Lady Flamesong, Wellspring-of-Words
Lesser Deity
Symbol: Two entwined lines, silver and gold
Home Plane: Arvandor
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Portfolio: Battle, lore, music
Worshipers: Wood elves, bards, lore-keepers
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, N
Domains: Knowledge, Trickery
Favored Weapon: “Iluria” (shortsword)
Carliehn Meluthil (car-leen mel-oo-thil) is the goddess of music and lore among the elves of Faerûn. Most of them pay her quick homage before singing a song or playing a tune, but bards and all those who fully devote themselves to the arts of music are her true followers. She is a somewhat impatient and ill-tempered goddess, but also a protective guardian and teacher of the elves, especially the wood elves.
Carliehn is one of the eldest of the Seldarine and has been worshiped by the elves for years beyond count. The most ancient folk-songs of the wood and wild elves of Faerûn, her chief followers on Toril, say she was born of the co-mingled song of Titania and a nameless Fey lord she was dallying with at the time (in contrast, the lore of the high elves says she is ‘merely’ one of Corellon and Araushnee’s daughters). Whatever the case, it is known beyond doubt that Carliehn was worshiped first by the eladrin in the Feywild and then by the earliest elves of Faerûn – the green elves of the ancient woods and valleys, ancestors of today’s wood and wild elves. By contrast, Carliehn has little time for the high elves, whom she considers “stiff-necked summoners of woe.”
Today, while she has few temples or even shrines, the sylvan strongholds of the elves echo with the songs Lady Flamesong taught them so long ago. Carliehn has two aspects in the lore of the elves. The first is the Tale-singer, a gentle and witty instructor in the ever-living legends and wisdom of her chosen people, often depicted with a child on one knee and a harp on the other. The second is the War-singer, a fierce and fearless teacher of battle-chants, blessings and curses.
Carliehn’s closest divine allies are Eilistraee, the patron goddess of non-evil drow, and Oghma, the Faerûnian god of inspiration and knowledge. Milil, the Lord of Song, often tries Carliehn’s patience, as she considers him far too flighty and light-hearted, but they generally are on good terms, as are their followers. She despises and opposes gods of thoughtless violence and cruelty, especially those who delight in the destruction of song and lore, and beauty in general.
Clerics of Carliehn raise their voices in celebration at twilight, when the last fading light of the sun bids the world farewell and the stars begin to dance above. Like most elves, they have a special reverence for the turning points of the year – the equinoxes, solstices, Midsummer and Midwinter. But the highest holy day of Carliehn’s church is Silversong, held on the first full moon after the elvish sowing festival (usually during the first two weeks of Mirtul, although sometimes as late as the end of that month).
Well, now I know what deity to use next time I create a character in a Forgotten Realms game :)