Shekinester
Encyclopedia
In many campaign setting
s for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
, Shekinester is the threefold deity of the nagas
. She can appear as the aspect of spirit nagas, water nagas, and guardian nagas. She has a different symbol for each of her aspects: as the Weaver her symbol is a mask, as the Empowerer her symbol is a mirror, and as the Preserver her symbol is a grain jar.
(1992), including details about his priesthood. His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground
(1996).
Shekinester appears in 3rd edition in Defenders of the Faith
(2000).
As the Empowerer she is neutral in alignment and appears as a young water naga Maiden who may be either beautiful or ugly, with pitted skin and greasy hair. In her beautiful form she grants safe passage, while in her ugly form she draws the uninitiated into opportunities for growth. The Empowerer is the bestower of wisdom and guardian of the uninitiated and the young. She can be kind and merciful, but she may force the unwilling into harsh initiations and painful knowledge, regardless of whether they know they need it.
The Preserver manifests as a mature but lovely guardian naga Mother, lawful good in alignment. The Preserver maintains (but does not create) all existence. She is the keeper of the flame within the Court of Light, her divine realm. She is also a guardian of the spirits of the dead (normally the naga dead, but sometimes the souls of other races as allowed by other gods), gifting them with sustenance symbolized as water, fruit, and bread.
, who is usually said to have been sired by Jazirian
. Her many aspects may have a puzzling number of interrelationships with other deities and pantheons. She may be allied with a certain god on one world while acting as his enemy on another.
Shekinester is a manifestation of the World Serpent archetype, like Jazirian, Merrshaulk
, and Io
.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, Shekinester is the threefold deity of the nagas
Naga (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, nagas comprise a variety of similar species of intelligent aberrations with widely differing abilities and alignments. Nagas appear as large snake like creatures with humanoid heads. They often range widely in coloring and scale patterns, but are all...
. She can appear as the aspect of spirit nagas, water nagas, and guardian nagas. She has a different symbol for each of her aspects: as the Weaver her symbol is a mask, as the Empowerer her symbol is a mirror, and as the Preserver her symbol is a grain jar.
Publication history
Shekinester was first detailed in the book Monster MythologyMonster Mythology
Monster Mythology is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Released by TSR in 1992 and written by Carl Sargent, with interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, John and Laura Lakey, and Keith Parkinson, Monster Mythology was released as a companion volume for...
(1992), including details about his priesthood. His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground
On Hallowed Ground
On Hallowed Ground is an accessory book for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, for the Planescape campaign setting.-Contents:This book contains information about deities' planar domains from 20 separate pantheons...
(1996).
Shekinester appears in 3rd edition in Defenders of the Faith
Defenders of the Faith (Dungeons & Dragons)
Defenders of the Faith: A Guidebook to Clerics and Paladins is an optional rulebook for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons, and notable for its trade paperback format.-Contents:...
(2000).
Description
Shekinester is a complex, multi-faceted being. As the Weaver she is the active destructive principle of the multiverse. Chaotic evil in alignment, the Weaver appears as a spirit naga Crone. She destroys to make room for new creations, but is also the manifestation of connections and knowledge, bringing together disparate strands of being to create new understanding.As the Empowerer she is neutral in alignment and appears as a young water naga Maiden who may be either beautiful or ugly, with pitted skin and greasy hair. In her beautiful form she grants safe passage, while in her ugly form she draws the uninitiated into opportunities for growth. The Empowerer is the bestower of wisdom and guardian of the uninitiated and the young. She can be kind and merciful, but she may force the unwilling into harsh initiations and painful knowledge, regardless of whether they know they need it.
The Preserver manifests as a mature but lovely guardian naga Mother, lawful good in alignment. The Preserver maintains (but does not create) all existence. She is the keeper of the flame within the Court of Light, her divine realm. She is also a guardian of the spirits of the dead (normally the naga dead, but sometimes the souls of other races as allowed by other gods), gifting them with sustenance symbolized as water, fruit, and bread.
Relationships
Shekinester has a son, ParrafaireParrafaire
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Parrafaire is the naga deity of guardianship. He guards magical secrets and hidden places underground...
, who is usually said to have been sired by Jazirian
Jazirian
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Jazirian is the couatl deity of Community, Peace, Learning, and Parenthood. The couatls believe Jazirian to be the embodiment of supreme purpose and fate, the invisible force that moves the strings upon which all other gods move...
. Her many aspects may have a puzzling number of interrelationships with other deities and pantheons. She may be allied with a certain god on one world while acting as his enemy on another.
Shekinester is a manifestation of the World Serpent archetype, like Jazirian, Merrshaulk
Merrshaulk
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Merrshaulk is the yuan-ti deity of poison and somnolence. "Merrshaulk" is likely a dwarven rendering of his name; the yuan-ti pronounce the name more like "Mi-Shao-Shur," although they view it as too holy to pronounce around outsiders...
, and Io
Io (Dungeons & Dragons)
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Io is the chief deity worshipped by dragons, god of dragonkind, balance, and peace. He is seen by his people as the creator of all things. He is neutral in alignment, but he also contains within him all other alignments...
.
Realm
Shekinester calls the Court of Light her realm. It can be found spireward of Plague-mort, a town in the Outlands that hosts the portal to the Abyss. Divided into three parts, the Court is sought out by those planewalkers that wish to purify their souls and test their character. The realm is split into three different sections symbolizing the three natures of the Naga Queen. Outermost is the Loom of the Weaver, a maze of tangled, thorny vegetation, then the Hall of Tests, the Empowerer's palace, and within the palace is the Arching Flame, a spirit-cleansing fire guarded by the Preserver.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:http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip
- Cook, DavidDavid Cook (game designer)David "Zeb" Cook is an American game designer best known for his work at TSR, Inc., where he was employed for over fifteen years.-Early life:...
. Planescape Campaign SettingPlanescape Campaign SettingThe Planescape Campaign Setting was a boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The set was designed by David "Zeb" Cook and published in 1994, and introduced the Planescape setting.-Contents:...
. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1994. - Greenwood, EdEd GreenwoodEd Greenwood is a Canadian writer and editor who created the Forgotten Realms. He invented the Forgotten Realms as a child, as a fantasy world in which to set the stories he imagined, and later used this world as a campaign setting for his own personal Dungeons & Dragons playing group...
, Eric L. Boyd, and Darrin Drader. Serpent Kingdoms. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004.