Deep Sashelas

Deep Sashelas (deep sa-she-lahs) is a charismatic leader and an inspired creator whose art is everchanging. Unlike the other Seldarine, Deep Sashelas is rarely satisfied with what he's done and always seeks to improve it. Deep Sashelas can be fickle and flighty, and there are many myths that involve his amorous exploits with such creatures as mermaids, mortal sea elves, human females, and even a demigoddess. His consort, Trishina, has some tolerance for such straying, but not too much. Sashelas's fellow Seldarine derive great amusement from Trishina's ability to spot Sashelas's wandering attentions and stymie him, usually by warning off the object of his desire.

The church of Deep Sashelas is a broadly based church organized along regional lines with each region corresponding to a sea or ocean. The clergy of Deep Sashelas are more organized than most elven clergies because of their role as mediators and befrienders of nonaquatic races. His clerics and druids, known as delphions, interact regularly with dolphins who inhabit the region surrounding their home communities, and senior druids are almost always accompanied by their dolphin companions.

Sashelan clerics establish and maintain contacts with land-dwelling elves, if feasible. As a result of their extensive networks of contacts, Sashelas's clerics have prevented many sahuagin incursions from succeeding, gaining the latter's undying hatred. Delphions also conduct ritual shark hunts and attack sahuagin communities.

Clerics and druids of Deep Sashelas pray for their spells at whichever high tide is closest to midday. Deep Sashelas is honored individually through the creation of works of art and other wonders, and prayers are given to the Lord of the Undersea upon initiating and after completing such projects. Daily observances by Sashelas's clergy thank Deep Sashelas for his benevolence and the beauty of the undersea world, but the most important rituals are timed to coincide with especially high and low tides, known as the High Flow and the Deep Ebb, respectively. During such ceremonies, the Delphions make offerings of precious natural objects and items of great artistry. Meanwhile, acolytes swim in complex patterns accompanied by dolphins, and sing deep, reverberating songs of praise to the Lord of the Undersea and his creations. While both ceremonies are similar in form, the High Flow is a joyous celebration emphasizing beauty, creativity, and artistry, while the Deep Ebb is a grim, martial ceremony emphasizing the remembrance of those who are lost and vigilance against the enemies of the Undersea. Many clerics and druids multiclass as rangers.

History and Relationships: Like the other elven gods, Deep Sashelas answers to Corellon and opposes the efforts of the drow pantheon (with the exception of Eilistraee). However, in some respects the Lord of the Undersea could be considered part of another pantheon entirely, composed of the various undersea deities. Deep Sashelas's allies include Cyrrollalee, Eilistraee, and Valkur. He opposes various deities of the depths, including Umberlee and the deities of the kuo-toa and sahuagin.

Dogma: Swim the great currents and the shallow seas. Exult in the dynamic beauty and life of the bounteous Undersea. Revel in the joy of creation and increase its myriad aspects. Seek not to hold that which is everchanging, but instead love the change itself. Seek out fellow swimmers who honor the ways of the Lord of the Undersea, and ally with them against those who see only the darkness of the deeps. Follow the way of the dolphin. Promote knowledge and use of the sea by reasonable folk, and fight those that would stain or deplete its beauty and bounty.