Temple of Rillifane
History
The worship of Rillifane has remains a strong aspect of Elven culture within the Verdant Vale. The Elven kingdoms in the Eirean Forest south of the Inland Sea worship him alongside the universally worshiped Corellon & the three goddesses of the Angharradh (Aerdrie, Hanali, & Sehanine). He is also rather prominently worshiped in the Kingdom of Sylvannia due to the region’s high elf population.
For the most part, the Temple of Rillifane does not become involved in many noteworthy historical matters. Many devotees choose to instead focus on maintaining a balance with the natural order and conserving their local environment. The only noteworthy clashes have been between groups seeking to exploit the woodlands for resources.
Clergy and Worshippers
Rillifane is often considered the patron god of the Wood Elves, though he also has a strong following among the other Elven races & Half-Elves. They are all steadfast conservationists, seeking ways to harmoniously live in forests or whatever environments they find themselves. While they do not directly oppose industry or urbanization, their more progressive members often seek to find compromises that will preserve as much of the original landscape as possible.
As a god of nature & the woodlands, many of his clergy are druids. In the more rural villages or deep in forest they maintain groves & fey crossings that they believe are sacred. While they are reliable healers for local residents, they are often more concerned with keeping a harmonious balance between civilization and the wild. In the larger towns & cities, his clergy are more recognizably clerics, & they often help maintain public parks and gardens.
A prominent group arising from his worshippers is the Order of the Oak & Ivy. They are a renowned group of paladins & rangers predominately operating in the Eirean Forest. The order devotes its time to defending the forests from aberrations & other unnatural threats that would seek to corrupt or destroy nature.
Tenets
Cultivate the Light. Through your acts of mercy, kindness, & forgiveness, cultivate light of hope that nourishes new growth.
Prune the Thorns. Where there is good, beauty, love, & laughter in the forests, stand against the wickedness that would swallow it. Where life flourishes, stand against the forces that would render it barren.
Preserve Your Own Light. Delight in song & laughter, in beauty & art. If you allow the light to die in your own heart, you can’t preserve it in the world.
Be the Light. Be a glorious beacon for all who live in despair. Let the light of your joy & courage bear fruit in all your endeavors.
Religious Habit
Clerics traditionally wear simple tunics & cloaks of earthy browns & greens. Senior clerics often wear silken vestments that correspond to the current season: shades of green decorated with floral motifs for spring, rich yellows decorated with birds for summer, shades of red with berries for autumn, & icy blues with crystalline patterns for winter. These vestments will also bear the holy symbol for Rillifane, a great oak tree that is eternally green in Arvandor.
Druids traditionally have no set uniform, wearing whatever is comfortable and practical for the region they are currently residing in. They often abstain from wearing or carrying objects made from iron or steel, a precaution against offending the Fey. They often carry holy symbols of Rillifane as amulets and wear headdresses of oak leaves to announce their devotion. They also tend to carry acorns in the hope that when they die their burial site will become a sacred grove.
Paladins & rangers of the Order of the Oak & Ivy will often wear similar looking clothes to the clergy, though far more durable. Their order’s symbol is of the eternally green oak wrapped in an ivy vine. How many acorns are in the branches of the oak are often used to symbolize the number of accomplishments of an individual member.
Relations with Other Faiths
The Seldarine. Rillifane is generally not involved with the affairs of his fellow deities. He is on amicable terms with most of them, especially those also associated with nature such as Aerdrie (rain & fertility), Elebrin (gardens & the harvest), & Tarsellis (mountains & wilderness).
The Dark Seldarine. While he is not involved in their affairs, Rillifane & his followers are opposed to the Dark Seldarine. They see Lolth’s desire to enslave all other races and her demonic nature as a severe imbalance to the natural order. The only member they are on relatively good terms with is Eilistraee, viewing the redemption of the Drow as key to restoring balance to Elven races.
Archfey of the Feywild. Due to their proximity to crossings in the Feywild, many of the Rillifane’s followers strive to be on good terms with the Archfey of the Seelie Court. This includes but is not limited to: King Oberon of the Summer Court, Queen Titania of the Spring Court, Lord Silvanus of the Autumn Court, Princess Verenestra of the Faeries, Lord Emmantiensien of the Treants, & Lord Skerrit of the Centaurs.
Baervan the Wildwanderer. As the patron of the Forest Gnomes, Baervan & Rillifane’s followers often have a shared interest in exploration & conservation of the wilderness. Elves are generally on good terms with Gnomes, especially Forest Gnomes.
Halfling Pantheon. Rillifane is on very good terms with Sheela Peryroyl, goddess of agriculture, nature, & weather. He is also very friendly with her sister Cyrrollalee, the goddess of hearth & hospitality, and never refused her invitation to tea.
Other Deities or Entities. Rillifane’s clerics & druids are often allied with those of Eldath (goddess of groves, rivers, & tranquility) & Mielikki (goddess of forests) when they have to venture outside the Elven Kingdoms. Rillifane is notably opposed to the dark gods Malar (hunting & lycanthropes) & Talos (storms & wanton destruction).
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