Selune

Selûne, also known as Our Lady of Silver, the Moonmaiden, and the Night White Lady, was the chaotic good goddess of the moon in the Ogdoad pantheon. Hers was the moon's mysterious power, the heavenly force that governed the world's tides and a mother's reproductive cycles, caused lycanthropes to shift form, and drew one to the brink of madness, and back again. Her nature, appearance, and mood all changed in turn with the phases of the moon. Many in Aletrias believed the moon to be the goddess herself watching over the world and the lights that trailed behind it to be her tears, from both joy and sorrow.

Her symbol was a pair of eyes surrounded by seven stars, representing the rest of her pantheon. Her favoured animals were wolves.

Description
In both her avatars and her religious artwork, Selûne appeared in many forms, like the phases of the moon. One was a dusky-skinned human woman with long limbs; perfect and exquisite beauty; wide, radiant, lime-green eyes; and long, ivory-hued hair that fell to her knees. Another was an ethereal young elf of slender frame, dark eyes, and dark hair, wearing diaphanous robes coloured white or resembling dappled moonlight, which trailed her "moondust" or "moon motes". A third was a matronly middle-aged dwarf, plump yet fair and ageing gracefully, with gray-streaked dark hair.

She was also ever changing, ageing but ageless. If watched over time, her appearance seemed to grow to full radiance or to age and fade away, in keeping with the waxing or waning of the moon. Such changes only affected her external appearance and did not reflect any change in might, at least to mortal eyes. But, over time, she did indeed wax and wane in power and prominence.

In any form or state, whenever she was in darkness, Selûne's avatar continually emanated a faint blue-white glow like moonlight.

Personality
Again like the cycles of the moon, Selûne had many and changing moods and natures. Her faithful, coming from many walks of life, viewed her in countless different ways, and she reflected this. Sometimes she was enthusiastic, vivacious, joyous, and majestic, given to action and dance. At other times, she was subdued, motherly, and almost poetic or tranquil and embracing. Then she was remote and weighed down by sadness at defeats and tragedies, even those that happened long, long ago. Finally, she could be aggressive and fierce, but cold, and with little mercy for her enemies. These shifting personalities made her versatile. Nevertheless, she was viewed as a calm power.

Nevertheless, at all times, Selûne was caring and accepting of most beings, and forgiving of most of her followers' faults. She was both ageless and ancient. She was quietly mystical and, as a being of chaos, well used to change. She had a serene and peaceful nature and was slow to anger; she would not fight if she could help it, but nor did she hold back if she must. She was fiercely protective when confronted by evil. The one constant was her eternal conflict with Shar.

She was generous and freely bestowed gifts and blessings on mortals. She also made few demands of her followers. When beseeched by her clergy, she always responded.

Activities
She was believed to control the ebb and flow of the tides and to comfort those in need during the night. Her moon shined a light in the darkness, holding evil at bay. She had infused her spirit with the moon, and there eternally watched over the world. Through the moon, she controlled the powers of lycanthropes. Lycanthropy was often known by the euphemism "Selûne's Kiss"; one so touched was said to be "kissed by Selûne".

By the time of the Fifth Age she was believed to guide herders to good pastures, to aid ships lost on the sea and travellers lost in the wilds, to deliver love to those who sought it and bless marriages, to guarantee the safety of births, and to watch over relationships and connections between people. She blessed all things beautiful purely for the sake of their beauty, and granted visions to people who desired them for good purposes.

Avatars of Selûne most often wandered the Astral Plane, seeking out magical lore or an advantage to help her destroy Shar once and for all. She was reluctant to manifest avatars in Aletrias, as Shar took joy in obliterating them there. However, Selûne often provided her priests with temporary powers or spells to help them achieve the missions she gave them.

Selûne was in constant conflict with Shar, her sister and the goddess of darkness. Their war was the eternal drama of the sky, vital to the balance of nature: the dark of the night devouring the light of the moon, before the moon was renewed and the cycle repeated. In their never-ending struggle across the sky, Selûne was slain by Shar at every new moon. They fought incessantly to undercut the other.

Babes born beneath a full moon often grew up to exhibit magical talent, thanks to Selûne. Meanwhile, those conceived under moonlight were believed to "have the moon alive within them" and expected to turn to the worship of Selûne.

Folk were encouraged to pray to Selûne under moonlight, for she gained real power at such times. Furthermore, she could guide those who meditated under moonlight, even if they did not pray to her.

Divine Realm
Selûne dwelled in the Feywild, from her palace of Sildëyuir or the Gates of the Moon. In the middle of the Gates of the Moon, Selûne resided in a shining silver hall, a place of beauty, quietness, and moonlight. Colour, beauty and joy emanated from all corners of the territory and hidden within were remnants of the elven civilisation that once called this place home. The Fey who resided there enjoy nothing more than entering the Material Plane and exploring the strange customs and desires of the creatures found there.

Worshipers
Selûne and her teachings of compassion and guidance were appealing to all folk who lived their lives by the moonlit night sky, and hence her faithful were a very diverse group. She was followed by those who were lost and those who were questing. Sailors and navigators, who traveled by the stars, often prayed to the Night White Lady to protect them from Tiamat's wrath. Others who laboured by night at honest work prayed to her for similar reasons. Some sought her for protection in the dark or from the dark forces of Shar. Lycanthropes, whether those of good heart, neutrality, or a few who relished their condition, honoured the Moonmaiden as the mistress of their nature. Astrologers, diviners, fortune-tellers, mystics, and those just curious about the future acknowledged her as a ruler of fate. Female spellcasters revered her, particularly those born during a full moon or who had an interest in divination, and a few dedicated themselves to her. She was also worshiped by illusionists, some sages, and good thieves.

In particular, she was commonly worshiped by human women. They looked to Selûne for guidance, courage, and strength, while couples hoped she would bless them with children when the time was right.

Even those not dedicated to Selûne would pay their respects to her. For example, a band of adventurers on a night-time raid might make an offering to Selûne for guidance. Most goodly folk paid homage to Selûne during the full moon. Even evil thieves would try to placate her.

Orders
The Order of the White Moon was a notable order dedicated to the Moonmaiden, the result of a Loxodon colony arriving in the south long ago.