Goddess of the Woodlands and Farming

The Birth of Sarnea: Devout worshippers of Shallorn will tell of how Shallorn, struggling to maintain all of nature, planted a flower. He tended to the flower for years, carefully pruning and watering it. When the flower could grow no more, it closed its petals. When it opened them again, Sarnea lay within. Devout worshippers of Sarnea dismiss this as complete nonsense. According to them, Shallorn realized the power of the natural world to bring forth food. Much to his shame however, he was nigh upon incompetent and all that Shallorn brought forth was inedible. Deeply ashamed, Shallorn pleaded with the earth itself to assist him. Taking pity on him, Sarnea was brought forth. Captivated by her beauty and ability to grow barley, Shallorn asked her to be his wife. A proposal she has still not formally answered.

Appearance: Sarnea wanders Ianis fairly regularly. When she does she appears much the same as her husband, clad in crops and the fruit of the earth. Where she goes the ground becomes incredibly fertile and the villages that have particularly good seasons are said to have been visited by Sarnea. Considering the Goddesses propensity for visiting Ianis to check up on things, this is highly likely.

Temperament: Sarnea sees the Gnomes that she has created as the only proper custodians for the food that Ianis produces, everyone else is just a bit bumbling. She does not view other races unfavorably however, just in the same way one may look at a newborn kitten. When dealing with mortals Sarnea is matter of fact and precise in times of crisis and fun-loving in times of joy.

Worship: Sarnea is often worshiped in tandem with her husband with smaller villages and towns giving thanks and prayer to not only Shallorn, but Sarnea also. Worship of Shallorn is a little more codified and ritualized with custom surrounding Sarnea being a little more superstitious and a little looser. Her temples are normally less formal affairs, and when they appear in larger cities, they are often mistaken for particularly leafy houses. Inside, worship and study is centered on how to best understand the lessons of Sarnea, some of which even the Gnomes don’t truly understand. In more rural areas, priests of Sarnea focus more on guiding farmers in her lessons, providing blessings and advice.

The Creation of The Gnomes

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