Spring aspect of Kemí, Mother of the Ylvani, Queen under the Sun Cualúr is the spring aspect of Kemí, the mother of Ylvani, and the estranged mate of Taurë. She is the keeper, the healer the protector and the peacemaker. In the age of darkness, Galudur, the first and wisest of the trees lamented his cold and lonely existence. He plead to the world for companionship, and Kemí heard the call. Kemí was unable to go to Galudur, as it was needed where it was, but did send a piece of itself to the material world: Cualúr. Cualúr brought with her the people of Scalar. Galudur, greatful for the companionship, blessed the land where they lived, and thus it became the Wenya, the blessed land. For all their days, the Scalar filled the Wenya with stories and poetry, artistry and humor. As the years passed, Cualúr grew increasingly fascinated by the music she heard as she slept, and the face she saw in her dreams. She knew that she could not leave the daylight world to seek out the face, had to reach out to him somehow. She sought out the best poet among the Scalar, and it was Lokte. Lokte wrote a sonnet to Taurë to express the joy of the music in Taurë's soul, and [then did something to allow Lokte to enter the world of the night]. Lindele taught Lokte how to play sing, and Lokte taught Lindele how to write, and the song they created brought the Neylar and the Scalar (and Cualúr and Taurë) together. From this union came the Atani, the people of sun and stars. Cualúr and Taurë were united, and in their love they begot two children, Ethelë and Duór. Cualúr and Taurë, Ethelë and Duór lived in harmony and this was the Age of Harmony. The Age of Harmony ended with the arrival of Úr-Rassë. Cualúr and Taurë discovered the beast on the frozen mountains at the edge of the Wenya. It said that it was beset upon by a foul creature named Málrýtil, and that its arrow of cold iron was tainted with poison. Úr-Rassë sought Galudur, hoping that the wise tree would be able to heal his wounds. Noble Taurë agreed to aid the beast, though Cualúr was distrustful of the creature. It had the air of savagery about it, and its hungry gaze lingered too long upon those who turned their back to the beast. Úr-Rassë promised to protect in gratitude for his aid, and Taurë took the beast into their home. Rather than protect him, the beast poisoned Taurë mind and hardened his heart against his own family. He encourages the cruelest impulses and turned him against the virtues that had captured Cualúr all those decades ago. When Cualúr tried to warn her husband of Úr-Rassë's negative influence, he did not believe her. It was clear that her warnings were too late, the taint of Málrýtil had spread from Úr-Rassë to Taurë, when they learned that Duor had felled the great tree Galudur. When confronted with this terrible news, Taurë's reaction was not of sorrow or pity, but of anger. He resolved to punish his own daughter by taking her life. This could not stand, but Cualúr could not raise her hand against her beloved husband. If she did, the taint of Malrytil would claim her heart as well. She cast the beast Úr-Rassë from her home, and gave Taurë a choice: embrace the love they shared with their family, or the hatred he shared with Úr-Rassë. Taurë chose the later, and in doing so, broke the Atani people forever. Hoping to save the life of her children, Cualúr went to her son Ethelë and begged him to protect Duór from the beast. Ethelë promised to stand beside her and Taurë against any foe, but could not stand against either. So long as they were across purposes, Ethelë could not intervene. She could not blame her son for his choice, for it was the right one to make, and yet she still had her duty. Against all and anything, she would protect her daughter. Sadly, she was too late. When Cualúr had finally found her daughter, Taurë had passed his judgement, and Duór was dead. Cualúr wept in sorrow for her daughter's life, and in anger for Taurë's betrayal. She traveled to the edge of the living world, to the River Therelen. In her greif, she considered throwing her self in. Hearing her cries, Duór came back from the world of the dead to river's edge. Duór bade her mother not to despair, as she had learned that souls cannot pass back over the River Therelen unless they are reborn into the world in a new life. Duór said that she would guide the souls of the dead to the afterlife to keep her reminded of the mortal world, and await the day she could make her return journey to the living world. There was only one option left to Cualúr. She would spend her time ushering new souls into the world. She would use her power to bring forth new life, from the smallest flower to the greatest beast. Each new life that comes into the world was a chance for Duór to be returned to her. She would also do what she can to create, restore and maintain harmony among living things, and in doing so repair the damage that the taint of Málrýtil has wrought. Holy Books & Codes Vaethedi Cualúr is a collection of poetry and stories that chronicle the mythical history of the Scalar and Neylar, the Atani, and their sundering into the Ylvani. Many of the tales told within the book are framed as Cualúr teaching life lessons to her children, salving over the unintended consequences of Taurë's well meaning but overly harsh actions, or protecting her children or her people from the aggression of Úr-Rassë. Málrýtil is not seen so much as a personification, but rather as a proper name for the evil impulses that plague sentient beings. Dogma The teachings of Cualúr exhorts her people to live in harmony with all living things. This applies primarily to other Ylvani, but also to other sentient beings, the plants in nature, and the beast of the wilds as well (in that order, though certain sects of the faith disagree on this order). Cualúr also extols the virtues of protecting those who cannot protect themselves, but tends to shy away from a crusader mentality, as the desire to go forth and destroy evil feeds Málrýtil, and soon becomes the desire to go forth and destroy. While it may be necessary to take life in order to defend life, it is a source of shame, not of glory. A terrible burden that the someone must take on so that others can be spared the weight of that ignominy and shame. Taboos Cualúrans tend to shun metals, seeing them as symbolic of Malrytil and the fall of the blessed age. Some of the most adamant followers will forsake metal completely, refusing to wear metal armor or trade for good with metal coins. Most follow less inconvenient forms of the taboo, shunning only ferrous metal, or wearing clothing to prevent bare metal from touching their skin. Metal jewely is rarely seen among the faithful, and holy symbols are never rendered in metal. No matter how lenient a Cualúrans is on the metal taboo is, none will feel comfortable cutting into a live tree with a metal tool. Cualúrans also dislike the application of magic to animate objects. Golems are seen as downright fiendish, but lesser animation magics and clockwork creations are also viewed poorly. Temples and Shrines Temples of Cualúr are typically erected well outside of cities, and often out of sight of settled towns. Cualúrans will shape their temples in such a manner as to blend into and integrate the local flora as best as possible, and will often include verdant but unobtrusive gardens, carefully manicured greens, and a circular clearing with large tree at its center. That central tree is consecrated as a living shrine. Prayers to Cualúr involve placing one's hand upon the central tree and are punctuated with a small vial of pure (or even holy) water poured upon the roots. Within cities, temples of Cualúr are akin to urban parks, reclaiming a small space where one can fully escape the sights and smells, and to an extent even the sounds of the city. Smaller temples might not be able to accomplish this effect, but still incorporate open air designs, and as much greenery as possible with the land available. Shrines will typically take a form of a tree or shrub planted within a common space of an Ylvani enclave, and cared for by all the faithful. Visitors will come to temples or shrines to seek aid in times of famine or drought in hopes of gaining assistance in restoring or bolstering their crop yields, or for guidance if they need to traverse the wilds. The temples will also offer mediation between disputing parties, though feuding sides reasonable enough to abide by the Cualúrans' decisions will rarely be so stubborn as to need mediation. Temples will also offer comfort and healing to those in need. Divine Symbols & Sigils Crocus Flower, Circle of Vines Tenets of Faith Veneration of Cualúr looks different among different Ylvani peoples: Ylvani Aldwarwa The Aldwarwa see Cualúr as the hero of the story of Kemi. She had the foresight to see Ur Rasse was tainted, and that Taure should not take him into their home. She had the moral fortitude to resist the taint of Malrytil when Taure suggested executing Duor for her crime of felling Galudur. Some aspects of Duor, Ethele and Taure are celebrated, but Cualúr is the authoritative moral figure of Aldwarwa worship of Kemi. Ylvani Erume Erume of the Apacenye credit their freedom to Lavanalla, who is a cleric of Cualúr. Lavanalla preaches the word of Vaethedi Cualúr, but the Apacenye, in transcribing Lavanalla's teachings for the Erume tribes, have pushed Cualúr (and the aspects of Kemite theology) into the background, emphasizing the deeds and teaching of Lavanalla instead. Ylvani Yelin Yelin venerate Cualúr as a mother, a peacemaker, a nurturer and a caregiver. However, like Duor and all bearers of Tar’varon, Cualúr was tainted by Malrytil. The taint upon Cualúr was that she would do nothing when Duor cut down Galudur. Cualúr allowed her love and desire to nurture to turn into cowardice and she broke the bond they had held in the blessed age. Half Ylvani The Leithelenan half-Ylvani venerate Cualúr as a peacemaker and voice of reason. It was Cualúr who tried to show Taurë that Úr-Rassë was deceiving him, and it was Cualúr who was the first to stand at Duor's aid when Úr-Rassë hunted down cornered her. Other Worshipers and Faiths In the free cities of Merlani, those who are hoping for a great crop yield, are lost in the wilderness or who simply appreciate the beauty of a well maintained garden worship Calorra, the flower maiden. Among the Arten'Inkhara, there are stories of Walehren, who is something of a foil to Inkhara. Walehren, envious of Inkhara, strives to create life from the earth in the way Inkhara had, and in doing so managed to create the trees, the plants the fey and the Ylvani. Each of these are imperfect creations, and occasionally despoil the perfection of great earthworks, but neither they nor their creator are malicious in their intent. Divine Goals & Aspirations Cualúr is said to want to see the Ylvani people truly reunited, restoring them to their state prior to the end of the blessed age. In order to do this, the taint of Malrytil must be cleansed from the Ylvani people. But this taint cannot be burned out through violence or conquest. Coercion and intimidation are the tools of Malrytil and cannot bring anyone together even if they can bring them into proximity. Similarly, those who are unwilling or unworthy cannot simply be left to their own devices, as that division strengthens is the manifestation of Malrytil. The Atani were leaders among the sentient people of Temnia, and anywhere were dischord lives, so too does Malrytil, so Cualúr wants to spread the ideals of harmony and community to all the people of Temnia. In addition to uniting the Ylvani, Cualúr wants to foster the creation and preservation of life. Each new life brought into the world, from the simplest flower to the mightiest beast, from the humble peasants to regal kings and powerful wizards, is a chance for Duor to be returned to the world. At a Glance Alignment: Neutral Good Common Domains: Air, Charm, Community, Earth, Good, Healing, Magic, Plant, Protection, Weather (Seasons) Oracle Mysteries: Life, Nature, Solar, Succor, Wind Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff Related Deities Duór Ethelë Lavanalla Málrýtil Taurë Úr-Rassë Religions The Church of Spring Queen Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild ------------- The Church of Spring Queen Structure The church of Cualúr is headed by the Istima, also known as the "Chorus of Kemi" or the "Council of the Spring." The size of the council varies, as any Ylvani who has been elected to the rank of Óma has the right to journey to Alder Istima and take part. There are currently 108 Óma within the council. The Óma are the leaders of an Alder, the governing bodies of Aldarwa cities or towns. Any Ylvani qualifies to become an Óma if they meet the following criteria: They can channel the power of Kemi. Six other Ylvani who can channel Kemi's power agree to appoint them. No sitting Óma objects to the appointment. Each of the Óma is theoretically equal to the others, but there is an unspoken understanding that one's weight withing the Istima is directly proportional to the number of members of the circle an Óma represents. The only exception to this is the Óma elected to position of Leithari. Leadership The leader of the Istima has the title of Leithari, which means "conductor of the choir." Almost every decision made by the Istima is made by unanimous consensus, but it is simply impractical to have one hundred or so Óma represent the Istima at any one time, and to this end a figurehead is required. This is the Leithari's primary responsibility. The members of the Istima elect the Leithari from among their number, and they serve until they resign or are voted out of office. The Leithari does have the power to entreat with foreign powers on behalf of the church, but should their decisions prove unpopular with the church, that Leithari will find themselves removed from their position, and the agreement they made nullified by their successor. A Leithari removed in such a manner is cast out from the church. Both the sitting Leithari and the Istima would be in unenviable positions should that come to pass, and as such most are not eager to reach too far beyond what they can get the Istima to agree to. The Leithari has a small council of advisers who have additional responsibilities within the church. Tonsalar: The "composer" of the Chorus of Kemi, the Tonsalar is the right hand and first deputy of the Leithari. The Tonsalar will serve in the place of the Leithari should they be unavailable. Otherwise, they mediate between the Leithari and the Istima when they are in disagreement, advocating for one in the presence of the other. Those who hold this title often do so as a precursor to being elected Leithari. Teshalar: the "lyricist" or "poet" of the Chrous of Kemi, the Teshalar often negotiates on behalf of the Istima when the Leithari is not available to do so. They are responsible for publishing, amending and spreading the gospel of Kemi. Teshalar tend to be more theological than political, and rarely does one from this position aspire beyond it. Sovari'So: The "Voice of the Sun" is the most powerful and accomplished healer in the Istima. They are the lead of all the Veskalur, those capable of channeling the divine power of Kemi. Sovari'Aal: The "Voice of the Wind" is responsible for the responsible use of arcane magic in the wild. Arcana was one of the many gifts of Kemi, and while not all magic is derived Sovari'Ten The "Voice of Leaves" is the champion of the Istima. They are the leader of the Aldavanta, the protectors of the wood. The primary responsibility of the Sovari'Ten is to ensure that the wilds are protected from monsters, invaders, unnatural influences. If the Istima needs to marshal militar force, the Sovari'Ten would be the high commander of those forces. Sovari'Bas: The "Voice of Roots" is the leader of the inquest within the church. They seek out unseen threats to the harmony of the Aldarwa and insure that they are addressed. Local Structure Within the Mar-Wenya, settlements are centered around the Alder, the druidic conclaves who protect the wilds. An Alder must consist of at least six Aldarwa who can channel Kemi's divine power, but can be as large as needed to serve the needs of the settlement and the wilds they protect. The leader of the Alder is known as the Óma. The Óma typically appoints a champion (Vesal Ur'ten), who takes the lead should there be a martial or monstrous threat to the settlement. They also often appoint a keeper (Wel So'bas), whose job it is to look after the welfare of the settlement, and act as mayor, arbiter, and magistrate. The daily ministrations and sacraments of church are done by individual circle members, and are rarely done in an organized or unified fashion. Members of the circle will teach those who would ask to learn, advise those who seek their council, and soothe those who come to them in suffering. Should the members of the circle find themselves in need of such service, they will seek out the Óma. Suborginitions Sisterhood of Duor Varosa: Veska'lur: The doctrine of Cualúr teaches that visiting destruction on the wicked is not the path of harmony. Even with the best of intentions, such aggression carries the taint of Malrytil, and will corrupt the aggressor as it did Taure. There are some threats to the wild, however, that lie beyond the blessings of Kemi or the taint of Malrytil. Creatures whose existence is wholly alien and incomparable with the harmony Cualúr works for. The Veska'lur are the bulwark against such creatures. Those who have Denominations, Splinter Groups and Regional Variants Among the Ylvani Outside the Mar-Wenya Calorra, the flower maiden A number of Ylvani have traveled to and passed through the Free Cities. They brought with them the stories of the quaternity of Kemi, and over the generations, these stories been passed down, twisted and morphed into the worship of Calorra, the Flower Maiden. Walehren Divine Casters within the Church Cleric Unlike most faiths, the cleric is not the central divine caster of the Church of Cualur. Most of the positions of power and prestige are held by druids, as their ability to more literally become one with nature reflects the values and ideals of Cualur. While clerics may not be able to achieve the oneness available to a druid, clerics are still highly capable of expressing Cularuan virtues of community and cooperation, as well as ensuring the health and well being of the faithful. Archivist The doctrines of Cualur tend to place a higher value on understanding than knowledge, seeing the later as a means to the former. The teachings of Cualur have been handed down for many generations through song and story, have undoubtedly endured much alteration by the forces of creative licence, poetic expedience and evolving language. Because of this, there is relatively little value placed on sacred texts in and of themselves. The mere archival of knowledge is secondary to the contemplation of the lessons at the heart of Cular's teachings and the themes they speak to. Archivists tend to be seen in a lesser light than their brethren because while they might know the stories, they do not understand them as clerics or druids do, or embody them the way oracles do. Those segments of the faith that dedicate themselves to actively protecting the forests and their people from the dangerous elements of the world value the insight that archivists bring to the task. The Veska'lur, for example, highly prize archivists and their knowledge of the alien creatures that are poised to warp and destroy the natural world. Druid Druids are the key figures within the Church of Cualur. Almost every Oma is a druid. Druids embody the Cualuran desire to become one with Kemi. Those who have the power to transform themselves and to live as the plants of the Mar-Wenya are seen to have achieved the zenith of Cualuran faith. Powers beyond this, while impressive and practical, pale in comparison to the perfection that is living life as harmonious with the natural world as the plants of the forest. It is not uncommon for those who have achieved this ability to retire from civilized life and live out their days in hermitage. The Ylvani term for such sages is Bashu'Wer. Inquisitor The Church of Cualur does not place a great deal of emphasis on enemies or their destruction. The community must be protected from those who would seek to do harm or incite disharmony, but the desire to seek out and destroy (even with the most noble intentions) is the taint of Malrytil. Because such endeavors are by definition tainted, inquisitors are rarely seen and poorly regarded within the church. The inquisitors themselves understand this, and to a extent they agree with the assessment. They tend to be distrustful of one another, and are fearful that they will some day become the very thing they seek to destroy. Inquisitors live apart from Aldwarwa society, and in doing so shield their kin from their work. They accept what they are, and see their mission through: In victory or defeat, they will have eliminated one source of the taint of Malrytil. The Sovari'Bas is tasked with both guiding the inquisitors of Cualur and protecting the people from their depredations. Oracle / Favored Soul Cualuran doctrine teaches that understanding and knowing are two separate things, and that the latter is the less important. Orcales embody the power of Kemi, and Cualurans would argue that this embodiment comes from a subconscious and imperfect understanding for Kemi. This intuitive understanding has value, but it also speaks to a flaw within the understanding. It is this flaw that casts Oracles and Favored Souls in a lesser light within the church, compared to the clerics and druids. They exist in a space where they cannot be teachers or sages, but at the same time, their natural abilities tend to thwart any desire to learn the ways of power through wisdom. The Aldarwa will come to such hosts of divine favor if need be, and will not actively shun them... but it is difficult to trust them, as they are in command of forces that they themselves don't truly understand, which is dangerous. Paladin / Champion The urge to seek out wickness and destroy it does not sit well with the techings of Cualur. It was the desire to punish evil that claimed Taure's heart, which was the mark of Malrytil's victory, and the fall of the Atani. Paladins and Champions, while exemplars of virtue and righteousness, are not strongly regarded within the Culaur faith. Those who hear the call of service have a place, as any Alder needs an able warrior to serve as Vesal Ur'ten, the champion of the green. Others, eager to take a fight to the enemies of the forest will join the ranks of the Veska'lur. It is not uncommon to see paladins and champions at the side of clerics and druids, serving as student and valet, protecting their ecclesiastical mentor and learning to temper their zeal with mindfulness. Ranger / Slayer Becoming one with Kemi is not a wholly supernatural prospect. It is, in fact, an ideal for all the Aldwara. While druids and clerics might be able to channel divine power to heal the sick or the take the shape of the might elm, the ability to blend into the foliage or to track the progress of the bear's journey are no less laudable. Rangers live have a measure of Kemi's power, but also uphold the ideals that any of the faithful might be able to aspire to. Rangers are deeply respected figures in the church, and are often first choices for an Alder's Vesal Ur'ten. They are also seen as wisemen in their own right, capable of seeing the wisdom of Cualur through the eyes of the common Ylvani. Shaman Shugenja Kemi represents he natural world, which of course involves the elemental forces, so shugenja can be found among those who channel Kemi's power. However, the raw elemental nature of shugenja's power is often seen as a simplistic or incomplete connection, and as such shugenja tend to have little standing among the faithful. The shugenja themselves will often counter that their understanding of the fundamental forces of nature allow them a deeper understanding of nature, and will often take to a life of hermitage to dedicate themselves to their contemplation. Earth and Water are the most common focuses for Cualuran shugenja. Warpriest War is antithetical to the teachings of Cualur, and warpriests are uncommon and unwelcome within the church. Even more than Inquisitor or Paladins, Warpriests carry with them the dark clouds of the corruption of Malryitl. Those who do choose this path often find themselves living outside of the Mar Weyna, dedicating themselves to the protection of wild lands outside Ylvani civilizations or hunting down threats to the natural world.