Penellea, Host of the Hunt
Penellea
One of the Twelve High Hosts that rule over the Heavens.
Penellea is fairly new, appearing only in the most recent legends. Though she is associated with forests, she has no connection with fertility. Moreover, while Gleirea and Tulin are oft seen with deer, sheep, and bulls, Penellea's beasts are predators: wolves, hunting dogs, lynxes, and even werewolves. On this latter point, she is frequently connected to sundown, the full moon, and Nabas, the Wolf of Night, an ancient Deinain myth.
Penellea is usually presented with black-and-white hair. In some myths, her hair turns white after she has slain someone, and she must wait until it turns black before she may kill again. Other legends say her hair connects her to her two sisters, Lolliseri the traveler and Katriss the hearth keeper. Statues of Penellea typically show her with an arrow in one hand and a hunting knife in the other. A full bow-and-arrow is usually only found in paintings, where she is often accompanied by hunting dogs or even a wolf.
Lords and merchants will oft drink to Penellea before a hunt, and many actual hunters will pray to her before a kill, but there are no official feasts in Penellea's name. Cults have occasionally emerged in rural communities dedicated to her. Berleigh in southern Milos is particularly known for this, with some rumors saying they make blood sacrifices to Penellea before a hunt (perhaps a relic of the Deinain, who are still worshipped in parts of southern Milos even today).
Penellea's colors are Red and Blue. Her bird is the Hawk. Her beast is the Wolf. Her Month is the ninth month, called the Pen Moon or the Hunters-Moon. Her constellation is the Behemoth. She is associated with focus, honesty, and sport. She is considered the patron of Olonor, the twenty-first Royarch, who supposedly shot down the Falcon of Gold and brought the sunrise to the world.
Common Aspects: Penellea Gara (the wolf), Penellea Ghilach (the moon treader), Penellea Fanh ("who waits")
Divine Classification
Goddess
Religions
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Realm
Church/Cult
Children