The Ranger

The Deity of the Wilds

The Ranger has a lot of variations across cultures and worshipers may see them in a very different based on how greatly they fear the wild. To the vast majority they are female and the caretaker of wild beasts. To many they are also the prime deity of survival, hunting, and natural instinct. Elves, halflings, and gnomes have a kinder view of the Ranger, seeing them as helpful towards humanoids. Humans and dragonkind especially see them as a bit more ruthless and dangerous, though they may also assist those they respect as fellow hunters. They are also the prime deity worshiped by those afflicted with lycanthropy and they have long had associations with night and the moon (excluding the elves who associate her with the sun, in a marked contrast). Across most of these cultures, those who would exploit or destroy pristine wilderness areas risk incurring the dangerous wrath of this deity. The Ranger is the wild equivalent to the other major nature deity- the Gardener. Though their portfolios somewhat overlap, the Ranger is considered far more temperamental and chaotic. To the elves and gnomes she also holds the portfolio of the Gardener and has just as much sway over plantlife as she does over beasts.

Zhella of the Common Pantheon

Portfolio: Beasts, Monsters, Wild lands, Hunters, Survival
Domains: Nature, Twilight, Grave
Alignment: CN
Alias/s: Queen of Beasts
Symbol: Moon, Clawed Paw Print, Magnolia
Zhella, originally a draconic god with ties to the elvish god Elyra, is worshiped by humans and others primarily as the goddess of the hunt and the night. Humans have been worshiping Zhella for as long as anyone can remember and many barbaric tribes that rely on hunting to survive still do. She is known to be somewhat wild and unpredictable and even violent towards her followers. She demands her followers have a healthy respect for nature- be it the deep forests or snow-capped mountains. A lack of respect may very well result in an untimely death. She is considered the Lady of Beasts and often is personified by a plethora of predators- most notably a black panther or displacer beast. She is a goddess of the hunt, but this also extends to tracking, fishing, trapping, and foraging. She has no patience for those who trample over the wilderness looking to dominate it or otherwise foolishly consider themselves at the top of the food chain.

Elyra of the Elvish Pantheon

Portfolio: Sun & The Land
Domains: Nature, Life, Light
Alignment: CG
Alias/s: The High Huntress
Symbol: Bow & Sun
Elyra is the main nature deity of the elvish pantheon, or at least the one most revered by elves. She is the deity of all wildlands, though forests are considered her favored terrain. She is also the deity of the sun and the growth of plants. She is one of the oldest and earliest deities and many of the oldest myths are of her and her twin brother, Arthfael, who was given domain over the waters of the realm and the moon. Elyra is said to have, out of pity, given the first elves the bow and arrow, as they were woefully unequipped without claws and fangs to hunt properly. She pulled it fully formed from a yew tree and gifted it to them in person. It is said that she loved the elves more than all other humanoids because they did not try to tame her wilds but live within them. Elyra is also a deity fishing, tracking and trapping. She does not condone trophy hunting or not respecting the animal fully that one is hunting down. She is protective of beasts just as she is of elves but does not protect unnatural or invasive monstrosities which upset the natural order or the food cycle within her realm. Elyra was once the most important of all elvish deities, but over time her worship in the realm of Astrithyr has been eclipsed by other gods- especially the god of the magic weave- Vundath. As this society has inched further and further from its druidic roots, and their cities become more and more like human settlements, her worship has become more much more passive. Most worshipers that remain in the kingdom of Astrithyr are more dedicated to food production via the elvish version of farming than protecting the wilderness or hunting. She is still the most important deity among the elves of Shora and many tribes in the Meliferan jungle.
Elyra is mostly considered a benevolent deity- a deity that protects and guides the lost. There are myths of her leaving followable tracks in the woods that lead lost hunters or children back to civilization. In some tales she comes herself in the guise of a friendly animal or (rarely) as herself- a beautiful but extremely tall fae woman with stag antlers upon her crown and dressed in pelts and living flowers and fungi that change with the seasons. She also comes as a huge but majestic white elk, or riding upon one. When hoping to intimidate, she comes as a massive snow white dire wolf. Elyra’s main job is maintaining the balance of the natural world and she tasks her followers with protecting the wilds from the damage civilization can cause- especially humanoid-caused wildfires. She also tasks them with the hunting of invasive unnatural beasts. The exception is those stricken with lycanthropy, whom she has taken pity upon and whom many of which have taken to worshiping her.

Nerys of the Halfling Pantheon

Portfolio: Beasts & Wilderness
Domains: Nature, Light, Twilight
Alignment: CG
Alias/es: Walker Among the Wilds, Lord or Lady of the Wilds, Leige of the Wilds
Symbol: Walking Staff with flowers growing out of it, rabbits
Nerys is a deity that protects the gentler aspects of wild nature- especially small creatures and prey animals. According to the most popular myth, as a mortal they were of one of the first great halfling explorers and a naturalist- one who mapped much of ancient Hywela and documented all the beasts and plants they found. They discovered which fruits and plants were edible and how to use natural herbs to heal and relieve pain. Their followers act as wilderness guides and as healers of injured animals or sick areas of the forest. The vast majority of halfling druids follow in the name of Nerys, often called their flock of wild shepherds. There are conflicting myths over whether or not Nerys was male or female and this is sometimes hotly debated between certain rural halfling communities. Nerys is considered by many to be controversial by nature, much like Pelenei. They are a deity worshiped by hermits and those who reject civilized life as a part of the halfling community.

Baerna of the Gnomish Pantheon

Portfolio: Exploration & Wilderness
Domains: Nature, Tempest
Alignment: N
Alias/s: Head Gameskeeper
Symbol: Barn Owl
Baerna is the deity most revered by forest gnomes. She is their protector from the many dangerous beasts of the forest who might hunt them. She was said to be the one who gifted gnomes with illusion magic to better hide themselves and gave some of them the ability to speak the language of the small creatures of the wilderness. Rock gnomes also sometimes worship Baerna, though not nearly to the extent forest gnomes do. They worship differently- they see her more as a naturalist, breeder, or biologist- in the way similar to how halflings see their equivalent deity Nerys; Someone who both studies and cares for the natural world. Rock gnomes view her as an explorer, farmer and potentially even as a gamekeeper. All gnomes also believe her to have some control of the weather- not necessarily as someone who decides when and where it rains but as someone who could potentially halt dangerous weather to protect her followers. Travelers and explorers often pray to Baerna for safety on the road and good weather when at sea. She is said to help lost gnomes find their way back to civilization or back home by sending them a cardinal (or other red bird) to follow. She also sometimes comes directly in guise of a barn owl. She is also the deity of fishing and subsistence gathering. She is not so much a goddess of the hunt, in the way some other variations of The Ranger are. She is either symbolized as a cardinal or a red tailed hawk.

Zhella of the Draconic Pantheon

Portfolio: Instinct, Survival
Domains: Nature, Twilight, Life
Alignment: CN
Alias/s: Queen of the Wilds
Symbol: Clawed Footprint
Zhella is to many dragonborn not a deity worshiped by respectable or civilized people. According to draconic myth, she is the daughter of the very much hated and feared goddess Eresh- sower of torment and enslavement. Zhella is not much like her mother however. She is a deity of the wild and often savage. The deep forests and blistering outlands are her domain and she is considered a mother of monsters and beasts. She is similar to the common pantheon's version of her in that she is not evil, but she is also certainly not kind. She is a deity survival and is without any kind of agenda whatsoever. Those who prefer a life away from the civilized world worship her out of fear or respect. She is the embodiment of natural instincts of all kinds - from killing prey to procreation. Zhella is protective of the wildlands and has many druid worshipers that often spend large portions of their time shape-shifted in animal form. She is also worshiped often by monstrosities and beasts that are intelligent enough to worship at all. Of all her worshipers, green and white dragonkin and dragonborn are most common. This wild and dangerous goddess has also been compared by some to the deity orcs call Ulskari- a vicious deity of the night.

Ulskari of the Orcish Pantheon

Portfolio: Night, Beasts, Hunting
Domains: Twilight, Trickery
Alignment: N or NE
Alias: The Night Beast
Symbol/s: Displacer Beast or other big cat, Manticores
Ulskari is an important deity to the orcs, but also one that is sufficiently feared. Most tribes of orcs rely on hunting for survival so they are sure to give him plenty of offerings in hopes that he will bless them in their endeavors. He is not, however, a very benevolent deity. Hunters revere him of course but the rest just pray they don't become his next meal. Ulskari is the unpredictable deity of night and the dangers that lurk within. He is the panther in the shadows, the spider in the web, the hunger in the wolves. Whenever a creature rends the flesh of another with teeth and claws he revels in it with them. He is the patron of beasts and cares little for the sapient. Orcs pay this deity respect no matter what tribe they hail from because they understand they are not at the top of the food chain- Ulskari is. Ulskari likes a good hunt, and intelligent humans and orcs do make the best prey. Disrespectful prey make the most satisfying meal. Despite his ferocity, Ulskari is not necessarily considered evil. He is simply a being of pure instinct and he is a deity without mercy for those who happen to run afoul of him. According to orcish myth, he created the lycans and they are his favored creature- the perfect mixture of feral habits with enough intelligence to acknowledge him and feed his power and influence. He has also been known to be worshiped by gnolls and lizardfolk. He is most often associated with displacer beasts or panthers, though in other less-forested regions imagery of other big cats like cougars or lions also suffice. Some orcs, who see him as an evil being, also symbolize him with a manticore.

TEMPLES OF THE The Ranger

The largest temples to The Ranger are located in the following places.

• Highgrove (Capital of Astrithyr)
• Eriliath (Shorawood)
• Gefindiweld (Langollyn)
• Leyline (Namiza)
• Thyanna (now ruins) (Namiza)
• Gwyndir (Hywela)
• Marshlight (Ardenmore)
• Leygower (The Marasen Empire)
• Novádanovske (Drosivec province of Belstrad)
• Khorezun (Stronghold of Khorez)

Worshipers

Worshipers of the Ranger are composed mostly of those who live in close proximity to wilderness or make a living in those areas as hunters, fishers, and even lumberjacks. Most rangers, hermits, scouts and outlanders, even if they do not outright worship them, at least pay them and their lands respect when traveling through. They are also the deity most commonly worshiped in druid circles and among nomadic tribes worldwide. Druid and barbarian worshipers are most common but clerics and paladins are quite rare, save among elvish kind- particularly those in Astrithyr. The Ranger is commonly worshiped by the fey folk, especially fey who stick to the forest. Elvish and fey bards sometimes also worship the ranger, weaving songs and tales about those who disrespected them and paid dearly for it.

On-Brand Worshipers

• Barbarian: Path of the Totem Warrior & Beast
• Cleric: Nature & Tempest Domains
• Druid: All
• Paladin: Oath of the Ancients
• Ranger: Hunter, Beast Master, Gloomstalker & Fey Wanderer
• Rogue: Scout
• Warlock: Archfey
• Hermit Background
• Outlander Background
• Fisher Background
• Tribe Member Background