Charl
| |||||||||||||||||
Charl is the God of the Sea.
Living apart from his brethren, he dwells constantly in the seas of Elanthia, joining the other Gods only when Koar commands. Legend holds that Koar once had to send for Charl six times before he appeared. When Koar demanded to know why he was so disobedient, Charl replied that he was always the most obedient of Koar's servants, but that the waters of the six oceans of the world flowed through his veins, and none could come without the others. Charl is a dark and violent god, and is renowned for his drastic mood swings. He cares little for the land dwelling races on Elanthia, and is as likely to swat a nearby ship with a storm as he is to let it pass untouched. Because of this he is feared by seamen, and few pray to him for fear they might attract his attention. For the same reason clerics serving Charl, although seldom welcome, rarely come to harm in any place frequented by seamen.
He is also the god of storms of all sorts, and more than one despotic tyrant, overthrown by an angry mob marching under a stormy sky, has sworn that it was Charl's hand that laid him low.
Some clergy contend that Charl is at heart a God of Darkness. Still, there is little doubt that he swears fealty to Koar, and for that reason, if for no other, he is numbered with the Gods of Light.
Charl's preferred humanoid manifestation is that of a towering man with a beard of seaweed and algae, blue and grey robes, wielding a trident. Charl rarely appears except in the sea or the heart of a storm. His lower half is a fish’s tail. In manner, he is stern, angry and quick-tempered. His symbol is an emerald trident on a field of blue.
Shrines, Statuary, and Holy Places
Charl's Shrine, Wehnimer's Landing
[The Sea's Judge]
Water dances about you in lazy waves as you float in this underground pool. The chamber above is domed and uncommonly smooth, and there are no visible exits save for the opening you just swam through. Looking upward, the most prominent thing visible is an enormous statue of white coral tinged with blue flecks. The statue's form glares down at you with impassive, seemingly harsh, blue eyes. You also see a polished mother-of-pearl dais.
Obvious exits: none
>look statue
The form depicted by the statue is that of a merman carrying a massive trident held high above him. It is wrought from solid gold and its points are set with huge emeralds that glow brightly, bathing the room in a soft, green glow. His visage is rather unsettling. As you gaze upward, he stares back at you with fierce eyes that seem to carry the power of all the seas behind them.
>look dais
Looking at the dais more closely you notice that it is actually a very large seashell, upended so that its inside is on top, this exposing the beautiful mother-of-pearl inner lining. The surface shimmers in the emerald light and emits a soft glow of its own.
>pray
You close your eyes and give in to the soft motion of the water beneath you. Floating quietly, you offer a brief prayer to the gods.
Charl's shrine is located outside of Wehnimer's Landing, just east of the Black Sands. It plays an important role in one of the steps along the Path to Enlightenment in the Order of Voln.
- Random messaging inside the shrine
A dolphin suddenly leaps out of the water before you, turning several cartwheels in the air before disappearing underneath the surface in a quiet splash.
A dolphin surfaces nearby, chittering at you whimsically. It pauses for a moment, cocking its head at you before quietly swimming away.
A bright, blue-shelled hermit crab pokes its head out from behind the statue, then begins to strut out onto the statue's shoulder as if it owns the thing. Upon seeing you, it darts back from whence it came with surprising speed and agility. You begin to hear several agitated clicking noises coming from its general direction.
Something underneath the water brushes against your leg briefly before swimming away. You listen a moment, and begin to hear faint chittering and clicking noises reverberating all around. Out of the corner of your eye, the statue's form seems to soften somewhat, but when you turn to look fully you see only the same angry stare.
Suddenly a dolphin's tail rises out of the water nearby. The tail seems to wave at you briefly then comes crashing down, sending water splashing in all directions, with a good portion drenching you entirely.
The emerald points in the trident flare briefly, intensifying the glow in the chamber. You look upward to the statue, and notice that it seems to be staring directly at you with a startling intensity. As the emerald glow slowly returns to normal you glance back at the form in apprehension, but you sense no true malice from it, only a firm resolve.
The emerald points in the statue's trident flicker briefly. After a moment they return to their normal brilliance.
The motion of the wavelets relaxes you, and you lean back to float in their embrace for a moment, calmly closing your eyes.
Solhaven Cleric Guild
Just through the entranceway of the Solhaven Cleric Guild was a pair of granite statues depicting Niima and Charl together. It was not considered a holy place.
Torches held in polished steel rings illuminate the area, shedding cheerful light over the two statues in the center of the room. Carved from solid granite, a teenaged girl with a mischievous grin rests her hand on the arm of a bearded man with a fish's tail. They stand on a sea-blue pedestal with words carved into the surface.
Charl towers over the room, wielding a massive coral-inset trident. Instead of his usual angry expression, however, he wears a softer expression as he looks over his shoulder at his grinning daughter. Her hand rests on his arm, as if attempting to curb his temper.
The pedestal beneath the statues reads, "In the ebb and flow of our prayers comes hope as well as despair."
In one of the Prayer Rooms in the Solhaven Cleric Guild was a statue dedicated to Charl. It was considered a holy shrine.
Although the statue is small, the carved image of stern Charl suggests a towering man wielding a trident. His long beard of seaweed and algae flows back over his robed shoulder. The tail of a fish peaks from beneath the hem of his robe.
K>touch Charl
You reach out and touch the statue of Charl.
A warm feeling washes over you, as if Charl smiled upon you.
Wehnimer's Landing Cleric Guild
Located in the Antechamber of Liabo is a table inset with disks depicting all of the Liabo arkati, including one for Charl. This area is not considered a holy shrine.
An emerald trident on a field of blue is painted on the crystal disk representing Charl.
River's Rest Cleric Guild
One of the Halls of Lessons in the River's Rest Cleric Guild is dedicated to Charl. The statue is identical to that in the other Cleric Guilds. It is considered a holy shrine.
[Cleric Guild, Hall of Lessons]
The surroundings of the room have been tinted a soft aquamarine shade, and a large blue glaes-paneled lantern sways softly from above, casting a rippling oceanic light upon the chamber. Faint stylized images of fish, whales, and other creatures of the deep are engraved on the floor, each encircling an altar of coral. A statue of a man wielding a trident seems to flow out from the walls, his gaze over the area an unmistakably stern one.
Obvious exits: southeast
Carved from a block of large sea-green coral, the altar is unadorned aside from a small open tome upon its surface.
In the Common language, it reads:
"Charl is as stern and unwavering as the sea itself. Use caution when invoking his blessings, for his attentions can be as powerful and dangerous as a raging storm."
There is a niche in one of the Alchemy workshops inside the River's Rest Cleric Guild dedicated to Charl. This area is not considered a holy shrine.
The faint sound of flowing water fills the room from the direction of the windows and is accompanied by the sound of wind tugging on unseen leaves and branches. A small altar rests in a niche in one corner.
Built from sun-bleached coral, the altar is bare but for a bronze trident set upright in its center. Several seashells decorate the niche around the altar, offering a color contrast to the white coral.
Related articles
- The Gods of Elanthia - Charl, Lord of the Seas (official documentation)
- The Story of Niima and Charl (official documentation)
| Arkati and Lesser Spirits - edit | |
|---|---|
| Liabo: | |
| Lornon: | |
| Neutral: | |