Races of Wild

CHAPTER 1ELVES24Illus. by D. CrabappleGilmadrith for prudent strategy and for victory with minimalloss of life.The daughter of Corellon Larethian by his original consortAraushnee, Vandria was once as carefree and high-spiritedas any other member of the Seldarine (see Mythic Origins,page 25). However, when Araushnee led a treacherous assaulton the Seldarine, Vandria gathered forces to defend theother elf deities. The resulting carnage forever soberedher and cemented her commitment to aidingher people at times when taking up armsbecomes inevitable.Like Corellon Larethian, VandriaGilmadrith is a war deity, but where Corellonepitomizes the glory of individualcombat, Vandria embodies strategy, tactics,alliances, and close cooperation on thebattlefield. Such innately lawful aspectsof war are alien to the chaotic soul ofthe elf, so Vandria normally has fewfollowers among the elf race. Still,even elves must sometimes learnto work together for the greatergood, and her worship blossoms asnever before when war looms on thehorizon. Known as Steelheart forher steady nature and steadfast protection,Vandria represents the abilityof the elves to harden their carefree heartsand band together in times of trouble.Vandria appears as a middle-aged femaleelf with white hair bound in a severe braid,bearing an expression of grim and sorrowful resignation. Apair of feathered, steel-gray wings sprouts from her back,and an ornate silver helm with no visor protects her head.Her elven chain gleams with a radiant light, and she wieldsa longbow and a greatsword in combat.Vandria feels the death of every elf who perishes on thebattlefield, the pain of every elf maimed in combat, andthe grief of all those who lose loved ones to war. Thus, herprimary interest is in preventing war and in shortening itwhen it becomes necessary. Ever vigilant, she keeps watchfor dangers that threaten the elf race. On the battlefield,elves sometimes claim to see her folding her wings arounda threatened unit to protect it, or pointing out a hidden foe.As the only lawful-aligned deity in the elven pantheon,Vandria holds sway over laws, contracts, alliances, and allother types of formal agreements. Elders weighing judgmentin disagreements always invoke her and pray for the wisdomto dispense punishments fairly. Elves who need to makecritical decisions sometimes seek her counsel when facedwith a difficult choice.Because of the sorrow she feels when war claims her people,Vandria Gilmadrith is also known as the Lady of Grief. Allthose who grieve, whether through losses from violence orthrough the normal passage of time, pray to her for solace.Holy symbol ofVandria GilmadrithPortfolio: War, guardianship, justice, grief, vigilance,decision.Domains: Law, Protection, War.Special: Vandria does not accept evil clerics. Herclerics can be neutral, lawful neutral, lawful good, orneutral good.Cleric Training: Clerics of Vandria Gilmadrith begintheir training by serving in the watch, sitting with elderswhile they hear disputes, learning about thetraditional enemies of the elves, and servingas singers at funerals. As they advance,they may lead watch patrols, serve as secondsfor aggrieved parties bringing cases beforethe elders, help to shore up a community’sdefenses, and assist the master of armsin training young elves with weaponry.When war threatens, clericsof Vandria help the ruler form alliancesand plan strategy. They alsoinstruct elf warriors in close combattechniques. As they are prone totelling warriors who tend toward toomuch independence on the battlefield,“A wave of arrows is better thana lot of single bowshots.” After a battle,clerics of Vandria retrieve the dead from thebattlefield.Quests: Vandria’s quests often requireadventurers to visit rulers of other lands ondiplomatic missions, to hunt down lawbreakers,retrieve stolen property, or to gather informationcritical to preventing or winning a war.Prayers: Because Vandria prefers defense to offense,prayers to her often take the form of promises to defendothers. “Let not my arm falter,” goes one common prayer,“lest the lives in my care be forfeit.” A prayer for aid in judgmentor help in making a decision might be expressed as “Letmy eyes see clearly and my heart be as steel.”Shrines: Temples to Steelheart are usually hidden fortresseswhose locations are known only to her worshipers andclergy. Situated in defensible caves, beneath huge trees, orin hidden vales, Vandria’s temples are stocked with weaponsand supplies so that they can double as last retreats for theentire community. A few of her shrines are little more thansimple tree houses situated at key vantage points so that herclerics can spot trouble on the horizon.Rites: Vandria’s clerics bless alliances and seal contracts.They also bless troops going into battle and lead memorialservices for those whose bodies could not be retrieved fromthe battlefield.Herald and Allies: A celestial elf 10th-level fighter/10thlevelwildrunner (see page 139) serves as Vandria’s heraldon the Material Plane. Her allies are formian taskmasters,formian myrmarchs, and hound archon heroes.Favored Weapon: Longbow.