Angharradh (an-gahr-rath) is the unified face of the deity who is both three separate elven goddesses—Aerdrie Faenya, Hanali Celanil, and Sehanine Moonbow—as well as a single goddess who subsumes their three separate aspects. As such, Angharradh’s nature reflects the personality traits of each of the Three, including the impulsive and whimsical nature of the Winged Mother, the romantic and affectionate nature of the Heart of Gold, and the serene and ephemeral nature of the Daughter of the Night Skies. The fusion of the Three was born of Araushnee (Lolth’s) betrayal and the collective threat to Arvandor and the Seldarine. As such, the Triune Goddess exhibit’s the fierce protectiveness and unbending resolve of the Queen of Arvandor. Despite her vigilance, the Elven Retreat, its reversal, and the return of a drow to Cormanthor have weakened Angharradh’s spirit, and the three goddesses have been spending more and more time separated, preferring the ability get more done as a group than as an individual.
The other elven subraces worship Angharradh's aspects as separate goddesses, but they rarely give homage to the Union of the Three. Whether Angharradh is truly a combination of the three goddesses or a separate deity in her own right actually lies in the hearts of her individual worshipers.
Worshipers, Clergy & Temples
Amongst Elves, opinion is mostly divided as to what to make of her: Moon Elves worship the three individual goddesses as separate aspects of Angharradh and place her on equal footing to Corellon Larethian, sometimes even labeling Corellon as her consort. On the other hand Sun Elves consider Angharradh to be either a separate (but minor) deity in her own right and that her status is exaggerated; or they believe that she is a Moon Elf misinterpretation of Sehanine and generally do not venerate her the same way. This diversion goes as far as failing to depict Angharradh in the religious illustrations in the temples of Evermeet, which caused some controversy, but considering the Sun Elves maintain the temples there, the Moon Elves just had to accept it. Wood and Wild Elves don't have any special affection for her at all.
In any case, Angharradh had few exclusive worshippers, as most of them are affiliated with one aspect of the Three, and their activities reflect their association with that particular aspect.
A handful of female silver elven priests are practitioners of the ancient secrets of totemic magic. These mysterious elves create small wood or stone charms inscribed with pictorial symbols that can pass special magical abilities on to their owners. Totem-sisters are also considered wise women and sages and are often consulted on important issues. Particularly successful totem sisters are sought out by other tribes and aspiring totemic practitioners for advice and counsel. They attend births, bless young children, help with planting and harvest, and bless warriors going into battle.
Vestments
Angharradh's priests wear the ceremonial garb of the clergies of the Three. Some priests wear the garb of one aspect of the Triune Goddess, while other priests incorporate pieces of each fashion into their holy vestments. The holy symbol of the faith is an inverted silver triangle inscribed on both faces with the symbol of the Triune Goddess.
In combat situations, clerics, crusaders, and specialty priests of the One and the Three favor ornate, gleaming suits of elven chain mail or, in rare situations, elven plate mail. Their preferred weapons include long and short bows; long and short swords; and spears, although most are trained in a wide range of weapons. Shields emblazoned with the symbol of the Triune Goddess are common among the faithful, as are heraldic charges per pall (parted in three, as the letter "Y") with the symbol of Sehanine on top, the symbol of Aerdrie in the lower left, and the symbol of Hanali in the lower right as viewed by the shield-bearer. Totem-sisters favor long bows and spears and explicitly use nonmetallic armors.
Hierarchy
Novices of Angharradh are known as Triune Seekers. Full priests of the Triune Goddess are known as Trimorphs. Angharradhan priests use titles as appropriate for the aspect they primarily venerate. Specialty priests are known as either Circle Singers.
A handful of female elven priests are practitioners of the ancient secrets of totemic magic (druids). These mysterious elves create small wood or stone charms inscribed with pictorial symbols that can pass special magical abilities on to their owners. Totem Sisters are also considered wise women and sages and are often consulted on important issues.
Temples
Angharradh's temples resemble the houses of worship dedicated to the Three, either emphasizing the characteristics of the temples of one of the three goddesses, or blending all three styles of temple equally. The Triune Goddess's temples always display the symbol of the One and the Three as well as the symbols of the individual goddesses.
Rituals
Clerics and druids of Angharradh pray for their spells at a time of their choosing, but it must be the time when one of the three goddesses is prayed to.
Members of Angharradh's clergy celebrate the holy days and important ceremonies of one of the Three; depending upon which aspect of the Triune Goddess they particularly venerate. The only holy day celebrated exclusively by those who pray to Angharradh is the Melding of the Three, held quadrennially on Cinnaeloscor (the Day of Corellon's Peace), more commonly known as Shieldmeet. While this holy day is more generally observed by elves in honor of Corellon, the moon elves celebrate the tripartite aspects of Angharradh and the unification of the Three that have led to centuries of peace in Arvandor and elven realms in Faerûn. In addition to singing great hymns to the Triune Goddess, Angharradh's faithful often assemble to invoke great feats of cooperative magic on this day. Many clerics and druids multiclass as fighters.
Orders
The Angharradhan church has no knightly orders specifically affiliated with the Triune Goddess. However, some members of orders affiliated with either Aerdrie Faenya, Hanali Celanil, or Sehanine Moonbow worship their order's patron as an aspect of Angharradh.
Dogma
Through unity and diversity there is strength. Be ever vigilant against She Who Was Banished and work together in defending the lands of the Fair Folk from those who would work evil. Celebrate the One and the Three for their collective purpose and individual expressions of life. Through the melding of widely different skills and interests, creativity, life, and artistry are nurtured and new ideas are discovered.
Appearance, Manifestations
Angharradh can appear in any of her three aspects — Aerdrie Faenya (also known as Akadi), Hanali Celanil (also known as Sune), and Sehanine Moonbow (also known as Selune).
Aerdrie Faenya appears as a tall, female elf with feathered hair and eyebrows and large bird-like wings on her back. Hanali Celanil appears a beautiful young elf maiden with shoulder length hair, who wears sheer silk shifts. Sehanine Moonbow appears as a 5ft. tall youthful, ageless, female elf clad in a diaphanous gown made of moonbeams.
Relationships & History
Angharradh is second only to Corellon among the Seldarine and works closely with the other elven deities. Other allies include Berronar Truesilver, Chauntea, Cyrrollalee, Eilistraee, Lurue, Mielikki, Milil, Mystra, Selune, Sharindlar, Sheela Peryroyl, Silvanus, Sune, and Yondalla. Her foes include the traditional opponents of the Seldarine: the drow pantheon (other than Eilistraee), the Deities of Fury (Auril, Malar, Talos, and Umberlee), and the goblinoid deities.
History
According to silver elven mythology, Angharradh was born from the essence of the three greatest goddesses of the Seldarine before the first of the Fair Folk walked the forests of Faerun. The Triune Goddess arose in the aftermath of a great battle between the Seldarine and the anti-Seldarine, a host of evil powers who had invaded Arvandor at the bequest of Araushnee (now Lolth), Corellon's traitorous consort. When an arrow launched by Eilistraee at an onrushing ogrish god was subtly warped by the magic of the treacherous Araushnee and felled the Protector instead, Aerdrie struck down the Dark Maiden in revenge. The Seldarine assumed the unconscious daughter of Araushnee and Corellon was to blame for her father's collapse. Sehanine's timely escape from Vhaeraun's prison allowed the Goddess of Moonlight to expose Araushnee's crimes and the Masked Lord's complicity, but the Weaver of Destiny defiantly rejected the collective authority of the assembled Seldarine to convene a council to investigate her actions. In response, Aerdrie, Hanali, and Sehanine drew together and merged into a luminous cloud before coalescing in the form of the Triune Goddess.
Angharradh then restored Corellon to health, taking her place by the Protector's side and declaring her intention to prevent treachery from ever entering the heart of a goddess of Arvandor again.
Related Imagery
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Angharradh has 3 aspects, so depending on her interaction, the DM needs to choose which avatar to use. Either: as Sehanine Moonbow, a 5ft. tall youthful, ageless, female elf clad in a diaphanous gown made of moonbeams; as Hanali Celanil, a beautiful young elf maiden with shoulder length hair, who wears sheer silk shifts; as Aerdrie Faenya, a tall, female elf with feathered hair and eyebrows and large bird-like wings on her back.
You see a small entryway of white marble, intricately carved with leaves and branches. The room quickly splits off into three distinct areas. To your left is a circular room of all marble, with soaring monuments and columns, symmetrically balanced. The walls are carved with many intricate, circular designs that appear to reflect movement and flight. There is a large marble altar in the middle of the room, with standing gold candles along the walls and next to the center altar. In the middle is a room with large windows on the ceiling. The room appears to be more of a beautiful garden than a temple. You can see various waterfalls, which, after closer inspection, are revealed to be fountains delicately mixed amongst the greenery. In the center is a large simple stone altar. The room is well lit from above and you can feel a gentle breeze from inside. The right are opens outside, and seems more like a courtyard surrounded by crystalline spires bedecked with glass chimes. Wind flows freely and seems to change direction subtlety. Beautiful stained class windows are spread along the walls of the room. A wind-blown stone altars rests in the center of the room.
You see three very different types of attire for the clergy, who probably represent separate sects or orders. One priestess is wearing a sky-blue robe, decorated with various colorful feathers. Another is wearing a golden robe sprinkled with gold dust, adorned with gold rings and bracelets, and has her hair long and unbound without any covering. Another is wearing a silvery-white diaphanous gown and a silver diadem on her head, dangling above the brow.
