Ruandal

Uplifter of Trees and Bestower of Growth

One of the younger Elven gods, yet perhaps the most widely revered. As the Lady of Trees, she is loved by all Elves, but is specifically the patroness of Wood Elves. As with all gods in the pantheon, her domain consists of three aspects: a part of the sky (the Summer Circle), an element of nature (Trees), and a social principle (Growth).

• The Summer Circle is a constellation which appears around the coming of spring and reaches the zenith in summertime. It is thus associated with the seasons of vegetative growth.
• According to the long form of the creation myth, Ruandal created the trees and other plants as the first life forms from the leftover matter used in the creation of the world. She bestowed them with life and wisdom, but not individual awareness. When the first true beings were made, her contributions were used as well as those of her brother Hradlar. Elves have always lived primarily in the heavily wooded Ehranian Wilds, and being around trees is simply natural for them. Moreover, their original enemy, the Goblins, tended to fell trees for no particular reason, and this activity was also taken to be evil in itself. Elves and non-Elves alike consider their kinship with trees to be one of their defining features, and so they naturally hold Ruandal in great respect.
• As the Bestower of Growth, she oversees growth of all sorts. Because there are numerous gods who can be sought for the increase of knowledge, she is mainly invoked for the growth in a physical sense, or sometimes for financial or spiritual growth. She is also asked to watch over children as they develop.

Divine Domains

Trees; Growth

Divine Symbols & Sigils

A tree, with three roots and four branches

Tenets of Faith

Most Elves serve Ruandal in their occupation as farmers, but are not actually members of religious orders. Of course, many such orders do exist, and their service is centered around aiding the growth of the forests and the farms of their kind. This is done primarily by research, planning, and coordination between neighboring communities, in order to create idealized landscapes that provide the highest yields of desired crops without straining resources. Only in emergency situations do they need to use magic to speed or enhance plant growth. Elves, being used to long-term thinking, are well-suited to complex agriculture.
Prayers to Ruandal are written on pieces of ribbon which are tied to special trees, minded by her priests. Those in greater need buy Ehran trees from the priests and care for them within their own homes. Wealthy families will often have one such tree for each family member, which is planted when they are born and will be buried with them when they die.

Holidays

Spring Equinox

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Her statue in the antechamber of the Hall of the Chosen is just to the right of the entrance corridor, across from the statue of Hradlar. It faces the center of the chamber while proudly carrying an Ehran sapling (represented with platinum) in a golden urn. Its features match the phenotype of a Wood Elf. The statue is made of holly wood, clad in leaves of verdigrised copper. It has emerald eyes and bronze hair.

Apparel & Accessories

A gown of vines and leaves from various trees, bearing an Ehran tree.
Adherents wear green, accented with copper, the amount indicating their rank.

Mental characteristics

Morality & Philosophy

Ruandal is a charitable and giving spirit, who bestows gifts freely, though these do not always prove to be of great value. Often the result of her gift is the discovery by the recipient that no help was needed to achieve their desires. A great many stories in the mythology concern her giving aid to mortals, while she is less often of use to other gods.

Social

Family Ties

Daughter of Cadlassa and Rallanar, twin of Hradlar

"O child of gleaming eye and tender feet,
Let you and I all things of splendor meet.
Though you grow old and ever wiser be,
The love of green things shall not depart from thee."

Divine Classification

God

Religions

• Star-Lords

Species

Elves

Ethnicity

Wood Elves

Eyes

Green

Hair

Light brown

Height

1.9m