Hanali Celanil, the Heart of Gold, is the Elven deity of Romantic Love and Beauty. She embodies the joy of affection, the exhilaration of new romance and the beauty that Elves find both within themselves and in the world around them. Hanali teaches that beauty should be cultivated and shared, and that genuine love is amongst the greatest gifts that life can offer. Few things delight her more than two hearts unexpectedly finding one another. Her symbol is a golden heart.
Appearance
Hanali is a being of extraordinary and timeless beauty. When she appears to mortals, she most commonly takes the form of a breathtakingly beautiful Elven maiden, although individual accounts differ considerably concerning the precise details of her appearance. She favours white and gold, often appearing in a short flowing gown or dress decorated with delicate golden jewellery. Hanali always goes barefoot, her feet adorned instead with golden anklets and toe rings. Her beauty is not cold or intimidating. Those who encounter Hanali describe an immediate warmth about her: the sensation of being in the presence of someone who sees beauty everywhere and expects to find it in you as well. Flowers seem brighter around her, music sweeter and even ordinary surroundings somehow more attractive. Whether this is divine magic or simply the effect Hanali has upon those who behold her is uncertain. Hanali herself has never shown much interest in explaining the distinction.
Nature
Hanali is warm, affectionate and fundamentally benign. She readily forgives minor transgressions and delights in rewarding her followers with unexpected affection, happiness and love. She is nevertheless somewhat vain and flighty. Hanali appreciates admiration and sees little virtue in pretending not to recognise beauty when it is plainly present, including her own. Yet vanity should not be mistaken for shallowness. Hanali possesses a profound understanding of the Elven heart and regards love as one of the forces that makes a long life worth living. Beauty fades, changes and appears in unexpected places; affection may endure for centuries or blaze brilliantly for a single season. Both have value. Although Hanali rarely appears openly to her faithful, she is believed to take particular interest in young and unexpected lovers. Elven tales are filled with chance meetings, conveniently unlocked doors, suddenly absent chaperones and remarkable coincidences attributed to the unseen hand of Lady Goldheart. Whether Hanali was actually responsible for all of them is doubtful. She is unlikely to object to receiving the credit.
Teachings of Hanali
Hanali teaches that life is made richer by beauty and by the love that draws hearts together. Her followers are expected to nurture beautiful things rather than hoard or destroy them. Gardens should be tended, music performed, art displayed and affection expressed rather than hidden through fear or embarrassment. Above all, love should be allowed to flourish wherever it genuinely takes root. The faith therefore places particular importance upon protecting young lovers. Those seeking sanctuary from families, rivals or circumstances that would unjustly separate them can traditionally appeal to Hanali's clergy for assistance. This does not mean that every infatuation must be encouraged without question. Hanali's priests understand perfectly well that attraction, desire and enduring love are not necessarily the same thing. Part of their calling is helping people discover the difference.
The Church of Hanali
The Church of Hanali is loosely organised, although considerably less chaotic than that of Erevan Ilesere. Individual temples possess their own priesthoods and traditions, but clerics are generally free to join or leave them as circumstances and inclination dictate. There is little appetite for elaborate ecclesiastical bureaucracy. Hanali's priests argue that love cannot sensibly be administered by committee. Temples consequently tend to develop around particularly respected priests rather than permanent hierarchies. A charismatic priestess may gather numerous followers during her lifetime, only for them to disperse among several shrines after her death. Relations between different temples are normally warm. Rivalries certainly exist, particularly concerning which temple possesses the finest gardens, choirs, jewellery or celebrations. Such rivalries can become surprisingly intense. Hanali would probably be disappointed if they did not.
Priests of Hanali
Hanali's clerics are expected to present themselves beautifully. This does not require every priest to possess extraordinary natural beauty, but neglecting one's appearance is considered disrespectful to the goddess. Priests therefore favour fine clothing, jewellery, perfume and carefully arranged hair. Gold robes are traditional ceremonial dress, although individual priests interpret this requirement with considerable imagination. Personal beauty should be displayed to its best advantage rather than hidden. This has given Hanali's clergy a reputation for vanity which is not entirely undeserved. They enjoy dancing, music, celebrations and being admired, and many possess distinctly theatrical personalities. Their religious duties, however, are taken seriously. Priests of Hanali encourage love and beauty in their many forms. They counsel lovers, reconcile quarrelling couples, provide sanctuary to those whose genuine affections are unjustly opposed and preside over marriages and Elven rites of passage. Importantly, Hanali's clergy are not required to marry. Hanali concerns herself with love rather than the legal or social arrangements surrounding it. Marriage founded upon genuine affection is sacred to her, but marriage without love possesses little intrinsic religious significance. Likewise, a priest may love deeply without ever marrying. Clerics pray for their spells when the moon stands highest in the sky, preferably somewhere that romance might reasonably be expected to flourish.
Beauty as Worship
Hanali's priests spend considerable portions of their lives cultivating beauty. Some maintain magnificent gardens. Others become musicians, painters, sculptors, jewellers, dancers or patrons of artists. Temples frequently accumulate collections of beautiful objects gathered across centuries. Gold, crystal, gems, jewellery and sculpture are particularly associated with Hanali, but her clergy reject the suggestion that beauty can be measured purely by monetary value. A perfectly formed wildflower may be more beautiful than an expensive necklace. The necklace, however, is also welcome. Artists enjoy a particularly close relationship with the faith. Many temples provide workshops, patronage or accommodation to talented craftspeople, and unveiling a new work before Hanali's clergy is considered an honour. The creation of beauty is itself regarded as an act of devotion.
Worship
Hanali is traditionally worshipped beside springs and fountains. Clear water is sacred to her both for its beauty and for the reflections it provides. Many shrines consist of little more than an ancient spring surrounded by flowers, carefully tended trees and offerings left upon the surrounding stones. Larger temples are frequently constructed around natural springs or contain elaborate fountains at their centre. Mirrors also feature prominently in Hanalian worship. Contrary to the accusations of her critics, this is not merely because her followers enjoy looking at themselves. Although that certainly helps. The reflection represents the faith's teaching that beauty must be recognised before it can properly be shared with others. Worshippers are encouraged to recognise their own worth without allowing admiration to become arrogance.
Love and Marriage
Hanali blesses marriage, but marriage is not the central purpose of her faith. Her concern is the affection that draws people together. A passionate courtship, a centuries-long marriage, an unexpected romance between unlikely partners and the first bewildering experience of falling in love may all be sacred to Hanali. Consequently, her priests are generally reluctant to condemn relationships merely because they are unconventional. What matters is whether the affection is genuine. Coercion, forced marriage and attempts to possess another person while calling that possession love are abhorrent to Hanali's teachings. Her priests can therefore become unexpectedly formidable opponents when lovers are threatened or compelled against their wishes. Lady Goldheart may be gentle. Her clergy occasionally are not.
Orders and Societies
Hanali's church maintains few formal military orders. Nevertheless, numerous informal societies exist amongst her followers. Some are associations of artists, musicians, jewellers and gardeners dedicated to creating works worthy of the goddess. Others are groups of priests and sympathetic adventurers who assist lovers in difficulty. Such groups may arrange secret meetings, carry messages, provide disguises or shelter fugitives from unwanted marriages. Several have acquired reputations remarkably similar to criminal organisations. Hanali's clergy prefer the term romantic intervention. A smaller number of adventuring companies devote themselves to recovering beautiful Elven works of art that have been lost, stolen or destroyed during the long history of the Elven peoples. Exactly how far they may go in "recovering" such treasures occasionally causes disagreements with followers of Erevan Ilesere, who frequently claim to have had the same idea first.
Reputation
Hanali is amongst the most warmly regarded members of the Seldarine. Even Elves who seldom worship her directly generally acknowledge her importance. Love, beauty, music and art occupy such central places within Elven culture that Hanali's influence is difficult to avoid. Her priests are particularly popular amongst young Elves. Parents sometimes have more complicated opinions. A Hanalian priestess who announces that two young people are clearly meant for one another can create difficulties for families that had developed rather different plans. Nevertheless, even conservative Elven communities generally treat Hanali's clergy with affection and respect. One never knows when a wedding may require organising.
Holy Days and Rituals
The full moon is sacred to Hanali, and her greatest celebrations take place each month beneath its light. These festivals are known as the Secrets of the Heart. Hanali's followers believe that emotions become particularly clear during these nights. Lovers attending together may experience the full strength of their affection, allowing them to recognise whether what lies between them is passing attraction or something deeper. Those who celebrate sincerely are sometimes said to retain a visible sign of Hanali's blessing afterwards: a rosy warmth in the cheeks and brightness in the eyes that may persist for several days. Secrets of the Heart are joyous occasions filled with music, dancing, feasting, wine, poetry and courtship. Temples and sacred springs are decorated with flowers, lanterns, ribbons and works of art.
Offerings of beautiful objects are made to Lady Goldheart during the celebrations. Some mysteriously disappear and are believed to have been carried away to Arvandor. Others remain behind and are subsequently shared amongst Hanali's worshippers or added to the temple's collection. Artists traditionally unveil new works during the festival, believing that beauty first revealed beneath Hanali's full moon receives the goddess's particular favour. The celebrations are also popular occasions for declarations of love. Some couples publicly announce their intentions before the entire gathering. Others slip quietly away to exchange promises known only to themselves and Hanali. Both are considered equally appropriate. For Lady Goldheart cares little whether love announces itself before a thousand witnesses or is whispered beneath a tree where nobody else can hear. The important thing is that it is true.