Velara

Mistress of hunters and any predacious animal, Velara is a goddess usually associated with untamed wilds and the beasts that stalk them. She promotes ideals of individual strength, prowess, and power. She does, however, have some form of honor, believing that anything considered prey should be given a sporting chance to either escape the hunt or turn it around on the hunter.

While these beliefs primarily apply to humanoid hunters and bestial predators, Velara is also known to be connected to creatures that blur those lines. Most historians agree that lycanthropy first came from druids that used the power of Velara to make their wild-shapes more fluid and malleable. It is said that someone (or something) corrupted this power and turned it into the curse that lycanthropy is today, but the influence of Velara holds fast despite the curse.

Divine Domains

Animals, Hunters, Nature, Lycanthropy

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Simple Claw-Marks, Bow in a Crescent Moon

Tenets of Faith

Confidence is good, but only if does not drive your every action.
Always take a trophy from your hunts, but never hunt for trophies.

True prowess comes from both instinct and practice.

Holidays

Jagerhail: Taking place on the 20th of Culling, Jagerhail is a rural festival focusing on paying homage to Velara and her boons. It is common for individuals to partake a large hunt sometime before the 20th, then return and feast upon their kill the day of. In most cultures, this is considered the last day when hunting is allowed, as winter will likely be setting in (if it hasn't already) and as such game will be harder to come by.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Velara is always portrayed in a bestial, almost-feral manner. She is usually dressed in a manner befitting the hunters of whatever culture is worshipping her. While the clothing can vary greatly, she almost universally shown with a bow and spear, being that they are the most common hunting weapons. Most cultures portray her as an elf, but this is far from a constant.

Body Features

The most interesting aspect of Velara's appearance is that it is not always one of a humanoid. While all gods have been associated with animals, Velara has been shown as a beast more than most others, often taking the form of an animal in tales where she interacts with someone. She has been reported in numerous animal forms, though certain common ones include a wolf, a lioness, and a shark.

Mental characteristics

Intellectual Characteristics

While not considered an incredibly intelligent goddess, Velara is known for having an intense cunning or instinct. She can impart this ability unto her chosen in certain ways, allowing them to better hunt or pursue any whom they need to. This instinct has also taken form in creatures that lack physical strength, but make up for it by hunting intelligently.

Morality & Philosophy

Velara's morals are those of duality. To her, there are only hunters and prey, though this relationship is often more complex than many should assume. She has been known to favor prey over predator should the prey be shown to be cunning, or find a way to turn the hunt back onto their pursuer. She also believes that all prey deserve a sporting chance, whether that be to escape their hunter or become one.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Saint Chassuer: Skilled huntress and master of shapeshifting, Saint Chasseur is perhaps the first lycanthrope to exist on Genaeth. Whatever her original humanoid form was, all she is remembered as now is a mercurial individual to whom the natural and unnatural are often blended. Taking after her god, Saint Chasseur is often shown with canine features, with most portraying her as a humanoid with relatively normal features, save having the head of a wolf in place of a normal one.
Saint Jagrenn: Often called the Moorstalker, Saint Jagrenn is one of the most skilled hunters and trackers to ever walk across the world. She is said to have crossed the entire world several times over in the pursuit of her prey. The hunting ability of all lizardfolk is attributed to her, and she has countless worshippers across the wildlands. However, Jagrenn detests worship, putting more worth in those who let actions speak more than any prayer.
Saint Raptor: Unparalleled hunter of the skies, Saint Raptor is the patron of eaglefolk and hunters whom focus on speed and ferocity over slow tracking. His boons of enhanced sight and skill are utilized by hunters of men and beast alike, and his most fervent worshippers are often wild berserkers who can end a fight within seconds, but may be unprepared to last longer than that. 

Divine Classification

Greater Deity

Alignment

Chaotic Neutral

Current Location

Hermath

Church/Cult

Prime Pantheon

Honorary & Occupational Titles

She-Wolf, the Huntress, the Lycan-Queen

Quotes & Catchphrases

"The difference between predator and prey is rarely black and white. It is not uncommon for an over-confident hunter to find themselves outwitted by their quarry."

Aligned Organization

Intran Gods