Erato
Erato is the god of love, but more precisely he is the god of courtship. His priests counsel lovers and protect those accused of committing crimes in the name of love (which is permissible by his tenants, as long as the act is truly out of love... murder and rape are acts of violence and do not qualify). Erato is also a god of courtesans, though worship does not focus on the physical aspects of love. Homosexuality is actively supported by the clergy, wrongly suggesting that Erato is interested solely in sexual pleasure. Erato's greatest enemy is Cardena, goddess of lust, and his priests are commanded to root out and destroy any nests of Cardena that they can find. Other than their almost unreasoning hatred of the worship of Cardena, Eratan priests are incredibly open-minded and are often called upon to assist in negotiations between vastly differing cultures. As the god of enchantment, Erato encourages the responsible use of Enchantment spells, particularly the Charm spells.
| Erato |
| God of Love |
| Descriptive Info |
| Gender: Male |
| Avatar: Brunt the Hunter; Eratio |
| Consort(s): None |
| Allies: Cebren, God of Music; Clementia, Goddess of Mercy; Drames, Goddess of Fertility; Furinus, God of Wine; Galea, Goddess of Victory; Himere, Goddess of Poetry; Orchus, God of Luck; Selene, Goddess of Beauty (mother). |
| Foes: Alecto, Goddess of Pain; Cardena, Goddess of Lust; Mania, Goddess of Madness; Megarea, Goddess of Jealousy; Tisiphone, Goddess of Vengeance |
| Spiritual Info |
| Rank: Intermediate |
| Nature: Chaotic |
| Ethos: Agathocacological |
| Major Influence: Love |
| Minor Influence(s): Enchantment and Courtesans |
| Spheres: Chaos, Luck, Glory, Madness |
Servants
Doctrine
No information available on the doctrine of Erato
Mission
No information available on the mission of Erato
Geography
No geographic information available on Erato
History of the Church
No historic information available on Erato
Organization
No information available on the Organization of the Church of Erato
Religious Practices
No information available on the religous practices of the Church of Erato
Calendar
Saint Michael's Day (Michaelmas)
Saint Michael's Day (also known as Michaelmas) is a holy day to Erato honoring Saint Michael the Archer. In most areas, husbands and wives exchange flowers, paramours write poems for their intended and even children give little heart-shaped wreaths to one another. In regions where Erato is particularly honored, there are archery competitions throughout the day, with the victor being proclaimed "Lord of Love" and (if he is unwed) granted free visits to the a brothel dedicated to Erato for the following week. The day is also marked with a mass at noon, where the local priest entreats those harboring a secret love to reveal that love to the object of their affection.
| This is a thumbnail description and is scheduled for expansion at a later date. |
