Draefendi

Draefendi is the goddess of the hunt. All beasts are hers to care for, both domesticated and wild. While she thrills in the chase, she abhors those who hunt for pleasure and not consumption. She is worshipped in nearly every culture in some way, although her importance in any given pantheon depends on that culture's relationship to animal products. For example, her role as huntress is diminished in halfling culture, but she appears as shepherd and protector of livestock from predators. In some goblinoid or orc cultures, her role is replaced by Luthic or Baphomet. Her epithets include the Huntress and the Protector of the Wild.

Symbols and Depictions

Draefendi always appears and is depicted as female. Although like all deities Draefendi can choose her appearance on the Material Plane, she most often chooses to appear as a wood elf with reddish-brown hair and dark eyes. For this reason, wood elves of any gender are said to bear her likeness. She typically appears in fur-trimmed garments, ranging from hunting leathers to a shepherd's cloak. Her greatbow, Artemisia, is said to be taller than her and capable of striking a target at any distance.

When she appeared to Corrin in April 1337, she appeared with a fur-trimmed cloak, armor stitched together from many hides, and her hair in a long braid.

The stag and doe are her sacred animals. The symbol that most commonly represents her is a spear with the point down, with two branching antlers curving upwards on each side, mimicking a bow and arrow.

Worship

Draefendi has no major festivals common to more than one culture. Instead, smaller offerings are typically made before a hunt (for luck) or after a hunt (in thanks). Common mugwort is usually burned as an offering, but animal parts such as hearts or claws are also suitable.

She has temples in Fourstry, Drakehall, Deepwell, Swansing, and Rivey, but it's not uncommon to find smaller shrines here and there across the land.

Myths

Draefendi's demiplane, the Silvered Fields, lies where the Beastlands meet Arborea. Depending on Draefendi's will, it is possible to find safe haven and shelter there, or become predator or prey. The landscape changes dramatically to suit her whim and aid or hinder creatures there.

Drafendi is the daughter of Sealticge and Balogar, and Dohter, Dreisang, and Nymeia are her grandparents. She is Nophica's older sister. The two sisters are notably close, as she represents the fauna to Nophica's flora. They share a similar working relationship to Thaliak and Oschon - Thaliak and Nophica remain back to tend the hearth, while Oschon and Draefendi take to wandering. Through Balogar, Halone, Brand, and Aeber are her half-siblings, and through Sealticge, Ascima and Menphina are her half-sisters. She is somewhat close with her stepfather Aelfric.

The myth of their first fight also depicts the origin of Incabulos. As girls, Nophica and Draefendi argued over whose gift would please their grandparent, Dohter, more: a beautiful rose, tended by hand from seed to glory, or the antlers of a great hind Draefendi had slain. The dissonance between the sisters allowed Incabulos, the Empty, to come into being and strike down their gifts with plague and famine. With Dohter's help, they were able to chase the dark god away, although forever more it will always seek to unmake their works.

Draefendi once had a divine beast companion who followed and hunted with her called Yeenoghu. Yeenoghu did its best to serve Draefendi, but the story goes that while searching for a lost animal by her side, Yeenoghu gave in to its base hunger and killed the animal when it found it. Tharzidun, Vecna, and Baphomet]] have variously claimed responsibility for corrupting Yeenoghu. But whatever the case, Draefendi cast Yeenoghu away out of anger. Yeenoghu formed a pack of its own from hyenas that followed, and those hyenas that shared its kills were transformed into the first gnolls.