others the elven pantheon, Solonor reports to Corellon and gets on well with the-rest of the Seldarine. Other allies include benevolent nature deities and Silvanus. His greatest foes are Malar and Talos, followed closely by Lolth.

Symbol: Silver arrow with green fletching or living bow
Home Plane: Arvandor
Alignment: Chaotic good
Portfolio: Archery, hunting, wilderness survival
Worshipers: Arcane archers, archers, druids, elves, rangers
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, NG
Domains: War
Favored Weapon: "Longshot" (longbow)
SUPERIOR: Corellon Larethian
ALLIES: Chauntea, Cyrrollalee, Emmantiensien, Eldath, Eilistraee, Ferrix, Fionnghuala, Gwaeron Windstrom, Oberon, Mielikki, Nobanion, Shaundakul, Silvanus, Skerrit, Tirania, the Seldarine, various Animal Lords
FOES: Bhaal, Gorellik, Grankhul, Grolantor, Malar, Moander, the Queen of Air and Darkness, Talos, the drow pantheon (except Eilistraee)

Divine Classification

Intermediate God