Nurunset

Nurunset (neh-ROON-set) was a Proto-Ascendant goddess of the moon and magic and patron goddess of wanderers and travelers. She was betrothed to Arun, god of the sun, before being cursed by The Whisper King with madness. Now she walks the night alone in a solemn pilgrimage.

Table of Contents Description Personality Powers Aspects Realm Activities Relationships Worshipers Clergy Orders Temples Dogma Rites Scripture Holy Days Relics History Myths and Legends

Description

Nurunset is portrayed as a pale woman of either human or elven ancestry, with long black hair and gray eyes. She is adorned in fashionable grays and blacks that often twinkle like the night sky. She is occasionally depicted as having a staff, walking stick, or broom or featured with a cauldron. When shown to be surrounded by or casting spells, they take on a multi-colored aurora.
Within the Ishtar Consortium, she is sometimes depicted as having the head of a wolf.
During Starfall, Nurunset fell to a mortal form yet to be recorded.

Personality

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Powers

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Aspects

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Realm

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Activities

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Relationships

Nurunset was once betrothed to Arun, god of the sun. However, after being cursed with madness by The Whisper King, Nurunset seems to have been shunned by the other gods.

Worshipers

Nurunset’s worshippers span every continent of vielamor. While Orcish communities refer to The Night Mother, most cultures refer to Nurunset by the crossing of the moon in the night’s sky. Halflings have ”The Traveler,” Gnomes, ”The Wanderer,” and even humans have ”The Dark Wanderer.”
However, within The Ishtar Consortium superstitious cultures try to avoid invoking her name, referring to her as ”The Night Witch” and ”The Pale Maiden.” There, worship of Nurunset may be common, but it is condemned by the populace.
Regardless of the culture, wide-spread or small, the worship of Nurunset is done with reverence, caution, and respect.

Clergy

Nurunset’s clergy is known as The Night Sky Coven. Divided into sects, individual members,usually women, are politely referred to as Stars, but are more commonly called witches, murderers, or cultists. Regardless of their always odd-numbered covens, through magic they commune with The First Three, said to be the most powerful witches or glamoured hags in all of vielamor.
Most members keep their worship secret, however those that make themselves known to their communities are called Night Mothers, from the Orcish pantheon, and serve as midwives and doulas as well as local herbalists. Most stereotypes of hags and witches often come from the habits of these, often good-natured, members of society.
Stories persist that members of The Night Sky Coven may utilize Nurunset’s favored wands and staves and black robes, however members are more likely to blend into communities and adopt a small colored tell within their clothing to represent their sect.

Orders

There are numerous sects throughout Vielamor that have yet to be discovered and brought into the light of day. While they all seem to have a tenuous peace between them, individual grabs for power and a schism surrounding the accepting of Arun: whether he was a pawn and victim of the gods to be pitied, or just as cowardly for continuing to accept and support the others.

Temples

Due to its secrecy and the prejudice that comes with Nurunset’s worship, most temples are in ruins or abandoned. However, it is suspected that worship continues at isolated shrines or, with the use of magic, on entirely other planes.

Dogma

At its core, The Night Sky Coven believes in three things:

• The Madness of the Moon - Nurunset’s madness grants her unique insight into the mysteries of the world, especially magic. They see her fractured mind as a reflection of the world’s fractured nature. Madness is not a curse, but a form of enlightenment.
• The Eternal Wanderer - Nurunset teaches that life itself is a journey, and those who embrace uncertainty, solitude, and discovery are closest to her heart. Followers are encouraged to explore both the physical and metaphysical worlds.
• Magic Through the Veil - Magic is seen as a gift Nurunset bestows upon those who can peer beyond the veil of sanity. It is through her connection to the arcane that her followers tap into ancient, otherworldly powers.

However, Nurunset’s teachings also guide the lost follower:

• Embrace the Outsider - Nurunset’s followers are drawn to those who are cast out or shunned, often maligned themselves. They believe in providing aid to the marginalized, much like Nurunset’s moonlight watches over the lost at night.
• Balance of Madness and Wisdown - Followers are taught to seek a delicate balance between embracing their own chaos and maintaining control. Madness is revered, but it is also respected as dangerous if left unchecked.
• Sacrifice and Renewal - The belief in sacrifice, both symbolic and literal, ties deeply into her dogma. Those who willingly offer themselves to join Nurunset’s night sky as stars are seen as entering a divine and eternal state. This reflects the belief in death as transformation rather than a final end.

Extremists among her followers focus on punishing the gods for their lack of empathy towards Nurunset. Arun is rarely excluded.

Rites

The Night Sky Coven worship at least monthly, during the night of the full moon. However, they are also known to gather for a litany of cosmological events, to unknown ends. This converging often includes meditation and prayer outside, seeking Nurunset’s guidance through dreams and visions supposedly bringing with it prophetic insights, though often cryptic and laced with madness.
Nurunset’s followers are most notable for The Starry Offering, a sacred and controversial rite forbidden to outsiders, where volunteers offer themselves in sacrifice to Nurunset to join her night sky as a star. The leader calls, “Sisters of the Moon, join me in exultation as we commit yet another companion to our sweet Dark Wanderer. By the Pale Maiden!” The gathered then respond, ”Murder the Day, ring in the Night!” This is said to symbolize the ultimate form of their devotion: turning oneself into a guiding light for future wanderers.
Those that are active in their communities often extend their role of midwife into the “birthing” of souls. Providing rituals to help guide those passing into death to ascend to the night sky, reinforcing beliefs of renewal and cyclical transformation.

Scripture

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Holy Days

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Relics

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History

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Myths and Legends

The Betrothal of Arun and Nurunset: This myth tells the story of Arun and Nurunset’s engagement. When The Lord of the Deep gifted Nurunset with his knowledge, the power of all the Ancients flowed through her and drove her to madness. The marriage was called off and Arun and Nurunset now walk the skies alone. As punishment, Perkunas erased the Lord of the Deep and banished him beneath the waves to be forgotten.

Nurunset

The Crescent Moon

Aliases: The Wanderer (Gnomish); The Traveler (Halfling); The Dark Wanderer, The Night Witch, or The Pale Maiden (Human); The Night Mother (Orcish) Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Divine Rank: Migrant
Portfolio/Domains: Chaos; Darkness; Illusion; Knowledge; Madness; Magic; Mind; Rune; Trickery; Wit
Worshipers: Beguilers; Druids; Rogues; Tricksters; Wanderers; Women of all Races
Favored Weapon: Wands and Staves

Arun and Nurunset

Sun and Moon - Kran and Kra by GENZOMAN