Ghyran - Goddess of Life, Beasts, Forests and Spring

Ghyran, the Forest Queen, and Mother of the Woods, is the Goddess of Life, Beasts and Forests represents the entirety of nature, deserts as well as forests, sharks as much as deer. But folk in the North, who contend with the dangers of forests, mountains, and plains, see Ghyran more as a god of those places. Woodlands that evoke wonder are where she reigns supreme, but she is said to keep watch over good folk in any forest, not matter how dark or cruel. When children are lost in the woods, people beseech Ghyran to protect them until they are found.
She is seen as a remote and spiritual deity — less human-like than many other gods. She’s not unmindful of people, but her attention and favor are difficult to attract. While shrines exist within the greater temples and gardens within grand cities, the greatest and holiest shrines and temples to Ghyran can be found in quiet places of the deep woods. Ghyran’s power is believed to wax and wane with the seasons being at its height in the spring and summer when everything is growing and in bloom, and least in the deepest nights of winter when much of life retreats to warm dens.
The teachings of Ghyran emphasize peace, harmony, patience, diplomacy and growth. As a result followers tend to be more peace loving and prefer diplomacy over fighting; but every God also has its fighters. Followers of Ghyran, alongside proper followers of Mythrax; tend to be among the most zealous anti-undead groups in Esseas. Their specific hatred for the undead stems from the break of the natural circle of life and preventing souls from passing on to their natural end. Ghyran also shares a close relationship with Keranos - God of the Hunt, Woods, and Beasts, a deity more commonly found in the Elven Pantheon. In Elven mythology, the two are married, and in Wood Elven culture the two form the heart, and pinnacle of their religion and beliefs. Ghyran has a complex relationship with Drakira - God of Nature's Wrath. Drakira is considered an evil deity by the Church of the Celestia Divinica, but to turn to anger is also considered a natural response for those wishing vengeance upon those who would harm the wilds.

Depiction

When Ghyran manifests in a human form she appears with skin and hair of a verident, emerald green, and eyes of blazing gold. Wearing robes of leaves and flowers to match the season and a long trailing cloak, Her feet never seem to touch the ground as she walks, instead lightly floating from place to place before setting down on the where. She also has been known to appear to followers in the deep woods in the form of a female centaur; upper half the same green skin and appearance as her human form, with lower half of a deer, wielding a spear. When not able to materialize fully, Ghyran will speak to her followers in the form of a gentle gust of wind blowing leaves, flowers, swarm of bugs, flock of small birds or other seasonally applicable materials; around the individual. Her symbol is that of an Oak lead with an Acorn.

Commandments of Ghyran

• Nature is sacred and necessary for balance in the world

• Seek to destroy the undead where ever it is found

• Patience in all thing, life is a cycle

• Purify and protect the creatures and wilds of the world

Champions of Ghyran

Alignment: Usually neutral, often good
Common Classes: Cleric, paladin, ranger, druid
Suggested Cleric Domains: Life, Nature, Peace
Common Backgrounds: Acolyte, folk hero, hermit, sage
Most champions of Ghyran and advocates for the woods and wild places, and are most often found from those places. They seek not to stop civilization, but seek it's harmony with nature, and work to protect nature from the corruption of darkness.

Known Champions and Folk Hero's of Ghyran

Emerald Magister Orwin Bramblepatch - a folk hero, male gnome wizard who over the centuries, has gained much notoriety within the eastern Ondari Dominion. The stories go that he was originally from a city in the North, but now tavern stories report seeing him throughout the eastern woods of the provinces of Kirkwall and Drakwald, and sporadic appearances still in The Mootland. Where he lives exactly is unknown, but to the small folk of the Mootland he remains a common folk hero spoken of in children's tales, an eccentric Gnome wizard practicing all types of life and wilderness magics; wandering from woods to woods caring for sick animals and fighting to keep the forests healthy.
Kirtanos the Waywatcher - A shadowy agent of Ghyran, who is said to be an ancient ranger who dedicated his life to wandering the eastern wilds hunting strange and evil beasts before they could do harm to the villages and travellers. Upon his death, it is believed that Ghyran requested that Mythrax spare his soul. Agreeing to her request, Kirtanos was spared death, becoming an eternal servant of Ghyran along with his faithful dire wolves Ferox and Juno. Kirtanos can sometimes be seen in the form of a large raven with a slight green tinge.
Ursuran, Great Bear of Ghyran - Myths talk about a great bear deep in the woods, who’s roar is like thunder. This great bear is said to be several times larger than a dire bear, with brown/black fur. Along its flanks, some of its fur appears in patches of silver in the shape of runes. The myth’s say that when seen in moonlight Ursuran takes on an ethereal glow, its fur appears a dark shade of purple and the runes on its flanks glow. Most believe that Ursuran is the guardian of the Dreaming Pools, waiting in a den nearby ready to defend it's magical waters from those who take or corrupt its power.
Spirit of the Woods, Oakenbrow - Is a power avatar of Ghyran, only roused to war in times of particularly dire need. He strides out of the woods as if from nowhere swinging an ancient war blade the size of a human. He is the fury of the woods incarnate, and is often accompanied by many other treats, ents, and treemen into battle should an army be necessary.