Marlfax

An overlay sprite by MrPuddins of a holy symbol of Marlfax worn by Maus Ponyhosen.

### Titles & names

* Master of the Wild Hunt
* The Great Hunter
* The Apex

### Symbols

* Stag's Skull
* Bow and Arrow

## Worship

### Associated domains

* the Hunt
* Archery
* Perseverance
* Survival
* Nature

### Relics

* Marlfax's Gift

**Marlfax** is the Realms god of the hunt, archery, nature, and perseverance. He is married to Celeste the Resolute Maiden and is the father of the godlings Artemis, the Trickster, and Megaera. He is a member of the Triad of Death along with Ghuul and Urboch making him a son of Verthae. He is a patron of hunters, druids, rangers, and lycanthropes and those who pray to him seek his aid in their own hunts and invoke his name for determination.

He leads the ghostly, fey spirits known as the Wild Hunt across Elysium where they take place in the great hunt. His rivals are Okku and Lorrid as he hunts them. His symbol is a stag's skull.

## Description

### Appearance

Whenever Marlfax appears before mortals, he takes the form of a four armed creature with a stag's skull for a head. This physical form has bark-like skin, often likening the god to a thresh. He covers his body in a cloak of hides from the great beasts he has slain. He carries his bow, Godkiller, crafted from the antlers of an ancient and mighty stag known as the Qilan.

## Worship

Marflax is primarily worshipped by people who live within close quarters to the wilderness or on the frontiers. He is also worshipped by hunters and those who take up archery. Folk build totems to him by conducting a ritual hunt to slay a stag and create his totem to pray to him. Maus Ponyhosen is said to have summoned him to Evarencia while traveling with the Star-touched. As an aspect of death, Marlfax is a welcomed deity in Sojourner society.

### Symbols

Marlfax's primary symbol is a fierce looking stag's skull with a bundle of arrows gathered beneath it. Other symbols include the bow and arrow, fangs, and a black stag with green eyes. The colors black and green are associated with Marlfax.

### Temples

Temples devoted to Marlfax are often found in the wilderness or nearby to it. Often, they are made in clearings or groves. They often are comprised of tents and other more naturally constructed structures instead of the glorious marble and masonry of temples and churches of other gods. Temples devoted to Marlfax are often likened more to a hunter's lodge than to a place of religious worship.

### Notable Cultures

* Old Gothic
* Sojourner

## History

### Background

Marlfax is said to have been born as a physical manifestation of the hunt. He resides in the Wild Hunt of Elysium, where he leads his ghostly brigade known as the Wild Hunt across the planes in search of mighty quarries to hunt.

It is said that Marlfax crafted his bow, Godkiller, from the corpse of a primeval stag god. At some point, he was married to the elven goddess of archery, Selenae, and she joined the primary Gods of the Realms Above as Celeste. The fey spirits of the Wild Hunt Marlfax gifted to his new bride were made into the first Arcadian Snipers by the moon goddess. They had three children together, Megaera, Artemis, and the Trickster. Megaera was married to Azrael and became the first of the furies. Marlfax's favorite amongst his children is Artemis, the Huntress as she serves him.

Marlfax's rivalry with Okku and Lorrid is not necessarily antagonistic, but rather a respectful one between hunter and quarry. Hunting the goddess of fortune was born out of a bet said to have taken place at the beginning of time. As a member of the Triad of Death, Marlfax is seen as a force of death across the Realms. Whereas Ghuul is the aspect of death by decree and urboch the aspect of death by misfortune, Marflax is seen as the aspect of death by nature. Marlfax also has a rivalry between himself and the other members of the Triad.

### Campaign

Marlfax has yet to manifest before the Emerald Caravan. The Caravan has done battle with his daughter, Artemis, while she was under the Moonlit King's influence. Marlfax's name is often invoked by Fenris Amarak as he follows the god's religion.

## Known worshippers

* Fenris Amarak
* Maus Ponyhosen
* Amaranth Willowbreeze

## Relics

* Godkiller
* Marlfax's Gift

## Trivia

* Marlfax appeared and was featured in great depth in *SteamSpell* with Sam's Maus worshipping the god of the hunt.
* Cast member Alex has stated that Marlfax has one of his favorite aesthetics of deities he has created for the setting.
* Marlfax's name is made from a combination of the the title of a book in the *Redwall* series, '*Marlfox*' and the name of Gandalf's horse in *Lord of the Rings*, 'Shadowfax.'
* Marflax's ascended retinue, the Wild Hunt, comes from legends of a ghostly brigade of hunters of a similar name. In Norse myth, they are led by Woden.