|
ILION, goddess
of Freedom and Inspiration
Often called "Fey Ilion", the daughter of
Thandor and Shorral, (Wind and Fire) is wild, inquisitive and
always restless. She is the goddess of inspiration,
madness, genius, prophecy and fortune.
Associations
Ilion is the patron of madmen, outsiders,
poets, thieves and fools. She is well regarded by many cultures,
particularly elves and gnomes. Her regard among human
cultures depends largely upon the structure of the culture
itself; she is most honored among young and vibrant cultures,
while regarded with suspicion by those which are old and
established.
Alignment
Ilion is Chaotic Neutral.
Representations
Ilion is depicted with a thousand faces and
guises. Even within the same Wellspring (temple), she may
be depicted in different forms. A popular representation
among the Successor States depicts her as a dark-haired woman
with six arms, each bearing the symbol of an important aspect of
life. In the east, she is often shown as a tall, perfect
blonde woman dressed only in the winds and fire of her heritage.
South of the Valesian Sea, she often has the head of a cat.
Among animals, Ilion is most closely
associated with the cat, and it is for this reason that many
sorcerers have cats for familiars, believing that they bring
inspiration from Lady Luck.
Symbols for Ilion are as varied and infinite
as her depictions. Her priests often change the symbols
they bear without apparent rhyme or reason. Common symbols
include a coin bearing the likeness of a smiling woman, a
blazing spiral, and a sundered lock. The symbol most
commonly used by others (such as the Great Church) to represent
Ilion is an open eye in a triangle.
Purpose
Ilion's sole purpose is to amuse herself.
She lives for new experiences, and encourages mortals to be
daring, different and bold. She has little patience for
long-term planning and so has no long-term goals. Her
attention flits from one interesting event to another, and she
shows very little interest in the ordinary.
She frequently chooses favorites and
inspires them to achieve great things, or grants them unlikely
insights into the workings of fate. But her attention
rarely stays with one individual for long, even as mortals
calculate time - she simply hasn't the patience.
Of all the gods, Ilion has the least regard
for the importance of the Ban, and breaks it whenever the whim
strikes her. However, since it is rare that her sojourns
on the mortal plane have any lasting impact, and because there
is little enough they could do about it, the other gods largely
turn a blind eye to these ventures.
During her times on Theeurth, Ilion has
taken mortal lovers over the years, just for the change of pace.
Many believe that it is from her that the powers of sorcery have
been blended into the blood of mortals. The Borlamnians
scoff at this idea.
Servants
The number and kind of Ilion's servants is
ever changing, as her interest in them waxes and wanes.
Yet among their number are some who are well known.
Vangerlin The Fool - This
extraordinary being has confused and confounded mortal scholars
who try to classify him. Arguments abound as to whether he
is an ascended mortal or a member of the Celestial Host.
He is the archetypal jester, entertaining the gods with merry
pranks and elaborate jokes, all the while seeming to be
possessed of a preternatural wisdom and insight that is often
revealed only long after the fact. He serves as Ilion's
messenger and agent.
Camar The Redeemed - This
jackal-headed celestial is also known as She Who Dwells on the
Threshold. She was once an Infernal, one of the evil host
of Malbor. But during the Second War she was confronted by
Ilion, who recklessly and alone had infiltrated far into the
pits of Azhran. Impressed by the mad courage of the
goddess, Camar threw in with the Celestials and revealed the
hiding places of Caravok and Evaless. After the war she
repented of her sins and sued for clemency at the feet of
Agaleus. She was permitted to rejoin the ranks of the
Celestial Host after an age of service to Ilion, but she found
the chaotic nature of the fey goddess to her liking, and has
remained ever since. She is the patroness of reformed
thieves and the condemned.
Oromadh, the Whisperer - This winged
messenger is the one who whispers weighty oracles in the ears of
prophets and madmen. Ever faithful, he carries the
ineffable pronouncements of his mistress and the prayers of her
faithful. When an oracle is difficult to understand, it is
commonly said that Oromadh is in his cups.
THE CHURCH -
The Wellsprings of Ilion
Church Description
The Wellsprings of Ilion exist to spread the
words of their goddess, believing that to bring hope into
hopeless places, change into static orders and freedom to the
oppressed is the highest good. The wild, loud and often
scandalous celebrations for which these places are known make
them enormously popular among the common people, and something
of an embarrassment to those in charge. Often, Wellsprings
are not allowed within certain cities or parts of cities.
Nonetheless, the sight of a wandering Speaker is common
throughout the length and breadth of Vatheria.
Church Structure
There is no central structure to the church.
Each Wellspring determines its own leaders and structure.
Some are led by a charismatic Speaker, others by an Oracle or
even by a layman whom others consider influential and up to the
job. Each individual worshiper is left to interpret the
sayings of Ilion for himself.
Doctrine
The doctrine of the Wellsprings is founded
on the many, varied and sometimes irreconcilable sayings,
aphorisms and parables of the goddess and her many oracles.
Below are some of the best known.
"Is your heart new?" The folk
of Ilion seek ever to take on new projects, new experiences, new
ideas. Nothing wastes a life more, they say, than to think
in only one way, to experience only what you experienced
yesterday. Invention, creation and innovation
are the greatest goals of the Ilionites.
"Time fears nothing, not even the gods."
All things pass away, and he who becomes attached to things as
they are will inevitably suffer. Only by embracing change
will you find happiness. Also, do not delay until tomorrow
that which you can enjoy today.
"What is your will?" Ilionites
place a great deal of value on individual expressions of will.
No law is just, they say, if imposed from without. Each
mortal must listen to his own heart, and act accordingly.
The followers of Ilion believe strongly that for a law to be
just, it must be one agreed to by the people. This, of
course, does not endear them to kings and emperors, to say
nothing of the worshipers of Agaleus. In the extreme, some
worshipers are even anarchists, opposed to all forms of law and
government.
Holy Days
There are no standard holy days for the
followers of Ilion. They may or may not attend those of
other religions. They may proclaim a sacred day of
reflection (or work, or revelry) at almost any time, as seems
fit to them.
Preferred Weapon
There is no preferred weapon of the
Ilionites. Each that needs a weapon chooses one that seems
right to him or her.
|
