Silvanus, the Oak Father, is a god of wild nature and forests from the Celtic pantheon (also known as the Tuatha De Danann),[10][4][6] as well as the Faerûnian pantheon from the crystal sphere known as Realmspace.[8][9][2][3][5] Silvanus is an ancient deity and is closely allied with Chauntea, and is served, directly or indirectly, by Eldath, Mielikki, Gwaeron Windstrom, Lurue, and Shiallia.[2]
Overview[]
Silvanus is the god of wild and untamed nature. Although wise and beneficent, with a paternal attitude towards his faithful, Silvanus quickly becomes cold and emotionally distant when it comes to maintaining balance in nature, and even wrathful towards those who threaten wild places and woodlands. He is on the whole considered to be a grim and severe father figure who metes out flood and drought, fire and ice, and life and death in the wilderness.[1][3]
Description[]
Silvanus favors two forms, the Old Father and the Young Strider. The Old Father appears as an old, bearded, incredibly wise human face floating in mid air among trees, or sometimes sprouting from the trunk of a particularly old and large tree.[2] His flesh has the consistency and color of old wood. The Young Strider, on the other hand, appears as a long-limbed young man wearing scale armour, with scales the size and shape of oak leaves. He appears most often when a sacred grove is threatened or a circle of druids is attacked during worship. He especially hates those who use fire carelessly or deliberately with the intent to destroy.[3] He is often accompanied by a giant wolfhound who fights at his side.[6]
Holy symbol[]
Silvanus's symbols include a green, living oak leaf;[8][9][2] an oak tree in summer;[10][4][6] or a wooden staff sprouting tiny green leaves and buds along its length.[3]
Favored weapon[]
Silvanus wields a maul known as the Great Mallet of Silvanus.[2][3][6]
Realm[]
World Tree Cosmology[]
In the World Tree cosmology of Realmspace, Silvanus resides within his realm, known as the Deep Forest, which is located on the outer plane known as the House of Nature, which he shares with his fellow nature deities, Chauntea, Lathander, Eldath, Mielikki, Shiallia, Nobanion, and Ubtao.[11][2] The House of Nature is a vast wilderness, with no buildings or industry to spoil its pure, natural beauty. No divine palaces or carved halls rise above the trees or delve beneath the mountains. In the deepest reaches of the House of Nature, where the vegetation grows thickest lies the Deep Forest. Here the greatest of trees grow and the canopy of leaves is so dense that all light must surely be blotted out.[11]
Great Wheel Cosmology[]
In the Great Wheel cosmology, Silvanus resides within his realm, known as the Deep Forest[3] or Summeroak, which is part of Tir na Og (the Land of Youth), the shared planar realm of the Tuatha De Danann (the Celtic pantheon),[12] which is located on the Concordant Domain of the Outlands.[13][5][14] Summeroak lies in the deepest reaches of Tir na Og, where the vegetation grows thick and feral, and the canopy of leaves overhead is so thick it must surely blot out all the light. Here the greatest of trees grow and Silvanus makes his home.[4]
Worship[]
Nature and its impartial fairness is central to the dogma of Silvanus's faith. The priests of Silvanus typically keep their distance and take in the total situation, so that their viewpoint isn't limited to that of one person, or even that of a single nation. Instead they consider what is the best course to take to maintain the overall Balance. They strive endlessly to preserve the sacred Balance, even in the face of population pressures which lead to over-exploitation of natural resources. Silvanus often receives veneration from travelers in wild lands, explorers, and residents of rural communities far from the protection of a local lord or a great city.[1][2]
In Spelljammer[]
Silvanus is a member of the Faerûnian pantheon and is considered a native deity of Realmspace. Priests of Silvanus lose all access to spells once the enter wildspace. However, as soon as they make landfall on a suitable planetary body, they regain access to their full compliment of spells.[7]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Silvanus article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Steve Kenson, et al., Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, 2015, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9, The Gods of Faerûn, page 37
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona, Faiths and Pantheons, 2002, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 0-7869-2759-3, Major Deities of Faerûn, pages 63-65
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd, Faiths & Avatars, 1996, (TSR Inc.), ISBN 978-0786903849, Faerûnian Pantheon, pages 145-149
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Colin McComb, On Hallowed Ground, 1996, (TSR Inc.), ISBN 0-7869-0430-5, The Celtic Pantheon chapter, page 75
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Colin McComb, On Hallowed Ground, 1996, (TSR Inc.), ISBN 0-7869-0430-5, Single-sphere Powers section, Appendix 1: The Powers by Pantheon, page 181
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz, Deities & Demigods, 1980, TSR 2013, ISBN 0-935696-22-9, Celtic Mythos, page 30
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Dale "Slade" Henson, SJR2 Realmspace, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Religion in the Stars chapter, page 76
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Steve Kenson, et al., Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, 2015, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9, The Faerûnian Pantheon, page 21
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Player's Handbook 5th edition, 2014, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1, Deities of the Forgotten Realms, page 294
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Player's Handbook 5th edition, 2014, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1, Celtic Deities, page 298
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Richard Baker, Travis Stout, James Wyatt, Player's Guide to Faerûn, 2004, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 0-7869-3134-5, The House of Nature, pages 158-159
- ↑ Colin McComb, On Hallowed Ground, 1996, (TSR Inc.), ISBN 0-7869-0430-5, Tir Na Og map, The Celtic Pantheon chapter, pages 72-73
- ↑ Colin McComb, On Hallowed Ground, 1996, (TSR Inc.), ISBN 0-7869-0430-5, Celtic section, Appendix 1: The Powers by Pantheon, page 172
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan, Manual of the Planes 3rd edition, 2001, (Wizards of the Coast), ISBN 0-7869-1850-0, Concordant Domain of the Outlands section, chapter 7: The Outer Planes, pages 147-151