Kyrnash, Lady of the Forest

"How would I describe Kyrnash? I would say that she is all that is nature. She is kind, she is ruthless, she is cruel, she is motherly; basically, if an adjective applies to the world outside of cities, it applies to her."
  - Old Growth Edric Greenbeard

Alternate Names: Hellededd (elf), Soliturae (gnome), Tasagdo (orc), Wegleas (halfling), Zerloi (dwarf)
Expanded Domains: Animal, Decay, Earth, Fire, Growth, Plant, Seasons, Water, Weather
Portfolio: animals, forests, seasons, stone, volcanoes

Knowledge (religion) DC 10:
The eldest of Aelma and Erb's children, Kyrnash shaped the lands when the world was forged. Known as Lady of the Forest and Mother of Beasts, Kyrnash designed and created nearly every animal after she created the wilds. She tore water from the sky to fill lakes, pulled the mountains from the ground, created predator and prey. Prayers are made by hunters for her grace, and settlements of all sizes make offerings of incense and the destruction of axes and saws to avert her wrath. It is said that villages that do not make acceptable offerings to Kyrnash find their crops suffering from blight, decaying when they should be flourishing.
     Acolytes dedicated to Kyrnash are called Saprolings, and upon finishing their training they are elevated to Growths. The highest ranking members of Kyrnash's followers are Old Growths, sometimes called Archdruids by outsiders. In art, Kyrnash is most frequently depicted as a black-haired woman clothed in rustic leather with a hunting bow. Often birds and small forest animals such as squirrels and foxes are depicted either next to her or on her shoulders.



Knowledge (religion) DC 15:
Though many tales abound of Kyrnash helping woodsmen, hunters, and travelers in the forests, an equal number speak of her wrath, fierce and savage. The youngest and greenest of Saprolings argue in their bunks over which is the truest embodiment of the goddess. The answer they only learn later into their training: both are equally true of Kyrnash.
     The priesthood teaches that the goddess embodies the growth of spring, the life of summer, the decay of fall, the cold of winter, the power of the storm, the rushing river, the mighty mountain, but most of all what she embodies is one word: balance. A herbivore consumes plants before being eaten by a predator which dies to fertilize the ground for new plant growth in an unending cycle. While some Growths or Old Growths strike at farmlands and villages, seeking to reclaim civilization for nature, an equal number use the magic granted through their worship to encourage crop growth or otherwise help small settlements.
     All Saprolings are taught an ancient, secret language. This language has gone unchanged at least as far as the Historical Wipe, and some Saprolings whisper that it was taught to the elves by Kyrnash herself when the world was young.
     Early in the world, Kyrnash bound ancient demon lords deep within the earth. These demon lords in their rage will occasionally try to escape, pulling at the chains that keep them bound. From their struggles, the land above will release molten rock and gas in the form of volcanoes.

Knowledge (religion) DC 20:
While the priesthood of Kyrnash do not have written texts, their rites and legends are passed down orally. Each Saproling must memorize at least sixty tales before becoming a Growth, and by the time they can become an Old Growth they will have memorized hundreds of myths, parables, legends, and tales.
     Upon becoming an Old Growth, a priest of Kyrnash can expect one of two things: either take over for the previous Old Growth of the circle, or set out to start a new circle. This is not a spontaneous decision, as every Growth is expected to plan where they would start a new circle unless the current Old Growth begins grooming them as a successor. When their chosen successor is promoted to an Old Growth, the previous Old Growth leaves the circle to spend the rest of their days wandering. Many end up finding a beautiful grove, clearing, or other locale and choosing to make the place their final resting place, their bodies serving to feed the cycle.

Knowledge (religion) DC 25:
The oldest tales of Kyrnash are only told to Old Growths, speaking of Kyrnash leading armies against hordes of screaming, wailing undead. Hordes led by giant beetle liches serving unnamed monstrosities. Scores of undead would fall to each arrow fired from Heartwood, Kyrnash's favorite bow, yet the tide was relentless.
     Beyond this point, the tales diverge. Some speak of weapons of stone containing Kyrnash's fury, a hammer that holds a storm within it, a spear fed by blood, a whip that splits the very air. Others speak of a dark ritual devised by Erb and used by Kyrnash, fueled by the deaths of thousands. The one thing agreed upon is that the war of life against the undead ended with the undead hordes cast deep into the earth where they could not harm anything living nor escape.

Code of Conduct: Paladins of Kyrnash 
"Our faith calls for knights that embody nature's wrath and nature's protection. Just don't expect us to be friends over anything but a pint of ale."
"Even that's debatable. Remember the Brawling Bar Crawl of 978?"
  - Taran, Knight of Winter, and Yalor, Knight of Summer
Unlike most other deities, paladins of Kyrnash fall into one of two groups: Knights of Summer and Knights of Winter. These codes of conduct apply to those that would call themselves paladins of the faith, not simply any follower of Kyrnash.
Summer
  - Cherish life. Protect beauty, laughter, love, art and hope from that which would see it snuffed out.
  - Kindle life. Encourage the love of life through your actions; take joy from beauty, laughter, art, anything that adds love of life to the world.
  - Kindle life. Through mercy and forgiveness, kindle hope and life to snuff out the darkness of doubt and despair.
Winter
  - Be the embodiment of nature's raw power. When faced with the option of doing something small or big, always go big.
  - When in battle, be a force of nature. Show your foes the mercy of a hurricane, the wrath of a wildfire, the force of a tsunami.
  - Do not hesitate in anything you do. The greatest virtue is the will to act. Hesitation may cost untold lives.

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