Ehlonna

Ehlonna is a goddess in the world of Athas. She is one of nineteen such deities to be counted among the Pantheonic Religion. In terms of the breadth of influence, she is considered an intermediate deity, and generally is not involved the affairs of other gods unless the need is dire. She instead focuses her attention on the woodlands, animals and the nuturing aspects of nature. Ehlonna watches over all good people who live in harmony with nature, those who love the woodlands or those who make their livlihood from it. 
==Dogma==
Ehlonna is a nature deity whose influence is in line with the nurturing aspects of nature, plant life and animals. She teaches that mortals should live in peace and harmony with the wilds and the beasts who call the wilds their home. Unlike the church of Obad-Hai and other nature deities, the church does not believe that utilizing nature for survival, such as hunting, farming or logging, is wrong. However. Ehlonna does teach that we should each only take as much from nature as we need and no more. The bounty of nature is a gift and should be cherished and appreciated, rather than treated as a tool or a treasure to be looted and abused. Those who take more than they need will be punished in the end. 
The bare essentials in life are more important than any other trappings, such as material wealth or possessions. The beasts and plant life of the world make do with only what they need to survive and they are content and at peace. Ehlonna teaches that we should emulate them and learn to find wisdom and happiness through harmony with nature.
All living things should take care of each other, be they mortals, animals or even plants. As beasts and plants provide mortalkind with food, shelter and clothing, so, too should we look after and provide for the others. Mortalkind are the stewards of the natural world and it is our responsibility to care for nature and defend it with our lives. Anything that would despoil nature or run rampant with operations that would damage it should be stopped, and poachers, polluters and the undead count themselves among Ehlonna's most hated foes. 
===Prayers===
Services to Ehlonna involve vessels of wood and horn, the playing of pipes and flutes, soft singing, poetry, the imbibing sacremental wine and the burning of various herbs. A typicaly prayer to Ehlonna usually first references two positive aspects of the follower's immediate surroundings. For example, somebody praying in a forest at sunset could begin with "Golden leaves/ And tall trees/ Shelter us this night". Prayers spoken by elder priests sound like poetry or acapella song, and often these prayers are quite eloquent. Followers of Ehlonna favor sayings such as "May her moonlight shine upon your path" or "May your quiver never run dry". 
Rites and ceremonies take place outdoors, in nature or at night. Most cover various aspects of fertility, either agricultural or in terms of childbearing. Prayers to Ehlonna are often offered up at weddings, even if a priest of Ehlonna is not conducting the ceremony. Additionally, a couple trying to conceive often makes a small prayer to Ehlonna, in addition to the burning of various herbs, before the act of conception.
Ehlonna is also an important figure during agricultural ceremonies. It is good luck to have a priest of Ehlonna bless your field and crops before sowing or harvesting anything.  
===Domains===
As the domains of mortalkind spread both above the earth and beneath the ground, the beasts of the earth have endured. Whether in the sacred, quiet parts of the world or just outside civilization's back door, the fierce, proud animals have adapted and sought a way to survive. They are mortalkind's kindred, and it is the duty of mortals to render whatever aid they can in their struggle. The church of Ehlonna often provides shelter and food for roaming packs of dogs, sewer rats and other animals that have managed to carve their own niches out of an environment. To care for an animal is seen as an act of worship. Mortal/animal relationships are referred as "partnership", as no creature has dominion over another in the eyes of the huntress. 
In much the same way, Ehlonna cares just as much for the woodlands themselves as she does for beasts. Ehlonna loves living things, and that includes the every growing, ever evolving organisms of plant life. The most ancient trees have witnessed the passing of eons, living longer lives than even the elves. When mighty armies clash in epic battles, when civilization falls, vegetation moves in and reclaims the land. Plants have witnessed every event since the first spark of creation and like plants, Ehlonna takes a long view of the world. Ehlonna is very patient and teaches that mortals should follow their example: patience and determination in all things.
==Worshippers==
Loggers, hunters, farmers, rangers, druids, trappers and any who make their living off the land can be counted among the chiefest of the followers of Ehlonna. Any who dwell in the woods and among the trappings of nature also pay homage to Ehlonna, as do those trying to conceive children. 
Followers of Ehlonna, not just the priests, tend to be vigilant dwellers of the natural realm. Many volunteer their services protecting the woodlands against the encroachment of evil folk and all who would spoil and ravage the land.
===Clergy===
Clergy of Ehlonna usually wear serviceable garments of pale green with scarlet cloaks. Priests of Ehlonna can be found anywhere nature reigns supreme. Those who venture into dangerous regions that feature natural hazards or deadly monsters usually leave markers to warn others of the perils ahead. To define the boundries of such areas, they employ a clever series of signs, nearly undetectable by the untrained eye. They also often leave cahces of supplies in the wild for anyone to use, though those who use these supplies are expected to either leave something in return or to replace the goods as soon as possible. 
Clerics of Ehlonna are trained one-on-one with a more experienced priest and the wilds of the world are often their classroom. Even newly ordrained clerics can often tell a bird by its song or identify a tree by its leaf. The main goal of those in training is to "find the huntress in all things". 
There is no hierarchy or internal power structure in the church of Ehlonna; all clergy is considered equal and referred to as "Brother" or "Sister". While priests are expected to defer to older, more experienced priests when necessary, and to follow common sense and the tenants of Ehlonna's teachings, they are never bound to obey a command from another, save for the Huntress herself. 
===Temples===
It is said that one small shrine or temple to Ehlonna can be found every hundred miles, if one knows where to look. Temples to Ehlonna are often open-air affairs with only trees or other natural features for a roof. They are almost always camouflaged and serve as good places to find healing and shelter. Small shrines to Ehlonna are occassionally found in forest villages, but true temples are never in towns or cities. 
Rarer still are "The Lodges", which are large homes located on the wayside, not far from the roads but still close to the forest when possible. These Lodges serve not only to provide shelter and provisions for travelers, but also serve as makeshift animal sanctuaries, and fauna of many different varieties from around the area can be found there. They are utilized mainly by rangers, druids and other traveling priests of Ehlonna, who are usually the only ones who know of the Lodges location. 
===In War===
While followers of Ehlonna are generally peaceful people, preferring peace and diplomacy to violence, they can have a very ruthless streak when dealing with their enemies. They will always give their opponents a chance to surrender or cease whatever they are doing to harm nature. Should their quarry comply, then the church has no quarrel with them. Should they refuse, however, then may the gods have mercy upon them. 
Followers of Ehlonna have a particular hatred for the undead and many of their combat technqiues involve maneuvers and fighting styles developed soley for combatting the undead. As a rule, clerics favor channeling energy to harm undead, and they will almost always focus on undead targets first in a fight, moving on to others only after the last undead has fallen. Many clerics study the ancient technique of Turning Undead, a very potent ability utilized most famously by the "Dead Hunters", a specialized unit of clerics of Ehlonna dedicated soley to ridding the land of undead blights. 
Many train for hours on end to master the technique of archery, emulating the goddess' favored method of combat. Followers of Ehlonna are among the best archers in Athas, next in skill only to the elves. They tend to strike quickly and from a distance if possible. Mobility is of primary concern for them, and so they tend to eschew heavy, metal armor for lighter armor made of natural materials, such as Leather.
==Holy Days==
Followers of Ehlonna worship on Moonday nights, usually in secluded or peaceful natural areas, such as beside a river, in an isolated glade or beneath a tall oak tree. 
===Holidays===
The the only holiday dedicated to Ehlonna is the Arbor Day, otherwise known as "Earth Day". Held on 10  Lonnas, it commemorates all that Ehlonna has done for us by spending a day in the park, the forests or some other natural area and celebrating, usually through a picnic. Traditionally, a tree is planted in a community on this day every year.
==In Mythology==
Ehlonna is one of the nineteen deities to be counted among the Pantheon. According to the lore, she is the younger sister of Correllon, goddess of the elves, and the wife of Pelor, the sun god. In the Old Tales, Ehlonna is one of the gods that fought against the Primordials during the First War. After the defeat of the Titans, she was said to have developed a deep love of all living things and spent the days bathed in the sunlight, learning the names of every tree and every beast in the Material Plane. During the Grand Council, when Correllon chose the elves as her people, she also suggested that Ehlonna be the goddess of the Fey. Ehlonna refused, however, citing that she loved no one people more than another. She instead chose all living things to be within her protection and portfolio.   
She is noticably absent from much of the Old Tales, such as the Time Before Time, especially during periods wherein the gods are bickering; often she is one of the only gods not counted or represented in such scenes. This is thought to be because she cares little for the affairs of the gods. Instead, she focuses her thoughts and attention toward the material plane and toward nature, involving herself only in affairs of the utmost importance, especially those that threaten the well-being of the natural world.
Her personal avatar, and the one commonly associated with her, is a large, celestial unicorn with glowing, golden eyes who is said to speak all languages at once, at the same time. 
===Parables===
Stories and parables of Ehlonna often concern the wilds, nature and responsible use of them.
====The Giving Tree====
A very popular story among followers of Ehlonna is a story known as "The Giving Tree". It tells the story of nature's relationship to mortals: selfless love in the face of unrelenting selfishness, with the tree giving and giving to the boy until it has nothing left to give, and even then it continues to give. While at once showing the devastating effects of mortal selfishness, it also teaches us to be selfless and to give freely, like the tree. 
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"Once there was a tree....and she loved a little boy, and everyday the boy would come and he would gather her leaves, and make them into crowns and play king of the forest. He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide-and-go-seek. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree.... very much. 
And the tree was happy.
But time went by. And the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone. Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy."
"I am too big to climb and play" said the boy. "I want to buy things and have fun. I want some money?" 
"I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy." 
And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time....and the tree was sad. And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy and she said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy."
"I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm," he said. "I want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. Can you give me a house ?"
" I have no house," said the tree. "The forest is my house, but you may cut off my branches and build a
house. Then you will be happy."
And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time. And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak.
"Come, Boy," she whispered, "come and play."
"I am too old and sad to play," said the boy. "I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?"
"Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away...and be happy."
And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away.
And the tree was happy... but not really.
And after a long time the boy came back again.
"I am sorry, Boy," said the tree," but I have nothing left to give you -My apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.
"My branches are gone," said the tree. " You cannot swing on them - "
"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy.
"My trunk is gone, " said the tree. "You cannot climb - "
"I am too tired to climb" said the boy. 
"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something....but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry...."
"I don't need very much now," said the boy. "just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, "Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."
And the boy did. 'And the tree was happy."
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===Afterlife===
It is said that Ehlonna dwells in an area known as the "Beastlands", an unspoiled patch of woodlands located somewhere in the paradise of heaven. Past the crystal rivers of Krigala lies the Grove of the Unicorns, a realm ruled by the huntress. The grove sits at the base of a cluster of great sequoias that form a natural cathedral for those beneath the canopy. Those who reside within Ehlonna's realm live in peace with the trees and animals, and they are similarly left alone by the wild creatures.
Ehlonna herself has no castle and rarely meets with the other gods unless summoned by Pelor himself. 
==Trivia==
*Ehlonna is the rival of fellow nature deity Obad-Hai, who represents the uncaring, destructive aspects of nature. Obad-Hai is also noted as being an enemy of Pelor, Ehlonna's husband. 
==Notes==
*Ehlonna's favored weapon is the longbow. All clerics of Ehlonna are proficient in its use.
Category:Religions