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Sealticge

2024-01-23T00:48:08Z

98.114.92.80:

Sealticge (Sil-teezh) is the goddess of beauty and the performing arts. She is also the patron and protector of youth, maidens in particular. She values self-expression and beauty for beauty's sake, although she equally values the transmission of cultural forms of art and expression. She occupies a significant place in high elven cultures specifically, but any culture where music and oral traditions are considered valuable offer at least token worship (human, halfling, and orc cultures in particular). Her epithets include '''the Lady of Grace''' or simply '''Lady Grace'''.

==Symbols and Depictions==

Sealticge's most common written symbol is a stylized hand-mirror. Other tools of beauty - the hairbrush, cosmetics, or silks - are considered appropriate offerings. A budding flower is also used to represent her in writing or art, although one should never be made as an offering until it has bloomed. (Contrast this with the budding leaf, used to represent her daughter, [[Nophica]].)

Like all deities, Sealticge can choose her appearance on the Material Plane, but is almost invariably female. Although she is recorded most commonly as an elf, the only preference for race she has shown is that of the supplicant to whom she shows herself. Often, this is in order to be able to join them in a performance. She notably delights in vibrantly colored and elaborate hairstyles, but is just as likely to appear with short or long, unbound hair.

==Worship==

Whole temples dedicated to Sealticge are few in the Vale, but exist within more cosmopolitan settings, such as [[Old Bay]] or [[Drakehall]], or on the borders of the elf-lands, in [[Elmark]] and [[Elfield]]. Smaller shrines are common in other cities inside performance spaces like amphitheaters.

Sealticge's holy days are a three-day festival that is held between late March and early May, depending on the full moon and the blossoming of flowers (so the date can vary between years and even settlements). The celebration is marked by parties held in flower gardens, where flowers are traded between friends and chained together into crowns among music and dancing. Another holy day, the full moon in July closest to the end of the month, is a smaller celebration of summer flowers.

Clerics who worship Sealticge are usually of the life, nature, or peace domains.

==Myths==

Sealticge's demiplane is the '''Flower Path''', a resplendent flower garden in the Blessed Fields of Elysium. The greatest of musicians, dancers, and painters are invited to perform or create in this beautiful paradise, where there are many nooks and fountains to perform in.

Sealticge, with her brother [[Alephan]], are the children of [[Dohter]] and [[Dreisang]]. She has four daughters: two with [[Balogar]], [[Draefendi]] and [[Nophica]], and two with her husband [[Aelfric]], [[Ascima]] and [[Menphina]].

Sealticge's romance with Balogar is the subject of a famous epic poem. Alephan, her brother, seeks to thwart Balogar from courting her (the poem, interestingly, does not delve into the basis of their rivalry, which pre-existed these events). Balogar, entranced by Sealticge's song and dance, began to spend time with her, creating the most beautiful music heard on any plane. Alephan, seeking to prove Balogar's unworthiness for his sister, challenges him to a contest of magical skill. Sealticge protests that this is unnecessary, but despite this, Balogar accepts the challenge and wins. The couple reveals to a shocked Alephan that they had already had one child, with another on the way, and Alephan departs (though never actually admits defeat). Regardless, at some point in history their relationship ended and both found other partners although it's well-known they're on good terms, and are often worshipped together by bards seeking divine inspiration.

Her relationship with her husband, [[Aelfric]], has a far less dramatic story. Famously quiet and reclusive, Sealticge pursued him, encouraging him to share his light with the world. Through their union - of light and beauty - [[Ascima|the sun]] and [[Menphina|the moon]] were born. It's said wherever she dances or makes music, Aelfric is never far to support her.

[[Luthic]] envies and fears her good relationship with Balogar (Luthic's first husband), so much so that Luthic accepted [[Gruumsh]]'s offer of marriage in order to have children that would accomplish more than Sealticge's four daughters (the sun, the moon, plants and beasts). Gruumsh seeks to undermine Sealticge's efforts to bring beauty into the world in his role as the Ruiner. [[Zuggotmoy]], the dark god of decay, also often puts herself at odds with Sealticge, although rarely directly - even Sealticge knows beauty must fade to have meaning at all. [[Yeenoghu]]'s domain of the instinctive, the id, also conflicts with Sealticge's pursuit of higher beauty as the superego, as his impulsive rampages care little for her performance (though one notable myth involves her lulling the beast to sleep so Draefendi could approach him and attempt to undo her actions).

[[Category:Gods and Deities]]

Balogar

2024-01-23T00:47:47Z

98.114.92.80:

Balogar is the original hero-god and the god of humanity. Beginnings, risks, and ventures are in his domain, but he is far more well-known as a patron of bards and adventurers. Balogar is not worshipped formally as a major god in most cultures. However, he is an important cultural hero to most human cultures, while his stories are told in gnome and halfling cultures too because of his cunning and general roguery, and giant cultures, where he is said to have taught them the use of magic runes. His epithets include '''the Runeblade''', '''the Mage Knight''', and the '''Mightiest of Mages''', all referring to his skill at wielding both blade and spell.

==Symbols and Depictions==

Balogar nearly always appears and is depicted as a man. However, there are several stories where he has disguised himself as a woman, or appears as one, often to achieve some goal or ruse. While he defaults to a masculine appearance, gender doesn't seem to be of particular importance to him. While like all deities Balogar can choose his appearance on the Material Plane, he most often chooses to appear as a human man in his early thirties. His hair and skin color can vary significantly, though his "wine dark" eyes remain one of the few consistent features.

His symbols

==Worship==

Balogar has few, if any, major temples or formalized worships. When he appears to mortals, he has notably expressed delight when stories of his deeds are retold, inspiring others to seek adventure. He also doesn't seem to mind embellishments, although he has been said to appear to those spinning too tall a tale and correct them.

==Myths==

Balogar's demiplane.

Balogar is related to most gods in some way. [[Nymeia]] is his mother, and [[Tymora and Beshaba]] are his sisters. [[Byregot]] and [[Bifelgan]] are his half-brothers, so [[Nald and Thal]] are his nephews.

He has children with two goddesses: [[Sealticge]] and [[Luthic]]. [[Nophica]] and [[Draefendi]] are his children with Sealticge, although their relationship was not long-lived. He was married to Luthic and had [[Halone]], [[Brand]], and [[Aeber]], although she left him for [[Gruumsh]] eventually.

Balogar appears in his half-brother Bifelgan's origin myth which concerns the sale of a divine sword crafted by his brother Byregot that Balogar desired. Though a master craftsman, Byregot found himself at a loss when deciding on a price, unable to determine what would be equal to the sword's worth besides the materials that went into it. Bifelgan intervened, asking only for three gold coins; one for the materials, one for the labor, and one for the value Balogar saw in it.

[[Alephan]] views Balogar as his rival, although Balogar does not return the sentiment. When Balogar courted Sealticge, Alephan challenged him to a contest of magical skill, seeking to prove Balogar unworthy of Sealticge's hand. Despite her protests, Balogar accepted the challenge and won.

[[Winnehild]] is said to have been so great a champion that Balogar asked her to adventure with him. If the legend of her apotheosis is to be believed, it was Balogar who vouched for her and raised her to godhood.

[[Category:Gods and Deities]]

Dohter

2024-01-23T00:47:32Z

98.114.92.80:

Dohter is the god/dess of healing and respite. Dohter takes the poor and injured under their care, and is said to have gifted the arts of herbalism and alchemy to mortals. Dohter is revered in nearly all humanoid cultures, although with emphasis on different aspects - for example, elves revere them for their skill and connection to natural magic, while orcs value their skill at healing wounds after battle. Their epithets include '''the Charitable''', '''the Healer''', and the '''Lord of Succor'''.

==Symbols==

Dohter's primary symbol is a crossed reed and flower, in the shape of an X. This symbol is instantly recognizable almost everywhere in the world as a sign of safety and healing. A stylized hearth is also sometimes used to represent them.

Dohter explicitly does not prefer any gender, appearing in whatever form suits them at the time. Although, because like all deities Dohter can choose their appearance on the Material Plane, they most often choose to appear as an older wood elf, with long red-brown hair.

==Worship==

Dohter's holy day is 1 May. It is celebrated usually with small potluck gatherings.

==Myths==

Dohter's demiplane is the '''Moment's Reprieve''', an open-air lodge and pavilion found in the fields of Elysium. It is impossible to travel there without their blessing. It is said that they can heal any wound and restore any loss.

Dohter's partner is [[Dreisang]]. Their children are [[Sealticge]] and [[Alephan]], and their grand-children include [[Ascima]], [[Menphina]], [[Draefendi]], [[Nophica]], [[Byregot]], and [[Bifelgan]], and [[Nald and Thal]] are their great-grandchildren.

It is unknown how Dohter came into existence; they and Dreisang are said to be as old as Steorra and Nymeia.

Dohter is said to obtain the ingredients for her mixes from Nophica's garden.

They share [[Orcus]] and [[Zuggtmoy]] as enemies with Dreisang. Dohter has demonstrated a commitment interfering with [[Torog]]'s desire to cause pain, whether directly or through mortal intervention. They have also been known to take action against the poisons used by [[Zehir]].

[[Category:Gods and Deities]]

Figaro Pennysworth's Residential Institute for Prodigal Elf Gentlemen

2024-01-22T05:15:16Z

98.114.92.80:

Figaro Pennysworth's Residential Institute for Prodigal Elf Gentlemen is the foremost residential preparatory school for young men of elven descent. It is very expensive, especially because elves and half elves are school aged for a much longer period of time than other races.

==Location and Campus==
The Institute is located in [[Elmark]].

==History==

==Academics and Athletics==
The school provides a well-rounded education covering things all fine young elven men should know, such as history, magic instruction, natural sciences, fine arts, music, and social graces.

Penny's lads also are encouraged to engage in physical pursuits of sport and athleticism, and the school offers many competitive teams and leagues, including: rowing, horsemanship, basketball, combat orchestra, fencing, polo, rugby, tennis, and aquatics. They have won many League championships in every sport.

==Notable Alumni==
*[[Pascal Bonnet]]
*Swansing St. Crispin
*Aleinn Caerdonel (brother of [[Astrid]])

==Notable Staff==
*[[Haya Ellon]] (terminated, lightly disgraced)