Obad-Hai

The Shalm

Obad-Hai, God of Nature, Woodlands, Freedom, Hunting, and Beasts

The Shalm of the Flanaess

Obad-Hai, known also as The Shalm, holds dominion over Nature, Woodlands, Freedom, Hunting, and Beasts, marking him as one of the Flanaess's most ancient deities. This article delves into the rich tapestry of history, religion, culture, lore, church organization, notable locations, clergy, and political influences surrounding Obad-Hai in the world of Greyhawk.

History

• Ancient Origins: Obad-Hai has been venerated since time immemorial, originally by the Flannae Flan people. His worship has permeated through the ages, evolving but always retaining its core focus on the natural world and its cycles.
• Advent of Civilization: As civilizations rose, Obad-Hai’s worship adapted, incorporating new followers while maintaining its ancient traditions.

Religion

• Core Beliefs: Obad-Hai’s followers are taught to live in harmony with nature, embracing the wild without seeking to dominate it. Death is seen as a necessary part of the life cycle, deserving respect rather than fear.
• Rituals and Ceremonies: Seasonal festivals marking the cycles of nature are paramount, each aligning with natural phenomena such as the first snow or the blooming of spring flowers.

Culture and Lore

• Symbols and Iconography: Obad-Hai is represented by natural symbols, notably the shalmstaff and woodland creatures. His diverse avatars reflect his connection to all facets of the natural world.
• Legends: Tales of Obad-Hai emphasize balance, teaching respect for both the nurturing and destructive aspects of nature.

Church Organization

• Clergy and Druids: The clergy of Obad-Hai eschews a rigid hierarchy, focusing instead on personal connections to nature. Druids, in particular, play a significant role, guiding followers to live in accordance with natural laws.
• Sacred Groves and Shrines: Temples are rare, with worship conducted in sacred groves. These sites are often protected by natural guardians and are centers of ritual and learning.

Locations

• Natural Sanctuaries: Key locations of worship include ancient forests, springs, and mountain retreats where the boundary between the mundane and the divine thins.
• Community Centers: Villages and towns with strong ties to the wilderness serve as hubs for Obad-Hai’s followers, integrating natural spaces within communal life.

Clergy

• Roles and Responsibilities: Clergy serve as protectors of the wild, educators on natural balance, and mediators between humanity and the untamed world.
• Training and Initiation: Aspirants undergo solitary pilgrimages in the wilderness, developing an intimate bond with nature and the divine.

Politics

• Alliances and Rivalries: Obad-Hai’s followers often find themselves allied with those seeking to protect the environment but at odds with forces of urbanization and expansion.
• Influence on Laws and Governance: In regions where Obad-Hai’s worship is strong, laws often reflect a commitment to environmental preservation and sustainable living.

Druids of Obad-Hai and Worship Practices

Druids of the Old Faith

Many druids who follow the Old Faith hold Obad-Hai, The Shalm, in high regard, recognizing him as a central figure in their veneration of nature's cycles and wilderness. In the Adri Forest, such druids are led by Archdruid Immonara, a testament to the widespread adoration of Obad-Hai across the lands. Similarly, Archdruid Reynard Yargrove in the Sheldomar Valley is a notable worshiper, further emphasizing the god's influence across diverse regions.

Temples and Worship Sites

• Design and Location: Temples dedicated to Obad-Hai blend seamlessly into their natural surroundings. Made predominantly of wood and nestled within rustic settings, these structures are often surrounded by ancient oaks, symbolizing the deity's deep connection to woodlands.
• Shrines: Sacred to Obad-Hai, shrines are typically stone circles or circles of oaks, hidden deep within untouched parts of the wilderness, away from the prying eyes of civilization. The Stone Ring, located just outside the Free City in the Domain of Greyhawk, serves as a significant site for druids of Obad-Hai, underscoring the deity's pervasive worship.

Rituals and Ceremonies

Obad-Hai's followers perform rituals that reflect the cycles of life and death, embodying the deity's principles. These include:

• Prayers and Offerings: Beginning with references to birth and growth and concluding with themes of death and ending, prayers honor the eternal cycle of life.
• Seasonal Rites: Services are held to consecrate natural elements like earth, fire, water, and living flowers, with ceremonies often triggered by seasonal events like the first bird's song of spring or the year's initial snowfall.
• Protection of the Wilderness: Worshipers actively work to safeguard the wilds from unnatural corruption, cataclysmic events, and the encroachments of civilization, such as deforestation.

Holy Days and Artifacts

• Midsummer's Night: This is considered the holiest day, a time when disputes are set aside to celebrate the balance of nature. It is also the preferred night for the harvesting of mistletoe, a sacred plant in the faith.
• The Armor of Fallen Leaves: A remarkable relic crafted from leaves by Ehlonna, symbolizing a time of stronger relations between the deities.
• The Singing Stones of Vesve: An ancient stone circle artifact that holds significant power and connection to Obad-Hai.
• Staves of the Unyielding Oak: Treants bound in quarterstaff form, ready to defend the Shalm's followers or revert to their true forms to aid in nature's protection.

Myths, Legends, and the Realm

• Obad-Hai and the Summer Tree: This myth encapsulates the deity's cycle of death and rebirth, illustrating the deep interconnections between the seasons, life, death, and renewal within the Old Faith.
• The Hidden Wood: Obad-Hai's realm is a microcosm of the natural world, where all four seasons exist in harmony. It is a place of mystery, accessible to those lost or deeply connected to nature, showcasing the diversity and balance of life under Obad-Hai's watch.
• Petitioners: Those who served Obad-Hai in life continue their stewardship in death, embodying human forms with the ability to communicate with animals and plants, reflecting the eternal cycle of service to nature.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the worship of Obad-Hai encapsulates a profound reverence for nature in all its forms, advocating for a life lived in harmony with the wild. Through rituals, artifacts, and myths, followers of The Shalm engage in a faith that celebrates the endless cycles of life and death, marking the deity's enduring presence in the hearts of those who call the wilderness home.

Flan Pantheon

holy symbol: is a mask of oak leaves and acorns
Domains: Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Water, Weather
Realm: Concordant Domain of the Outlands
Specialty Clerics

• 1st circle: hide in shadows as thief, 5%/level
• 3rd circle: Use of 1st level Druid spells
• 5th circle: alter self (WIZ)
  
• 6th circle: Use of 2nd level Druid spells
• 7th circle: Tasha’s hideous uncontrollable laughter (WIZ)
  
• 9th circle: Use of 3rd level Druid spells
• 10th circle: confusion
• 12th circle: shape change 1/day
• Penalty: Unable to Turn Undead nil

Divine Classification

intermediate god

Religions

• The Old Faith

Alignment

Neutral

Ethnicity

Flannae Flan

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Shalm. my thirst for knowledge grows/Lend me your wisdom and bury my doubts."

Aligned Organization

The Old Faith

Ruled Locations

• 2. Hearth of Obad-Hai

Obad-Hai holy symbol by 3orcs

Obad-Hai Prayer

Benevolent Obad-Hai, The Shalm, whose whispers animate the rustling leaves and whose breath stirs the deepest roots of the earth, we seek your guidance and blessing. In the dappled shadows of your boundless woods, beneath the watchful gaze of ancient oaks, we stand united, your humble servants, embarking upon a mission that echoes the call of the wild realms you so tenderly guard.

Grant us, O Keeper of the Natural Order, the wisdom of the owl in the night, the strength of the bear over mountains, and the cunning of the fox in the underbrush. May our paths be guided by the light that filters through your canopies, leading us towards success in our endeavors to protect and preserve.

Let our actions reflect the harmony of your divine will, as we strive to mend what has been torn, to shield what remains untouched, and to restore the balance so cherished in your heart. Bless us with the resilience of the evergreen through winter's chill, the vitality of the spring's first bloom, and the bounty of the harvest come autumn.

May our journey be fruitful, and our efforts pleasing to you, as we weave our way through the tapestry of your creation. Protect us, Obad-Hai, as we act in your name, and let our mission bear the fruits of peace, growth, and renewal.

In gratitude for your eternal vigilance over the realms of nature, we offer our deeds as seeds to be sown in the fertile ground of your domain. With your guidance, may they sprout and spread, a testament to the bond between your divine essence and the spirit of every living creature.

Bless us, Obad-Hai, with the grace of your gaze, and guide us to success in our mission, as faithful stewards of the wilds. In your name, we venture forth, ever mindful of the sacred balance, the unending cycle, and the intertwining fates of all under the canopy of your vast, verdant kingdom. So mote it be.