Support United Paizo Workers! Click here for more details!
Player > Setting > Deities > Hylax
Starfinder Core Rulebook p.486
LG goddess of diplomacy, first contact, friendship, peace
Centers of Worship: Absalom Station, Castrovel, Nchak (Liavara), Verces
Symbol: A shirren head crowned with stars
Before the Swarm became the monolithic hive mind
of devastation that it is today, its members followed
a goddess named Hylax. Shirrens believe that Hylax was
the first of their species—a mortal queen who ascended to
godhood to watch over her progeny for eternity. But when the
Swarm rejected individuality for the collectivity of the hive, it
abandoned Hylax as well. Hylax respected the Swarm’s choice
and resolved not to interfere with its development, turning her
attention to other sentient insectile species in the galaxy, but
she always hoped her children would return to her. Eventually,
the Forever Queen’s patience was rewarded when the shirrens
broke from the Swarm’s hive mind and became individuals
once more, rediscovering their ancient patron in the process.
Hylax knows that peace is a better state than war and that
friendship is more rewarding than hostility. She teaches her
followers to consistently use diplomacy in their dealings with
others, to constantly strive for fellowship and harmony, and to
always seek allies rather than conquest. But Hylax also realizes
that sometimes diplomacy fails and that the peaceful must
sometimes defend the innocent. There’s nothing wrong with
failing to achieve peace—the moral imperative is simply to make
the attempt, no matter how difficult or distasteful it might seem.
The intelligent arthropods of the Liavaran moon of Nchak
have worshiped Hylax since even before the Gap, believing
that their leaders are the mortal incarnations of the Forever
Queen and striving to build their civilization in accordance
with her teachings. Since the shirrens’ arrival, however, her
faith has spread throughout the Pact Worlds. Shirrens make
up the vast majority of Hylax’s followers, followed closely
by formians, haan, and other insectile races, but diplomats,
envoys, mediators, negotiators, and peacekeepers of all
species venerate Hylax as well. Priests of Hylax often serve
on starships engaged in interstellar exploration missions,
acting as first contact specialists should their crews encounter
new extraterrestrial species. Hylax’s hive-like temples may be
found wherever species from different worlds mingle together,
and all are welcome inside in the spirit of amity and harmony.
Though Hylax is traditionally a god of hive creatures, she’s
paradoxically fond of individualism, and she encourages her
followers to seek strength in community but recognize and
embrace their individual value. Differences in doctrine and
tradition among her followers are only natural, and while
the Forever Queen of Nchak acts as supreme pontiff for her
hive-based followers, shirrens are encouraged to have a more
personal relationship with the divine.
Website owned by Mark von Drake. All content on this website owned by Paizo Inc. Privacy policy can be found here.
Contact: markvondrake@thehiddentruth.info