Ella'li (El-Al-li)
The Maiden of Pain, Ella'li, teaches us that pain is a most powerful and sacred sensation. And should our pain delight her—should we embrace such a gift—she will grant her most sacred of blessings.Ella'li is the goddess of Agony, poison and disease, Torture, hurt and suffering; There is an heretic theory on the origin of Ella'li - Some Speculate she was a goddess that came into he world with Cain and Abel.
Others proclaim that she was once Ervenius' lover who helped him achieve godhood only to be Scorned and left behind.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Clergy, Temples and Worshippers
The church of Ella'li, is dominated by female humans and half-elves, is the strongest in large, decadent cities, where newcomers are often recruited from the ranks of the bored and wealthy and the authorities are often tolerant of degenerate activity. Clerics of the Maiden of Pain work tirelessly to cause suffering, both widespread and personal. This work may be as brutal as flogging an encountered band of orcs until they flee or as subtle as breaking heats among young nobles by pretending to falling in love with the gallants (while disguising one’s Ella'lian faith), working to break up existing amours and friendships, and engaging in scandalous dalliances before coldly spurning the victims and departing. Being a good actor and of striking beauty (or experienced in using spells to appear so) are very useful traits for a Ella'lian, but the most successful Ella'lians are those who understand the ways and natures of folk and so know just how to cause them the most pain and to manipulate them toward that end. The church of Ella'li is organized in a strict hierarchy, but riven by factions and sects. Aside from selling poisons, antidotes, and medicines, the Ella'lians travel Theras as quietly as possible, constantly seeking out new diseases and afflictions and spreading rumors so as to augment the reputation of Ella'li. What seems to motivate Ella'lians in their day-to-day behavior is a quest for respect: respect that is due Ella'li for her potentially devastating abilities and due them as her representatives in Theras. Throughout their careers, Ella'li’s clerics work with magic and study to build their personal immunities to various poisons and diseases. Thus protected, they treat the diseased, take employment as food tasters for paranoid rulers, wealthy merchants, and nobles, and bury those who have died from diseases. Whenever a realm or city-state casts out or punishes any Ella'lians, for any reason, clerics of Ella'li work to cause a plague in that place to exact “Ella'li’s price” for such insults. Rumors have circulated that certain unscrupulous Ella'li have occasionally chosen wealthy folk as targets for disease so that wealth and properties can be seized by the church upon the death of these wealthy owners, with the threat of contracting disease keeping rightful heirs and claimants at bay.Rituals
Clerics and druids of Ella'li pray for their spells in the morning,while kneeling after striking themselves with a whip. (The same ritual is performed in the evening, although without praying for new spells.) Ella'lians celebrate all four seasonal festivals with the Rite of Pain and Purity: a circle dance that chanting, singing clergy members perform upon barbed wire, thorns, or broken glass or crystal, where the whips of high-level clerics and the drumming of lay worshipers urge the participants to greater effort. Every twelfth night (unless such a night coincides with a Rite of Pain and Purity, which preempts it) the clergy members celebrate smaller Candle Rites wherein they sing, chant, and pray as they dance around lit candles, passing some parts of their bodies through or over their flames repeatedly until the rite ends with the highest-ranking cleric extinguishing her candle with consecrated wine. Festivals are held every 12 and are open to nondevotees, where such visitors are encouraged to pray and give offerings to Ella'li to spare themselves or loved ones from death, disease, wasting illnesses, and the like. A long symphony of rolling drums, deep-voiced chanting, and glaur, shaum, and zulkoon music proclaims the power and veneration of Ella'li throughout the day. Younger members of the church busily sell poisons (for eliminating vermin, of course), antidotes, and medicines during the festival, assisted by senior clergy who diagnose conditions (usually with great accuracy) and prescribe treatments in return for stiff fees. Annually at the festival falling closest to the Harvest, initiates of the faith are formally inducted into the clergy. Horrifying private ceremonies involving ritual scarring and sacred tattoos mark this ascension.Priestly Vestments
All priests of Ella'li wear gray and green robes with ragged sleeves. These are washed but never repaired and in time become faded rags. Out of pride, most priests continue to wear their old, worn-out vestments until they are nearly naked. Old and high-ranking priests tend to have ritual scars and tattoos all over their bodies, and some even sport many body-piercings so that their torsos are studded with small rings linked with fine chains. Female clergy and laity alike often wear earrings and elbow-dangles of black metal wrought in the shape of talons. Many of her higher priest carry daggers dipped in a poison called the "Chaos Curse". Ella'lians often engaged in self-flagellation, often in the morning when praying for spells. They celebrate each season with the Rite of Pain and Purity, a ritual that involves followers dancing on glass, thorns, or barbed-wire while being whipped by higher-level Ella'lians. A smaller ritual occurring every twelve days involved followers passing their bodies through the flames of candles. If embarking on a possibly dangerous adventure or preparing to go into battle, Ella'lian favors black-and-purple armor adorned with spurs, horns, and spikes. They wear any armor in a pinch and prefer to wear as much armor as possible. Only specialty priests of Ella'li carry the special ceremonial poison daggers of the faith. They have no compunction against using them in combat. A nonbeliever caught with such an item attracts the unwanted attentions of Ella'li to his or her health as well as her church's wrath.Hierarchy
Titles used by Novices are Kneeling Ones. Confirmed Priests use the titles (in ascending order):- Taystren
- Adept (in Pain)
- Sister/Brother (in Torment)
- Supremar
- Caressor (of Terrors)
- Whiplass/Whiplar
- Paingiver
- Whipmistress/Whip Master
- High Whipmistress/Whipmaster
- Branded(of the God)
- Truescar
Temples
Those who actively worship Ella'li tend to gather in secret in the catacombs beneath cities or in wilderness ruins. Underground temples are often built above reeking, overflowing sewers or in humid grottoes overgrown with fungi and mold. Wilderness shrines are typically located in stagnant swamps and marshes rife with disease-laden mosquitoes and rich with the sickly sweet scent of decay. Twisted gargoyles carved to resemble mortals wracked with various diseases or poisons are positioned prominently throughout such structures.Tenets of Faith
The Dogma and Volition
The Dogma and Volition are the on going development of the church of Ella'li, since she had come to power, the believers of Ella'li like her, were very much chaotic, as she gained power and eventually took power of different deities in her quest for dominance, the church itself and Ella'li had developed two sides of the coin. Those who were chaotic and nature, followed the Volition, however as the church became more organized, the Dogma was dictated by the first, Truescar, Truskor.The Volition
Bringing pain and suffering is the aim of all living things either through physical torture or sometimes more subtly and psychologically Beauty intelligence and acting are the attributes of an Ella'lian but the ability to fully understand someone is the best skill you should acquire as knowing someone fully can help an you inflict maximum pain one way or another. You are are hereby encouraged to wipe Agonis's followers from reality.The Dogma
Let pain be as pleasure, for life and death are in balance, but death is the more powerful and should be paid proper homage and respect. Death is the true power, the great equalizer, and the lesson that waits for all. If it falls to you to drive home the point with the tip of a dagger, so be it. The Mother of All Plagues works upon you from within, and weakness and wasting is her strength. Ella'li’s breath is forever and always with you, whomever you or the rest of the world believes in or serves. Let all living things learn respect from Ella'li and pay homage to her in goods and in fervent worship. If they do so, intercede for them so that Ella'li will not claim them--this time. Go and work in Ella'li’s name and let your doings be subtle spectacular, but make them known as the will of the Mistress of Disease.Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Ella'li appear as a gaunt, 10‑foot (3‑meter) Human female with long, unkempt hair and reaching, elongated fingers. Her depictions in religious texts portray her as a withered crone with a scarred, tattooed face. The bodies of her avatars seem like they have been beautiful and voluptuous at one point, but their frames and charms had been ravaged by the march of time, horrific diseases, and starvation. Even so, Ella'li's dancing movements are said to be alluring, and her lips are nonetheless inviting and gentle.
Other Manifestation
As Lady of Pain, Ella'li appear as a slim, beautiful Human maiden, with straight, thigh-length, platinum-blonde hair. She dresses in either black leather embellished with outlandish spikes or revealing white silks decorated with silver chains. She is cold and sinister in demeanor, speaking softly and moving with sensual grace. Her black blood is thick, like syrup.Mental characteristics
Personal history
The first recorded conquesto of Ella'li was the once former goddess of plague, Citix, however, her hunger knew no bounds and she fixed her eyes on her next targets, such as Seveliat.
Seveliat was once a Greater Power and the consort of Bane, however during Ervenius' Draught, Ella'li had sought more and her portfolio. When Bane went to Acheron, Ella'li stalked his queen forces on the way, and made a pact with Torog, Seveliat's once loyal friend, until she had him punished for trying to become the greater deity. Seveliat was ambushed by her own forces, poisoned and plagued on their way to help Bane.
Once Seveliat was killed, Ella'li came to help Bane, who seemed weakened - She was actually greeted by the Tiamat's aspect already and thus a new queen was choosen to empower the weakened Bane after his battle with Tiamat.
It is said that Seveliat is still tormenting Ell'ali, telling her that the Bane is really Tiamat, however, we those who are of great power, speculate that Ell'ali is torturing Seveliat's essence, letting her believe she is the one who has still power of torment, while rejoicing in the suffering of Seveliat.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Ella'li is cold-hearted and calculatingly cruel by nature, an aggressive and domineering despot that truly enjoys acts of sadism. Indeed, she has an instinct for inflicting pain, and not just physical suffering, always knowing just what to say and how to say it to best wound and discourage both mortals and other deities. Unlike most bullies however, Ella'li herself does not fear pain or even experience hurt. She is nearly impervious to any emotion, whether fear, love, or even hate. Attempts to harm her, whether through physical damage or verbal humiliation, prompt only laughter at the attempt, and more than one mortal had been startled to see her advance towards them with the full intention of receiving any damage that would come from doing so.
Perhaps Ella'li's only psychological weakness is her own calculating nature. Her understanding of humanity, for example, relies on the fundamental assumption that they are innately selfish. Truly heroic or self-sacrificing behavior can untangle her carefully woven plots.
Social
Contacts & Relations
For anyone, god or mortal, to even slightly affect Ella'li's cold heart would be miraculous in and of itself.
Titles:
The Poison Mistress;Mistress of Disease;
The Mother of all Plagues;
The Maiden of Pain;
The Willing Whip;
The Scourge Mistress;
Divine Classification
Alignment
Neutral Evil
Children
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Ruled Locations
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | N | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
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