Deities of Hearth: Moondancer

Moondancer

Goddess of the Wilds

Moondancer is the daughter of Skyfather and Hearthmatron and the goddess of animals, the chaos of the wilds, the moon, and the hunt. She is the patron goddess of hunters, herders, rangers, and those who live far away from civilization. She is also the goddess of revelry, lust, and wine, as well as the patron goddess of thieves, who pray to her when sneaking about by moonlight.

She is depicted as a beautiful elven woman with pale skin covered with markings of many colors across her body, wearing a suit of skins and holding a bow and arrow. Her pet, Silversong, is said to be able to take any bestial shape, but is most often a silvery falcon, leopard, stag, or zebra.

Moondancer’s Influence

Moondancer is worshiped by hunters, but her concerns go far beyond humanity’s ability to subsist on the bounty of the natural world. Moondancer is the best archer in the universe, and contests of archery are often held in her name. Those who hunt their own food pray to Moondancer for success, and Moondancer blesses their natural predation. Poachers and those who kill for sport, however, know that she loathes such activity, and they try to stay hidden from her at all costs.

Besides her focus on animals, Moondancer is an unpredictable goddess who loves to play tricks on the other gods and on mortals. Legends say that whenever a mortal loses or misplaces something, Moondancer is to blame. As the goddess of night, she sanctions the clandestine actions of thieves and lovers, and if there’s one thing she loves more than a good hunt, it’s a good, juicy secret.

Moondancer’s symbol and scion creatures are the satyr and the unicorn.

Moondancer’s Goals

Moondancer's goals constantly shift; she grows bored when things go on the same way for too long. But most of the time, her goal is to always find something new and interesting to watch and participate in. Generally, the spread of civilization and order that tames the wild, fascinating wilderness prevents this, so if it were up to Moondancer, she might well wipe away all the cities and larger communities, leaving only scattered tribes of mortals to live in an enforced balance with nature.

Divine Relationships

Moondancer gets along best with her mother, Hearthmatron, who shares her love of the natural world. As a hunter, she also respects death and finds it fascinating, so she approves of Deepwarden’s divine designs. She also admires Deepwarden’s secretive nature and his approval of darkness over light.

Moondancer’s greatest enemy is Lawbringer, whose expanding civilization drives the beasts out of the wilds and turns them into domesticated animals fit only for burden or food. Lawbringer's focus on order, law, and tradition has no place in Moondancer’s domains of revelry and constant, fickle change, so it is likewise despised by her.

Despite being his daughter, Moondancer does not generally get along well with Skyfather. Though she likes his elements that change the land, his emphasis on light over darkness and his forthright and honest nature clash with her precious secret-keeping nature.

Worshiping Moondancer

Every secret kept, every midnight tryst, every successful heist against a city-loving noble is a joy to Moondancer. Hunters often dedicate their kills to Moondancer, and many tribal communities (especially elves) gather in the woods away from civilization to worship her through moonlit parties filled with dancing, wine, and revelry. Moondancer’s priests have long claimed that if the party is wild and fun enough, Moondancer herself will not be able to resist personally joining in on the celebration.

Moondancer’s Champions

Alignment: Always chaotic

Suggested Classes: Barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, ranger, rogue

Domains: Nature, Trickery, Twilight

Paladin Oaths: Ancients

Suggested Backgrounds: Charlatan, criminal, entertainer, outlander, urchin

Moondancer’s champions, whether thieves, hunters, or minstrels, all have one thing in common: They love the thrill of being hidden and happy. Their mischievous deeds often affect those of rigid civilization, but her followers know the value of the natural world and respect it.

The Five Commands of Moondancer

1. Be kind to nature and all life that does not seek to take your own.
2. Fill your life with song, dance, laughter, and beauty.
3. Keep and respect secrets you are entrusted with.
4. Cheer up those whose faces frown.
5. Forgive those who have wronged you, and dispel hostility with friendship.

Devotion to Moondancer

Following Moondancer means devoting yourself to an interesting life full of possibilities and passion. As a follower of Moondancer, consider the ideals on the Moondancer’s Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.

Moondancer’s Ideals

d6	Ideal
1	Change. The old must be swept away to make room for the new.
2	Passion. I will follow my heart and help others do the same.
3	Freedom. Everyone should be free to pursue his or her own livelihood.
4	Adaptability. Plans change, circumstances go awry. I must bend in response to changes, not break.
5	Secrecy. All deception requires secrecy, but not all secrets are meant to deceive.
6	Independence. I am a free spirit — no one tells me what to do.

Earning and Losing Piety

You increase your piety score to Moondancer when you expand her influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these:

• Helping a fugitive escape justice
• Pulling off a daring robbery or a hilarious prank
• Hunting animals through cunning and dedication
• Throwing a raucous and chaotic party

Your piety score to Moondancer decreases if you diminish her influence in the world, contradict her ideals, or make her look ridiculous or ineffectual through acts such as these:

• Forthrightly assisting lawgivers in their duties
• Revealing secrets entrusted to you
• Spoiling others’ fun and happiness
• Poaching animals

Moondancer’s Devotee
Piety 3+ Moondancer Trait

As a devotee of Moondancer, you have proven yourself accomplished at deception. You can call on Moondancer’s blessing and cast disguise self with this trait. You can cast the spell in this way a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Moondancer’s Votary
Piety 10+ Moondancer Trait

You can cast speak with animals with this trait a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.

Moondancer’s Disciple
Piety 25+ Moondancer Trait

When a beast is about to attack you, it must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses you. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this trait for 24 hours.

Champion of the Night
Piety 50+ Moondancer Trait

You can increase your Charisma or Dexterity score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.

Omens of Moondancer

d8	Omen of Moondancer
1	A silver-winged hawk circles overhead, then flies away.
2	An eclipse suddenly occurs.
3	Butterflies alight on a character or fly together in a particular direction.
4	The roar of a leopard echoes in the distance.
5	Animal tracks appear where no creature walks.
6	The moon cycles through its phases rapidly in the sky.
7	The characters suddenly taste sweet wine in their mouths.
8	A painted arrow strikes nearby from an impossible angle.

Moondancer’s Domain: Silverglade

Silverglade is a realm of endless revelry, exciting hunts, loud noises, and constant change. The geography of Silverglade is chaotic. Paths wind in odd directions or upside down; a tree trunk may have roots on both of its ends, rooted into two parallel ground surfaces; rivers flow uphill or in two directions at once. The gravity of the realm is subjective, allowing its residents to run up the sides of giant mushrooms or spiraling paths like ants. No indoor dwelling is to be found here, and animals of every conceivable species (and combination of species) stampede or fly through the plane, hunting one another and racing with the plane’s residents for sport. Seasons can change sharply and without warning. Invigorating music is always heard on the breeze, and the realm as a whole is suffused in cool, mysterious moonlight.

The residents of Silverglade are mostly elves, but other worshipers of Moondancer and those who brought joy and freedom to others also find a place amid its wilds. Such residents spend their afterlives laughing and partying with other residents, drinking wine from bottomless cups, and interacting with wild animals like pets and mounts. Residents here have no static identity; they can look or sound like whomever they want to, changing their bodies and appearances with barely a thought. Many of them adopt an animal companion who they can converse with and understand perfectly.

Tyrants, slavers, poachers, and secret revealers are drawn into Silverglade as an everlasting punishment. For these residents, it is hell to live in a world with no order and with constant, harrying excitement with no reprieve. They find themselves in an afterlife of constant running from ferocious beasts, ever-changing terrain, and maddening music that never allows a moment’s rest.

Fluid Appearance. All creatures can cast the alter self spell at will, no concentration required and with unlimited duration.