The Sacred Hexad, or simply the Hexad, was a collective term used for six nature-based deities of the humans and elves: Chauntea, the Great Mother; Eldath, the Quiet One; Mielikki, the Forest Queen; and Silvanus, the Forest Father, of the Faerûnian pantheon, and Aerdrie Faenya, Queen of the Avariel, and Rillifane Rallathil, the Leaflord, of the Seldarine.[1][note 1]
Dogma[]
Followers of the Hexad believed, for one, that these gods made the forests of the world. For example, it was believed they created the great forest Cormanthor, with Chauntea laying the beds of fertile black soil, Mielikki and Rillifane planting trees of all species and sizes, and Silvanus maintaining the woods like a gardener, while Aerdrie supplied sunshine, winds, rain, and thunderstorms to feed and strengthen the trees and Eldath caused them to bear flowers and fruit.[2] It was even said they shaped the terrain so the sunlight came at just the right angle to warm trees without burning them.[3] Furthermore, it was said they created the Elvenflow river for fishing, as they'd stocked it with plentiful fish.[4] This belief extended to the creatures living in their forests, such as the Cormanthor gorgon's protective ability to turn to stone if it fell in water[5] and perhaps even the Cormanthor worg's power to walk a slight distance above any surface without sinking or leaving tracks.[6] Lyra believed they "truly loved Cormanthor, for it was the finest forest they ever created".[2]
Notable Worshipers[]
Lyra Sunrose, a half-elf ranger of the elven village of Alyssim in the Tangled Trees, worshiped the Hexad through the 14th century DR, having picked up the faith from her mother. She noted "the Sacred Hexad" was her mother's term.[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ It is unknown how widespread or established faith in the Hexad is, as a whole rather than in the individual gods. It may be purely a personal faith of Lyra Sunrose and her mother.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 2. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 3. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 7. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 6. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Cormanthor”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.