Order can be found in even the most chaotic of places. If you know how to look for it.
Lord of the Hunt, Guardian of the Tree
God of the Hunt and Wilderness
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Domains: Animal, Glory, Plant, Travel, Weather
Favored Weapon: Shortbow
Divine Animal: Hound
Herne has a very boisterous way of being and the most inclined to talking with mortals. This may be due to the fact he is the god who created the world and thus still takes a very keen interest in those who dwell in it. He quite fond of pointing out that order can be found anywhere, but in the end people deserve the right to make their own choices in life.
Herne holds to the hunt fiercely, but the hunt serves a purpose. A hunt may take years to fulfill, but will always end in the death of the one who poses a threat to the world. His followers should run threats down until they are destroyed in this manner they guard the world as even he does from harm. Though he does believe there is always time to also enjoy life in between hunts. So he urges people to live life to the fullest for the hunt is always very dangerous.
Herne takes his duties very seriously. In the end if required his duties include leading the gods as the Creator deity, but it is a task he rarely attends. Instead he set up laws for the gods to follow and has Rakesh enforce them. Generally Herne attends his duty of keeping his creation safe and thus normally is found in the Mortal Realms as he is responsible for it.
Herne calls many to his side, but most are those who can understand the hunt the most. Generally rangers, some druids, and hunters are the most numerous amongst his followers. Many have felt the touch of an untouched threat in their lives and feel the burning need to remove such threats before they harm others.
Herne's favor shows in small ways such as an increased ability on a hunt. They be granted stronger sense to aid in the hunt or some type of aid along the way. His interventions though tend to be dramatic in the form of the hunt sweeping through or pausing to talk.
Herne appears as a humanoid man with sweeping antlers upon his head. His also has greed hair and sparkling silver eyes with very tanned skin. He wears leather clothing and all of his gear appears to have been handmade. He is always accompanied by the nightmare he tamed and a small pack of hounds.
A red running hound is his holy symbol.
The Church
They mainly hunt down threats and also protect areas from incursions. The hunts focus on any number of threats, but normally fiends or undead are deemed to be threats. They also frequently serve as the local hunters providing food for their home villages.
Priest tend to be practical men and women with a great deal of knowledge of the natural world. They also know exactly how cruel nature can be, but that often it serves a purpose. They try to teach people of nature and how to work with it.
His church is found literally anywhere you can find space to hunt. Though the do not make temples within cities they gather even there as sometimes a hunt must take place in urban areas.
Herne's people often tend to animal and plant companions. They also frequently groom or help train such companions. They do sell horses and hunting animals.
Temples and Shrines
His temples and shrines tend to be very simples affairs. They store food against lean times and contain everything need to prepare such foods and butcher meat. They tend to breed horses built for stamina and speed, which makes them popular amongst many adventurers. In addition they breed and train many types of hunting animals.
A Priest’s Role
There is nothing typical with what a priest does for Herne. Many breed hunting animals and many are hunters. Some hunt various threats to an area and others hunt for food to store against lean times. These hunters tend to be the very best that can be found in the area.
Those who breed animals have their entire day and night revolve around those animals. They know every single trait and personality within their care. This leads to them being very capable of matching a hunting animal to a new owner. They will not place an animal with someone they view as abusive.
The duties of clerics and inquisitors are the dame as any other priests. The only difference is that inquisitors focus exclusively on hunting down threats to the community. They eliminate one threat and move on to the next one. They do not flinch if the threat comes from within the church itself.
Paladins are very rare for this god as he tends to be chaotic, but they do happen. He actually does have high expectations of the paladins he calls to his service.
Hunt down threats to the community
Never end the Hunt until the target is brought low
Never abandon fellow hunters even if the Hunt must be delayed
Care for the creatures you hunt with as you would care for yourself
Adventurers
Adventuring is fairly common as many wish to see the world. Those who travel to see the world also seek to remove threats as they travel. They seem drawn to the road and many are known to find ways to travel until they sate their wanderlust. Some few adventure as they have a set target in mind or discover a greater target while hunting minor ones
They like adventurers as pretty much all of them have traveled at some point. His church is the one most likely to be made up of adventurers that have retired. A fact that surprises attackers who fail to do their homework.
Clothing
Ritual Garb is very rare amongst his followers and they are usually just very fine leathers. These leathers tend to be a very pale brown trimmed in the red of his holy symbol. Ceremonial items tend to be made up of bone and other natural items. On an average day his followers wear leathers and there are always hints of his holy symbol within the clothing. This clothing when not leather tends to be shades of brown and trimmed with red.
Holy Texts
Tree of Life: This tells the tale of how the realms were formed including his own creation of the first gods. It also includes the full tale of the war with the fiends. Many of the tales discuss his wife and children, along with many things he did over the course of his life.
Holidays
Winter Hunt: Lykos 14. This celebration lasts for a week and involves at the culmination the hunting of a dangerous creature that threatens the area. Normally the High Hunt focuses on a Fiend or some undead in the area as some always think they can outwit the church. The results of the High Hunt are revealed at the ending feast which is held for the whole community. This feast features the food hunted and gathered during the celebration. At the end the success of failure of the final hunt is revealed. If success another day of celebration ensues with a day of games and competitions replete with prizes. If failure then the festival ends with the feast and is the reason only the best are chosen for the final and greatest hunt.
Summer Hunt: Hadad 14. This celebration lasts for a week and involves at the culmination the hunting of a dangerous creature that threatens the area. Normally the High Hunt focuses on a Fiend or some undead in the area as some always think they can outwit the church. The results of the High Hunt are revealed at the ending feast which is held for the whole community. This feast features the food hunted and gathered during the celebration. At the end the success of failure of the final hunt is revealed. If success another day of celebration ensues with a day of games and competitions replete with prizes. If failure then the festival ends with the feast and is the reason only the best are chosen for the final and greatest hunt.
Aphorisms
By the Tree: Exclamation of surprise or any number of other things depending on the person
Run the Hunt to the end: Said when a follower is on the trail of something. It is used to indicate they will not stop until the hunt ends
Relations with other Religions
Herne is friendly with all the gods and generally blows off any arguments that occur. This leads to him being very well regarded since he very rarely asserts his power. He will work with all the gods equally to guard their followers and land.
Herne is very close friends with Appaliunas. They argue frequently and loudly, but most know it all bluff on their part. The arguments usually end in the two sitting down to enjoy a few rounds of brew.
Asmodeus is still angry at Herne for numerous reasons. The highest is the fact during the war he was forced to side with the gods after threats were made by Herne. He also still resents the fact Herne stole a nightmare and redeemed it as his personal mount.
Realm
Herne has a place for his followers in the Celestial Realm, but does not reside there himself. He much prefers the open areas to hunt upon the Mortal Realms, which leads to where he prefers to reside. When he actually pauses to rest he does so in the first forest ever created. This forest is where he calls home and in the center are caves and small cottage. The caves are where the horses and dogs settle to rest.
Planar Allies
Great White Stag: Unique Celestial. Herald. This stag serves as his Herald and also as the guardian of the forest. He resembles a white stag in a size none have ever seen and has never been slain. He has fought in many battles alongside Herne and only Herne knows his true name. He embodies the guardianship requested of others in regards to the wilderness.
Tyrene: Unique Celestial Hound. This delicate female serves as his celestial animal companion. She is very cunning and is the leader of the pack. She is a beautiful shade of red with emerald eyes.
Scourge: Unique Celestial. Herald. Scourge is the more vicious side of the hunt and wilderness. Though he serves to rouse lust for a hunt. He encourages fair hunting and enjoys testing his mettle with difficult hunts when possible. Sometimes he answers the call of those in desperate need of his aid as a hunter. He embodies the primal hunter.
For Faithful Characters
Archetypes
Mad Dog (Barbarian)
Animal Speaker (Bard)
Pack Lord (Druid)
Savage Warrior (Fighter)
Shining Knight (Paladin)
Beastmaster (Ranger)