Sehanine Moonbow (seh-ha-neen moon-boe)
Sehanine Moonbow, is the elven goddess of architectures, death, dreams, heavens, journeys, Eladrins, stars, love, marriage and transcendence as well as the most powerful female member of the Seldarine. A fierce opponent of the drow and their dark gods, Sehanine actively protects her elven people. While many see her as the benevolent protector of lovers and the patron of blossoming romance, her essence is far more nuanced. She is the Lady of Whispered Vows, the protector of hidden desires, and the weaver of secrets veiled by the moon's ethereal glow.
Sehanine is also the name of of the second Moons orbiting theras, Sehanine, named after this elven goddess.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
The holy symbol of their faith is a moonbar crystal, meticulously carved into a small, flat disk roughly three inches in diameter. These tokens are typically displayed proudly, hanging from delicate silver or mithral chains around their necks.
Clergy, Temples and Worshippers
For Sehanine's faithful, life is a captivating tapestry woven with hidden truths. Elves believe their spirits embark on a journey of discovery upon transcending their mortal form. Sehanine, the goddess of mysteries, guides them through these revelations, whispering guidance and visions during the sacred elven ritual of reverie. Her devotees revere the MOON Sehanioe, feeling its gentle pull on their souls like an ocean tide. The Church of Sehanine is shrouded in an air of mystery, its hierarchy known only to its inner circle. The church's core members are the seers and mystics of elven society. They act as spiritual advisors, guiding elves and half-elves seeking enlightenment and transcendence on their personal journeys and in contrast as architects of elven art.Day-to-Day Activities
The Clergy as a multi-faceted roles in the society:Keepers of the Dead
As shepherds of the dead, they oversee funeral rites and ensure the peaceful passage of elven spirits. Moreover, they act as vigilant protectors, fiercely eliminating undead creatures. All undead are considered an abomination, with the rare exception of Baelnorn.Keepers of the societies
The church's unwavering commitment extends to the physical realm. Clerics act as guardians of remaining elven sanctuaries, weaving intricate illusions to mask these havens from unwelcome eyes. They also possess potent divinatory abilities, tirelessly seeking out potential threats to the elves' continued existence.Love Counselors
Moonshadow Weavers act as trusted advisors, offering guidance and support to blossoming romances. They may help navigate cultural differences, mediate conflicts, and officiate commitment ceremonies.Matchmakers and Festivities
In some elven communities, Moonshadow Weavers organize social events that allow young elves to meet and mingle. These gatherings often take place under the moonlit sky and may involve games, music, and storytelling that celebrates love and courtship.Blessings for Fertility
Sehanine's clergy plays a vital role in childbirth as they offer blessings to expecting couples, perform rituals to ensure healthy pregnancies, and act as midwives during childbirth. Their calming presence and connection to Sehanine are believed to ease the birthing process.Wedding Officiants
The most joyous ceremonies overseen by the Moonshadow Weavers are weddings. They guide couples through traditional vows and blessings, ensuring the ceremony reflects the couple's love and commitment. Special rituals incorporate moonlight, weaving moonlight threads into wedding garments, or offering moonlit water as a symbol of purity and new beginnings.Grief Counselors
Loss is a part of life, and Sehanine's clergy offers solace to those who grieve. They usually conduct funeral rites that honor the deceased and help families navigate the emotional challenges of loss.Orphanage Directors
The Moonshadow Weavers understand that not everyone finds love or experiences a smooth path to parenthood. They may run orphanages, provide support to single parents, or offer aid to couples struggling with infertility.
Priestly Vestments
For those who venture beyond temple walls, practicality blends with aesthetics. While traveling or adventuring, Sehanine's clerics favor the superior protection of mail armor over leather. Their round shields, polished to a reflective sheen, double as signaling devices in battle. These shields and their armor are often adorned with intricate designs that emphasize the grace and nobility of the wearer. Senior priests, renowned for their martial prowess, are often clad in elaborate suits of elven chain or plate mail, a testament to their unwavering faith and dedication. When it comes to weaponry, Sehanine's clergy excel in ranged combat. They favor short and longbows, unleashing deadly volleys of arrows under the moon's watchful gaze. Staffs, particularly those imbued with the magic of moonlight, are also prized possessions. Additionally, rings of shooting stars are coveted for their ability to mimic the celestial spectacle in miniature.Titles
Eärien Suilad
These novices are newly drawn to Sehanine's light, drawn by its promise of understanding love, dreams, and the celestial realms. They undertake basic studies and begin their journeys of devotion.Alarni Mithrandir
Having delved deeper into Sehanine's teachings, these clergy members focus on the celestial aspects. They study astronomy, dream interpretation, and the art of weaving illusions to navigate the mystical realms.Elentári Ondoron
This rank signifies mastery over the architectural and travel aspects of Sehanine's domain. They become skilled builders, understand the flow of magic that facilitates teleportation, and guide travelers on both physical and spiritual journeys.Ielenia Nímloth
These clergy specialize in the cycle of life and death. They preside over births, help guide departing souls, and nurture the growth and fertility associated with spring. Their wisdom ensures a healthy balance within the natural world.Erynial Loresil
Masters of the emotional tapestry, these clergy members offer solace and guidance in matters of love, loss, and the subconscious mind. They interpret dreams, mediate conflicts, and help individuals navigate life's emotional journeys.Eä Ondor
A specialized branch of the priesthood, Feywardens act as guardians of the elven connection to the Feywild, maintaining a balance between the realms. This role is more like a way of the clergy to advance after they accomplished many achievements in the Prime Material Plane.Alatarië Alatar
The pinnacle of the hierarchy and can ascend from any titles described above, these high priests embody Sehanine's profound connection to the cosmos. They possess vast knowledge of celestial bodies, dreams, and mystical lore. They interpret omens, guide the clergy, and serve as oracles for the elven people.
Temples
Sehanine's temples, soaring monuments crafted from white stone (often marble), stand as testaments to elven artistry and devotion. These celestial sanctuaries are open only to elves and a rare few pious half-elves. Their architecture evokes a sense of flight, with graceful lines and forms seemingly yearning to pierce the heavens. Symmetry and circles are central themes, reflecting the order and celestial cycles revered by the faith. The heart of each temple is a central chapel, flawlessly circular in design. These sacred spaces are often open to the night sky, allowing worshippers to commune directly with Sehanine under the celestial dome. Alternatively, some temples utilize retractable or transparent domes to provide shelter while maintaining a connection with the heavens. Near long-standing temples, elven astrologers have erected megaliths, forming vast stone circles. These celestial observatories allow them to meticulously track the moons, fixed stars, and even the movements of wandering stars. By studying these celestial patterns, the astrologers glean insights into the future and the divine will of Sehanine.Gardens
Grand gardens and intricate hedgerow mazes, their formations echoing the constellations above, encircle the main temple structures. These verdant havens serve as meditative retreats for worshippers and provide a natural sanctuary within the temple grounds.Rituals
Clerics of Sehanine pray for their spells whenever the moon is fullest during the day.Special Powers
Like Lunites, the clergy is known to exhibit different powers during the seasons and color of Sehanine.Liziil, Arn-Wint and Bazingadil
Coppernium, Dacius and Ernius
During the Greenish phase of Sehanine, the priests of Sehanine can use Nyx and her priests power of shadows, or other powers from the Shadowfell and twist twist them to their own advantage.Fonacius and Gylevail
Haldain, Ilvin, Jak'shen and Kankajak
Tenets of Faith
Life stretches before us like a magnificent tapestry woven by the Luminous Cloud, its secrets veiled in swirling mists. As our spirits transcend the mortal realm, each thread unravels, revealing a new wonder. This ongoing journey of discovery pushes us ever closer to a higher state of being, a continuous cycle of death and rebirth. Through meditation and contemplation, we open ourselves to Sehanine, the Lady of Dreams. In the stillness of slumber or the sacred elven reverie, she speaks to us on the dreamwind. Visions, omens, and whispered truths illuminate the path before us, guiding our steps on the endless journey of mystical awe that encompasses all – life, death, and the transformative cycle beyond. Life and death are not final destinations, but graceful turns in the grand cosmic dance. Each revelation, each step on the path, elevates our form, bringing us closer to comprehending the ultimate mysteries held by Sehanine. We embrace this unending cycle, ever seeking to unravel the tapestry of existence, strand by luminous strand.Dogma of the moonweaver. Embrace the Moon's Gentle Light: Walk bathed in the moon's ethereal glow, seeking the mysteries veiled by the Luminous Cloud. Each revelation, a whispered secret, guides you on your path to a higher form.Most people summarize her tenets as such:
- Seize your own destiny and pursue your own passions.
- Let the shadows protect you from the burning light of fanaticism and the absolute darkness of despair.
- Walk unbridled and untethered, forging new memories and experiences.
Holidays
Sehanine's faithful mark a diverse calendar of holy days intricately tied to the movements of celestial bodies. Sehanine, the Goddess's celestial embodiment, and various types of eclipses all play a significant role in their observances. Many of these celebrations occur with varying frequencies, ranging from monthly to once-in-a-millennium events.
Eärien Estel
These introspective gatherings begin with personal meditation, followed by a shared trance that allows devotees to connect with Sehanine's essence. On rare occasions, Sehanine manifests through her assembled followers, forging a profound connection – a true "sharing of minds". The ceremony concludes with a joyous, freeform dance beneath the moon's silvery glow, a celebration that continues until the dawn's first light.Helel Aron
This holiday, which happens every odd years, and it marks a prital lunar eclipse, a time for reflcation on duality – life and death, light and shadow. During Helel Aron, elves gather under a sky where the moon is partially veiled. The ceremony focuses on balance and the interconnectedness of all things. Rituals involve balancing objects, weaving intricate patterns with contrasting colors, and engaging in philosophical debates that explore the nature of opposing forces.Elentári Onto
During a total lunar eclipse, where the moon is completely obscured. This rare event signifies a period of introspection and seeking guidance from Sehanine through dreams and visions. On the night of Elentári Onto, elves retreat into solitude, engaging in deep meditation and fasting. Dreams become especially vivid during this time, and many believe Sehanine uses them to deliver cryptic messages or prophetic visions. After the eclipse passes, the faithful gather to share their dreams and interpretations, seeking guidance from Sehanine's hidden whispers.Eryn Suilon
Once a century on the 99th year every century, a rare alignment of celestial bodies, including Sehanine's moon, occurs. This is a time for grand festivities and prophecies. For weeks leading up to Eryn Suilon, elven astronomers meticulously study the heavens, deciphering the celestial alignment's meaning. The celebration itself is a joyous affair, filled with music, feasting, and athletic competitions. Elven astrologers then present their interpretations of the celestial dance, offering insights into the future and potential challenges or triumphs that await the elves. These pronouncements are met with both anticipation and trepidation, as they are believed to hold the key to Sehanine's will for the coming century.Alatarië Núnurie
The rarest and most magnificent event is Alatarië Núnurie; A celestial phenomenon that occurs only once every millennium on the 1st year every 1 thousand year. The details of this event are shrouded in mystery, but elven lore suggests it signifies a major shift in the cosmic balance and a revelation of profound truths by Sehanine. Legends speak of celestial storms, the moon itself fracturing and reforming, and Sehanine appearing in a magnificent display of celestial power. The effects of Alatarië Núnurie are unpredictable, and the elves approach it with a mix of awe and apprehension. In the aftermath, the world is forever changed, and the faithful spend generations deciphering the meaning of Sehanine's revelation, forever altering the course of elven history.Physical Description
Identifying Characteristics
In her most common avatar form, Sehanine appears as a youthful, ageless elf, her stature a mere 5 feet tall. She is cloaked in a diaphanous gown that shimmers like moonlight, trailing ethereal droplets every ten minutes. These glistening drops, believed to be fragments of moonlight itself, can be captured and bottled as potent potions of invisibility.
Less frequently, Sehanine manifests as a male elf, embodying the aspect of the Protector. This form is often depicted alongside Corellon, her elven consort, and their expressions hint at a deep and tender love, tinged with a touch of melancholy.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Long ago, before the moons were created by Sehanine and Lune (which are both aspects of each other), the goddess Sehanine created the stars for her beloved children the elves, when the first elves arrived at around 60,000 BB, she created the stars for them, and so, after their creator, Corellon Larethien , Sehanine became their favourite goddess, even when Araushnee was their creator's wife.
Later in history, after the betrayal of Araushnee (and later on, Lolth) as described hereinafter became the wife of Corellon, ever strengthening The Seldarine in their time of splinter.
Sehanine is responsible for Annam's state of hibernation, as taking the 'Stars' portfolio as her Supremacy has earned her the eternal hatred of the Giant Pantheon.
Myths and Legends
The Myths of the Orcs and Elves
A pivotal battle between Corellon Larethien, and his brother, Gruumsh delayed the elves' dominion over Theras. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Corellon's strength waned while Gruumsh's grew, threatening a devastating defeat. But fate intervened. The moon, in the myths depicted as the watchful Sehanine, shed tears of sorrow for Corellon, imbuing him with renewed vigor. Empowered, Corellon struck a decisive blow, blinding Gruumsh in one eye. From Gruumsh's blood and hatred, the orcs were spawned. However, the Seldarine wasn't finished. They gathered the moon's tears, a symbol of resilience, and mixed them with Corellon's blood, a symbol of bravery. This potent mixture, infused with their own divine essence, breathed incredible powers into the meticulously crafted vessels – the elves. The ethereal beauty that defines the elven race to this day is said to be a reflection of the moon's tears and made sure they would endure the world's fiercest foes.Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Sehanine is the celestial artist, weaving the tapestry of stars and crafting the luminous moons that bathe the world in her gentle light. She guides the elves on their journeys, both literal and metaphorical. By sending prophetic dreams and cloaking elven havens in protective illusions, she safeguards them from harm.
Sehanine watches over the slumbering elves, shielding them from nightmares and whispering warnings of impending dangers through their dreams. When their mortal journeys end, she guides their spirits on their passage to the afterlife, ensuring their safe transition. Those who seek refuge in distant elven havens, such as Owhain, find solace under her watchful gaze. She acts as a guardian of these sacred sanctuaries, repelling any who would dare trespass.
Sehanine's blessings extend beyond the joyous celebrations of marriage and open courtship. She watches over forbidden love that blossoms in the hearts of star-crossed lovers, guards the whispered promises exchanged in hidden groves, and shields the trysts of those bound by duty or societal constraints. Her influence fosters not just passionate encounters, but also the quiet yearning, stolen glances, and the courage to defy expectations in the pursuit of love.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Sehanine faces a growing challenge. Her energies are directed towards thwarting the destructive forces unleashed by deities like Morana, Khaziba, Menas, and Garyx, whose philosophies of conquest and ruin threaten the delicate balance of nature. These gods find themselves opposed not only by Sehanine, but also by the ever-watchful Gruumsh, the chief god of destruction.
Beyond the mortal realm, Sehanine remains a steadfast foe of Lolth. She stands alongside other deities who champion the sanctity of life, including The Raven Queen, who guides spirits to their peaceful rest, and Helios, through an alliance of sun and moon.
Titles:
The Lunar Lady;The Moonweaver;
Starlight Mother;
High Lady of the Eladrins;
Mistress of Dreams;
The Luminous Cloud;
Mystic Seer;
Divine Classification
Alignment
Chaotic Good
Realm
Children
Aligned Organization
Related Myths
Ruled Locations
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | N | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
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