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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Feb 2005 : 15:54:38
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The aarakocra (on Faerun) feel closest to the elves, it is said, because of their worship of Aerdrie Faenya.
Do the aarakocra have any deities of their own besides Syranita of the asathalfinare (which through her friendship with Aerdrie Faenya explains that portion of aarakocran worship) and worshipping those of other racial pantheons like Akadi?
I've checked Demihuman Deities, which mentions the connection with Faenya (only briefly since that tome only covers the deities of the major demihuman races). Races of Faerun lists Aerdrie Faenya as the only deity the aarakocra of Faerun worship. And the other was the older Monster Mythology, which only details Syranita. There are no deities listed for the aarakocra in Faiths and Pantheons besides the connection to Faenya, and the note that suggests evil-aligned aarakocra tribes might worship Pazrael, who we already know about.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2005 : 15:57:09
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Interestingly, reading further through Demihuman Deities, we find the suggestion that both Aerdrie and Syranita might in time, merge given the steady decline of the aarakocra race in the Realms.
And as for Pazrael, I'm thinking that both he and Pazuzu are the same.
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Gray Richardson
Master of Realmslore
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2005 : 18:14:38
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The Aaracockra are only recently migrated (circa 418 DR) to Faerun from Maztica and parts West.
Presumably the Aaracockra are descendants of the Aeearee creator race that appears to have been entirely wiped out in Faerun--possibly eaten by the dragons when dragons took over Faerun around 30,000 DR.
The Aeearee who lived on other continents or in the Underdark appear to have survived as the Aaracockra, the Dire Corbies, the Kenku and Tengu. It's possible also they are related to the chronotryn somehow.
I speculate there may have been an entire Aeearee pantheon, Syranita perhaps being prominent among them, who have all been forgotten long ago. My best guess is that Syranita has already merged with Aerdrie Faenya, and may have done so as far back as 30,000 DR after the Aeearee were wiped out. It may be that Aerdrie Faenya uses Syranita as an alias, but I don't really know for sure about that.
The Maztican branch of the Aaracockra might possibly have worshipped Syranita over there, or they could very likely have worshipped part of the Maztican pantheon. The two most likely patrons from the Maztican pantheon would be Qotal (god of Feathers, Butterflies, Mayz, Wind, Air, Clouds, Couatl, Macaw, and Eagles) or Eha the Wind Sprite (god of clouds, smoke, steam, wind, flutes, horns and breath.) Other possibilities would be Azul and Kiltzi. Though I guess you could make a case for any of the Maztican gods given the temperament of a particular Aaracockra or tribe.
Since Aaracockra have only recolonized Faerun less than a thousand years ago, its possible they have taken to worshipping any of various Faerunian or elven gods. Perhaps even envisioning the god in Aaracockra form. To that end they might worship Chauntea, Selune, Sune, Finder, Milil, etc. Wouldn't surprise me really even to see an Uthgar worshipping Aaracockra or tribe who could have fallen in with the Black Raven, Sky Pony, Tree Ghost or Griffon tribes of the Uthgardt.
It's interesting to think that since petitioners of Arvandor appear as elves no matter their race in life, that any Aaracockran worshipers of Aerdrie Faenya would naturally appear as elves in her Realm of the Aerie on Arvandor when they go to their afterlife. That is, unless Aerdrie Faenya makes some sort of exception for her avian worhsipers. |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6689 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2005 : 23:06:36
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If you've got the DRAGON Magazine CD-Rom archive there was a long-ago article on aarakocra and how to use them as a PC race. IIRC, this article also provided a deity (Krocca?) which seemed pretty decent. You might want to check that.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36996 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2005 : 23:43:43
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
If you've got the DRAGON Magazine CD-Rom archive there was a long-ago article on aarakocra and how to use them as a PC race. IIRC, this article also provided a deity (Krocca?) which seemed pretty decent. You might want to check that.
-- George Krashos
Issue 124, pages 34-7, "The Wings of Eagles" |
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Gray Richardson
Master of Realmslore
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 03:31:14
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In my researches for my Aearee article in Candlekeep Compendium VII, I found some references to other avian gods. I devoted a goodly portion to the Aearee pantheon.
There is of course Quorlinn, god of kenkus, he is detailed in Monster Mythology. Also there is Koriel, god of Kirins.
Remnis too, lord of the Eagles. Remnis, I have always felt, is definitely an hommage to Tolkien's Gwaihir, the Lord of Eagles, descendant of Thorondor the original King of Eagles, both beastlords in their own way.
I also ran across two other gods from an obscure source:
Phraarkilloorm NE Demigod, patron of Dire Corbies
and K'ooriall NG Lesser God of Aarakocra
These are found in White Dwarf magazine #39 in an article called Inhuman Gods part I. I don't know if these are considered canonical or not, but I think they should be (or at least considered part of the D&D apocrypha) and here is my reasoning for that:
Back in the 70's White Dwarf was on par with Dragon as the UK magazine of D&D and fantasy roleplaying. This was long before it became an organ for Warhammer and Games Workshop's games. Back then, the 1e Fiend Folio was produced in the UK by TSR UK, Ltd. And it was edited by Don Turnbull who was also an editor for White Dwarf magazine. Many of the monsters in Fiend Folio originated in the pages of White Dwarf in an article called the Fiend Factory that Don Turnbull edited.
The Aarakocra and the Dire Corbies were introduced in the Fiend Folio, so I figure the White Dwarf Inhuman Gods article could be cited as a valid authority for Aarakocra gods. K'ooriall I figure might conceivably be an aspect of Koriel the god of Kirins and I reference that idea in my article.
I envisioned Phraarkilloorm, however, as a buzzard headed, carrion-eating death god or maybe a deadly black hawk, a viscious raptor and predator god. I figured he might conceivably have been one in a long line of death gods, the Aearee predecessor to Jergal, Myrkul, Bhaal, Cyric and Kelemvor, he possibly held the portfolios of death/the dead and maybe even dusk. I considered linking Phraarkilloorm to the Vulchlings, but I didn't end up mentioning that subrace of vulture people or fleshing that link out in my article. But he still intrigues me.
One other entity that deserves mentioning is Fileet from Ed's Down to Earth Divinity article in Dragon #54. Fileet was, I believe, a beast lord of birds, not a proper god, per se. She was also a creation of Michael Moorcock's and appeared in the Moorcock pantheon in the original Deities & Demigods book. Fileet may have been intended as one of Ed's placeholder names. I would think that if Ed ever fleshed her out he might want to rename her to something more Realmsian, but Fileet is as good a name as any and at least appears in a D&D sourcebook. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 04:13:41
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Some rather intriguing thoughts on Phraarkilloorm, Gray. Fascinating. I can't quite make the connection between a "death god" and the scavenging vulture-like race... but that's mostly because I've forgotten a great deal of lore relating to both the god and the vulchlings. It is, however, an intriguing path that would definitely warrant further exploration if I had the time. The fact that the vulchlings are said, as I recall, to be both carrion-eaters and predators who like to wait for unsuspecting prey... works with the "predator god" conception you've got going for Phraarkilloorm though.
quote:
Originally posted by Gray Richardson
I don't know if these are considered canonical or not, but I think they should be (or at least considered part of the D&D apocrypha) and here is my reasoning for that:
As I recall, there was actually a discussion about the canonical status of those early articles at EN World earlier this year. The consensus reached was that they were canon since the AD&D articles in those White Dwarf issues were considered official content.
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Edited by - The Sage on 05 Dec 2006 04:17:49 |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 13:00:22
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| Gray - wow, that's some very impressive research. Thanks for sharing that. I've still not had chance to read your Compendium article yet, but I fully intend to when I can. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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The Aarakocran Pantheon
