Ehlaar
 Lord of the Noble Wyrms
Intermediate God

Epithets: The Noble Dragon, the Radiant Wyrm  
Alignment: Lawful good
Symbol: Metallic-scaled dragon
Primary followers: Good dragonkind and all good-aligned sentient monsters

     The true form of the Radiant Wyrm is that of a dragon some thousand feet in length. The delicate horns and razor-sharp talons of the god gleam like mithril polished to mirror brightness, while his scales glitter like newly minted coins. Depending upon the nature and direction of the light illuminating the True God, each of Ehlaar's individual scales can appear as brilliant silver, radiant gold, sparkling brass, burnished bronze, or a lovely, red-toned copper. His teeth are like the whitest of pearls, and his slit-pupiled eyes gleam as much from the god's wisdom and grace as from their irises of liquid silver. The Lord of the Noble Wyrms is sleek in body, graceful in gesture, and magnificent in flight.

     As befitting his noble heart and his serene nature, Ehlaar is a true and equal member of the House of Light. It is Ehlaar who selects and trains the silver dragons that serve as Arzamark's worldly heralds, and it is he who marshals the Avaril, ki-rin, and other monsters of good heart in their battles against the darkness.

     The first mention of Ehlaar in the Astarith is in its Fourth Book, in the waning days of the War of Dominion. In the aftermath of a vicious skirmish, a female dragon of the family of Koltai finds the mangled corpse of her mate—and the dying archmage who had slain him. Infuriated yet fascinated by the human's courage and dignity in the face of death, something within Olwen's heart kept her from taking the revenge that was in such easy reach. At that moment, an unseen, nameless god whispered to the dragon, granting her the power to save the mage's life…all that was required was her will to use it.

     Though no word in the draconian tongue could give name to the compassion that welled within her soul, she healed the wizard's wounds and nursed the man back to health. Months passed, and a strong friendship was forged. Varkhet and Olwen shared spells, songs, and stories, and learned that Minarra was indeed big enough for the both of them. But Varkhet had but a few years to live, and wished only to spend them with his family.

    Saddened but understanding, Olwen searched far and wide for some sort of parting gift worthy of her friend, but could find none. But as she fretted, the nameless god spoke to her again, whispering the secrets that would create the very first seiaj, the organic body armor of the Minarran mage for millennia to come.

     The two labored long and hard to make the garment a reality, and when it was done, both gave praise to the still unnamed god whose blessing this was. Hearing their prayers and knowing the time had come at last, Ehlaar sent forth an Avatar to proclaim his presence to the world—and to transform Olwen into Minarra's first metallic dragon of light, the mother of her golden race.

     Avatars: It is extremely rare that Ehlaar deigns to reveal himself in his true form, and never before anyone save his dragons or the most revered of noble monsterdom. He much rather prefers to "craft" his Avatars out of the very fabric of nature. Thus, he has appeared in animated, dragon-shaped "sculptures" of sand, snow, and mist…but his favorite medium is a cloudbank with the sun shining brilliantly behind it.

     Ehlaar is the only Power of the Draconihm who will assume the form of a member of the New Races. Without exception, these Avatars appear as handsome and hearty males on the threshold of old age. Though these Avatars are well-known for their cheerful, warm, and gentle natures, any resistance that is driven by evil intent is invariably dealt with, one way or another. These Avatars are often sent to give subtle advice and support to good-hearted wizards who have come to an impasse in their arcane studies.

     Mortal Servants: Aside from the Silahr Draconev of the metallic wyrms, Ehlaar has no real need of "servants" as men and their kind would think of them. Like the other Powers of the Draconihm, he has but to ask any of his beloved people—be they dragon or sentients such as the ki-rin, pegasi, unicorns, lammasu, etc.—and his desires in the mortal world will be fulfilled. But unlike Tcharlat, Ehlaar is very hesitant to disturb the lives of his people in any way, and asks favors only when the need is pressing. (If the Radiant Wyrm ever starts to issue orders, a disaster is either imminent or has already befallen some part of the world.)

     Philosophy/Tenets of Faith: True to his position among the House of Light, Ehlaar always seeks to remind his followers that a generous and compassionate spirit can easily transcend any barriers of birth or even of race. The New Races are to be respected, not because they fight back in the face of abuse, but simply because they are fellow beings.

     It is in the draconian nature to hoard, yes, but it is neither ethical nor wise to deny the truly needy that which is yours. Acutely aware of Ehlaar's feelings in this matter, many metallic dragons find deep satisfaction in "donating" choice bits of their hoards to those mortals fighting for the common good, or just trying to survive in a world suddenly gone cold and hostile.


(Draconihm)


(Draconihm)


(House of Light)


(X)