Lilune

Overview
Favored Race	Human
Element(s)	Air, Void
Home(s)	A Tempestuous Dreamscape
Alignment	Neutral Evil
Symbol(s)	A full moon, both red and silver
Portfolio	Curiosity, inspiration, progress, illusion, enervation, wonder
Worshippers	Wanderers, inventors, alchemists, berserkers, ...

History in Avendar

The roots of Lilune's following date back to the earliest of recorded history, stemming from stories of ancient human mystics speaking of visions of a dark-haired woman whispering words on the edge of hearing to them. Of those who recovered from the visions little is known, but fragments remain speaking of madmen drawing frantically upon any surface, even opening their own veins to capture the sight, or of the touched tearing off their clothes and dashing into the wilderness, never to be seen again. The earliest heiroglyphic writing can be tenuously traced to one who recovered from one of these fever-dreams, though the original markings in charcoal and blood have obviously not survived.

Some of the more coherent accounts speak of words coming from the faces of the moons, the silver face driving those who have seen it to build, to gather with the other tribes, to assemble something greater; the red brought words of destruction, driving the need to spill blood, any blood to sate that powerful lust.

It was not until the humans made contact with the aelin that a name was given to this driving force-- Lilune, in the hopes that the invocation of Her bright face would pacify Her and protect Her victims.

Accounts after that point become scattered and difficult to trace. Some have claimed that generals in the War of Fire followed some mad inspiration to make assaults upon the rampaging srryn, leading to both glorious, unexpected victories, and violent, crushing defeats.

Many exploratory expeditions have been accompanied by dedicants of Lilune, seeking to uncover the mysteries of the world. A priestess of Lilune is documented to have accompanied Kaagn's expeditions beneath the earth, eventually uncovering the shuddeni. Less verifiably, popular mythology amongst the Aklaju in Earendam holds this woman as the first human Void scholar, and one of the founding members of their dread Conclave.

More fanciful accounts name Kaagn inspired by Lilune himself, architecting the dread Trap of Valandas at Her whim. While the jaws of history remain shut on his motivations and those struck by his terrifying betrayal are naturally inclined to apply some reason to the damage done, his meteoric ascent and sudden (literal) fall both well within the modus operandi of the devoted of the Enchantress.

Since the War of Night, Lilune's activities have faded from the limelight-- some have poetically named Her waning as a sign of the fall of the Republic. But her faithful have always remained, albeit in small numbers, and all remember that the moon always returns, as brightly as ever before.

Goals and Methods

Lilune's exact desires appear to be as capricious as the moons she is named for. Her most overt actions have been known for changing the fabric of the circumstances during which they occurred-- driving the early humans to explore and build, and Kaagn's devastating actions during the War of Night stand out sharply amongst many of these.

But the dynamic and movements of an individual human mind seem just as much of interest to Her as well. While not a patron of the arts Herself, many of those She has touched have expressed at least some of the inspiration She has flooded them with through the arts, creating many of the most striking pieces of artwork in a given movement. She chooses her victims expertly and wrings them dry, extracting the whole of their talents and shaping brilliant work, be it the tide of battle, a business agreement, or a daring expedition where few or none have treaded before.

Above all else, what Lilune cannot abide is waste. This should not be confused as disdain for opulence, for Lilune is popular amongst the wealthy and debauched, but Lilune requires that every ounce of flesh be used, the marrow sucked dry; the only thing cast aside being an empty, useless husk.

Inevitably, all of Lilune's victims are driven to achieve something greater than they would be otherwise, and whether that be for good or ill, it matters not in the least to Her. What Lilune loves best is that single moment of fragile beauty, in the last moment before it shatters-- a night-blooming flower with dawn on the horizon, the last sparks of a dying flame, the final gasp of breath before all life flees; the perfect moment where the fool stands, one foot poised over the edge of the cliff, a breath away from going over.

Organizations and Followings

Lilune's followers do not organize themselves into formalized sects, but her favour does follow distinct patterns over time. Sometimes one seeks to be kissed by the moons, and sometimes one is kissed. And sometimes her attention is forced upon one, who will be held fast in her grip until her whim leaves.

Group 1

"some quote"

Some of them want to use you. Those who actively follow Lilune, seeking Her favour. They feel a call to act, to do, to create. They engage in daring ventures, and act boldly to advance whatever causes they espouse (a house, or another matter, etc. raider or shunned are both open; guardian is hesitant to accept a follower of such a capricious deity but if they prove themself it would be permissible, or they could simply serve as a hanger-on). The ideal face of the moons, charismatic and an infectious joie de vivre.

Group 2

"some quote"

Some of them want to get used by you. Those who are chosen by Lilune, given Her favour (which they may or may not seek of their own volition). Inspired to create, to great acts, to build, to achieve something new. An artist taken hold of for a single great work, an aging warrior given a burst of strength for one last battle. Miracle-makers. The bright face of the moon.

Group 3

"some quote"

Some of them want to be abused. The ones who are gripped tight in Lilune's grip, driven to blood, to destroy. Lilune's toys, who she drives mad with her touch. Human barbarians; berserkers, those who would burn the world to ashes so the others might create a new, perfect creation in its place. The artist so driven that lacking paint and canvas, he opens his veins and paints his masterwork on the wall in his own blood. The mad, red face of the moon.

Individual Followers

All of Lilune's followers court madness, but hers is not the degenerate, consuming madness of Alil, to whom self-destruction is a desired inevitability. The force of Lilune's capricious touch rather drives the one touched by it to rid their minds of it, to express it all in a glorious burst; a torrential river where the moon-kissed must cling to whatever they can find in the hopes of surviving to reach the end of it. At better times, her followers are quick and intelligent, filled with vivacity few associate with the darker paths. They drink deeply of life, taking what they desire of it and squeezing it dry. As adventurers, they form communities, spurring their companions on to explore deeper, stretch to kill more daring foes, to achieve acts many would deem impossible.

When the glow of the moons fades from them, however, they are known for being dark and brooding; emptied of all that has made them great, and yearning for that druglike kiss once more. Lilune's faithful are typically difficult nuts for opposing evangelicals to crack; they have the capacity to be happy in their choices that few would comprehend, and even when emptied dry, there is little other than those all-consuming wonders which can grant them fulfilment once more. Lilune's touch may come to members of any race, though ch'taren lack the darker movements of the soul which sing to Lilune, and the caladaran lack the drive to build which fascinates her.

Those whom Lilune deems worthy of her touch are marked with a sigil of a full moon; the shade thereof is a matter of pure whim.

Relationships

Lilune's relationships with other deities are often complex, and can rarely be distilled to a single matter of like and dislike. Alil finds rare common ground with Lilune's madness-inducing charges, and Tzajai delights in Her caprice, but the intense focus which She bestows upon Her victims ensures the attentions of neither of those deities run parallel to Lilune's for long. While her drive to build, expand, and create is often relevant to the interests of the gods of Law, on the whole they find her whimsical nature unreliable and untrustworthy. Jalassa in particular cannot abide her absence of discipline, all the more for that it is a choice and not a matter of uncontrollable insanity like Alil's. Gods of the light in general condemn Lilune's ways; while many of her works have served the greater good, even those come at too high a price for any to countenance.

While no god of nature thinks highly of Lilune and her civilized ways, Khanval harbours a special hatred for this symbol of Earendamian expansionism. While Dolgrael's Challengers often provide amusement for Lilune, with their endless challenges touching upon the unknown, on the whole She finds he and the faith stodgy and dull. Serachel provides a point of both alliance and rivalry; where her own nature touches upon the Dreamlands as well, the two often find common cause in spreading their particular debauched form of enlightenment. In the end, however, neither can abide encroachment upon their interests, and what alliances they form are often fraught with veiled plans to knife the other in the back.

Shrines and Sigils

(Here is where we will put a list of shrine locations (as many deities have altars in multiple places, even if they do have a dedicated shrine). In the case of a dedicated shrine, the area name and the vnum range should be listed.)

Rooms

(For sigils, if tiered, they should be divided by tier. After the name of each sigil, the effects of that sigil in terms of stats and progs should be listed as well. This should give a staff member considering a brand a reference as to what exactly they are giving the mortal in question. If no available sigils are appropriate for the role of the character in question and they still meet the criteria for being part of the religion, it may also serve to highlight if a new sigil is required.)

Related Logs and Other Documents

Helps

Ancient Lilune help file (5/2/1999)