Yue (4e Deity)

Pronged shadow on the moon

Chaotic Neutral
Domains: Arcana, Creation
Warpriest Domain: Creation

Yue was one of the main deities in the Old World Pantheon. She was part of the Council of Four Meditations, and oversaw much of the affairs, being the charismatic brainiac to the other gods Orelia, Shabast, and Vatar. Of the council, she saw herself as the most free, compared to the stiff-necked Vatar and Shabast. While she did not harbor ill-will towards Orelia, she found her benevolence to be unfounded. Yue did not believe in good and evil being the ultimate struggle and was known for her esotericism. Her followers are roughly the same, forming circles of inside knowledge, which was guarded jealously. They claim to be neutral in fights regarding things beneath them, like wars for land or riches.

She is primarily known to be a major patron deity of many kingdoms on Dasoon, and she also had aspects present in Okut, as well as Sithi. People commonly regard her as one of the major deities of gnostic scholarship, and she is closely associated with the moon. Her home is believed to be accessible in a vortex located on the moon or associated with its phases. When the moon waxes, she is usually alone. As it wanes, the dark rabbit of Ragtha is said to be intimately keeping her company.

Once every few years, she is said to change into a different form, known as the Rust Maiden. This is supposedly when the moon takes on a bloody, rusty color and vanishes until the next night. This is similar to a lunar eclipse. According to legend, she dons a rob which is eternally stained with blood to descend upon mortals and chastise those in power who have displeased her.

She was sadly one of the first divine casualties from the Gorge. When the Gorge destroyed the moon, it also devoured her. However, her bloody robe, known as the Rusty Castigator, remains in the world as a sacred, lost treasure.

While the goddess is gone, some of her teachings remain embedded in remnants of old culture.

• Power goes to the wisest: The driving forces in society are those with knowledge and knowledge on how to use it.
• Those who do not understand, never will: Yue's followers inherited their goddess' elitism and snobbish attitude towards those they saw as lesser in mind.
• The body and soul benefit from the same: Pleasure of the body also was pleasing to the mind, and vice versa. One needed to nourish both.

Description

Yue sketch

Yue is often depicted as a pale woman with raven hair. Her face shines like the moon, surrounded by the ebon night trailing behind her. Analects written of her describe her as exceedingly beautiful, and when she took an earthly form, few a man could resist her. Her power lay mainly with her vast knowledge of spells, allowing her to utilize them for wrath or benevolence. Martial prowess was seen as barbaric to her. Her skills of diplomacy were mainly trained through spells of charm, as she did not like to speak to those she saw as lesser. This alienated a lot of lower class from worshipping her, as her followers often spurned those of lower standing in life.

The Rust Maiden

When in her Rust Maiden form, Yue is said to become a vengeful entity. No longer does she sit idle to watch squabbles. Instead, she dons her bloody robe to face mortals who have spurned her teachings and misused their power. This side of her is more egalitarian and rather liked by common folk, as she acts a force to hold unwise leaders in check. There is a legend of how once, in Toryu, she appeared before the emperor's court in disguise as a grieving widow in bloody clothes decrying the imperial order to war. The court scoffed at her, for she was not only a woman, but she looked of low standing. In her rage, she filled the court and the palace around it with a hail of thunderbolts. Frightened, the court immediately begged for forgiveness upon realizing who she was and rescinded their insults and their call for war.

Temples

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Heralds and Allies

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