Tal'Thin'Dal
The Immolated One, He Who Does Not Resign
Before ascending to godhood, Tal'Thin'Dal was one of the six elven Wizards that survived the Great Purge. Just like the other five, he lived hidden away from the other races, guiding the elves in their effort to pick up the pieces of their civilization and forge a new niche for themselves in the world. His purview among the Six was Resilience and although he was concerned with the affairs of elves all over Fulkran, he was most active in and around the Lightwood, the elven kingdom that had been affected less by the Purge, mostly thanks to his intervention.
When the March of the Dead came to the Lightwood, Tal'Thin'Dal came out of hiding to defend the forest. He brought all of his considerable power to bear and bought valuable time for the elves to organize their resistance. The terrible losses he inflicted on the undead army led them to set fire to the Lightwood and unleash their foul magic on it as well. The wizard fought them every step of the way, at times literally, until his back was to the glorious Wooden Walls of Forianthis, the most wondrous elven city, capital of Lightwood, pride of all elves and proof of their superiority. There he stood his ground in a monumental battle that lasted five days.
In the end, the residents were able to evacuate Forianthis and escape with many priceless heirlooms in their arms. The battle finally spilled over the walls and the flames that ravaged the forest took the city. Tal'Thin'Dal fought on, unleashing spells that had not been seen since before the Purge. In his grief for Forianthis he did not stop until the magnitude of the powers he was manipulating burned away his mortal shell. But even if that was enough to kill him, it still wasn't enough to stop him. Making use of all the raw magic around him, whether it came from the innate emanations of the dying forest, the powerful artifacts left in the city as they were consumed by the flames, or his own desperate spellcasting, he allowed his mind to ascend. His sacrifice is viewed alternatingly as noble and emblematic or foolish and wasteful, but it did manage to keep the Lightwood from complete obliteration, albeit at an exorbitant price.
Divine Domains
Fire, Overexertion, Last Minute Escapes.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
The silhouette of a person coming through a blaze, the fire parting before them, their clothes aflame.
Tenets of Faith
Tal'Thin'Dal's faith emphasizes doing one's best and going beyond one's limits. When that edict is followed earnestly but things still go badly, the god has been known to favor a devout follower with a subtle way to escape at the last possible moment. Both of these concepts however can be interpreted in wildly different ways and the god's worship tends to differ dramatically from place to place or sometimes even from person to person. Other than that, followers of Tal'Thin'Dal are expected to oppose the followers of Kaphrahssh in any way possible.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
The Immolated One is a young deity as deities go, but has been alive as a mortal for much longer than he has been a god. This gives him a curious perspective. His main motivation remains the same as before he ascended. To protect the elves and help them adapt to their post Purge circumstances. However his new station as a divine being offers new possibilities and challenges.
Many elves thought at first that with Tal'Thin'Dal's help they would begin an ascent back to their dominant position over the other races but the god foresaw this would eventually lead to a second Purge. For that reason he shifted his focus to making sure the elves can coexist peacefully with the rest of the world. In pursuit of this goal Tal'Thin'Dal has opened up his worship to all races with the hope that he can be a bridge of understanding between them. This practice combined with the shift in focus has driven many elves to renounce him as a traitor although many are those who have seen the wisdom in his actions too. Having seen how the devastation of the Lightwood could have been prevented if others had been willing to help the elves, the god now works to promote cooperation by unifying disparate people through the tenets of his faith.
One thing only has the power to divert He Who Does Not Resign from his aim and that is his hatred for Kaphrahssh. Tal'Thin'Dal loathes the fire elemental with a passion born of seeing much of his life's work destroyed at its hands. Any opportunity to work against it directly or indirectly is highly prized and invariably taken advantage of. A slightly lesser hatred is reserved for the undead for instigating the events that led to the creation of Kaphrahssh and this has led to a tentative alliance of sorts with Petros.
Divine Classification
God
Children
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