Mielikki, the Woodland Maiden
Mielikki is the goddess of forests and forest creatures (particularly dryads) and the patron of druids and rangers in the Faerûn. The Lady of the Forest was also the goddess of autumn for a time, but Myrkul reclaimed that domain after his return during the Second Sundering. Scholars of other lands proposed she is known as Khelliara, the Forest Maiden in Rashemen, and she has a half-elven aspect known as Khalreshaar on the isle of Evermeet.
Her symbol is a white star on a green leaf, specifically a tiny and dazzlingly bright white star balanced on a green leaf of oak or ash that is open and verdant. Usually people associate unicorns and white deer with her as well.
“I know Mielikki is with me because I sense her. I feel her touch as the wind. I hear her voice in the whisper of leaves. I see her beauty in the scene around us. Her presence is as real as yours. She embraces us with every reverent step we take in the wilderness.” — The words of a favored of MielikkiMielikki's preferred avatar is the Supreme Ranger, where she appears as a tall woman of robust and shapely build and lithe grace. She moves with the spring of a leaping buck and the ease of a prowling panther. Her russet-colored hair is long and unbound so it hangs around her shoulders and down her back, while her eyes are large and brown, and deep like pools. Her clothes are dull green and brown in color and she wears the leather armor commonly used by rangers. Her other avatar is the Forest Queen, seeming to be a young maiden who has golden-hued moss and leaves for hair. She wears sheer yellow and green gossamer robes, even in chill winter weather, and has summer songbirds fluttering around her person. No matter her chosen form, Mielikki is 10 feet (3 meters) tall, speaks in a rich low purr, and always walks on the air so her feet never make contact with ground, and thus don't leave any tracks and don't make any sound. Occasionally, she has a stag's antlers emerging from her forehead, either already present when she appears or growing slowly as mortals watched, though she displayed these less often after Beshaba adopted black antlers as her symbol, and has almost abandoned it by 1372 DR.
Manifestations
When not appearing as one of her avatars, Mielikki manifests most often in the form of a white unicorn that glows and gallops through the forests. On other occasions, she might appear as a regular woodland creature, sometimes testing her devoted to see how they might treat a creature when it is not perceived as godly. More subtly, she could be felt when gazing in wonderment at a unicorn and in the hearts of those who walked in peace in the woods. The faithful, however, believed her most common manifestation is her whispering voice, echoing forever through all the forests of the world via the rustling of leaves. After a time of meditation and introspection, a good and faithful worshiper could listen to and comprehend these whispers. Some bards and rangers tried writing them down, and though they got different results each time, they generally found messages of understanding and preserving the forests and wildlife, and long-term listeners apparently became talented in tracking, survival, and zoology. To do her work, Mielikki might send dryads, satyrs, sprites, swanmays, treants, or unicorns, and forest animals like hawks, wolves, and songbirds. Elk are sacred to her, especially the white hart of the High Forest.Perceived Personality
Mielikki is cheerful with a ready smile and has confidence in herself and her path. However, while she fully shows that confidence when in small groups, she is averse to formal speaking and being in charge of larger groups. She does not consider people her friends lightly, but she demonstrates fierce loyalty and protectiveness to those she does. Her views tend to be those of the archetypal ranger. Yet, in the late 15th century DR, mortals saw her as distant and spiritual, and not as human as some other gods. While not uncaring of mortals, her attention and blessings could be harder to attract. While she knows that death is a part of life and some must die so that others may live, she could not just accept injuries and deaths of both animals and friends. She regularly heals such stricken beings as she found them, rather than leave them to be part of the circle of life as Silvanus would.Worship
“Guide my path as only you know how - in whispering leaves and slowing grassland.” — A basic prayer to Mielikki.Mielikki's worshipers are concentrated in the northern parts of Faerûn, namely in the Delimbiyr Crescent and Loudwater, High Forest, the North, the Silver Marches, and in the city of Silverymoon; in the Dalelands, particularly Archendale, Daggerdale, Harrowdale, and Shadowdale; and in Cormanthor, as in Elventree. In the east, they can be found in Rashemen, Aglarond, and the Great Dale, and in the south as far as the Chondalwood.She is among the major non-elven deities venerated in Myth Drannor in Cormanthyr before its fall. In these places, she is venerated by woodsmen among the humans, elves (especially wood elves), and half-elves, as well as by dryads, hamadryads, and treants, and by forest creatures with no common gods of their own. Common folk appeal to her when children are lost in the forest, so she might protect and guide them. Woodcutters leave simple shrines to her in thanks for their safety and for the wood they'd taken, and such shrines mark the limits of future hunting and logging. Otherwise, the Lady of the Forest is little talked about, except in peaceful woodland settings. The majority of rangers revere Mielikki as their leader, their watchful mother, and the supreme ranger. They are among her most fervent followers. Yet many of the rangers of the North pray to Gwaeron Windstrom instead, worrying that Mielikki is too divine, wild, primal, and mysterious to be beseeched directly, while Gwaeron at least was once a mortal ranger like them.Among adventurers, Mielikki is followed by rangers of all temperaments, by druids, and by clerics in particular. Many Harpers also follow Mielikki, as do most members of the Emerald Enclave. Under her Khalreshaar aspect on Evermeet, she is mainly worshiped by a growing cult of half-elves. They believe her to be the daughter of Silvanus and Hanali Celanil, and as such, the first truly half-elven deity.
Symbols
Comments