Illum

**Illum:** ((diction|*ih-LUM*; adjective *Illiumni* (*ih-LUM-nee*))) is the eternal light, one of The Two titans of creation, the source of life. Together with her husband, Foscor, as the two infinite beings she created the Major Gods and the planes on which all creation play.

Illum’s avatar appears as a tall, wisened, athletic human with dark skin and long silver hair. Her eyes shine as if the sun is trapped behind them. Those who are bold enough to try to meet her gaze are often blinded. Her very being glows a radioactive aura. She alternatively presents herself as Large glowing gold backed starling with bright blue eyes.

Illum indicates her favor by anointing her favored with a beam of light, sightings of flocks of golden birds, and the blooming of golden daylilies. Her disapproval is most commonly exhibited by a sudden thirst and fever, dampening light, and by wilting all growth. She is associated with gold, starlings, and daylilies. Illum’s holy symbol is a yellow sun.

## Description

### Dogma

Illum demands order, competence, and decisiveness. She does not care what it is her followers do, just that it’s done neatly. Despite her cold unfeeling demands, Illum enjoys all products of life; she finds fulfillment in creations of life that take dedication: arts, fighting, and child rearing. Her favored worshipers gained her attention through extreme acts of motherly love, heroism, or art. Her final tenet is the strength of overcoming. Soldiers, fighters, bards, anyone who devotes themselves to breaking the boundaries which would otherwise prevent them from moving forward.

### Temples and Shrines

Illumni is rarely celebrated without its counterpart, Foscorian. Grand temples dedicated to *The Two* are massive buildings of shining equal parts black and white marble. Locations of joint worship are easily spotted due to their dual spires. These temples act as safe havens, and must be big enough to welcome the needy.
Shrines to Illum vary from a personal makeshift shrine, with a pane of glass, to grand statues larger than life statues standing proud and looking in the direction of a statue of Foscor.

### Clothing

Illum does not care what her worshipers wear so long as it’s clean. She approves of the yellow and white that most wear to religious ceremonies. Those with more fortune add gold jewelry to their outfits, some even adorning themselves in gold threaded veils embroidered with suns and stars.

### Rituals and Holidays

* *Solar Eclipse* This is a day of rebirth and renewed conviction. The day is observed by cleaning, cleansing, and dedication to art, jubilant music begins as soon as the sun peaks out from behind its shadow once again.
	+ If observed properly her followers gain +2 to either strength or performance checks during the following week.
* *Summer Solstice* This is a three day long celebration of life, with the day of the solstice in the middle. Great planning and organization is done the day before to ensure a day worthy of Illum. Jubilation in the form of performances and contests of strength are held. The third day is a day spent cleaning the festivities and remaking order from chaos. All of Illum’s worshipers are expected to come to a temple or shrine of her’s at dawn and recite the story of creation as one.
	+ Observers gain a +1 to any strength checks made during the festivities. Observers of the three day rites enjoy a +2 fortitude bonus for the following 10 days.
* *Full Moon* This is a night of purity of will. Illum calls her worshipers to clean themselves in the light of the moon, and meditate on how to overcome a problem.
	+ Those who observe gain a +1 to any one wisdom check (can include wisdom based checks) during the next day.

### Relations with other Religions

Illum considers most other gods to be sloppy, but does not have conflict with them unless they’re wiping out creation thus causing chaos to her natural order.

### Realm

Illum’s is the realm of day and light called *Haske*. It is a desert paradise, and a place of beauty and strength. Illum brings her most pious here and to continue to build their strength and revile in having overcome their limitations. But all realms are hers as she and Foscor created them all, and none can bar her entrance.