Grandmother Earth

“Our Grandmother Earth, I pray for little and for much: A good crop, rain, and other such. I pray when we’re done with our turn on the land, it passes to folk who understand. For if, to reap and sow are part of your great plan. I pray to you Our Venerable Hare that it will end as it began”- The Tender’s Prayer. “If you sow a tainted seed, you will poison what you reap” –Proverbs of Our Venerable Hare. Alignment: LN Portfolio: Agriculture, Cultivated Soil, Fertility, Gems, Earth, Life, Growth, Metal Ores Worshipers: Farmers, Grandmothers, Miners, Ranchers, Old Women, Those who revere the earth Aliases: Sovereign of the Earth, Mistress of the Mines, Foremother, Wellspring of Fertility, Venerable Hare Cleric Domains: Animal, Earth, Law, Plant, Repose, Repose Subdomains: Ancestors, Decay, Fur, Caves, Growth, Metals, Toil, Radiation Favored Weapon: flail Superior: Our Queen of Wisdom and Mercy Allies: Our Father of Star and Sky, Our Grandfather of Water and Wave, Our Queen of Wisdom and Mercy Foes: Their Dark Lord of Fire, Their Vicious Brother of Destruction The followers of Our Grandmother Earth are most prominent in the rural areas where farming and mining take place, and I have found her shires, churches, and temples scattered across these areas. Here, farmers and miners pray daily, so that Our Sovereign of the Earth may bless their crops, keep them safe, and aid in their discoveries of a new mineral vein. In urban locations, they are not nearly as numerous; here people worship her more as Our Venerable Hare, the patron of grandmothers and as Our Wellspring of Fertility seeking her blessing for a healthy child, as my first wife and I did. Within most cities, she is a close ally of the church of Our Queen of Wisdom and Mercy as they care for the residents of their city. The Protectorate immediately around Questhaven holds a massive communal complex of over 40,000 acres dedicated to Our Grandmother Earth; the Foundation of Gold is what feeds the city of Questhaven and they dedicate a small portion of their food giving it as a gift to the Healing House of Mercy for the feeding of the destitute. Connected to the Healing House of Mercy Frej Brandt Serander (order #12781863) is the Wellspring Foundation dedicated to helping women who seek assistance with their fertility, my first wife and myself spent some time here when we were attempting to conceive a child. The members of the Questors Society can often find themselves being treated like grandchildren or find that the church as sent a councilor from the church to them, if they cause injury or harm to farmers or miners. The church does not confront Questors directly, but rather seeks to determine if a Questor’s wild and destructive ways that often pillage the earth, prevented some greater harm. If wanton destruction is the only motivation, and the Questor in question ignores guidance from the church, it is likely they will find themselves the victim of a legendary curse where all food and ale they put to their lips is spoiled. I myself have never fallen victim to this curse but one of my former companions has, after in a fit of rage he set fire to a mill, with a burning hands spell just to watch it burn. Hierarchy within the church is a gerontocracy of women, with the three orders following the guidance of the Venerable Council the Prelates (clerics, oracles, divine channelers, etc.) are the most numerous, the Wardens of the Earth (paladin archetype), and the Gleaners of the Hare (monk’s archetype) also have a seat on the council. There are two factions among the prelates though they are extremely friendly with each other the Reapers are found within the foundations, ministering to daily worshippers and gathering in the bounty of Our Sovereign of the Earth. The Sowers however eschew connection to any establishment, seeing the earth as their ministry; these wandering priests heal the sick and the maimed so that they may continue the work of Our Mistress of the Mines and a few sowers count themselves as members of the Questors Society. The Sowers often found shrines out in the wider part of the Protectorate away from the foundations; while the Reapers send young acolytes to later tend them when the Sowers move on. Also be aware that many of the elder Reapers are in actuality retired Sowers.