The Aeruillin God Arkon controls the Element of Earth, being one of the four lesser High Gods. All the beasts and plants are deemed to be of his creation. It was Arkon who allowed the creation of a personal beast for each God, who they would forever have as a companion and a helper in their work.

Names. Arkon's full title is High God Of Creation, but other names he is called by include the God Of Passion, Lord of the Land, God of Lovers (which is also a title used for Har'wyn.)

Appearance. Arkon is often drawn as a muscular being, which is unusual, as faeries are generally seen as lithe and slim. He is rarely depicted with any sort of clothing on his upper body, showing off a handsome chest and a toned upper torso. His lower half is covered, but the clothing still manages to show muscular thighs and legs. His eyes are hazel, twinkling mischievously under a few wisps that have escaped his mahogany coloured hair, which stops just before it meets his shoulders. Occasionally, Arkon has a crown of leaves threaded into his hair. His face holds a kindly smile, complimenting his high cheekbones and youthful face, which boasts just a hint of stubble. His wings are unusual – like long, leafy branches extending from his muscular back.

He is often drawn surrounded by the plants and trees that he created for Caelereth, a popular scene would be a scene depicting Arkon speaking in flowing tones to an angry bear, which is causing it to back away from a frightened person caught in the bear’s grasp.  

Mythology. Arkon was said to be fairly easily convinced of rebellion against the Void by Nakashi. When the Gods started to get bored of the Void following the successful challenge to immortality, he suggested the creation of a personal animal for each, which would be forever loyal and a companion to each. Arkon created the beautiful dryad for his own pleasure; the tree spirit would be a comfort on lonely nights. During the creation of the world, Arkon placed the land, plants and beasts within the space created by Nakashi.

Lore. Arkon’s favourite pastime is said to be women, which has earned him the alternative titles of God of Passion, and the God Of Lovers. He has an image as quite a womaniser. During the earlier years of Caelereth, it is said that he would wander the land in the form of a young male human, seducing ladies with his charms. Arkon is said to have born many children, and was eventually forbidden by Nakashi herself from his promiscuous ways on Caelereth, due to the havoc his demi-god children could create, which are told in many Aeruillian myths.

It seemed that this did not deter him however, the creation of Kashmina’s personal creature, the Cherub, is said to have come about when the God coupled with the Goddess of Love.

Arkon is fond of the animals of his creation, and the God is often depicted surrounded by many beings. It is said that Arkon can talk to all species, and people often pray to Arkon when confronted by a wild beast, in hope that he will whisper soothing words to the animal, so that the person may pass unscathed. It is also said that Arkon now enjoys to walk Caelereth in the form of an animal, a reminder to all to treat animals with respect, whether they be for eating or as a pet, for it may well be the God of Creation in an animal form.

Importance. Whilst Mermaria is ultimately the giver of all life, it is Arkon who can take her gift of water and shape it. He takes the life provided by the Goddess and is the one who causes it to become substance, whether that be a baby, or a piglet, or a tender young sapling.

Arkon is also seen by some as a symbol for freedom, that his creation along with Mermaria’s water can supply anyone with whatever they want. It is not unknown for those who have been truly entranced by the beauty of his creation to leave their place of residence and live in the wild lands, alone with the only sustenance coming from what grows and lives around them. This desire for freedom has also caused some people to denounce clothes, for they feel that Arkon created them naked, so why should their natural beauty be covered?

Symbols. Arkon’s colour is green, any shade, representing life as a whole, from birth to death. His symbolic creation that he, himself, created as companions are the Dryads, beautiful tree spirits, and the personification of his creation. All plants, trees and animals can be said to be a symbol for Arkon, but in particular leafy branches are widely recognised as his mark. In Aeruillin however, the lack of trees has meant that this is more often depicted within pictures than with a living branch.

Celebrations. The main festival for Arkon is called the Festival of Beginning. It is truly a joyous affair, celebrated on the day that the priests and priestesses of Arkon decree, which could be at the beginning of summer or in the middle of winter, although there is a trend for it to be on warm, hot days!

It will start with a gathering of many people; villages tend to get together as a whole, whilst larger towns and cities are segregated into sections. Every meeting place has a large area of unspoilt land that is devoted solely to this festival. In the middle is a tree, whether it is large or small one does not matter. To begin the festival, many circles are made around this tree, the people are holding hands, and it is circled many times. No noise is made, and the time spent circling the tree is supposed to be spent in prayer and the time is determined by the priest or priestess of Arkon who is attending the festival. It was said once that an over-zealous priest caused his village to circle the tree for over four hours before allowing them to stop! Following this, other formalities are dealt with, prayer and sacrifice. Then, there is a general socialising opportunity, where the people talk to others whom they may not have seen for some time, and commonly this is a time when people may make requests of the priest or priestess in attendance, for example an animal farmer may make a plea for his herd not to have so many stillborns next year.

The end of the festival is in the evening, when the fierce Aeruillian sun has cooled. Children and anyone who does not wish to participate in the final part may leave. What happens, is that all the remaining people remove their clothes, as a symbolic gesture that when they came into the world, created and shaped by Arkon, they were naked before him. It is not an embarrassing time for the participants (except for those whose first time it may be) and perhaps the most enjoyed, as there is a feeling of freedom from all restraints of the world, just as it was when they were newly born. More prayers are led by anyone who wishes to pray, which can go on into the night, before the clothes are finally replaced, and the people travel home.

Arkon is also worshiped and celebrated every time there is birth, in a series of rituals that are also directed towards Mermaria. Even the birth of an animal means a small ritual must be performed. The ceremony is the taking of a small piece of earth, the element of Arkon, and mixing it with water, the element of Mermaria. Commonly prayers are said, and someone (generally the parent of a child, or the farmer of an animal) smears the paste across the forehead of the new-born. It is considered that anyone who does not have this ritual, known as the "xania tarna" which literally means "life beginning", performed at the start of their life, will live only a short while upon Caelereth. It is not uncommon for parents who have had an unwanted child to not perform this ritual, hoping that the child will die during its early life.

Shrine and Temple Design. Arkon is a fairly popular God, especially amongst young men and women who commonly choose him as their personal protector. A shrine to him would be lined in green cloth, and every effort is made that there is some sort of branch, whether it be dead or alive. Instead of a picture of the God there is more likely to be a drawing of the favourite animal or tree of the people whose shrine it is.

A temple to Arkon has often been described as a living building. Vines creep up and around the outside of the cylindrical structure, made to resemble a tree trunk, whilst inside plants and birds grow and live. They are perhaps the only place that green life thrives within Aeruillin – some say that this is due to the intervention of the great God himself, others who are more observant say it is due to the ceaseless work of the priests and priestesses of Arkon.

The men and women who become the devotees of this God have a tendency to be against the consumption of animal flesh, and also great lovers of life. To put it simply, there are very little restraints on what a member of this priesthood can and cannot do with regards to partners and nightly activities. There are rarely marriages within the people of Arkon, and they are rarely attached to a certain person for longer than a month. It could be said that promiscuity is actively encouraged, which is why the priests and priestesses of Har’wyn tend to dislike this priesthood (these devotees actively encourage the special bond between one man and one women, as their God would). Whilst the priests and priestesses of Arkon are traditionally seen in green robes, however, it is said that these are discarded when in the company of each other.

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