This god seems to feel quite strongly that all the other gods should be married off and that this would be an overall improvement for them. So my question is why doesn't Erastil have a wife or a family? This seems strange for the god of family. If he does and I missed it somewhere can some one tell me who or direct me to were this info might be?

Also he is the god of community yet I saw no reference to him forming or being a part of a community with the other good gods, this seems like something he would do. Or does he only form a community with his followers and they are like his family?

I never saw that he had one.

he's LG

which would mean if he had one, she must be ln, ng or lg.

she might be dead too

As of yet, we have not seen any form of matrimony between gods, IIRC. There are allusions, but we do not have two gods who are a couple officially.

But you are right, given his sentiment in regard to some gods, Erastil should definitely have a wife.

She might be his herald. Or she might be the White Hind of druidic mythology.

Maybe Erastil has lots and lots of wives but they're all deer so it's not like they're going to argue. The White Stag and White Hind might be his children. Maybe any of the deer might be Erastil's children and it would explain why hunters aren't allowed to shoot fawns.

She might be his herald. Or she might be the White Hind of druidic mythology.

Maybe Erastil has lots and lots of wives but they're all deer so it's not like they're going to argue. The White Stag and White Hind might be his children. Maybe any of the deer might be Erastil's children and it would explain why hunters aren't allowed to shoot fawns.

Erastil's Herald is a Stag, which is a male deer.

Of his planar allies listed we have a horse, a shapeshifing male eagle and a tree.

I do like the deer angle though. The white hind is a possibility as that is a female deer though unlikely.

As of yet, we have not seen any form of matrimony between gods, IIRC. There are allusions, but we do not have two gods who are a couple officially.

But you are right, given his sentiment in regard to some gods, Erastil should definitely have a wife.

Torag has a wife, detailed in Gods & Magic, and even some kids.

But Erastil, not so much. Just because he thinks *mortals* should settle down and have children, doesn't mean that he has to. Like most gods, he's also fond of mortals going to temple and celebrating holy days with reflections on how great he is, but I doubt he does much genuflecting himself...

Some pigs are more equal.

Perhaps Erastils Wife got between Serenrae and Norgorber accidentally or she was to close to Aroden when he exploded :)

From Gods & Magic, page 14: Some stories describe Sarenrae as his daughter, others as his wife or sister.

She may have played more than one of those roles. With the gods such relationships might be trivial, mortal concepts.

Erastil has a wife, but you've never heard of her because she's at home barefoot and pregnant like a good woman.

Kidding.

Actually, it would be interesting if Erastil's wife were nothing like him: a Mona Simpson to his Abe Simpson.

From Gods & Magic, page 14: Some stories describe Sarenrae as his daughter, others as his wife or sister.

I had considered this until I read Erastil's entry in Rivers Run Red where his thoughts on her are "This woman has such fire in her, such spirit, I wounder if any man could tame her. She would surely make a fine wife or mother."

That indicates to me that he has no such relationship with her or hasn't in the past either.

I had considered this until I read Erastil's entry in Rivers Run Red where his thoughts on her are "This woman has such fire in her, such spirit, I wounder if any man could tame her. She would surely make a fine wife or mother."

That indicates to me that he has no such relationship with her or hasn't in the past either.

That or old man Erastil is senile in his old age.

"Hey there, you're a spunky one... got a husband?"

"Uh, its me, dad. You know. Your daughter."

I think he was talking about her as one would discuss a daughter. She's willful, but if she'd grow up she'd be a good wife & mother. (not my opinions, of course)

Xymor wrote:

I had considered this until I read Erastil's entry in Rivers Run Red where his thoughts on her are "This woman has such fire in her, such spirit, I wounder if any man could tame her. She would surely make a fine wife or mother."

That indicates to me that he has no such relationship with her or hasn't in the past either.

That or old man Erastil is senile in his old age.

"Hey there, you're a spunky one... got a husband?"

"Uh, its me, dad. You know. Your daughter."

I think it's something like this.

Erastil seems like an old widower to me. He had a wife, but that was in the past, and she was the love of his life, but she died, and he's not going to defile her memory by starting up some new relationship in his old age. I mean, if mortals can do that in one lifetime, imagine what it must be like for a god.

The fact that only he remembers the name of his wife is enough. His pain is private, but it's also mixed with memory of joy, which is why he so strongly believes that marriage and family are good for everyone. When he sees some happy young couple or middle aged couple or old couple, it makes him smile, because it reminds him of the life that he had. When he sees someone else alone, he is displeased, because it reminds him of his current sadness.

He's old and patriarchal because that's what worked for him, and he's set in his ways and thinks it should work for everyone else too.

In my world Rovagug ate her.... Sarenrae is Erastils daughter and that is why she hates Rovagug.

Lanx wrote:

As of yet, we have not seen any form of matrimony between gods, IIRC. There are allusions, but we do not have two gods who are a couple officially.

But you are right, given his sentiment in regard to some gods, Erastil should definitely have a wife.

Torag has a wife, detailed in Gods & Magic, and even some kids.

Ah yes, you are right, this one I have overlooked.

The way I'm running Golarion now, Erastil's old flame was most likely the neutral stone giant goddess Fandarra, one of the "old gods" who has been noted as being an old contemporary of Ol' Deadeye who stuck with "the old ways" when Elkhead lightened up and became a less bloody god.

There might still be something between them, but they've been apart for a long time over their differences of opinion on what lines can and cannot be crossed in the name of protecting your family.

Sapient sacrifice. Who would suspect such a thing could drive two lovers apart, eh?

Erastil has some quaint ways. He likes women to be family gals. He wants them to not talk back too much (or at all).

Nobody can say that his method doesn't work in those rural parts.

But the thing is that goddesses tend to be their own women. Goddesses. Deities are so used to be obeyed by everyone, they don't do the second fiddle gig.

So old moosey there has been having a bit of a problem finding a wife to his liking.

And most goddesses make terrible cooks to boot.

And most goddesses make terrible cooks to boot.

Sarenrae might be a good cook but something tells me she would burn everything.

Desna would cook one good meal then forget to cook anymore or wounder off.

Iomedae would kill an animal and tell you to go eat.

Pharasma doesn't care enough to cook you a damn meal.

Lamashtu's meal causes a monster to grow inside of you, but is other wise tasty.

Calistria's meal is amazing until the ground glass in it kills you.

Urgathoa.... You don't want what she's cooking.

Shelyn's cooking... Mmm Shelyn... Hmm, what was I talking about?

Yep, yep your right they do make terrible cooks.

Sarenrae might be a good cook but something tells me she would burn everything.

Desna would cook one good meal then forget to cook anymore or wounder off.

Iomedae would kill an animal and tell you to go eat.

Pharasma doesn't care enough to cook you a damn meal.

Lamashtu's meal causes a monster to grow inside of you, but is other wise tasty.

Calistria's meal is amazing until the ground glass in it kills you.

Urgathoa.... You don't want what she's cooking.

Shelyn's cooking... Mmm Shelyn... Hmm, what was I talking about?

Yep, yep your right they do make terrible cooks.

I think you have some of them wrong:

I think it's something like this.

Erastil seems like an old widower to me. He had a wife, but that was in the past, and she was the love of his life, but she died, and he's not going to defile her memory by starting up some new relationship in his old age. I mean, if mortals can do that in one lifetime, imagine what it must be like for a god.
The fact that only he remembers the name of his wife is enough. His pain is private, but it's also mixed with memory of joy, which is why he so strongly believes that marriage and family are good for everyone. When he sees some happy young couple or middle aged couple or old couple, it makes him smile, because it reminds him of the life that he had. When he sees someone else alone, he is displeased, because it reminds him of his current sadness.

Well done, sir.

I always imagined the deities in D&D and Pathfinder had divine consorts (at least, those that wanted them). In D&D terms, the spouse was granted divine rank 0 (quasi-deity); he or she is immortal, but not much else. If two deities (DR 6+) were married, I'd expect their churches would merge into worshiping the pair, perhaps with combined domain selection for the clerics (ie. able to choose domains from either or both of their lists).

"Young male formerly-human demigod seeks wife. Must be Good, Chaotic preferred. If interested, contact via prayer." -Alkor, an ascended character of mine.

Kevin Andrew Murphy wrote:

I think it's something like this.

Erastil seems like an old widower to me. He had a wife, but that was in the past, and she was the love of his life, but she died, and he's not going to defile her memory by starting up some new relationship in his old age. I mean, if mortals can do that in one lifetime, imagine what it must be like for a god.
The fact that only he remembers the name of his wife is enough. His pain is private, but it's also mixed with memory of joy, which is why he so strongly believes that marriage and family are good for everyone. When he sees some happy young couple or middle aged couple or old couple, it makes him smile, because it reminds him of the life that he had. When he sees someone else alone, he is displeased, because it reminds him of his current sadness.

I like this as well.Nicely played.

My own wife is playing a female cleric of Erastil in my Kingmaker campaign and I've been trying hard to reconcile the chauvinist sentiments of the God with female adventuring clerics.

I came to the idea that his female clerics are, in fact, his wives/consorts - sort of a 'brides of...' style character and that different convents held slightly different foci, with some focussed on education, some on women's lore, herbalism, etc. I imagine small forest convents a la Marian from Robin and Marian, or Sister Fedelma mysteries. In each convent, certain young women are trained for a wider reaching mission and sent out to represent their sect in the world, perhaps someday establishing a new convent.Some may be widows and retire to these places to live out their days.

I imagine they create a pact for a period of time with their God and that they sometimes set up 'double houses' (medieval custom) with a priest where they run the place as a communal family and eventually raise children, possibly their own but possibly others (orphans, helping others, etc)

I imagine Erastil seeing the female priesthood as a kind of necessary way of dealing and incorporating those women who don't fit his standard image. In a way, it lets him take a more direct hand in their activities and keeps them from disrupting his vision of a community, incorporating them as he sees fit.

still fleshing it out, but so far it feels ok