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{{Greyhawk Deity|fgcolor=#fff|
{{Deity
image=[[Image:Obad-Hai01.jpg]]|
|image       = [[Image:Obad-Hai01.jpg]]
caption=Obad-Hai, the Shalm, as depicted in ''Deities and Demigods'' (2002).|
|caption     = Obad-Hai, the Shalm, as depicted in ''Deities and Demigods'' (2002).
bgcolor=#000|
|name        =
fgcolor=#fff|
|alt_spelling =  
name=Obad-Hai|
|titles      = The Shalm
title=The Shalm|
|home         = [[Outlands|Concordant Domain of the Outlands]]
home=[[Outlands|Concordant Domain of the Outlands]]|
|rank        = Intermediate
power=Intermediate|
|gender       = Male
gender=Male|
|class       =  
class=|
|alignment   = Neutral
alignment=Neutral|
|portfolio   = Nature, Woodlands, Freedom, Hunting, Beasts
portfolio=Nature, Woodlands, Freedom, Hunting, Beasts|
|domains     = Air, Animal, Earth, (Fate){{csb|Complete Warrior|114}}, Fire, Plant, Water, Weather, Nature{{csb|PH5e|295}}, (Hunt){{cite dragon|342|89|The Wild Hunt}}
domains=Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Water, Weather|
|alt_name    = none
alias=none|
|super       = none
super=none|
}}
}}
'''Obad-Hai''' is the god of Nature, Woodlands, Freedom, Hunting, and Beasts, one of the most ancient known. He is also considered to be the god of summer by the [[Flan]]. Originally a Flan deity, Obad-Hai is most favored by druids and other nature priests. His holy symbol is a mask of oak leaves and acorns.
'''Obad-Hai''' is the god of Nature, Woodlands, Freedom, Hunting, and Beasts, one of the most ancient known. He is also considered to be the god of summer by the [[Flan]]. Originally a Flan deity, Obad-Hai is most favored by druids and other nature priests. His holy symbol is a mask of oak leaves and acorns.
Line 50: Line 49:
Temples of Obad-Hai are wooden structures in rustic settings, almost invariably laden with oak trees. The god's shrines are often stone circles or circles of oaks deep in the wilderness.
Temples of Obad-Hai are wooden structures in rustic settings, almost invariably laden with oak trees. The god's shrines are often stone circles or circles of oaks deep in the wilderness.


[[StoneRing]] in the [[Domain of Greyhawk]] is often used as a site of worship by druids of Obad-Hai.
The [[Stone Ring]] just outside the [[Free City of Greyhawk|Free City]] in the [[Domain of Greyhawk]] is often used as a site of worship by druids of Obad-Hai.


==Rituals==
==Rituals==
Line 57: Line 56:
Worshipers of Obad-Hai work to protect the wilderness from dangers such as unnatural corruption or cataclysms, or from deforestation by woodcutters.
Worshipers of Obad-Hai work to protect the wilderness from dangers such as unnatural corruption or cataclysms, or from deforestation by woodcutters.


==Holy days==
==Holy days and observances==
Worshippers of Obad-Hai consider [[Summer Solstice|Midsummer's Night]] to be the holiest of all. All quarrels between the faith of the Shalm and other sects are set aside, and they join in celebration of the [[Oerth]] and the Balance they serve. This is considered the best night to harvest mistletoe.
Worshippers of Obad-Hai consider [[Summer solstice|Midsummer's Night]] to be the holiest of all. All quarrels between the faith of the Shalm and other sects are set aside, and they join in celebration of the [[Oerth]] and the Balance they serve. This is considered the best night to harvest mistletoe.


==Artifacts and other associated magical items==
==Artifacts and other associated magical items==
The ''[[Singing Stones of the Vesve]]'' are a very ancient artifact of Obad-Hai taking the form of a stone circle that, according to divination, seems to be waiting angrily for some response. The ''Armor of Fallen Leaves'' is a relic sewn together from actual leaves by Ehlonna and presented as a gift to Obad-Hai during a time when they had better relations.
[[Image:Armor of Fallen Leaves01.jpg|202px|right|thumb|The ''Armor of Fallen Leaves'', as depicted in ''Complete Divine'' (2004).]]
The '''''[[Singing Stones of Vesve]]''''' are a very ancient artifact of Obad-Hai taking the form of a stone circle that, according to divination, seems to be waiting angrily for some response.  


There are three ''Staves of the Unyielding Oak''. These staves are actually treants who have willingly bound themselves to quarterstaff form in order to aid followers of the Shalm. They have the ability to reassume their treant forms at the command of their wielders.
The '''''Armor of Fallen Leaves''''' is a relic sewn together from actual leaves by Ehlonna and presented as a gift to Obad-Hai during a time when they had better relations.
 
There are three '''''Staves of the Unyielding Oak'''''. These staves are actually treants who have willingly bound themselves to quarterstaff form in order to aid followers of the Shalm. They have the ability to reassume their treant forms at the command of their wielders.


==Myths and legends==
==Myths and legends==
Line 73: Line 75:


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
[[Image:Obad-Hai02.jpg]]
<gallery>
Image:Obad-Hai02.jpg|By Jeff Easley, ''[[dragmag|Dragon]]'' #69 (1983).
Image:Obad-Hai05.jpg|Third edition ''Player's Handbook'' (2000)
</gallery>


==Bibliography==
== References ==
=== Notes ===
<references group="note" />
=== Citations ===
<references />
=== Bibliography ===
*[[Brown, Anne]]. ''[[Player's Guide]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
*Conforti, Steven, ed. ''[[Living Greyhawk]] Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign,'' version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:[http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip]
*Conforti, Steven, ed. ''[[Living Greyhawk]] Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign,'' version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:[http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip]
*[[Grubb, Jeff]], [[David Noonan]], and [[Bruce Cordell]]. ''Manual of the Planes.'' Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.  
*[[Grubb, Jeff]], [[David Noonan]], and [[Bruce Cordell]]. ''Manual of the Planes.'' Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.  
*[[Gygax, Gary]]. "The Deities and Demigods of the [[World of Greyhawk]]." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #69. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1982.
*[[Gygax, Gary]]. "The Deities and Demigods of the [[World of Greyhawk]]." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #69. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1982.
*-----. ''[[World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
:———. ''[[World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
 
*[[Holian, Gary]], [[Erik Mona]], [[Sean K. Reynolds]], and [[Frederick Weining]]. ''[[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
*[[Holian, Gary]], [[Erik Mona]], [[Sean K. Reynolds]], and [[Frederick Weining]]. ''[[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
*Menge, Eric. "Power Groups: Druids of the [[Old Faith]]." ''Wizards of the Coast''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2008. Available online:[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgpg/20080122a]
*Menge, Eric. "Power Groups: Druids of the [[Old Faith]]." ''Wizards of the Coast''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2008. Available online:[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgpg/20080122a]
*[[Moore, Roger E]]. ''[[The Adventure Begins]]''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998.
*[[Moore, Roger E]]. ''[[The Adventure Begins]]''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998.
*[[Noonan, David]]. ''Complete Divine''.  Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004.
*[[Noonan, David]]. ''Complete Divine''.  Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004.
 
* [[Christopher Perkins|Perkins, Christopher]]. ''[[Warriors of Heaven]]''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999. Item code TSR11361.
*Perkins, Christopher. ''Warriors of Heaven''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1999.  
 
*Redman, Rich, [[Skip Williams]], and [[James Wyatt]]. ''Deities and Demigods''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
*Redman, Rich, [[Skip Williams]], and [[James Wyatt]]. ''Deities and Demigods''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
*[[Sargent, Carl]]. ''[[From the Ashes]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
*[[Sargent, Carl]]. ''[[From the Ashes]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
*[[Jim Ward|Ward, James M]]. ''[[Greyhawk Adventures]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1988.
*[[Jim Ward|Ward, James M]]. ''[[Greyhawk Adventures]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1988.
{{index}}


 
[[Category:Human deities]]
[[Category:Dwarven deities]]
[[Category:Flan deities]]
[[Category:Flan deities]]
[[Category:Gnome deities]]
[[Category:Deities of nature]]
[[Category:Gods of freedom]]
[[Category:Gods of hunting and archery]]
[[Category:Halfling deities]]
[[Category:Human deities]]
[[Category:Nature deities]]
[[Category:Seasonal deities]]
[[Category:Sylvan deities]]
[[Category:Sylvan deities]]
[[Category:Deities of seasons]]
[[Category:Deities of freedom]]
[[Category:Deities of hunting and archery]]
[[Category:Characters of the Outlands]]

Latest revision as of 06:09, 28 April 2025

Greyhawk Divinity
Obad-Hai
Obad-Hai, the Shalm, as depicted in Deities and Demigods (2002).
Names and titles
Alias(es):none
Title(s):The Shalm
General information
Portfolio:Nature, Woodlands, Freedom, Hunting, Beasts
Home:Concordant Domain of the Outlands
Alignment:Neutral
Gender:Male
Superior:none
Rules items
Domains:Air, Animal, Earth, (Fate)[1], Fire, Plant, Water, Weather, Nature[2], (Hunt)[3]
Divine rank:Intermediate

Obad-Hai is the god of Nature, Woodlands, Freedom, Hunting, and Beasts, one of the most ancient known. He is also considered to be the god of summer by the Flan. Originally a Flan deity, Obad-Hai is most favored by druids and other nature priests. His holy symbol is a mask of oak leaves and acorns.

Description

Obad-Hai is most often depicted as a lean and weathered old man of indeterminate age, dressed in brown or russet. He carries a wooden staff called the Shalmstaff, and is known for playing a woodwind instrument called a shalm or shawm. Obad-Hai can appear as a human, dwarf, gnome, or halfling, and has worshipers among all four races. He is also depicted in the forms of various animals or fey.

Relationships

Obad-Hai has an unfriendly rivalry with Ehlonna, and is the sworn enemy of Phyton. He is an enemy of the vile nature deity Karaan. The Shalm is often grouped with Beory and Berei among the agricultural gods of the Flan.

Realm

The Hidden Wood of Obad-Hai is a patchwork of thick woods, open glades, and rolling fields. Explorers' notes place the Hidden Wood in several specific locations in the Outlands, often near the gate-towns of Fortitude or Faunel. It's rarely found at all except by travelers who become lost in the woods, and by those souls who were dedicated to the Shalm during their mortal lives.

Obad-Hai's domain is nature in all its forms: wild and tamed, savage and domesticated. All four seasons exist simultaneously in balance within the Shalm's realm. In the space of a quarter-mile, snowfields give way to forests draped in fall color next to orchards heavy with fruit and newly plowed fields. Creatures encountered within the Hidden Wood tend to be axiomatic or anarchic, but include a large number of Prime Material Plane animals, beasts, and plants. These creatures are usually hostile to travelers, an attitude that Obad-Hai encourages.

The Shalm has changed the magic traits within his realm. Spells cast by druids here are enhanced, and all spells targeting animals or plants are heightened. He has the power to make other changes to the traits of his realm if he wishes.

Petitioners serving Obad-Hai appear human and have the abilities of typical Outlandish petitioners. In addition, they gain the ability to speak with animals and plants at will. Petitioners are often gardening, herding, hunting, pruning, planting, or harvesting. Great feasts are common within the Shalm's realm.

Dogma

Obad-Hai teaches that one should live in harmony with nature, and that those who would damage the natural balance deserve swift vengeance. Obad-Hai's faith is colder and less compassionate than Ehlonna's, preaching death in balance with life. When followers of the Shalm hunt, they target the weak and sickly first.

Worshipers

A symbol of Obad-Hai, as depicted in Deities and Demigods (2002).

Obad-Hai is revered by humans, dwarves, fey, gnomes, and halflings. His faith is strong among the Flan tribesmen in the Bright Lands, in Geoff, in the Gran March, among the Rovers of the Barrens, in Stonehold, in Tenh, in the County of Ulek, and in Verbobonc.

Clergy

Obad-Hai's clerics favor russet-colored clothing and simple quarterstaves. They have no hierarchy; all members are treated as equals. They keep to the wilderness and to themselves, rarely getting involved with society and often living as hermits. Most get along very well with rangers and druids.

Druids

Many druids of the Old Faith revere Obad-Hai. Druids of the Shalm are found within the Adri Forest, where they are led by Archdruid Immonara. Archdruid Reynard Yargrove in the Sheldomar Valley is another worshiper of the Shalm.

Temples

A symbol of Obad-Hai, as depicted in From the Ashes (1993).

Temples of Obad-Hai are wooden structures in rustic settings, almost invariably laden with oak trees. The god's shrines are often stone circles or circles of oaks deep in the wilderness.

The Stone Ring just outside the Free City in the Domain of Greyhawk is often used as a site of worship by druids of Obad-Hai.

Rituals

Prayers in honor of the Shalm often begin with references to birth and growth and end with references to death and dying. Services involve the consecration of earth, fire, living flowers, and water. Rites in Obad-Hai's name are seasonal, often triggered by events such as the year's first birdsong or snowfall.

Worshipers of Obad-Hai work to protect the wilderness from dangers such as unnatural corruption or cataclysms, or from deforestation by woodcutters.

Holy days and observances

Worshippers of Obad-Hai consider Midsummer's Night to be the holiest of all. All quarrels between the faith of the Shalm and other sects are set aside, and they join in celebration of the Oerth and the Balance they serve. This is considered the best night to harvest mistletoe.

Artifacts and other associated magical items

The Armor of Fallen Leaves, as depicted in Complete Divine (2004).

The Singing Stones of Vesve are a very ancient artifact of Obad-Hai taking the form of a stone circle that, according to divination, seems to be waiting angrily for some response.

The Armor of Fallen Leaves is a relic sewn together from actual leaves by Ehlonna and presented as a gift to Obad-Hai during a time when they had better relations.

There are three Staves of the Unyielding Oak. These staves are actually treants who have willingly bound themselves to quarterstaff form in order to aid followers of the Shalm. They have the ability to reassume their treant forms at the command of their wielders.

Myths and legends

Obad-Hai and the Summer Tree

According to the ancient traditions of the Old Faith, Obad-Hai is reborn every spring, hatching in the form of a young boy from the fruit of a sapling that grows from his own grave. By summer Obad-Hai takes the form of a strong young man, the Stag King, leading the Wild Hunt against those who would defile Nature. By autumn he has grown into the weathered old man of his standard depictions. When winter begins he is slain by Nerull, who hangs his corpse on the Summer Tree. After seven days, Pelor cuts him down and buries him in the earth, where Beory's tears cause a new sapling to grow, which drops the fruit that hatches into the young Obad-Hai once again in the spring.

Obad-Hai in other media

In the movie Dungeons & Dragons 2: Wrath of the Dragon God, a priest of Obad-Hai is one of the main characters.

  • By Jeff Easley, Dragon #69 (1983).
    By Jeff Easley, Dragon #69 (1983).
  • Third edition Player's Handbook (2000)
    Third edition Player's Handbook (2000)

References

Notes

Citations

  1. ↑ Complete Warrior (2003), p.114.
  2. ↑ Player's Handbook (2014), p.295.
  3. ↑ "The Wild Hunt".  Dragon #342 (Apr 2006), p.89.

Bibliography

———. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Hidden Wood (Obad-Hai's Realm) Planar Plane/Dimension, On Hallowed Ground 180
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Against The Giants: The Liberation of Geoff 51
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Bastion of Faith 87
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, The City of Greyhawk: Folks, Feuds and Factions 75, 76
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Deities & Demigods, D&D 3.0e 58, 86-88, 213, 214, 215
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Defenders of the Faith, D&D 3.0e 35, 36, 72, 78, 92
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Defenders of the Faith: Web Enhancement (3e) 2
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Dragon magazine #069 29, 30
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Dragon magazine #208 50, 54, 57
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Dragon magazine #209 11
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Dragon magazine #294 77, 78
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Dragon magazine #299 103
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Dragon magazine #AN4 20
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess 51, 68, 89, 90, 96
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, From the Ashes: Campaign Book 44
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, From the Ashes: References Card #4
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e 18
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Ivid the Undying 22, 70, 71, 74, 77, 109, 111, 113, 115, 139
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 19, 37, 48, 49, 94, 108, 112, 116, 117, 131, 139, 140, 164, 169, 178
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Living Greyhawk Journal #0 12
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Living Greyhawk Journal #1 18
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Living Greyhawk Journal #3 17, 27
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Living Greyhawk Journal #5 26
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, On Hallowed Ground 180, 185, 188, 192
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Player's Guide to Greyhawk 5, 19, 21
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Player's Handbook, D&D 3.5e (Premium Edition) 24, 32, 33, 46, 106, 108, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 284
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, Slavers, AD&D 2e 8
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil 120
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, The Adventure Begins 45, 74, 75
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, The Scarlet Brotherhood 32
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, WG6 Isle of the Ape 21, 27
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, WG8 Fate of Istus 27, 30, 124
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, WGR3 Rary the Traitor 16
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, WGR4 The Marklands 31, 53
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, WGR5 Iuz the Evil 57
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, WGR6 City of Skulls 31
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, WGS1 Five Shall Be One 25, 32
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, WGS2 Howl From the North 56
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) 63, 72, 73
Obad-Hai {The Shalm} Deity The Shalm, Worshipped by: Human (Flan), Native of: Material Plane, World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) 38, 44
Obad-hai, Sea Grove of (Saltmarsh) Building Religious building, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e 18
Obad-Hai, Silverthorn of Item Artifact, Living Greyhawk Journal #0 12
Sea Grove of Obad-Hai (Saltmarsh) Geographical feature Woods/Forest/Jungle, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e 15(Map), 18
Specialty Priest of Obad-Hai People Group Religious order, From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess 90
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