Mielikki, the Forest Queen

Alignment: NG
Domains: Animal [Feather, Fur], Fey, Forest, Good, Plant, Travel.
Favored Weapon: Hornblade (scimitar).

Mielikki is the Lady of the Forest, the goddess of the woods and those creatures who live within them. She is the patron of rangers in the same way that Oghma is the patron of bards. Until recently, Miellkki made her home on the Prime Material plane, and so was unharmed by the Time of Troubles, though the presence of so many other gods in the Realms gave her followers great difficulties. In the aftermath of the Time of Troubles, she also gathered autumn into her portfolio away from the dead Myrkul. She is worshiped by humans, elves, half-elves, and dryads alike. The Lady of the Forest is fond of wandering the woods of all of Faerun, although her faithful are concentrated in northern Faerun.

Mielikki is allied with and in the service of Silvanus, and with his growing power, she was being diminished in her own right. In 1369 DR, she radically reorganized her priesthood, this has forestalled her decline, and allowed her to establish her own realm in the Outer Planes for the first time. Her followers had already added the title “Daughter to Silvanus” to her other names previous to this point, due to legends in which Mielikki is said to be the offspring of a dalliance between Silvanus and Hanali Celanil, and many mortal halfelves have grasped onto this legend to hail her as their patron for being the first truly halfelven goddess. She is, in fact, in close league with the Seldarine, which only perpetuates this legend. Among many of the sylvan elves, she is regarded as a part of the Seldarine with the name Khalreshaar; and she grants her prayers and blessings by either name.

Dogma: Intelligent beings can live in harmony with the wild without requiring the destruction of one in the name of the other. Embrace the wild and fear it not, because the wild ways are the good ways. Keep the Balance and learn the hidden ways of life, but stress the positive and outreaching nature of the wild. Do not allow trees to be needlessly felled or the forest burned. Protect forest life, defend every tree, plant anew where death fells a tree, and restore the natural harmony that fire-users and woodcutters often disrupt. Live as one with the woods, teach others to do so, and punish and curtail those that hunt for sport or practice cruelties on wild creatures.

For Deific Obedience

Obedience: Spend an hour each day wandering the wylds, and tending to the balance of nature — plant and water a seedling or acorns to replace a tree that you find fallen, tend to a wounded creature you chance to find, or barring the opportunity to do either of these, speak an hour to a stranger about coexisting with nature. Gain +2 sacred bonus on Initiative, Handle Animal and Knowledge (Nature) checks when you are in natural wooded surroundings.

Boons
1: Nature’s Remedy (Sp) goodberry 3/day, resist energy 2/day, or remove disease 1/day
2: Beckon Creatures (Su) Your connection to the animals of the forest is deep, and they come running when they hear your call as quickly as they would come to help the Forest Queen. You gain wild empathy as per a druid of your character level. Once per day as a standard action, you can let out a cry and all animals within 200 feet immediately come to you as quickly as possible. They will not take unnecessarily dangerous risks to reach you, such as leaping over wide streams. This is a magical call, and animals respond even if unable to hear the call due to environmental conditions or deafness. For a number of minutes equal to your exalted level, you can communicate with these animals as if you had cast speak with animals. They are automatically friendly to you but are not obligated to do what you ask.
3: Verdant Camouflage (Ex) You know how to disappear as well as the Hunter himself does. You can use the Stealth skill even when being observed, as per the ranger’s hide in plain sight ability, and whenever you are moving at half speed or slower, you have concealment from enemies. You gain a +4 sacred bonus on Stealth checks while in the forest.

For Followers of Mielikki

Archetypes: Beastmaster (Ranger), Sacred Huntmaster (Inquisitor), Sylvan Trickster (Rogue)

Specialty Priest: Shadoweir (Cleric/Ranger)

Feats: Beacon of Hope, Bestow Hope, Fey Friend, Hands of Valor, Nimble Natural Summons, Protective Channel, Thicket Channel, Trailblazing Channel.

Magic Items

• Armor: Armor of the Fallen Leaves
• Weapon: Enduring Bloom (as scimitar)
• Wondrous Items: Deadeye’s Spotter Ring

Prestige Classes: Divine Champion, Divine Disciple, Divine Scion (Unchained), Heirophant, Fleet Runner†, Hathran†*
* Hathran caster prerequisites reduced to 3rd level or higher

Spells: Hunter’s Blessing

Traits: A Shining Beacon, Bestial Wrath, Child of Nature, Eyes of the Wild, Frightening Speed, Know the Land, Light Sleeper, Natural Philosopher, Provider, Purity of Faith, Wise Teacher, Wolf Cub.

Unique Spell Rules

• Animal Aspect can be prepared as a 2nd-level Cleric or Inquisitor spell
• Charm Animal can be prepared as a 1st-level Cleric or Inquisitor spell
• Grove of Respite can be prepared as a 4th level Cleric spell.
• Hold Animals can be prepared as a 2nd-level Cleric or Inquisitor spell

Clergy & Temples

Many rangers venerate Mielikki as their deity. She grants her rangers their spells, and they see her as their leader, the supreme ranger, and their watchful mother. Other followers of Mielikki include dryads, hamadryads, treants, woodsmen, the occasional elf (especially wood elves), a few bards, and many of the Harpers. The followers of Mielikki usually do not organize themselves into official temples, but rather assemble in peaceful forest glades to worship the goddess. Shrines to the goddess are more common than temples and are found throughout the North, the Western Heartlands, and parts of the Dalelands in wilderness areas.

The members of Mielikki’s church are widespread and rarely collect into large groups for any length of time. Almost all clerics of Mielikki multi-class as rangers or (to a lesser extent) druids. In recent years, the church has organized into three branches: the Heartwoods (dryads and treants), Arms of the Forest (clerics and druids), and Needles (rangers). Mielikki has dictated this to ensure the continued vitality of the faith and preserve the ancient ways of the forest.

There are few temples to the Forest Queen; most worship takes place in glades or at small shrines. Temples always include a small stand of trees if not actually constructed in a grove. Most have at least one oak, which serves as both altar and the home of a dryad. Small forest creatures are always welcome within such houses of worship, and many reside therein year-round.