Eliil (eh-leel)
Nestled deep in the rainforests to the south of the island of Erurias lay The Silent Grotto, an ancient meeting place of the Akyrah. It is a simple affair, being made simply of a wide stone platform surrounded by standing stones ten feet high. Here, the elders of the clans would meet to share news each summer, or in times of crisis. It lies hidden in a natural basin in the island, which leaves it completely submerged for half of the year, and yet, it remains the single most important place in the Skyfall Island Chain in a thousand years.
“Why in all the Gods’ names they decided to build it here,” muttered an older birdman as he paced the platform. Jaylinn was one of the oldest on the Council of Elders, which gave his word almost supreme authority in all things. Of course, thanks to the exceedingly long lives of the Akyrah, no one would guess him to be any older than the next birdman. Jaylinn stood five foot, ten inches tall, and was exceptionally finely muscled, just like the rest of his race. His wings were dyed a deep violet on both sides that complimented his short blonde hair. Jaylinn’s eyes were of a bright electric blue - a magical permutation amongst the Ceiriel clan.
"Jaylinn!"
The birdman looked up to the forest canopy where three other Akyrah were spiralling down on flared wings - other members of the Council. Two men and woman. The woman he recognised as the oldest member, having been present nearly a thousand years ago during Xavier's betrayal. Syrei commanded a decent amount of respect, as it had been her role to safeguard this sacred site since she had come of age. The other two men, Ari and Athe, had only been with Jaylinn on the Council for the better part of the past fifty years, yet he respected their opinions greatly - despite their youth. “Is it true?” Asked Ari, his uncoloured white wings folding gently behind as he landed. “Is it really happening?” Athe and Syrei alighted behind Ari, their blue eyes focussing on Jaylinn, who merely gazed at the younger woman. “Syrei was the first to notice the stirrings, I’m surprised you aren’t interrogating her,” he said with a smile. Syrei smirked. “They tried. I told them to wait to speak to you.”
Athe snorted. “You’re both as bad as each other.” Jaylinn let out a brief laugh before striding to the edge of the platform. He flexed his will and poured power into a magical lock hidden in the stone and then turned back to his companions. “Well, we’d best go and see, I think.” He said as a wide ring melted away, revealing a wide spiral of steps leading down into the darkness. “Syrei, if you would?” The woman nodded and mounted the staircase as a small witchlight winked into existence above her head. Being the caretaker of the site, it was only fitting that she entered first. Jaylinn followed, and then Ari and lastly Athe. As he entered the stairwell proper, the platform above reappeared, a silent yet all-too-solid barrier above their heads. The Elders summoned their own witchlights and pressed on. The descent took little more than an hour to complete, but the steps were narrow, making it an arduous journey. Finally, the four Elders reached the bottom. It was a small room, lit by enchantment so that the very stone seemed to emit light. In the center stood a simple stone altar with an incense census. The room was bare beyond this. Syrei strode forward without a word and knelt before the altar. A moment later, waves of raw power stole over Jaylinn and the other two men, pushing, prodding, as if seeking something, before dissipating entirely. "The wards accept you," Syrei announced. "This way." She walked around the altar, avoiding it almost reverently, to the far wall where she waited for the others. After a brief pause, delicate trails of blue began burning their way through the stone before them, eventually shaping themselves into a set of doors, large enough for the four of them to pass side by side. "The wards here recognise how many people seek entrance," she explained to Ari and Athe as the doors swung open. "They create an entrance large enough for everyone." “What if they reject you?” Athe asked hesitantly. Syrei paused mid-stride, glancing backward at Athe. Her gaze, though brief, was cold, but she said nothing. A chill went down Jaylinn's spine. From her expression, he thought she may have seen first hand. But before he could comment, Syrei had turned and continued down the tunnel. He shrugged and followed after her. It wasn’t long before the tunnel ended and the group was thrust into a cavern, the center of which had been shaped and flattened to accommodate a small stone structure in the center. The floor beneath the stone had been paved with smooth flagstones, similar to the ones commonly used Akyrah structures. Beyond this, the ground was covered in moss and other lichens. A gentle waterfall broke through the wall to the left, creating a stream that bubbled merrily under a wooden bridge between the center and the entrance before flowing who-knows-where. Syrei had already begun descending the dirt path, leaving the others behind. For some reason, it felt like it would be wrong to fly here, so Jaylinn followed quietly on foot with the others. As an Elder, Jaylinn had known about this sacred site since his appointment into the Council, but as he had never been chosen as a caretaker he had never been able to visit - until now. And so, he plodded along, admiring the beauty of the cavern and effort that must have gone into consecrating and protecting it, not realising that they had already reached the center. Before them stood the structure of stone, much larger up close than it had appeared from the entrance of the cavern. In actual fact, it was merely four tall enormous stones with a flat one resting on top to form a sort of shelter. Beneath this was a simple stone sarcophagus, standing on its end, its lid laying on the floor. A beauteous woman, slender and fragile-looking, was visible inside behind a barrier of shimmering energy, her blonde hair spilling over one shoulder past her waist. She wore a long, close-fitting white dress embroidered with gold that almost shone against her glowing milk-white skin. Her piercing golden eyes were open, seemingly staring straight into the Akyrans' souls. Syrei gasped and fell to her knees. “Eliil.” She breathed. Behind her, Ari, Athe and Jaylinn did the same, four pairs of wings spread against the ground in supplicance. Eliil’s hard gaze softened, and her lips curved gently to form words. The sounds were lost in a sudden maelstrom of energy, but the kneeling Elders heard them inside their minds nonetheless. ’Arise, my daughter, my sons. Do not let your hearts be afraid.’ All at once, the silent roaring of power ceased, the barrier dissipated and Eliil stepped forth, her naked feet somehow finding purchase on thin air. She smiled, lovingly, as a mother would upon her children. ‘Come,’ she repeated in their minds. ‘Arise.’ The Aykrah stood, and they felt her power embrace them, warm and compassionate. ‘Events are beginning to take place now that have not been seen in a millenia, my children.’ she said. The Goddess turned her gaze upon Syrei, who blushed with delight. It had been well over six hundred years since Eliil had spoken to her. 'You must prepare, lest disaster come to Skyfall.'
‘But you, Syrei. My dearest Syrei...' The Goddess's expression saddened, and Syrei felt her heart break. 'You are to bear witness to it all in the name of the Gods - the True Pantheon.’
The birdman looked up to the forest canopy where three other Akyrah were spiralling down on flared wings - other members of the Council. Two men and woman. The woman he recognised as the oldest member, having been present nearly a thousand years ago during Xavier's betrayal. Syrei commanded a decent amount of respect, as it had been her role to safeguard this sacred site since she had come of age. The other two men, Ari and Athe, had only been with Jaylinn on the Council for the better part of the past fifty years, yet he respected their opinions greatly - despite their youth. “Is it true?” Asked Ari, his uncoloured white wings folding gently behind as he landed. “Is it really happening?” Athe and Syrei alighted behind Ari, their blue eyes focussing on Jaylinn, who merely gazed at the younger woman. “Syrei was the first to notice the stirrings, I’m surprised you aren’t interrogating her,” he said with a smile. Syrei smirked. “They tried. I told them to wait to speak to you.”
Athe snorted. “You’re both as bad as each other.” Jaylinn let out a brief laugh before striding to the edge of the platform. He flexed his will and poured power into a magical lock hidden in the stone and then turned back to his companions. “Well, we’d best go and see, I think.” He said as a wide ring melted away, revealing a wide spiral of steps leading down into the darkness. “Syrei, if you would?” The woman nodded and mounted the staircase as a small witchlight winked into existence above her head. Being the caretaker of the site, it was only fitting that she entered first. Jaylinn followed, and then Ari and lastly Athe. As he entered the stairwell proper, the platform above reappeared, a silent yet all-too-solid barrier above their heads. The Elders summoned their own witchlights and pressed on. The descent took little more than an hour to complete, but the steps were narrow, making it an arduous journey. Finally, the four Elders reached the bottom. It was a small room, lit by enchantment so that the very stone seemed to emit light. In the center stood a simple stone altar with an incense census. The room was bare beyond this. Syrei strode forward without a word and knelt before the altar. A moment later, waves of raw power stole over Jaylinn and the other two men, pushing, prodding, as if seeking something, before dissipating entirely. "The wards accept you," Syrei announced. "This way." She walked around the altar, avoiding it almost reverently, to the far wall where she waited for the others. After a brief pause, delicate trails of blue began burning their way through the stone before them, eventually shaping themselves into a set of doors, large enough for the four of them to pass side by side. "The wards here recognise how many people seek entrance," she explained to Ari and Athe as the doors swung open. "They create an entrance large enough for everyone." “What if they reject you?” Athe asked hesitantly. Syrei paused mid-stride, glancing backward at Athe. Her gaze, though brief, was cold, but she said nothing. A chill went down Jaylinn's spine. From her expression, he thought she may have seen first hand. But before he could comment, Syrei had turned and continued down the tunnel. He shrugged and followed after her. It wasn’t long before the tunnel ended and the group was thrust into a cavern, the center of which had been shaped and flattened to accommodate a small stone structure in the center. The floor beneath the stone had been paved with smooth flagstones, similar to the ones commonly used Akyrah structures. Beyond this, the ground was covered in moss and other lichens. A gentle waterfall broke through the wall to the left, creating a stream that bubbled merrily under a wooden bridge between the center and the entrance before flowing who-knows-where. Syrei had already begun descending the dirt path, leaving the others behind. For some reason, it felt like it would be wrong to fly here, so Jaylinn followed quietly on foot with the others. As an Elder, Jaylinn had known about this sacred site since his appointment into the Council, but as he had never been chosen as a caretaker he had never been able to visit - until now. And so, he plodded along, admiring the beauty of the cavern and effort that must have gone into consecrating and protecting it, not realising that they had already reached the center. Before them stood the structure of stone, much larger up close than it had appeared from the entrance of the cavern. In actual fact, it was merely four tall enormous stones with a flat one resting on top to form a sort of shelter. Beneath this was a simple stone sarcophagus, standing on its end, its lid laying on the floor. A beauteous woman, slender and fragile-looking, was visible inside behind a barrier of shimmering energy, her blonde hair spilling over one shoulder past her waist. She wore a long, close-fitting white dress embroidered with gold that almost shone against her glowing milk-white skin. Her piercing golden eyes were open, seemingly staring straight into the Akyrans' souls. Syrei gasped and fell to her knees. “Eliil.” She breathed. Behind her, Ari, Athe and Jaylinn did the same, four pairs of wings spread against the ground in supplicance. Eliil’s hard gaze softened, and her lips curved gently to form words. The sounds were lost in a sudden maelstrom of energy, but the kneeling Elders heard them inside their minds nonetheless. ’Arise, my daughter, my sons. Do not let your hearts be afraid.’ All at once, the silent roaring of power ceased, the barrier dissipated and Eliil stepped forth, her naked feet somehow finding purchase on thin air. She smiled, lovingly, as a mother would upon her children. ‘Come,’ she repeated in their minds. ‘Arise.’ The Aykrah stood, and they felt her power embrace them, warm and compassionate. ‘Events are beginning to take place now that have not been seen in a millenia, my children.’ she said. The Goddess turned her gaze upon Syrei, who blushed with delight. It had been well over six hundred years since Eliil had spoken to her. 'You must prepare, lest disaster come to Skyfall.'
‘But you, Syrei. My dearest Syrei...' The Goddess's expression saddened, and Syrei felt her heart break. 'You are to bear witness to it all in the name of the Gods - the True Pantheon.’
Divine Domains
Eliil is the Goddess of Judgement and Trials, and embodies the Hunt. Because of this, she is often considered a goddess of order.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Eliil's sigil is a figure drawing a longbow in front of a full moon. It is usually displayed in gold, though many examples of the sigil exist carved in stone. She is often depicted alongside her pack of enormous, six-legged hounds.
Tenets of Faith
- Tell no falsehood
- Do no harm to others
- Strive for greatness
Divine Classification
Goddess
Realm
Children
Gender
Female
Eyes
Piercing, gold
Hair
Long, silky, blonde
Height
7'2"
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments