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Elanthia is a diverse land, lush with the ideas and customs of numerous cultures. Few things capture that diversity like the theological preferences of its individual inhabitants. Many of Elanthia's people have chosen to follow the Arkati, a race of beings now considered deities. This column was established so that a bit of knowledge pertaining to the Arkati could be conveyed to a wide audience each month. Through this and subsequent articles I hope to give Elanthians a clear picture of the deities they worship or decide to worship in the future. This month's article will focus on Sheru.

Sheru is the god of nightmares, terror, and fear in the purest sense. He derives pleasure from the disruption of a lesser being’s sanity, and uses the powers at his disposal primarily for this purpose. His symbol is a black jackal’s head on a field of gold.

When Sheru appears, he does so as a large man with a black furred jackal’s head. It is known that he allies himself with Luukos often. This trend is said to be the result of Sheru’s penchant for the frightening undead minions of Luukos.

This month, due to my personal distaste for Lornon Arkati, I’ve enlisted the help of Lord Setzier vonEvenlore so that he might express his feelings on Sheru and the Arkati in general. We spoke for a bit, and here is the written record of our conversation.

Telse: Hello, Setzier. I just have a few questions for you so that people might understand Sheru and one of his followers a little better. First of all, what led you to Sheru?

Setzier: When I was young, my family followed those of Liabo.  They were foolish; however, back to the question.  The small village of Vylindë, southwest of Ta'Illistim along the DragonSpine Mountains, is where I was born.  Born to life, and born to the Shadows.  I had a dream, unlike all other dreams. In the dream, a man whose head was inhuman came to me.  He spoke, yet his mouth did not move.  What he said, I cannot remember; however, when I woke the only thing that was on my mind was m'Lord's symbol.  My family said I had changed and was different. I had not noticed.  From then on, I worshipped m'Lord Sheru.

Telse: I see, and what has been the major factor in your continued devotion to Sheru?

Setzier: One factor that remains in my continued devotion to m’Lord is that I did not choose him like most worshippers of the Arkati.  His Lordship chose me. There was a reason for his choice, and only recently have I found it.

Telse: What is something you feel people lack knowledge of concerning Sheru?

Setzier: People have a misconception of m'Lord Sheru.  Like all Arkati of Lornon, M'Lord Sheru is not "evil."  This myopic view has also lead to the misunderstanding of the Sheruvian way.  Due to rumors and lies spread, people have waged war against my brethren for no reason at all.  M'Lord Sheru's ways are to cleanse what the vicious Light has done to people by showing them the true comfort of the shadows.  Only in the Shadows will people know the full knowledge of Sheru.

Telse: Interesting. What are your thoughts on the other Lornon Arkati? Are there any you have particularly strong feelings towards?

Setzier: Those of Lornon and their ways are flawless.  They, like His Lordship, know what is right for the lesser races.  Although some of their worshippers could use a sharp beating to the head, I have no quarrels with them.  Those whom follow the Pantheon of Lornon need to work more closely together.  There is only one other Lornon Arkati I feel somewhat strong feelings towards, and that is Luukos.  The reason for this is my twin brother, Gazaroth mcEvenlore, who is a direct servant to Luukos – an Acolyte in the Luukosian Order.  Few can claim such a status.  He had a dream about the same time I did, which began his worship of Luukos.

Telse: The same question, but Arkati of Liabo this time.

Setzier: The Arkati of Liabo are flawed.  They hide their true plans for the lesser races, pretending to be just and righteous.  They bathe themselves in Light in an act meant to persuade the lesser races into viewing them as good.  Everything they do is done in a deceptive manner and they seek to jumble the truth about the Lornon Arkati.

Telse: Do you consider yourself evil?

Setzier: Like the misconception and misunderstanding of m'lord Sheru, I am not evil.  My actions are blurred by what those of Liabo speak of and regard as truth.  Once you look past the lies and falsities pertaining to the Shadows, Sheru and the Lornon Arkati overall, you will then understand me and see what I really am.  Evil, I'm not.  Devoted, I am.

Telse: Would you care to share a ritual or ceremony you perform to worship Sheru?

Setzier: Rituals and ceremonies, when it comes to the Arkati, are personal.  One cannot offer up how they do a ritual so that another may copy it and expect to be held in the Arkati's favor.  For this reason, I won't be sharing a ritual of m'Lord Sheru.  As I said, rituals are unique and personal. What someone does might not be suited for another.  To create a ritual to Sheru, you must first know everything there is to know about him. You must study him, his goals, his spheres of power, and even his direct servants - the Sheruvian Order.

Telse: That’s understandable. Is there anything else you would like to make known?

Setzier: There is one thing I would like to speak of which will end this interview. I have noticed an abominably large number of young adventurers wandering about the lands claiming High Status, or affiliation, in an Arkati's Order.  Worshipping an Arkati, or donning their symbol, does not make someone a member of the Arkati's Order.  Also, claiming High Priesthood when an Arkati wouldn't know you from a hole in the wall is disgraceful.  The Arkati choose their direct servants, and when it comes to the Arkati of Lornon, they create their servants for the most part. Unless the Arkati has chosen you, stop claiming to be a Luukosian, Sheruvian, Lorminstrian, Zelian, V'tullian, Ivasian, Koarian, and so on. These are titles only direct servants would be allowed to acquire.

Telse: Thank you for your time, Setzier.

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