Difference between revisions of "Lielqan"

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|'''Favored Race''' || [[Ethron]]
 
|'''Favored Race''' || [[Ethron]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''Element(s)'''  || [[Water]] [[Nature]]
+
|'''Element(s)'''  || [[Water]], [[Nature]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
|'''Home(s)'''      || Beneath the Sunset Sea (vnum x)
 
|'''Home(s)'''      || Beneath the Sunset Sea (vnum x)
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|'''Symbol(s)'''    || A setting sun, a shark's tooth
 
|'''Symbol(s)'''    || A setting sun, a shark's tooth
 
|-
 
|-
−
|'''Portfolio'''    || Death, surrender, fate, rebirth, hard truths, boundaries
+
|'''Portfolio'''    || Mortality, surrender, fate, rebirth, hard truths, boundaries
 
|-
 
|-
 
|'''Worshippers'''  || Truthsayers, sailors, the dying, impartial witnesses, intercessors
 
|'''Worshippers'''  || Truthsayers, sailors, the dying, impartial witnesses, intercessors
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==History in Avendar==
 
==History in Avendar==
−
For the earliest of ethron, the Sea of Lidreau represented many things: a source of food and salt, the home of the westerly breeze. It also formed an absolute boundary; nothing that went too far from the shore ever returned, except the sun, which would sink into the depths only to return in the east every day. They named the sun Lielqan, and venerated Her for this. Their mythologies have little agreement as to her origins; in some stories she is Kyana's sister, in others her daughter. Some call her Elar's mother, others simply the oldest of her ethron children. At times even a single telling of the same myth will put forth varying contradictory notions. There are precisely two consistencies about Her personally: one, that she is old, possibly the oldest living thing in the world, and two, that *She*, rather than the dragon Ashur is at the heart of their attempts to grapple with the notion of death.
+
For the young ethron race, the [[Sea of Lidreau]] represented many things: a source of food, of salt, and the home of the westerly breeze. It formed an absolute boundary-- nothing that ventured far into its depths returned, save the sun.  Every evening it sank into the ocean, and every morning it rose again in the east. They named it Lielqan, derived from an ancient ethron phrase meaning "one who returns". The choppy waves became Her domain, and none dared question Her dominion over it.
  
−
The oldest stories speak of Her coming for the dead and dying, giving Her a dread and fearful place in ethron society. There is never malice ascribed to Her motives, but Hers is still the hand that takes loved ones away; She is not loved as Elar or Nariel are. Despite this grim reputation, She is also known for two major intercessions on behalf of the ethron people.
+
Due to the nature of ethron oral histories, Her origin is disputed between clans.  In some tales, She is [[Kyana]]'s sister; in others, her daughter.  Some describe Her as [[Elar]]'s mother, while others believe She is the first ethron, shaped by the All-Mother Herself.  These contradictions are at times woven into the same myth, asserting some, or all, to be simultaneously true.  The tales do, however, agree on a few ideas: that she may be the oldest living being on the Prime Material, and that She stands between sapient life and the oblivion of [[Ashur|Tzet-Askhari]].
  
−
To the first, when rampant human imperialism from both Gogoth and Caal threatened ethron homelands, she extended a gift to all ethron people: the ability to flee the land, and dwell in her domain beneath the sea. Not all took her up on it, for Elar was displeased at this 'adjustment' to Her children, and many did not wish to leave their homes, but some did, and that door has always remained open to them. More fled beneath the Sea of Lidreau as the War of Fire threatened Qilarn, and those dwelling in the Lithling Valley entirely relocated to the very bottom of Lake Lithling. Human residents of the valley told many stories of 'mermaid' sightings in the years that followed, but the presence of ethron was never confirmed until the nigh-legendary Truna was rescued by one of the lake ethrons, whom he later married.
+
The oldest stories in ethron folklore describe Her as a grim harbinger.  In such myths, she would emerge from the depths of the sea to gather the dead or dying. Although they did not consider Her malicious, She remained an ill-omen; Her coming meant that death was close among them.  This has made Her place in their collective consciousness a cold one, and one given less affection than Elar or [[Nariel]]. However, She is responsible for two important gifts to the ethron as a whole, both of which changed the course of their racial history.
  
−
The second was not revealed until deep in the War of Night. Though the Eqiril ethron superbly fought back against the shuddeni who dared enter Qilarn, Var Bandorian humans who had fled the city and were taken in noticed something particularly strange: the ethron saw barely any losses at all. This was not because they suffered no casualties but because Lielqan's priests would seek out the souls of the fallen before the Dragon's hold took, and beg the goddess to intercede. Not always, but more often than not, She would, forming a new body out of the life of the world.
+
The first came during the [[War of Fire]]. While Elar bid the ethron to simply move away from the vast destruction sweeping the known world, not all were able to perform such a sudden and massive exodus.  Lielqan offered them a new possibility: She altered their nature, allowing them to breathe underwater. This gift would allow them to dwell in Her domain beneath the waves, shielding them from death.  Elar was displeased at this "adjustment" to Her children, causing friction between the two goddesses and their followers. Many "mermaid" sightings, spanning from Lidreau, to [[Lithling Valley|Lake Lithling]], to the shores of [[Alensha]], are attributed to this transformation.
  
−
When the war ended, the ethron were beset by people seeking this heretofore unknown power. Unsure of what to do with what had once been their great secret, Lielqan's priests sought Her guidance. After a time, She made clear her mandate: She would extend this protection, standing between souls and the Dragon for any sapient being, so long as Her faithful asked. She would not be able to do so for those whose time had truly come, nor for those whose souls were so battle-frayed that the memory of form could not be created, but she made no further requirements than that. This came as a point of some distress to early delegations who would come to beg that none intercede for this enemy or that. Lielqan's verdict was clear: it did not matter who it was, what they had done, or might go on to do, so long as the Dragon was being thwarted in that particular moment.
+
The second was not revealed until the age following the [[War of Night]]. While no one doubts the valor and strength of the ethron who battled the [[shuddeni]] in [[Qilarn]], strange stories began to circulate from the refugees of Var Bandor who had found shelter among them. According to these witnesses, the ethron barely suffered any losses, despite spectacular bloodshed at the claws of demonkind. This, they said, was because Lielqani priests could restore the spirits of the fallen into new, living bodies.  The notion sent shockwaves through Avendarian survivors, and soon the ethron were beset by foreigners.
  
−
The knowledge of how to beg this intercession since remained solidly with Lielqani priests; while they willingly teach those of other faiths, the means of imparting this ability has remained solidly with the Lielqani. This has proven a great boon for the continuing sovereignty of the various ethron peoples, possessing as they do a knowledge critical to so many people that cannot be taken away from them or forced to ill purpose.  
+
In time, Lielqan made Her mandate clear: She would act as as an intercessor for any mortal dead, so long as Her faithful asked.  The scope of her protection, of course, has limits; but the very possibility of snatching a soul back from the jaws of the Dragon caused both distress and adulation.  It would not be long before Lielqani priests imbued those of other faiths with the ability to recall the dead.  However, the capacity to impart this ability has remained within Her priesthood. In the modern era, it has helped to ensure the sovereignty of the ethron race, possessing as they do a gnosis which cannot be stolen or perverted by others.
  
 
==Goals and Methods==
 
==Goals and Methods==
−
Lielqan stands at boundaries great and small: the Sea of Lidreau is Hers, being the great western border to the continent, and sailors and fishers both make offerings to Her before putting out to sea. Those who do not return from overboard are said to have not appeased Her, and those whom she spits back up are favored by Her; it is said She particularly smiles upon the victims of shipwrecks. Similarly, She holds at the place between life and death, where a soul has been liberated from the body but before the Dragon claims it. She, more than any other deity, stands in absolute direct opposition to Ashur, snatching life from the literal jaws of death. Only when she is no longer willing or able to intercede any longer does the Dragon get its due.
+
Lielqan does not so much set boundaries as act as a intermediary between them.  This places Her at crucial junctions, where a steady, impartial hand is necessary, such as between a sailor and the sea, or a spirit between life and death. Countless lives have passed through Her fingers in the modern era alone, and without judgment, She has led them onward, or returned them to their lives to soldier on. While compassionate in Her own way, Her detachment makes Her little-loved overall, especially outside of ethron circles. She seems impervious to this lack of sapient affection, as She shows no sign of stopping. Only when She can no longer shepherd the fallen does the Dragon get Its due.
  
−
Because of this, Her compassion is boundless, but it is cold, tempered by the millions of lives that have passed through Her fingers. She looks at all beings as individuals, rather than as parts of systems, and makes no judgement at all as to their worth as a person. For all of these reasons She is little loved despite everything; it seems not to matter, for She shows no signs of stopping.
+
There is only one way in which Lielqan deviates from Her absolute neutrality, which is that She refuses to intercede for the any manner of undead.  Such creatures, willing or no, are fated to return to their dreadful creator. Their mere existence, She holds, is a contradiction of Her most cherished edict; to Lielqan, Her primary goal is to oppose Tzet-Askhari by preserving the life that It despises. Otherwise, She is not a jealous goddess-- She will restore the most valorous of [[ch'taren]] and the cruelest shuddeni without a hint of hesitation.  To Her, all mortals are individuals rather than systems, but their particular value to the world at large is not Her concern.
−
 
+
−
Lielqan deviates in only one way from Her absolute neutrality, making a single requirement of those she cares for: She does not intercede for the undead, even those who still retain their minds. This, She holds, is an utter violation of life itself, and She absolutely turns Her back on anyone who undertakes such an enterprise. Otherwise, She is not a jealous god; water magi who recall the memory of a spirit into the body or bind a soul back into its place trouble Her not at all, and She intercedes for both the kindest ch'taren and cruelest shuddeni without hesitation.
+
  
 
==Organizations and Followings==
 
==Organizations and Followings==
−
While Lielqan personally absents Herself from any mortal dispute, She does not make such requirements of Her followers\; they may be of any alignment so long as there is a neutral component, and so long as they stand for Her values. Some of Her largest sects are:
+
While Lielqan personally absents Herself from any mortal dispute, She does not make such requirements of Her followers; they may be of any alignment so long as there is a neutral component, and so long as they stand for Her values. Some of Her largest sects are:
  
 
=====The Sisterhood of Aanqa=====
 
=====The Sisterhood of Aanqa=====
 
''"Lielqan does not judge. I do."''
 
''"Lielqan does not judge. I do."''
  
−
A closely-knit coalition exclusively made up of women, the Sisterhood of Aanqa have taken it upon themselves to lighten Lielqan's load to some extent. Historically they are a group of infiltrators and assassins, who seek out and eliminate targets who are likely to cause more deaths as a result of being where they are. Lielqan will still intercede for the souls who ask, but at times all that is needed is to remove someone for only that long. The earliest ethron Sisters crafted deadly poisons using bounty from both land and sea, and used to brutal effect. An individual Sister's methodology is given a great deal of leeway: she is free to focus on whomever she personally feels to be the most deadly to the largest number of people. The modern Sister might come from any walk of life or schooling, making them all the more deadly.
+
Exclusively composed of women, the closely-knit coalition known as the Sisterhood of Aanqa have taken it upon themselves to lighten some of Lielqan's burden. Historically, they have been known as infiltrators or assassins, who seek out and eliminate targets who are likely to bring death to those around them.  This may be an act of mercy, such as killing the infectious victim of a dreaded illness, or it may be the proactive murder of one who kills others frequently. Poison is often a weapon of choice for the Sisters, as it is both swift and used to brutal effect. An individual Sister's methodology is given a great deal of leeway; she has wide discretion into who (or what) she feels to be the most deadly to the largest number of people. The Sisterhood favors ethron but not overwhelmingly, and draws from all guilds, making them as diverse as they are dangerous.
  
 
=====The Boundary-Keepers=====
 
=====The Boundary-Keepers=====
 
''"When the end comes, I will be here with you."''
 
''"When the end comes, I will be here with you."''
  
−
Someone must always watch the borders. This is the place of the Boundary-Keepers, who witness the fates of the dead and dying. Many will take written records of the events they see, while others will compose songs for the memories of the fallen. They tend to take little part in conflicts, but their tendencies to seek out the greatest tragedies and most dangerous situations often force them to take action, either by external forces or their own consciences. They often find themselves working with Chadraln's faithful in both preserving records or looking for fortuitous events to observe, but their morbid nature is just as likely to force them to work alone. In particular, the Vaialan Zseania Saxeitu find them philosophically distasteful, for they concern themselves so little with the hearts of the living left behind. Bards are the most common Keepers, and often sing the old myths as well as the new tragedies.
+
Someone must experience the most dire of mortal circumstances, and such is the realm of the Boundary-Keepers.  They have been known to act as final witnesses to the dying, and to seek out the greatest struggles and tragedies in their respective eras. In either case, it is they who compose the dismal songs or stories which will be retold for generations. Their melancholy interests make them intriguing to some and repellent to others, providing them with further fuel for their creative or historical whims.  This can put them in concert, or conflict, with [[Chadraln]]'s faithful, who tend to favor impartial, scholarly descriptions of people or events. Similarly, they may chafe at the behavior of the [[Vaialos|Vaialan]] faith, who often put a hopeful face onto tragic circumstances. Bards are the most common of this sect, given their flair for emotion and performance.
  
 
=====The Intercessors=====
 
=====The Intercessors=====
 
''"One life or a thousand, it's all the same!"''
 
''"One life or a thousand, it's all the same!"''
  
−
Some stand for life, in all its forms. The Intercessors follow in Lielqan's footsteps, trying most directly to save lives. Some will do this at great personal risk\; many a water-mage has had her powers stricken from her because she felt the perpetrators of some dark deeds were in need of healing. Those who do so under Lielqan's aegis have some measure of protection, so long as they are not irredemably corrupted by any such associations. Nor do the Intercessors only aid the wicked: they stand for the weak and the righteous as well, if there is need. What matters is that life be preserved, that the Dragon be denied another victory on this day. Water scholars and templars are the most common to seek the Intercessors, but so too do swordmasters and others who are willing and able to place their life on the line for others.
+
Some, like Lielqan Herself, defend life in all of its forms. The Intercessors try most directly to save lives, even if it means that comes at great personal or spiritual risk.  This may lead them to travel with adventurers on deadly missions to far-flung places, or more realistically, to put them alongside the least appreciated of Avendar's sapients. Healing the wicked is perilous without Lielqan's aegis, but those who serve the Sunset are usually able to walk that line without punishment. An Intercessor acts impartially, offering their talents to whoever they believe is in the most imminent need; in this way, they, too, deny the Dragon Its ultimate victory. Water scholars and templars are the most likely to choose the life of an Intercessor, but any who are willing to place their lives on the line for others on principle alone might find a place within.
  
 
==Individual Followers==
 
==Individual Followers==
−
Lielqan's followers are seen everywhere throughout modern society\; they tend altars and keep records, heal the sick, and perform funerals for the truly dead. Few are eager to see one of Lielqan's chosen\; many consider it a sign of bad luck or impending doom, but they are rarely the cause of any ill fate themselves. Her chosen are frequently both diplomats and high advisors in the various ethron clans, and are known as a source of sound, if generally unpleasant advice. Many elderly ethron, particularly women, will find themselves seeking out the Inevitable's favour late in life, and it is known that She smiles more gently on the old than the young. Her younger followers are known for some daring feats-- a small cult has formed up of those who hunt the largest and most dangerous of predators\; whales and sharks both are frequent targets for seabound ethron, and lions for those on land. Her followers have a reputation for being grim, with dark senses of gallows-humour, but this is at least a little bit undeserved.
+
Lielqan's disciples know no particular identity, in that much of what they do is governed by their individual conscience.  They may be daring and bold, hunting great predators such as sharks or lions; they may be quiet and reserved, ministering to the afflicted and dying; or they may be flamboyant or brooding, penning or singing the darkest of tales. However, their devotion to the natural, inalienable value of life is unwavering. They often consider mortal experiences to be particularly fascinating, as they highlight the highs and lows that make living so worth saving. Inevitably, they despise necromancers and their undead, as these abominations are a shallow mockery of what sapient life represents.  Because of Lielqan's cold and somewhat morbid nature, this is reflected in Her chosen, who, while rarely evil, tend to have a wry or dismal outlook on the world at large.
  
−
Her direct worship is most common among ethron clans rather than in the great cities, but any who keeps an altar of resurrection will know Lielqani rites. Adventurers come from all walks of life and most races, with no particular need to hold themselves apart from conflict. The Champions think poorly of Lielqan's insistence on resurrecting anyone regardless of their moral character and refuse Lielqani applicants, and Lielqan herself would brook no follower of Hers attempting to join the Shunned, patronized by the Dragon Itself as that dread House is. More casual associations are wholly permissible on all sides. Bards, assassins, water scholars and templars are common among her followers, and she has an unusual care for ethron students of Void, who stand so close to the brink themselves. All followers, regardless of alignment, are expected to stand firm against the corruption of the undead.
+
Her followers are seen throughout modern society, from the most remote ethron village to the largest of cosmopolitan city-states. They perform many functions, including tending altars and keeping records; healing the sick or wounded; performing funeral rites for those Lielqan did not return; and, of course, resurrecting apparitions before they become shades.  Her chosen are frequently both diplomats and high advisors within ethron clans, as they tend to be sources of sound, if unpleasant, advice. Sailors, in particular, seek the favor of Lielqan and Her chosen, as they know Her as the arbiter of whether they return from Her oceanic domain, or perish in the deep.  In the realm of adventurers, Her following is barred from the [[Champion|Champions of Avendar]] and the [[Shunned|Coven of the Shunned]], limiting their impact on the Great Houses. Bards, assassins, druids, and Water magi are typical followers of Lielqan, but She is known to have an unusual care for ethron Void casters, existing as they do so close to the Dragon's jaws.
 +
 
 +
Those who find favor with Lielqan are marked with the Sigil of the Sunset.
  
 
==Relationships==
 
==Relationships==
−
Lielqan has few true allies. Her relationships with the other ethron deities are strained\; Elar does not appreciate Her meddling with the ethron, and Nariel resents that Lielqan once thwarted a bold plan to steal death itself from the jaws of the Dragon. Despite this, they are frequently depicted together, and countless mythologies are sung in ethron clanhouses across the world. Otherwise, most gods appreciate that She allows their followers a chance to persist, and are willing to deal with the fact that She does the same for their enemies. Rveyelhi thinks very little of Her willingness to raise the chaotic, and hardly thinks it worth the gain, but even He reaps the benefits. Jolinn at least tacitly approves of Lielqan's thumb to the eye of the dragon\; surely He could stop her if he so chose, and His priestess Falcia was one of the very first non-Lielqani to learn the rites. If she has a direct ally at all, she is often directly linked with Chadraln, who has similar scholarly interests. Those faithful to the aelin deities are often known to appreciate Her, finding Her tragedies deeply aesthetically appealing.
+
Lielqan has few true allies. Her relationships within the ethron deific triad are strained at best; Elar does not appreciate Her interference with the form of Her children, and Nariel resents that She once thwarted a bold plan to steal death itself from the clutches of Tzet-Askhari. Despite this, they are frequently depicted together, and countless myths and legends are sung in ethron clanhouses throughout Avendar.  Most deities are neutral on the subject of Lielqan, in that She offers additional time to their followers as well as their enemies. [[Jolinn]] at least tacitly approves of Lielqan, not only in that He allows Her to govern the transition between mortal life and everlasting oblivion, but that He has granted Her some governance over Water magic. If She has any direct ally, it is likely Chadraln, as Her willingness to give mortals additional time helps lead to the interesting future that He seeks.  Aelin deities have muted appreciation for Her, mostly because they find Her tragedies deeply aesthetically appealing.
  
−
She has a particular distaste for Sitheus, architect of necromancy, and charges Her followers to strike out against His works at every opportunity. The Forsaken one seems little concerned by this\; She is not a particular source of His ire, for the moment at least. Enirra is likely Her greatest direct enemy: the Herald of Reversal considers Lielqan's refusal to consider greater implications to Her intercessions to be an absolute perversion of the balance. Lielqan, predictably, does not care. Above all other gods, Lielqan despises Ashur, the cause of all death. What It thinks of Her is unknowable, but not even She can keep the Dragon from getting its due in the end. All she can do is stave off the inevitable.
+
The most important relationships that Lielqan has are with [[Sitheus]], [[Enirra]], and Ashur.  As the architect of necromancy and its largest deific proponent, Lielqan charges Her followers with striking out at His creations at every opportunity. This relationship, however, is quite one-sided, in that the Dispossessed seems disinterested in Her at best, focused as He is on [[Sythrak]] and [[Fenthira]]. Enirra is likely Her greatest direct enemy; the Herald considers Her refusal to judge the impact of individuals She returns an absolute perversion of cosmic balance. Perhaps predictably, Lielqan is unconcerned by that argument and dismisses it. Above all, Lielqan despises Ashur, the source of all death. What It thinks of Her is unknowable, but not even She can permanently prevent It from devouring sapient lives.
  
 
==Shrines, Sigils, and Mobs==
 
==Shrines, Sigils, and Mobs==
  
 
=====Rooms=====
 
=====Rooms=====
−
:'''Somewhere''' (vnum x)
+
:'''A Cave Adorned With Bones''' (vnum 19215)
  
 
=====Sigils=====
 
=====Sigils=====
−
:'''Tier 1 - Something''' (vnum x)
+
:'''Tier 1 - the Sigil of the Sunset''' (vnum 1207)
−
:* AC 0/0/0/0
+
:* AC 10/5/5/20
 +
:* Strength +2
 +
:* Wisdom +3
 +
:* HP +20
 +
:* Move +20
 +
:* Verb prog p: ''invoke sigil'' - [[Glyph of Sunset]] (When available, 1 round activation lag)
 +
:* Fight prog 3: [[Holy Water]] (character's level)
  
 
=====Mobs=====
 
=====Mobs=====
−
:[[Someone]] (vnum x) -
+
:[[Bellaqe]] (vnum 8227) - Lielqani priest at the entrance to the Gogothi catacombs
 +
:[[Elele]] (vnum 19116) - Sisterhood of Aanqa void templar
 +
:[[Areqet]] (vnum 19117) - Sisterhood of Aanqa druid
 +
:[[Teisa]] (vnum 19118) - Sisterhood of Aanqa psionicist
 +
:[[Qelari]] (vnum 19119) - Sisterhood of Aanqa healer
 +
:[[Kigaota]] (vnum 19120) - Sisterhood of Aanqa assassin
 +
:[[Eqela]] (vnum 19156) - Turtle totem task-giver
  
 
=====God Mark=====
 
=====God Mark=====
−
:You notice [he|she] seems particularly vivacious.
+
:You notice [his|her] lips have a faint blue tint.
 +
:''Bonus bite damage; ignore Gamaloth domain modifiers to natural healing''
  
 
==Notes, Logs, and Other Documents==
 
==Notes, Logs, and Other Documents==
 
(Fill this in)
 
(Fill this in)
 +
 +
=====Helps=====
 +
:None
 +
 +
=====Lore=====
 +
:[[A befanged ebony staff (lore)]]
 +
:[[Some fanged sharkskin gloves (lore)]]
 +
:[[The flaming dagger, "Sunrise" (lore)]]
 +
:[[The burning dagger, "Sunset" (lore)]]
  
 
=====Logs=====
 
=====Logs=====
 +
:None
  
−
[[category:Gods]][[category:Incomplete]]
+
[[category:Gods]]

Latest revision as of 09:31, 11 April 2019

Overview
Favored Race Ethron
Element(s) Water, Nature
Home(s) Beneath the Sunset Sea (vnum x)
Alignment True Neutral
Symbol(s) A setting sun, a shark's tooth
Portfolio Mortality, surrender, fate, rebirth, hard truths, boundaries
Worshippers Truthsayers, sailors, the dying, impartial witnesses, intercessors

History in Avendar

For the young ethron race, the Sea of Lidreau represented many things: a source of food, of salt, and the home of the westerly breeze. It formed an absolute boundary-- nothing that ventured far into its depths returned, save the sun. Every evening it sank into the ocean, and every morning it rose again in the east. They named it Lielqan, derived from an ancient ethron phrase meaning "one who returns". The choppy waves became Her domain, and none dared question Her dominion over it.

Due to the nature of ethron oral histories, Her origin is disputed between clans. In some tales, She is Kyana's sister; in others, her daughter. Some describe Her as Elar's mother, while others believe She is the first ethron, shaped by the All-Mother Herself. These contradictions are at times woven into the same myth, asserting some, or all, to be simultaneously true. The tales do, however, agree on a few ideas: that she may be the oldest living being on the Prime Material, and that She stands between sapient life and the oblivion of Tzet-Askhari.

The oldest stories in ethron folklore describe Her as a grim harbinger. In such myths, she would emerge from the depths of the sea to gather the dead or dying. Although they did not consider Her malicious, She remained an ill-omen; Her coming meant that death was close among them. This has made Her place in their collective consciousness a cold one, and one given less affection than Elar or Nariel. However, She is responsible for two important gifts to the ethron as a whole, both of which changed the course of their racial history.

The first came during the War of Fire. While Elar bid the ethron to simply move away from the vast destruction sweeping the known world, not all were able to perform such a sudden and massive exodus. Lielqan offered them a new possibility: She altered their nature, allowing them to breathe underwater. This gift would allow them to dwell in Her domain beneath the waves, shielding them from death. Elar was displeased at this "adjustment" to Her children, causing friction between the two goddesses and their followers. Many "mermaid" sightings, spanning from Lidreau, to Lake Lithling, to the shores of Alensha, are attributed to this transformation.

The second was not revealed until the age following the War of Night. While no one doubts the valor and strength of the ethron who battled the shuddeni in Qilarn, strange stories began to circulate from the refugees of Var Bandor who had found shelter among them. According to these witnesses, the ethron barely suffered any losses, despite spectacular bloodshed at the claws of demonkind. This, they said, was because Lielqani priests could restore the spirits of the fallen into new, living bodies. The notion sent shockwaves through Avendarian survivors, and soon the ethron were beset by foreigners.

In time, Lielqan made Her mandate clear: She would act as as an intercessor for any mortal dead, so long as Her faithful asked. The scope of her protection, of course, has limits; but the very possibility of snatching a soul back from the jaws of the Dragon caused both distress and adulation. It would not be long before Lielqani priests imbued those of other faiths with the ability to recall the dead. However, the capacity to impart this ability has remained within Her priesthood. In the modern era, it has helped to ensure the sovereignty of the ethron race, possessing as they do a gnosis which cannot be stolen or perverted by others.

Goals and Methods

Lielqan does not so much set boundaries as act as a intermediary between them. This places Her at crucial junctions, where a steady, impartial hand is necessary, such as between a sailor and the sea, or a spirit between life and death. Countless lives have passed through Her fingers in the modern era alone, and without judgment, She has led them onward, or returned them to their lives to soldier on. While compassionate in Her own way, Her detachment makes Her little-loved overall, especially outside of ethron circles. She seems impervious to this lack of sapient affection, as She shows no sign of stopping. Only when She can no longer shepherd the fallen does the Dragon get Its due.

There is only one way in which Lielqan deviates from Her absolute neutrality, which is that She refuses to intercede for the any manner of undead. Such creatures, willing or no, are fated to return to their dreadful creator. Their mere existence, She holds, is a contradiction of Her most cherished edict; to Lielqan, Her primary goal is to oppose Tzet-Askhari by preserving the life that It despises. Otherwise, She is not a jealous goddess-- She will restore the most valorous of ch'taren and the cruelest shuddeni without a hint of hesitation. To Her, all mortals are individuals rather than systems, but their particular value to the world at large is not Her concern.

Organizations and Followings

While Lielqan personally absents Herself from any mortal dispute, She does not make such requirements of Her followers; they may be of any alignment so long as there is a neutral component, and so long as they stand for Her values. Some of Her largest sects are:

The Sisterhood of Aanqa

"Lielqan does not judge. I do."

Exclusively composed of women, the closely-knit coalition known as the Sisterhood of Aanqa have taken it upon themselves to lighten some of Lielqan's burden. Historically, they have been known as infiltrators or assassins, who seek out and eliminate targets who are likely to bring death to those around them. This may be an act of mercy, such as killing the infectious victim of a dreaded illness, or it may be the proactive murder of one who kills others frequently. Poison is often a weapon of choice for the Sisters, as it is both swift and used to brutal effect. An individual Sister's methodology is given a great deal of leeway; she has wide discretion into who (or what) she feels to be the most deadly to the largest number of people. The Sisterhood favors ethron but not overwhelmingly, and draws from all guilds, making them as diverse as they are dangerous.

The Boundary-Keepers

"When the end comes, I will be here with you."

Someone must experience the most dire of mortal circumstances, and such is the realm of the Boundary-Keepers. They have been known to act as final witnesses to the dying, and to seek out the greatest struggles and tragedies in their respective eras. In either case, it is they who compose the dismal songs or stories which will be retold for generations. Their melancholy interests make them intriguing to some and repellent to others, providing them with further fuel for their creative or historical whims. This can put them in concert, or conflict, with Chadraln's faithful, who tend to favor impartial, scholarly descriptions of people or events. Similarly, they may chafe at the behavior of the Vaialan faith, who often put a hopeful face onto tragic circumstances. Bards are the most common of this sect, given their flair for emotion and performance.

The Intercessors

"One life or a thousand, it's all the same!"

Some, like Lielqan Herself, defend life in all of its forms. The Intercessors try most directly to save lives, even if it means that comes at great personal or spiritual risk. This may lead them to travel with adventurers on deadly missions to far-flung places, or more realistically, to put them alongside the least appreciated of Avendar's sapients. Healing the wicked is perilous without Lielqan's aegis, but those who serve the Sunset are usually able to walk that line without punishment. An Intercessor acts impartially, offering their talents to whoever they believe is in the most imminent need; in this way, they, too, deny the Dragon Its ultimate victory. Water scholars and templars are the most likely to choose the life of an Intercessor, but any who are willing to place their lives on the line for others on principle alone might find a place within.

Individual Followers

Lielqan's disciples know no particular identity, in that much of what they do is governed by their individual conscience. They may be daring and bold, hunting great predators such as sharks or lions; they may be quiet and reserved, ministering to the afflicted and dying; or they may be flamboyant or brooding, penning or singing the darkest of tales. However, their devotion to the natural, inalienable value of life is unwavering. They often consider mortal experiences to be particularly fascinating, as they highlight the highs and lows that make living so worth saving. Inevitably, they despise necromancers and their undead, as these abominations are a shallow mockery of what sapient life represents. Because of Lielqan's cold and somewhat morbid nature, this is reflected in Her chosen, who, while rarely evil, tend to have a wry or dismal outlook on the world at large.

Her followers are seen throughout modern society, from the most remote ethron village to the largest of cosmopolitan city-states. They perform many functions, including tending altars and keeping records; healing the sick or wounded; performing funeral rites for those Lielqan did not return; and, of course, resurrecting apparitions before they become shades. Her chosen are frequently both diplomats and high advisors within ethron clans, as they tend to be sources of sound, if unpleasant, advice. Sailors, in particular, seek the favor of Lielqan and Her chosen, as they know Her as the arbiter of whether they return from Her oceanic domain, or perish in the deep. In the realm of adventurers, Her following is barred from the Champions of Avendar and the Coven of the Shunned, limiting their impact on the Great Houses. Bards, assassins, druids, and Water magi are typical followers of Lielqan, but She is known to have an unusual care for ethron Void casters, existing as they do so close to the Dragon's jaws.

Those who find favor with Lielqan are marked with the Sigil of the Sunset.

Relationships

Lielqan has few true allies. Her relationships within the ethron deific triad are strained at best; Elar does not appreciate Her interference with the form of Her children, and Nariel resents that She once thwarted a bold plan to steal death itself from the clutches of Tzet-Askhari. Despite this, they are frequently depicted together, and countless myths and legends are sung in ethron clanhouses throughout Avendar. Most deities are neutral on the subject of Lielqan, in that She offers additional time to their followers as well as their enemies. Jolinn at least tacitly approves of Lielqan, not only in that He allows Her to govern the transition between mortal life and everlasting oblivion, but that He has granted Her some governance over Water magic. If She has any direct ally, it is likely Chadraln, as Her willingness to give mortals additional time helps lead to the interesting future that He seeks. Aelin deities have muted appreciation for Her, mostly because they find Her tragedies deeply aesthetically appealing.

The most important relationships that Lielqan has are with Sitheus, Enirra, and Ashur. As the architect of necromancy and its largest deific proponent, Lielqan charges Her followers with striking out at His creations at every opportunity. This relationship, however, is quite one-sided, in that the Dispossessed seems disinterested in Her at best, focused as He is on Sythrak and Fenthira. Enirra is likely Her greatest direct enemy; the Herald considers Her refusal to judge the impact of individuals She returns an absolute perversion of cosmic balance. Perhaps predictably, Lielqan is unconcerned by that argument and dismisses it. Above all, Lielqan despises Ashur, the source of all death. What It thinks of Her is unknowable, but not even She can permanently prevent It from devouring sapient lives.

Shrines, Sigils, and Mobs

Rooms
A Cave Adorned With Bones (vnum 19215)
Sigils
Tier 1 - the Sigil of the Sunset (vnum 1207)
  • AC 10/5/5/20
  • Strength +2
  • Wisdom +3
  • HP +20
  • Move +20
  • Verb prog p: invoke sigil - Glyph of Sunset (When available, 1 round activation lag)
  • Fight prog 3: Holy Water (character's level)
Mobs
Bellaqe (vnum 8227) - Lielqani priest at the entrance to the Gogothi catacombs
Elele (vnum 19116) - Sisterhood of Aanqa void templar
Areqet (vnum 19117) - Sisterhood of Aanqa druid
Teisa (vnum 19118) - Sisterhood of Aanqa psionicist
Qelari (vnum 19119) - Sisterhood of Aanqa healer
Kigaota (vnum 19120) - Sisterhood of Aanqa assassin
Eqela (vnum 19156) - Turtle totem task-giver
God Mark
You notice [his|her] lips have a faint blue tint.
Bonus bite damage; ignore Gamaloth domain modifiers to natural healing

Notes, Logs, and Other Documents

(Fill this in)

Helps
None
Lore
A befanged ebony staff (lore)
Some fanged sharkskin gloves (lore)
The flaming dagger, "Sunrise" (lore)
The burning dagger, "Sunset" (lore)
Logs
None
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