Helena
Helena, the Eternal Maiden, is the embodiment of captivating beauty and the patron deity of love. However, her teachings take a rather superficial approach. Love, in the Helenan faith, is fueled by outward appearances. Her followers are encouraged to cultivate beauty and seek affection from those who appreciate their physical allure. The symbol of her faith reflects this emphasis: a stunning woman with cascading locks of fiery red hair.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Clergy, Temples and Worshippers
The Church of Helena flourishes throughout Theras, attracting a vast number of devotees. Its teachings resonate deeply with many, offering a path centered around beauty, love, and artistic expression. Only those who view love and aesthetics as inherent weaknesses find themselves opposed to the Helenan philosophy.
The Helenai are a people consumed by a love of beauty and a zest for life's pleasures. Their core principle is the active pursuit of aesthetic enjoyment in everything they do. Beauty, in all its forms, is their driving force.
Many Helena clergy start as artists or musicians, their talents seamlessly transitioning to religious service. Others cultivate artistic skills (drawing, painting, even acting) alongside basic musical training (singing or instruments). Weapon training, if offered, focuses on adapting movements from their chosen art form for combat. (Think paladins channeling calligraphy into glaive strokes!)
Helena's clergy actively fosters love and aesthetics across Theras. They befriend the lonely (prime targets for love) and offer advice/gifts to enhance everyone's beauty. They also support artisans, build romances, and even fund gallant adventurers who seek lost treasures or rescue loved ones – emulating Avandra's successful approach.
Day-to-Day Activities
Preserving and Promoting Beauty
Helenai clergy act as patrons of the arts, actively seeking out and acquiring beautiful works of art, sculptures, and handcrafted items. They readily sponsor talented artists and even inflate the prices of exquisite pieces. This strategy, they believe, fuels demand, encourages creation, and ultimately increases the abundance of beauty in the world. Discretion is key – these transactions are conducted subtly, with anonymity preferred whenever necessary.
Protecting Beauty
The Helenai understand that beauty is fragile. When faced with the unpleasant task of dealing with acts of vandalism against works of art, they advocate for disguise to shield their identities and preserve their own physical beauty. Additionally, they actively hire adventurers or others to repair or restore any damaged artistic treasures.
Creating Beauty
Every Helenai cleric strives to leave their own mark on the world through artistic expression. The preferred medium is typically a static form of fine art, such as blown-glass ornaments, paintings, or tapestries. However, for those who lack talent in the visual arts, dance is considered an acceptable alternative.
Sharing the Gift
Once a Helenai cleric masters a particular artistic skill, they are obligated to share their knowledge. They must train others, offering guidance to anyone who shows genuine potential. Any income generated from such training is returned to the church to further their mission of cultivating beauty and love throughout the world.
Temples
Helenai temples are testaments to beauty itself. Some are architectural marvels, while others are classic elegance adorned with sculpted landscapes. Winding paths, enchanting nooks, and formal gardens bursting with colorful blooms invite moments of love and passion. Sculptures and magical fountains add a touch of whimsy to these havens, where beauty reigns supreme.
Priestly Vestments
Helenai clergy embrace their physical beauty. Crimson robes for men and habits for women, both designed to flatter, are their standard garb. Long, flowing hair is unbound during rituals, while daily wear finds it tied back with crimson scarves. All are welcome, regardless of hair or skin tone, so long as they embody the ideals of flawless beauty.
Hierarchy
The Helenai church prioritizes aesthetics over rigid structures. Leadership is fluid, with the most charismatic and attractive clergy rising to the top. Clerics are free to pursue beauty wherever it may lead, be it a breathtaking landscape or a captivating person. Such pursuits are not only tolerated but celebrated within the Helenai faith.
Rituals
Helena’s clerics pray in the morning after a refreshing scented bath (or after at least washing their hands).
The Blooming Ball
A monthly spectacle unfolds, a beacon to outsiders. Music, both soul-stirring and heartrendingly beautiful, fills the air as poetry is recited and graceful dancers take center stage. This is a strategic display, designed to captivate those unfamiliar with the Helenai way and entice them towards a life steeped in aesthetics and devotion.
The Feast of Joining
A more intimate affair reserved for the faithful. Here, the atmosphere is hushed and sensual. Reclining on couches, participants indulge in a feast of liqueurs, delicate appetizers, and sweet pastries. The silence is broken only by the mesmerizing performances of solo dancers, their movements interwoven with readings of romantic poetry and prose. Skilled minstrels complete the experience with love songs that tug at the heartstrings. These gatherings inevitably break into private soirées, offering opportunities for deeper connections. But for those who prefer solitude, bards are always present, weaving tales of courtly love or the mysteries of Theras.
Reflections in the Mirror
The Helenai engage in a deeply personal form of prayer. Standing in a bath or pool, illuminated only by natural light or flickering candles, they gaze into a mirror. This is a conduit to Helena herself. Through visions manifested within the mirror, often subtly altering the worshiper's reflection, Helena offers guidance and strengthens the bond between devotee and goddess.
Shifting Tides
The recent influx of adventurers into the Helenai ranks has significantly reshaped the church's demographics. Traditionally dominated by females, the balance has shifted. While women still hold a majority, the gap has narrowed, with the church now boasting a vibrant community where both genders can thrive in the pursuit of beauty and love.
Special Abilities to the Clergy
The Clerics of Helena, can via the power of their goddess, to bless a fertile female and make her offspring blessed with either sorcery bloodline or awake some kind of blood's property that make an offspring become an Aasimar or a Tiefling (if the cleric is determined on cursing), and sometimes Genasi. This blessing is usually done before the pregnancy in the month of conception.
However, there are several powerful spells that the Helenai are using in fury whenever someone offended their beliefs or when they want to bless a current pregnant woman.
Tenets of Faith
- True beauty transcends physical appearance, emanating from the depths of one's soul. Cultivate a kind heart and noble spirit, for these qualities illuminate your true essence.
- Embrace the power of love. Let it be your guiding light, for through genuine affection and devotion, even the greatest obstacles can be overcome.
- Trust your intuition and pursue the desires that set your soul ablaze. Your heart holds the compass that will lead you to your true destination.
- Dedicate yourself to the Eternal Maiden, Helena, letting your love for her beauty and grace inspire your actions. Yet, remember to cherish yourself as well.
- Perform acts of kindness daily, nurturing the seeds of love in every heart you encounter. Open yourself to receiving love in return, allowing it to enrich your own life.
- Foster beauty in all its forms, be it in art, nature, or the kindness you offer the world. Actively seek out and cherish beauty in everything around you.
- Acquire beautiful creations, for in doing so, you support the artists who breathe life into them. Extend your patronage to those who dedicate their talents to the pursuit of beauty.
- Cultivate a physical presence that is pleasing and reflects your inner light. Let your clothing and style accentuate your natural beauty.
- Step boldly into the world, engaging with others in a captivating way. Let your charm inspire admiration and love.
- Not all connections blossom into romantic love. When romantic love eludes you, cultivate warm friendships and cherish the admiration you inspire.
- The Ultimate Art
Seek to see beauty in all its facets, striving to create art – in whatever form – that transcends the mundane and elevates the human experience.
Holidays
The Unveiling Bloom
This joyous occasion celebrates the culmination of nature's beauty, mirroring the blossoming of love within the hearts of the faithful and celebrate while under the warm embrace of the summer sun and they engage in playful outdoor games and merrymaking. Forests and parks transform into stages for playful chases filled with flirtation and laughter.Physical Description
Identifying Characteristics
When Helena graces mortals with her presence, she takes the form of a breathtaking [tooltip:depends on the attendents) humanoid woman[/tooltip]. Her beauty is otherworldly, captivating all who behold her. A flowing gown of sheer silk, shimmering with an ethereal glow, barely conceals her perfect form.
One constant element defines her – a cascade of impossibly long, fiery red hair. This signature trait remains unwavering, even as other aspects of her appearance shift. Her skin may be as golden as sunrise, rich mahogany, or as pale as ivory. Her eyes, ever-changing, could reflect the summer sky, the verdant depths of a forest, or hold the warmth of amber or honey.
While these descriptions capture some of the fleeting glimpses mortals have received, it's important to remember that Helena's form transcends mortal comprehension. Her true essence remains ever-shifting, a reflection of the boundless beauty she embodies.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
While the goddess known as Helena is now revered for her beauty and influence on love, her origins lie shrouded in a layer of forgotten history. Legends whisper of a time before Helena, a time when she walked the world as Hanali Celanil.
Bards sing tales of her relationships with a vast pantheon of deities, with the notable exceptions of Talos, Merabyss, Menas, Morana, Kord, and Ella'li.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Helena, the captivating goddess, is a fascinating contradiction. A fierce protector of beauty in all its forms, she showers her followers with unwavering love and devotion. Yet, beneath this benevolent facade lies a streak of vanity. Helena thrives on attention and sincere flattery, while recoiling from anything unpleasant or uncouth.
This love of beauty extends to her interactions with others. The "Princess of Passion" embodies her title wholeheartedly, oscillating between fiery passion and playful flirtation. When captivated by someone, be it a mortal or a deity, she throws herself entirely into the whirlwind of emotion. However, her passion, while intense, is as fleeting as a summer breeze. As long as the object of her affection remains captivating, she will lavish them with attention. But once the novelty wears off, Helena's interest swiftly wanes, and she moves on to the next source of allure.
It should be mentioned that Helena's teachings go beyond mere physical beauty. She serves as a muse, inspiring creativity and encouraging her followers to explore their inner potential. Sharing their creations fosters a sense of community, and true beauty, Helena emphasizes, arises from genuine emotions and deep connections.
In the throes of desperate battles, Helena has been known to strike bargains with mortals who possess a remarkable ability – the ability to recognize beauty even amidst the chaos of war. These "champions of grace," as they are sometimes called, become temporary conduits of Helena's power. She bestows upon them a shard of her divine shield, a symbol of both protection and her unwavering belief in the potential for beauty to exist anywhere. Empowered by this pact, the champions are compelled to advocate for non-violent solutions in combat, seeking to grant every living being the chance to discover the beauty residing within them. This often leads them to hesitate before initiating aggression, their actions a testament to the transformative power of Helena's influence.
Titles:
The Supreme Lady of the Feywild;The Eternal Maiden;
The Princess of Passion;
The Lady of Love;
Beautiful Helena;
Incorruptible Art;
Divine Classification
Alignment
Neutral Good
Realm
Children
Other Affiliations
Ruled Locations
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | N | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
Orders
Sisters and Brothers of the Ruby RoseA knightly order affiliated with the Church of Helena, made up of bards, fighters, and paladins. Their primary mission is to guard Helenai temples and holy sites, and occasionally accompany clerics doing good works or questing for something important to the Lady of Love. Initiation into the order is done by standing vigil in a temple of Helena for an entire night. If the goddess shows her favor by granting a vision or some other boon, the candidate is accepted into the order.
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