The Moonweaver

The Moonweaver is a goddess of moonlight, beauty, and lovers. She is a goddess of the moon and the autumn season, and the patron of illusions and misdirection. She is widely worshipped by halflings, gnomes, and some beastkin. She is the protector of trysts and lovers, and those who work in secrecy and trickery often ask for her blessing.

She is sometimes called the Mistress of Night, the Lady of Love, and the Maiden.

Overview
The Moonweaver has watched over the world with a gentle heart and a generous eye since the beginning. She has encouraged mortals in peace and love and revels in even their crudest artistic awakenings. A passionate and creative artist in both matters of the heart and beauty, she teaches that true beauty takes many forms; kindness is its own form of strength; no force is more powerful than love.

She has experienced enough pain herself to recognize the sting of sacrifice, and has soothed enough broken hearts to know that love and beauty are not easy things. Yet despite the realities of pain and loss, she remains an eternal optimist, helping the mend the deepest pains and turn the coldest hearts toward love and light. No mortal, monster, or deity that yet exists is immune to her power.

She represents all aspects of love, whether a parent's devotion, companionship with a beloved pet, the steady tenderness of an old married couple, the chaste adoration of a knight for his king, or the passion of new lovers. The Moonweaver recognizes everything from the deep love between soulmates to the carnal desire of two young lovers, but she does not consider greed or craving to be true love; whether directed toward riches or an uninterested person.

Love in all expressions pleases her. She does not require fidelity, but teaches that you should never be reckless with another's heart, nor should you tolerate those who are reckless with your heart. Parental love is powerful and usually the first love any creature knows, so she supports both reproduction and adoption, no matter the organization of the family unit, as long as loving parents raise the children.

The Moonweaver's Ribbons
Great streaks of multicolored light that illuminate the northern sky on the winter solstice. According to legend, the Moonweaver dances across the sky on this night, her hair strands of light, and she paints a radiant, esoteric portrait int he wintry sky. Tradition dictates this is to remind the people of Tyrind that even in the darkest of nights, she is with them.

Yearly, many travellers from all over Dharrenal journey past the Rimecrown Mountains to witness the Moonweaver’s Ribbons bend around the northern peaks. It is believed these lights cleanse the land and provide the protection of the goddess for another year.

Dogma
There are innumerable poems and songs inspired by love, yet most followers of the Moonweaver hold three sayings as her most important messages to mortals. The first is that anything done to make the world more beautiful is a blessing. Any art, from the composition of a new song to something like clever makeup or a flattering haircut all create beauty, and even the smallest change can transform the mundane into the intriguing.

The second is that love is a positive, fulfilling energy. It protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Possessiveness and jealousy are not love, and stem from darkness. The Dawn War happened because the Primordials wished to destroy the beauty of the world, and the Sundering began with a seed of jealousy. An enemy's punishment may be deserved, but a loving heart does not rejoice in hatred or vengeance.

Finally, knowledge, language, and ambitions all pass in time. Love, kindness toward others, these persist, and their repercussions are felt down through generations, both in this world and the Great Beyond. Even when love is barely more than a flickering candle, it can ignite the heart and soul into a raging flame that can defy time, death, war, nature, and even fate.

Worshipers
People from all walks social status are moved by beauty and long for love. Many seek the Moonweaver's counsel in finding love or inspiration, or reuniting with a strayed love or lose muse. Others turn to her when they realize their lives are empty without love or beauty. There are those who scoff at her faith as being full of weaklings, dandies, dreamers, and fools. In truth, many who call on her in the moment are drunk on love or adoration; they believe these things are sword, shield, food, and drink. Most of her lifelong followers, however, know that while love is intangible, a journey, and a source of inspiration, it must be tempered with common sense. Her faithful strive to be open to love when offered, honest in mourning with a broken heart, and courageous enough to risk love again when they have healed.

This intensity is mirrored in the intensity of artists. The musician who forsakes all other pursuits to craft the perfect song and the dancer who practices for hours on blistered feet both honor the Moonweaver. The goddess doesn't ask mortals for this level of devotion, but she understands the heartfelt desire to create something that will inspire others. At the same time, she is aware of the dark side of obsession, and how easily the blessings of love and passion can be twisted into jealousy and unhealthy compulsion. Equally important to her followers is correcting those who would cite the goddess' name to justify terrible deeds or covetousness.

Among the Moonweavers' faithful are artists, actors, musicians, young lovers, romantics of all stripes, and enchanters and illusionists who strive for beauty above all else. The broken hearted weep her name, and those participating in arranged marriages (rare in Dharrenal, but the practice still exists, most notably in Eleroth and Maezar) petition her in hopes that love will blossom in their union.

Her followers, as a sign of devotion, will create some small work; paint a small picture, compose a short poem or song, dance a scene from a ballet, or create some other work of art. It doesn't need to be good; the Moonweaver finds beauty in all things, and the act of its creation is an act of praise.

Clergy
The Moonweaver motivates her followers to inspire, teach others to see beauty even in the mundane, and to encourage love and devotion between deserving individuals. Natural peacemakers and mediators, priests of the Moonweaver recognize that the world contains ugliness and evil, and are not afraid to fight to change it so that everyone can appreciate the beauty and joy of existence. Her clergy treasure wisdom and talent, and prefer informal organization and decisions made as a community, though they also recognize that great art is rarely created by committee. if an individual disagrees with a decision, they are encouraged to follow their own path. Or, in the words of the church, to "follow their bliss".

Many priests of the Moonweaver are clerics or bards, serving as artists and teachers, as well as healers of both body and mind. Her clergy do not use their magic to seduce, but may use it to intervene in conflicts or prevent evil from being done, and to ease the hurt of a broken heart. Paladins who serve the Moonweaver focus on courtly love and seek to shield beauty from forces that would consume or destroy it.

Priests strive to spread love or create something of beauty each day, usually a song or a drawing or painting, though some may choose less conventional means of artistic cultivation, such as gardening, mentoring others, or aiding a local orphanage. Among more militant priests, beauty may come from the perfection of acrobatic and aesthetically appealing fighting styles. Those less enchanted by the artistic process may instead care for artists, or scout for talent, or even help arrange patronage between nobles and young artists. Wealthier priests often own theaters, concert halls, art galleries, or even their own schools. Priests may serve as matchmakers, and often counsel those with broken hearts or relationship problems.

Training for the clergy involves instruction in the appreciation, history, and theory of arts to better understand them. This is in addition to education in fashion and rhetoric. Before initiation into priesthood can be considered complete, an acolyte must perform three acts of beauty: uncovering beauty in something not generally seen as beautiful, restoring a work of art, or creating new and lasting works of beauty in their communities are three examples.

The typical garb of priests of the Moonweaver is designed to emphasize the wearer's form and beauty, though the level of modesty will vary depending on the individual. Makeup and jewelry are almost always included, and it is common for worshipers to wear a broach or pendant bearing the Moonweaver's symbol. Scarves are common. Many ceremonial outfits include the image of a rose, and rose-adorned regalia are part of many religious ceremonies.

Temples & Shrines
The Moonweaver's temples are surrounded by gardens, with romantic statues and gorgeous frescoes. They are filled with soft music and adorned with paintings, sculpture, and framed calligraphy of poems from her holy books. Many of these works are available for purchase, and are considered a prestigious gift when presented to a loved one. Temple are is often donated, created, or sponsored by those who found love and/or approval from the church when others opposed them; priests of the temple usually create the rest.

Individual temples may focus on one type of art, such as painting or dancing, or a type of musical instrument. Larger temples are often multidisciplinary, with an emphasis on full bands or even theater performances (particularly in the Lucain Coast). The Temple of the Golden Rose, in the capitol city of Vanar, is the oldest known temple of the Moonweaver in Dharrenal. The cathedral is an intricate affair, fluted and open to the sky. Bright birds roost around its central courtyard, and talented musicians play exquisite tunes appropriate to the hour and the weather throughout the year.

Each temple to the Moonweaver contains a public bath, which is generally a place of relaxation, peace, and beauty. It is also not uncommon for a temple to the Moonweaver to offer healing, shelter, and "companionship" to those who need it and/or are willing to donate generously to the church. While some call these temples "brothels", it is not so crude. The physical expression of love is simply another way to celebrate their goddess (and also to get donations, but whatever).

Cats
The cat is the sacred animal to the Moonweaver. They are mischievous, graceful and move with the night, much like the Moonweaver herself. While none of her holy texts state it outright, temples and shrines to the Moonweaver tend to have food and water left out for local cats, and it's not uncommon for a local temple to serve as a safe place for cats to rest, sleep, and socialize.

Holy Texts
The Moonweaver's holy book is The Melody of Beauty, and as its name suggests, it is more of a hymnal and collection of poetry than a prayer book. Stories about the goddess, her family, her history, and her doctrine are expressed through song, epic verse, and dramas to be performed and enjoyed. The book glosses over the ugly parts of the stories, though other divinely inspired documents of the church reveal more details of the Moonweaver's deeds in the Dawn War and the Sundering, and her relationships with the other gods.

Holidays
The church of the Moonweaver has no universal holidays except for Lover's Day. However, vow renewals between loving couples are often celebrated by an entire temple, as are other anniversaries.

Rites and Prayers
Worship services for the Moonweaver may be quiet and slow paced, or loud and upbeat, but they are always heartfelt. Dance and music are central to any rite. Food, particularly group meals, is common at evening ceremonies, and is often used to welcome new members of the community to the faith.

Orders of the Moonweaver

 * Cult of Ecstasy: This order of bards and other magic users seek to transcend boundaries and limitations through sacred experience. To achieve that, the cult uses things like drugs, music, and sex but these are just a means to an end. The objective is to achieve a state that transcends the physical world, a trance that lets them see beyond normal experience and go outside the lines that keep people penned in--to see and experience the beauty that exists in planes of existence beyond their own.
 * Order of the Blossom: Comprised primarily of knights and other warriors who have dedicated themselves to the Moonweaver. They are sworn to help and protect the innocent, and to preserve beauty against the evils that would destroy it.
 * Pygmalian Society: The Pygmalian Society believes that true art is a link to the celestial, given its quality to provoke and inspire people. They are an order of artists and storytellers, using their crafts in the hopes of obtaining a better understanding of existence.

Appearance
The Moonweaver is always shown as a young, beautiful woman with light-blue skin and white hair, her body and limbed merely wavy silk strands of silver moonlight that caress and create the edges of the shadows around her. Her hair is adorned with a crown of flowers and stars.

History
According to most accounts of the creation of All That Is, the Moonweaver came into being at the same time as the Dawnfather, her twin brother. Unlike the god of the sun--who was stern, brooding, and reserved--she was wild, beautiful, and mischievous. She provided the silvery light of the moon to bathe the night with comforting light, and it was she who painted the stars into the sky. She is also said to have helped the Wildmother grow flowers and blew a kiss to the forests and the animals, providing a wild sort of beauty to the world; the lipstick and perfume adorning creation, as it were. She is said to have loved the elves, and was personally among the gods who greeted them and convinced them to travel to Seraphel to stay with the gods.

Not much is spoken of her deeds in the Dawn War, though one story in particular spoke a primordial that had nearly felled the Stormlord was stopped in his tracks when he saw the Moonweaver dance across the night sky. This distraction gave the Stormlord enough time to once more grab his mighty hammer and strike it down.

When the Sundering occurred, the Moonweaver is said to have suffered a broken heart as the Titan now known only as the Lord of the Hells--formerly a god and the one she loved most of all--revealed his true nature and launched his attack on Seraphel. She wept for forty days at his betrayal, and is said to have cut down swaths of demons who served her former lover.

The Chained Oblivion was the most dangerous of the Titans, used by the Lord of the Hells as a living siege weapon of sorts. The Moonweaver is counted among the Chained Oblivion's victories and he was said to have cruelly injured her, and she would likely have died and been consumed had it not been for the intervention of her brother, the Dawnfather. While she would survive, the moon would never be the same. This is said to be why the moon waxes and wanes.

Relationships
It's in the Moonweaver's nature to be loved, and none are immune to her smile. However, the other gods respond different in accordance with their own natures. The Moonweaver has loved many entities; gods, titans, mortals, and beings beyond mortal understanding. She has loved them all, but refused to be bound to any and has borne no children. The Moonweaver and the Lady of Coin amuse each other, as does the Laughing Rogue and the Music Maker in their competitive attempts to woo her.

The Platinum Champion, the Everlight, and other deities who actively crusade against evil often see her as naive or frivolous, but such objections tend to melt away in her presence as she reminds them that the eradication of evil is worthless if the crusaders forget what it is they fight to preserve. She has a close friendship with the Archeart, who also values music and artistic expression, though they recognize their different views of these qualities.

She is said to be the twin sister of the Dawnfather, god of the sun. It is he who rules the day, his stern demeanor warming the land with his radiant justness. But the night belongs to the Moonweaver, and it is in the darkness that mischief can be made.