Luhar

Luhar

(Deity)

Titles

Sun Goddess of Dusk
Lioness Goddess
The Setting Sun

Alignment

Lawful neutral

Areas of Concern

Death, dreams, destiny

Worshipers

Bright Lions

Edicts

Learn about and prepare yourself for the night and its dangers, make time to sleep and dream, ensure others never go to sleep afraid

Anathema

Stay up through the night without sleeping or dreaming, attack a sleeping creature, leave a badly wounded foe to suffer

Cleric Alignments (2E)

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Domains (2E)

Cities, darkness, dreams, sun
Alternate: Fate, soul, star, zeal

Favored Weapon

Spiked chain

Symbol

Luhar's sleeping face on an arch

Images of Luhar

Source: The Mwangi Expanse, pg(s). 139

Luhar, Sun Goddess of Dusk and Lioness Goddess of death, dreams, and destiny, is one of the Old Sun Gods of Mzali. Along with her fellow Lion Gods Chohar and Tlehar, Luhar was stricken from the recollection of the Mzali people during Walkena's rise to power. It is only recently that worship of Luhar has re-emerged due to the efforts of the Bright Lions, a rebel group seeking to undermine Walkena's tyranny.

History

Even before Walkena retook the throne of Mzali, worship of the Old Sun Gods had been in steady decline as many of their teachings had been ingrained into the daily practices of the people. After the Child-God's rise, Walkena's priests scoured the city of any temples and idols dedicated to other deities, revising history to suit Walkena's tastes and destroying what could not be appropriated to his regime. Along with Tlehar and Chohar, Luhar's name was forgotten from public memory. Luhar was unique among the three, as she did not mind being forgotten. The only remaining traces of their teachings survived within hidden chambers that were spared from Walkena's purge.

Recently, knowledge of the Old Sun Gods have been returned to the people of Mzali due to the efforts of the Bright Lions, a revolutionary group that seeks to subvert Walkena's iron-fisted rule of Mzali. It is the hope of the leader of the freedom fighters, Sihar, that worship of the Lion Gods spreads to other lands so that, even if the Bright Lions are ultimately destroyed in their struggle against the Child-God, the memory of these deities would live on.

Relationships

Like the other Sun Gods, Luhar is opposed to Walkena. However, she finds particular offense towards the God King's undeath, seeing it as a rejection of the beautiful eternal slumber that she had made for him. To further incense the goddess of dusk, Walkena's reign of terror has instilled a fear into his subjects that keeps them from rest and repose. The only other beings that Luhar finds more deplorable are the members of the Council of Mwanyisa who removed Walkena's mummified body from his place of rest and put it on display for profit and power. When they passed away, they did not find rest in her domain in spite of their prayers.

Luhar is traditionally portrayed as Chohar's right hand, and is often shown asleep while the Sun God of midday vigilantly stands watch.

Appearance

Luhar is most often depicted as a lioness with a dark-skinned human woman's head. Her eyes shine like stars, hearkening to her connection to the night.

An image of Luhar.

Church

In the past, Luhar's temples stood in Mzali as sacred places were her priests would bury the dead with obsidian lion tokens. Ever since Walkena's destruction of all other temples to rival deities, Luhar currently possesses no formal place of worship. Word of the Old Sun Gods is spread by members of the Bright Lions as they wage war against the tyrannical Child God. Lion agents infiltrating Walkena's clergy have found great success in emulating the faith of the Child God, with some suggesting that this is only made possible with the cooperation of the three Sun Gods.

Worshippers and clergy

As one of the Old Sun Gods, Luhar's worship is primarily conducted by members of the Bright Lions. Luhar's followers often share their goddess' reverence for sleep and safety in the night, with some taking naps in the day so as to prepare for evening vigils to protect those who slumbered near them. To Luhar, death is considered the final sleep, and her worshippers pray for it to arrive unimpeded and with mercy.