Ulandra, Entity of Life

Ulandra is the Entity of Life and one of the two greater deities of Aravantia. Ulandra represents pure creation. Due to its importance in the creation of the Material Plane and the Fey Wilds, Ulandra is broadly worshipped across Aravantia and the surrounding lands.

History

Ulandra is inextricably tied to the story of the creation of the Material Plane. Legend has it that thousands of years ago an enormous Gem of Arcana hurtling through the Astral Seas came into contact with the husk of an ancient, primordial deity. The force generated by this magical contact was like a flint to stone and its spark ignited the flame of life. The Entity of Life, Ulandra, came into existence from this gem of incredible arcane power and was immediately driven by an insatiable need to create.

Ulandra used its Gem of Arcana to transform the husk of the primordial deity into the Elemental Planes of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Like a palette of paints, these elements were then used to create the Material Plane. Ulandra created water, mountains, plants, and creatures. Ulandra's early creations struggled due to their unbridled growth. In its effort to find balance through its creation, Ulandra created the Fey Wilds, which only served to delay the fates of her increasingly abundant creation. Ultimately, Ulandra pragmatically recognized that life needed limits and divided its Gem of Arcana into two: one containing positive magical energy and the second containing negative magical energy. From this second Gem of Arcana, Ulogot, Entity of Death came into existence and created the second reflection of the Material Plane, the Shadowfell.

Ulandra, Ulogot, and Exult, the Platinum Greatwyrm ushered in a grand era of creation together. Ulandra and Ulogot further divided their Gems of Arcana into the Gods and Goddesses, which each served as manifestations of prevalent concepts in Aravantia. For a brief time, the Entities, Gods, and Goddesses worked together to build up the Material Plane, Fey Wilds, and Shadowfell. This era of collaboration ended with The First God War. At first, Ulandra and Ulogot were impervious to the base desires of the other deities, but eventually they became fueled by the divine greed of the Gods and Goddesses. The resulting conflict brought the Material Plane to the brink of destruction as Chaos became pervasive and corrosive.

To avoid the destruction of all creation and beat back the forces of Chaos, Ulandra created a coalition of the Gods and Goddesses. In the aftermath of the First God War, Ulandra and the other deities sealed away their greed through a powerful ritual.  Ulandra chose to seal its greed away into its body.  This ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity for a millennia. Unfortunately, this period of peace was only a temporary reprieve as once again Ulogot became tempted by the power of Ulandra's Gem of Arcana.

Ulogot mustered all the souls of the Shadowfell and its followers on the Material Plane and stole Ulandra's Gem of Arcana. Its efforts to steal the remaining Gems of Arcana and wipe out the remaining deities resulted in a century-long conflict known as The Cataclysm. Countless lives were lost and Ulogot came close to achieving its ambitions, but the coalition of Ulandra and the remaining Gods and Goddesses were ultimately able to defeat Ulogot after it was critically injured. Ulogot was decried as the great betrayer and Ulandra stripped away its body and sealed it away in a Storm Giant's skull, chained to the Shadowfell.

Ulandra has not been seen since the end of the Cataclysm.

Worship

Ulandra is one of the most widely worshipped deities. Worshippers span the Material Plane and the Fey Wilds. However, due to the broad tenets of Ulandra and its aloof nature, many worshippers of Ulandra choose to worship other deities simultaneously. This masks the broad support that Ulandra enjoys as a progenitor deity.

Followers of Ulandra focus on the vibrant, positive energy that suffuses the Material Plane and Fey Wilds. They celebrate life in all forms and the most devoted followers even take on vows of peace. Followers of Ulandra are often revered as renowned healers, promoting vitality and health.

Ulandra's acolytes see Ulogot as the great betrayer as a result of its actions during the Cataclysm. As a result, many dedicate themselves to studying ways to delay or even prevent death. Others roam the Planes and drive away all the forces of undeath that they encounter.