Cyrrollalee
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Cyrrollalee is the halfling deity of Friendship, Trust, and the Home. Her symbol is an open door. Her sacred animal is the squirrel.
Of late, Cyrrollalee has expanded her view of the home, teaching not only the establishment and protection of individual homes but of a halfling homeland, a nation halflings can call their own, where all branches of the halfling race can come together in harmony and mutual advancement.
Publication history
Cyrrollalee was first detailed in Roger E. Moore's article "The Halfling Point of View," in Dragon #59 (TSR, 1982).[1] In Dragon #92 (December 1984), Gary Gygax indicated this as one of the deities legal for the Greyhawk setting.[2] She also appeared in the original Unearthed Arcana (1985).[3]
Cyrrollalee was detailed in the book Monster Mythology (1992), including details about her priesthood.[4] The deity's role among her followers was expanded in The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings (1993).[5] Her role in the cosmology of the Planescape campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).[6] She received a very detailed description for her role in the Forgotten Realms in Demihuman Deities (1998).[7] She is described as one of the good deities that celestials can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).[8]
Cyrrollalee's role in the Forgotten Realms is revisited in Faiths and Pantheons (2002).[9] She was detailed again in Races of the Wild (2005).[10]
Description
Cyrrollalee appears as a humble-looking halfling woman of homely appearance. She wears brown peasant's garb matching her hair. Her avatar carries two pairs of iron bands of Bilarro.
Relationships
In many campaign settings, the halfling pantheon of gods, known as Yondalla's Children, consists of the leader Yondalla, as well as Arvoreen, Brandobaris, Cyrrollalee, Sheela Peryroyl, and Urogalan. Cyrrollalee has a cordial relationship with every member of her pantheon, as well as virtually every other kind-hearted deity known to Oerth. She is slightly disappointed with Brandobaris for his frivolous ways.
Realm
Cyrrollalee lives in the halfling realm of the Green Fields on the plane of Mount Celestia.
Dogma
Cyrrollalee teaches generosity and welcome toward friends. Taboo is betraying a host, breaking an oath, or violating the sanctity of another's home.
Worshipers
Cyrrollalee is worshiped by artisans, cooks, guards, halflings, hosts, and innkeepers.
Clergy
Cyrrollalee's clerics, also known as homefellows, wear brown robes. They are specifically defenders of the home, and they oversee the drawing up of contracts and agreements of all kinds, and look after and educate halfling children. They may also lead halfling communities. Traditionally, theirs was not an adventuring priesthood, but lately they have spent much of their time searching for suitable halfling homelands (not necessarily in the Flanaess). Those who remain rooted in one place (usually the older ones) are called hearthtenders.
Their favored weapon is the club.
Temples, holy days, and rituals
Cyrrollalee's holy days are the first day of any month, and services are generally held in the home. Monthly prayer rituals are devoted to her. Many invocations of her are day-to-day minor oaths and fussing by busy halflings.
Cyrrollalee teaches of an upcoming Day of Discovery when a new halfling land will be discovered. Nearly all her worshipers believe this will happen within their lifetimes.
References
- ^ Moore, Roger E. "The Halfling Point of View." Dragon #59 (TSR, March 1982)
- ^ Gygax, Gary (December 1984). "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: Clerics live by other rules". Dragon (92). Lake Geneva WI: TSR: 22.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)] - ^ Gygax, Gary. Unearthed Arcana (TSR, 1985)
- ^ Sargent, Carl. Monster Mythology (TSR, 1992)
- ^ Niles, Douglas. The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993
- ^ McComb, Colin. On Hallowed Ground (TSR, 1996)
- ^ Boyd, Eric L. Demihuman Deities (TSR, 1998)
- ^ Perkins, Christopher. Warriors of Heaven (TSR, 1999)
- ^ Boyd, Eric L, and Erik Mona. Faiths and Pantheons (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
- ^ Williams, Skip. Races of the Wild, Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005
Additional reading
- 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: [1]
- Dragon magazine #171 - "Defenders of the Hearth"
- Living Greyhawk Journal no. 3 - "Gods of Oerth"