Erastil

Erastil

(Deity)

Titles

Old Deadeye, Stag God, Estig the Hunter, Elk Father

Adjective

Erastilian

Realm

Summerlands, Requius, Heaven

Alignment

Lawful good

Areas of Concern

Family
Farming
Hunting
Trade

Worshipers

Farmers, hunters, tradesmen

Edicts

Care for your home and family, fulfill your duties, keep the peace, protect the community

Anathema

Abandon your home in time of need, choose yourself over your community, tarnish your reputation, tell lies

Follower Alignments (1E)

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Domains (1E)

Animal, Community, Good, Law, Plant

Subdomains (1E)

Archon, (Cooperation), Education, Family, Feather, Fur, Growth, Home

Follower Alignments (2E)

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Domains (2E)

Earth, family, nature wealth
Alternative: duty

Favored Weapon

Longbow

Symbol

Bow and arrow

Sacred Animal

Stag

Sacred Colors

Brown, green

Images of Erastil

Source: Inner Sea Gods, pg(s). 52–59 (1E)
Gods & Magic (Second Edition), pg(s). 22–23 (2E)

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Erastil (pronounced eh-RAS-til) is one of the oldest human gods still worshiped in the Inner Sea region. His religion dates back to before the Age of Darkness, when small farming communities and hunter-gatherers prayed to him for bountiful harvests and successful hunts. He leads his followers by example and good deeds rather than flowery rhetoric.

Dogma

Erastil believes that groups work best when led by a good and strong leader, with strong leadership being a virtue of strong souls. That group may be a simple family, or a whole community. He also believes that children should honor their parents and understand the difference between work and play time.

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History

During the Age of Creation, Erastil was among the original gods who battled the Rough Beast who sought to destroy Golarion, and were eventually able to contain him in the Dead Vault. His worship hearkens back to the time when mankind first set about harnessing the wilderness and mastering nature. Legends claim that it was Old Deadeye himself who crafted the first bow and gifted it to humans to overcome the challenges of the world. Even as the accomplishments of civilization mount, Erastil continues to embrace and represent the simpler pleasures life has to offer.

Home

Old Deadeye's realm is called Summerlands, located on Requius, Heaven's fourth tier. Here, alongside the Steward Andoletta, he oversees the villages and towns where the shades of those who are not interested in joining Heaven's ongoing crusades against the forces of chaos and evil reside.

Appearance

Depictions of Erastil are commonplace in the homes of his followers. Such images usually portray the Ulfen deity as either an aged human with the bow and gear of a trapper, or as an elk-headed humanoid. They often show Old Deadeye holding fast against various beasts and animals of the wilds. In times of need, Erastil has also been known to appear to lost hunters in the form of a stag.

The stone giants, who call him Estig the Hunter, depict Erastil as a fur-clad stone giant.

Relationships

Jaidi, Erastil's wife.

Family

Erastil is married to Jaidi, and their children are the empyreal lords Halcamora and Cernunnos.

Other relationships

Because of their similar beliefs, followers of Erastil find much common ground with members of the Green Faith.

Erastil is on good terms with most non-evil deities, but is set in his ways, often criticises others, and frequently addresses criticisms of other deities' ways and beliefs openly to his worshippers, like a village elder does. As a result, few go out of their way to befriend him, except when they need his unmatched skill at archery and tracking to hunt down monsters or find someone lost; they then have to tolerate Erastil's advice and opinions on such matters.

Erastil teaches his followers to embrace traditional and simpler ways of life, free of the constraints of modern civilization, a trait that often results in disagreements with more progressive deities such as Abadar. Abadar sees the value in Erastil's villages, which he hopes will eventually grow into cities, but views him as old-fashioned; Erastil views Abadar as a good boy but pompous and occasionally amoral; however, both want peaceful, orderly communities. However, this difference in opinion leads to increasing conflict between these deities' respective clergies. Erastil appreciates Torag for his work, especially craftsmanship and clan loyalty, but both are too stubborn to find common ground. He respects Aroden and Irori but considers the former overly obsessed with his legacy, and the latter too selfish. He thinks that Cayden Cailean is good-hearted but foolish and needs to settle down with a wife, and viewed Gorum as nothing more than a violent thug.

Erastil holds a distant, sad paternal affection for Desna, whom he considers to be lonely and too whimsical, aloof, and self-indulgent to be trustworthy in most situations. Shelyn occasionally asks him to lead her to the most beautiful places in the Great Beyond, and Erastil enjoys her company and her support of marriage and families, which he sees as strengthening communities; although, they do disagree on many topics. He appreciates how Iomedae has saved countless lives with her acts, but has difficulty understanding her lack of interest in having a family. Iomedae is frustrated by Erastil's pacifism, but has long given up trying to persuade him to be more active.

Erastil sees little difference between most evil deities, only reserving a special hatred for Urgathoa for her gluttony and spreading of epidemics. Urgathoa is aware of this, and sets her minions upon frontier communities when there is an opportunity. The one exception is Minderhal: Estig tolerates him but views him as an embarrassing family member.

Providence

Those who please Erastil are often rewarded by increased yields, both from agriculture and hunting, while earning his disfavor can lead to damaged or ruined crops and poor hunting.

Servants

Animals held in high esteem by Old Deadeye include elk, deer, and other hoofed creatures. His divine servitor race are the horned archons, deer- or elk-headed humanoids who protect Erastil's followers.

Unique servants

The following extraplanar allies can be summoned through the planar ally spell. Because many of Erastil's priests are not powerful, his servants have responded to summons through summon monster or summon nature's ally spells as well.

Arangin

This servant is a ruby-toned heavy horse that understands Common but does not speak.

Blackfeather

This servant is an eagle-archer that has the power of shape-shifting.

Grim White Stag

Erastil's herald appears as a gigantic white stag with branches in place of antlers, and vines wrapping around its legs.

Proudsnout

This servant of Erastil is a divine boar.

Scorchbark

This minion is a young arboreal regent who possesses a rather brash temperament.

Church of Erastil

Erastil teaches his followers to embrace tradition and the old ways. Many of Old Deadeye's faithful never even enter a city, and can be found in nearly any wild or untamed region across Avistan and Garund; his worship is particularly well established in the nations of Andoran, Cheliax, Galt, Isger, the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, the Mana Wastes, Molthune, Nirmathas, the River Kingdoms, the Steaming Sea, and Varisia, and among Chelaxians, Kellids, Tian, Ulfen, Varisians, gnomes, and halflings throughout the Inner Sea region. In the Shackles, a golden boat with sails full of Gozreh's wind is used locally to symbolize Erastil as the provider.

Worshipers

A worshiper of Erastil.

The faithful of Erastil can be found in nearly every wilderness community. They usually choose to live simple lives and practice his teachings away from the complications of more advanced societies. The faithful often hang depictions of the god over their fireplace.

Halflings associate Erastil with the family and community: his priests within halfling communities tend to be elders and leaders. Rather than the longbow, halflings consider the sling as Erastil's weapon. Most halflings that become druids worship Erastil. There are very few halfling paladins of Erastil.

Knights who revere Erastil tend to live simply, appearing more like a commoner than a noblemen. They are highly practical in supporting their communities. Paladins of Old Deadeye are among the most commonly found throughout the Inner Sea region.

Clergy

The members of Old Deadeye's clergy are active in their respective communities, leading by example and serving in various capacities as needed by those that live around them. This can include helping in childbirth, building structures, overseeing fair trade, and blessing crops. The clergy's formal dress is kept simple to reflect their deity's tastes: a simple cloak of fur or leather, usually accompanied by Erastil's religious symbol burned into the hide or worn as part of a wooden clasp.

Temples and shrines

Sites dedicated to Erastil are simple affairs, even in more civilized locations; shrines are usually nothing more than a wooden building or house serving communities of his faithful. Just as Old Deadeye emphasizes the simple things in life, his shrines focus on providing for his follower's more practical needs. Ceremony and formality are often abandoned in such locations, which instead act simply as a place to pray, or to sleep.

Religious texts

Parables of Erastil

This book acts as a guide and almanac for the followers of Erastil; it includes information on strengthening one's family, farming, and wilderness skills. The number of chapters varies from community to community, based on local needs and different ways of life. Often, fables are added based on local events or traditions.

Holidays

Holidays and other events in Erastil's name are often fairly short, as Erastil believes long and complex traditions and rituals are a waste of time compared to more practical and necessary matters, such as farming and feeding one's family. For example, the actual rituals associated with the Planting Week are only about an hour long.

The mid-summer month of Erastus is named in his honor.

Planting Week

Celebrated on the vernal equinox.

Harvest Feast

Celebrated on the autumnal equinox.

Archer's Day or Archerfeast

Celebrated on 3 Erastus, and marked with many games and young people asking permission to marry.

Organizations

Banner of the Stag

The organization mobilize militias and provide aid to towns and hamlets in need.

Favored animals

Gods are often associated with certain animals, either because they possess a quality that the god favors, or because the god's faithful feel a special kinship to it. Erastil's favored animals include elk and deer, hoofed animals, and farm animals.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.