Sotillion

In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Sotillion is the Oeridian goddess of Summer, the South Wind, Ease, and Comfort. Her holy symbol is a winged tiger of pure orange.

Publication history

Sotillion was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.^[1]

Sotillion was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign.^[2] Sotillion is described as one of the good deities that celestials can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).^[3] Sotillion was featured in the article series on the Oeridian Lesser Gods in Dragon #264 (1999).^[4]

Sotillion's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000).^[5]

Description

Sotillion appears as a beautiful human woman of about twenty-five dressed in diaphanous clothes, accompanied by a winged tiger of pure orange. She has wild, red, shoulder length hair, and typically wears a toga or another loose, comfortable garment. She is usually depicted reclining on a blanket, enjoying a bottle of fine wine. Always seeking to enjoy comfort and avoid unnecessary activity, Sotillion often finds herself being prodded to her duties by her friends and family.

Sotillion rarely wields a weapon, but she owns a sickle called Deshaand that looks as if it has never been used.

Relationships

Sotillion is the wife of Zilchus, whose prosperity allows her to retain her favorite comforts. She is the daughter of Procan and cousin of Merikka. As one of the Velaeri, Sotillion is the sister of Velnius, Telchur, Atroa, and Wenta. The Summer Queen dislikes her husband's brother, Kurell, who spurned her sister Atroa in order to pursue her.

She is Atroa's twin, though the two sisters look nothing alike. Sotillion is slightly younger than Atroa, although she is more mature in appearance.

Realm

Her realm on Ysgard's first layer is called the Green Fields. She is also sometimes found in Grandfather Oak in Arvandor.

Dogma

Sotillion promotes all the joys of comfort: warm weather, good food and drink, pleasant company, good conversation, and relaxing quiet. Stress and hard work should be avoided when possible. One's comforts should be protected and defended with zeal, as a life without comfort is worth little.

Worshippers

Sotillion is usually worshipped with her siblings as part of the Velaeri, the Oeridian agricultural gods. She is thus revered by farmers and others who depend on the land's bounty. Sotillion is also often prayed to by those seeking any type of comfort or relief from their burdens.

There are no sects in the church, as divisions of this sort are thought to be too much trouble and likely to cause discomfort among the priests.

Clergy

The priests of Sotillion, called Luxuriates, aspire to the "good life." They like being pampered, and enjoy attending casual social events where they can meet interesting people, sample good food and drink, and listen to soft music. The Summer Queen's clerics often find work as diplomats due to their ability to make people feel so at ease. They travel in style, whether by carriage, on horseback, or upon a litter, when attending parties and visiting acquaintances. Some of Sotillion's priests believe that comfort and ease become stale and boring without times of hardship and distress. These priests often go adventuring, both to experience these hard times and to acquire wealth with which to purchase the comforts they desire. The net is their favored weapon.

Sotillion's priests wear loose, comfortable clothing, usually silk robes of bright blue or green. They wear comfortable shoes, and wear wide-brimmed hats to protect themselves from the sun. Adventuring clerics wear the same thing, but cut shorter to allow greater freedom of movement.

Bards

Loosely associated with the clergy of Sotillion is a fraternity of bards called the Soothers. They sell their services to insomniacs, and sometimes play during Sotillion's services.

Temples

Places of worship to Sotillion are often dedicated to the Velaeri as a whole. These locations are found throughout Oeridian lands, including Ahlissa, Blackmoor (only rarely), the Bone March, the Gran March, the former Great Kingdom, Highfolk, Ket, Keoland, Ratik, Sunndi, the County of Urnst, and Veluna. Though worship of the Velaeri is forbidden in the Theocracy of the Pale, they are honored in secret by many farmers and country folk.

Small shrines or statues of Sotillion can be found sometimes in the common rooms of inns, indicating that great comfort is to be found there. A few natural places of worship can be found outdoors, in places thought "blessed by Sotillion."

The grandest of Sotillion's temples is the Cathedral of Delight in Niole Dra. It was built in -87 CY by followers of Telchur, but the expense bankrupted the local clergy. The edifice was bought at cost by the church of Sotillion, who renovated it to suit their more refined tastes. The temple is octagonal in form, with stained glass windows of extraordinary size. It is upholstered with thick rugs and pillows, and a huge, marble statue of the goddess (showing her asleep on a couch) dominates.

Holy days

The midsummer celebration of Richfest is especially important to Sotillion and her faithful. Regular ceremonies are held every other Godsday. These services consist mainly of light singing accompanied by stringed instruments. Falling asleep during this time is considered a righteous and laudable act.

Bedtime is considered the holiest time of the day.

Myths and Legends

Lady Harvest

When Atroa and Sotillion were first born, it was declared that it would be Atroa's job to plant in the spring, while it would be Sotillion's role to harvest in the summer. "Sod that," said Sotillion, who - still an infant - talked Kurell into doing the work instead.

References

Additional reading

• Brown, Anne. Greyhawk Player's Guide. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
• Conforti, Steven, ed. Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:
• Gygax, Gary, and Frank Mentzer. The Temple of Elemental Evil. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1985.
• Reynolds, Sean K. "The Gods of Oerth." Living Greyhawk Journal #3. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.