Selene
Selene is the goddess of beauty and it is said that any mortal who lays eyes on her will eventually pine away into death. Despite this, Selene has difficulty subduing her passion for mortal men and more than a few have fallen to her legendary beauty. Legends also tell the tale of how Selene fell for the rugged strength of Kratos and, with him, bore Erato, the god of love. Because she had dared to mate with a son of Dagon, however, Selene was condemned by Lord Ptharos to wed one who was immune to her beauty. After examining each of the gods, it was finally discovered that Podalirius, god of vegetation, was the only deity who could resist her charms. Lord Ptharos forced the two to wed, despite Selene’s heated objections to being married to one of the ugliest of gods. With Podalirius, Selene begat Drames, the goddess of fertility. Legends suggest that Selene has since begun to find true love with Podalirius and that even he has begun to fall in love with her, despite her infidelity.
Selene’s church tends to be of moderate size in most lands and works to help those with problems in their love-lives resolve those problems. Though she encourages her followers to participate in the sex act as often as possible, she prohibits prostitution as a debasement of the sex act.
As Alera the Alluring, Selene is the Duchess of Mystery of Enchantment and is prayed to for wisdom in using those spells. In the Danic Tradition, she is Sif, wife of Tor (an aspect of Gyges, God of Thunder) and a fertility goddess; in this aspect, her more hedonistic tendencies are subdued.
| Selene |
| Goddess of Beauty |
| Descriptive Info |
| Gender: Female |
| Avatar: Alera the Alluring, Helene, Sif |
| Consort(s): Podalirius (though she previously laid with Kratos) |
| Allies: Betshaba, Goddess of Water (mother), Cebren, God of Music (brother); Clementia, Goddess of Mercy (sister); Drames, Goddess of Fertility (daughter); Erato, God of Love (son); Ophion, God of the Sun; Orchus, God of Luck; Phemos, God of Sport; Podalirius, God of Vegetation (husband and brother); Polydorus, God of Wild Beasts; Pothos, God of Vice; Taygete, Goddess of Childbirth; Thallos, God of Strength; and Thea, Goddess of Art (sister). |
| Foes: Cardena, Goddess of Lust; Megarea, Goddess of Jealousy; Podarge, God of Destruction and Drowning; Ruminus, God of Disease; Stheno, God of Decay; Tethys, Goddess of Undeath; and Thryope, God of Age. |
| Spiritual Info |
| Rank: Major |
| Nature: Chaotic |
| Ethos: Agathocacological |
| Major Influence: Beauty |
| Minor Influence(s): Art, Enchantment, Love |
Servants
Doctrine
No information available on the doctrine of Selene
Mission
No information available on the mission of Selene
Geography
No geographic information available on Selene
History of the Church
No historic information available on Selene
Organization
No information available on the Organization of the Church of Selene
Religious Practices
No information available on the religous practices of the Church of Selene
Calendar
The Beckoning
The Beckoning is the high holy day to Selene, though it is observed in most human cultures. The day is filled with revelry, drinking and adult worshipers are expected to engage in the sexual act at least once in the day (whether wed or not). In many regions, young women are expected to wear sheer clothing and heavy makeup to beautify themselves, while young men are expected to be anointed by oil and run naked through their city or village. If such a runner is caught by a woman, they are expected to copulate. At a feast at the end of the day, a Rose Queen is selected as the most beautiful woman at the festival and a Green Man is chosen from among the ugliest of men (meant to symbolize Selene and her husband, Podalirius). These two are given the seat of honor at the feast table and, if they copulate that night, it is believed Selene will particularly honor the group in attendance for the following year. In more conservative areas, a kiss can suffice for the sex act.
Saint Anne's Day
A holy day to Selene the Vermillion, goddess of beauty, in honor to Saint Anne the Wise, Saint Anne's Day is a solemn celebration of marital love. Marriages on this day are common, particularly if the wedding is of free choice and not an arranged marriage. Married couples are forbidden to argue on this day, though they will often consult with a priestess of Selene on their differences in honor of the Vermillion goddess. The day usually ends with a mass at a local temple to Selene (where such exists) and a private evening meal with one's family. Of course, that evening observant worshipers who are wed are expected to engage in sexual intercourse with their spouse. Brothels dedicated to Erato, god of love and Selene's son, are typically closed on Saint Anne's Day and observant courtesans forbidden from taking a lover for the evening.
| This is a thumbnail description and is scheduled for expansion at a later date. |
