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CALANDRA, goddess of the Earth and
Fertility
One of the original five gods, Calandra is the life-giving
earth, who nurtures and supports all who dwell in mortal
lands. She is the wife of Roldein and the mother of Artorius
and Borlamnos.
Associations
Calandra is associated with the earth, with agriculture and
fertility, and with the deep places of the earth. She is
worshipped by farmers, miners and women who wish to become
pregnant. Since nearly all mortals are engaged in the
growing of food, she is by far the most widely revered of all the
deities. Likewise, nearly every mortal race has a unique
view of the reasons for revering her natural bounty and beauty.
Any character who comes from a farming community will have been
raised worshipping Calandra.
Alignment
Calandra is lawful good. Her seasons come and go in
regular cycles, and it is through orderly husbandry that her
bounty comes most easily to the hands of mortals.
Representations
Calandra is represented differently among different
races. Humans most often represent her with a ripe sheaf of
wheat, the dwarves with a snow-capped mountain, the gnomes with a
glittering gem, the elves with a spreading tree, and the halflings
with a full cornucopia. She is often associated with
burrowing animals, such as mice or rabbits.
Purpose
Calandra is a spirit of generosity.
She provides her bounty to all the world. She is a strong
voice for compassion and good, and occasionally sternly reminds
the other gods of their duties. She is harshly opposed to
the unnatural, and her followers work tirelessly to destroy
aberrations and the undead.
Servants
The Wanderer - This old crone
has many names, and many faces. Some call her The
Grandmother, others the Grey Witch. To the elves she is Miarwë
Tinelossë, the servant of the land. To the dwarves she
is Omorn, the earth sister. The halflings know her as
Mother Burrow. By any name, she is the herald of Calandra,
endlessly wandering the byways and backroads of Theeurth, offering
kindness and wise words to those that will hear them. It is
part of her nature that few ever recognize her until she is gone.
Alaekmon - Immortal king of the
stone giants, Alaekmon is among the greatest mortal servants of
the Earth Mother. Powerful beyond measure, he is rarely seen
in the lands of mortals. He appears only when some affront to
Calandra can no longer be born.
THE CHURCH -
Church Description
The faith of Calandra is very strong in the
countryside, where farmers, shepherds, woodcutters and miners all
gather to pray for fertile fields, healthy flocks and plentiful
ore. In a great many small villages, Calandra's temples are
the only ones present, and in those which have a Great Church,
Calandra is still the god most often appealed to
directly.
The faith is far less well represented in
large towns and big cities, but Calandra is nonetheless frequently
appealed to by women as the wellspring of life and matron of
fertility. Many wealthy families pay well to have one of
Calandra's clergy on hand during childbirth. I
In the countryside, Calandra's temples are
usually open-air affairs, or if possible, set against a natural
stone formation or even in a cave. In the cities, the
temples are often adorned with rare or unusual stone and metals,
while the services are held in a below-ground amphitheater within
the temple.
The church concerns itself largely with the
health of the land and of those who depend upon it for their lives
and livelihoods.
Church Structure
The temples of Calandra are organized along
regional or national lines, with no central structure. The
various High Prelates correspond on matters of faith, and so a
fairly homogenous set of dogma is accepted at Calandran temples
throughout Vatheria.
The Temples are divided into three
orders. The best known Calandran order is the Avasian
Order, the clerics of Calandra seen in towns and villages across
Vatheria. Named for its founder, Saint Avasius, the
priesthood of Calandra believe in the peaceful coexistence with
nature, and its respectful use for the good of all
people.
Less well known, but almost as large as the
Avasian Order are the druids. Known by no one name, they
nonetheless serve one hidden master known as the Great
Druid. Allied to the Avasians, but less concerned with
mortal affairs, the druids revere both Calandra and Daria in equal
measure.
Smallest of the orders of the Calandran
faith are the holy warriors known as the Reapers. This is an
order in name only. It has no structure, no officers and no
firm ties to either the Avasians or the druids. Each Reaper
is a solitary force for good, associating with other Calandrans
only as need and opportunity permit.
Doctrine
Avasians stress the giving nature of
Calandra, and seek to promote that gentle philosophy among all
peoples. As the earth gives freely of its crops, its ores
and its very stones, so should all those who live on or in it give
to those in need. Greed is considered a grievous flaw.
Thus, it is considered an obligation of the faithful to feed the
hungry, to give shelter to travelers, and donate one-tenth of all
that is grown on or mined in the earth. Devout adventurers
routinely distribute one-tenth of any wealth recovered in gems or
coins to the poor, often by donating it to the nearest Calandran
temple.
In addition, the Calandrans are unceasing
foes of the monsters born of Malbor's hatred, for they are not
part of nature, and are an affront to the goodness of the goddess.
Holy Days
Vernarius - This holiday
honors the return of Spring and the start of the sowing
season. It is a celebration of fertility and the promise of
the future. In the countryside, it is usually marked by
three days of feasting, contests and contracts for marriage.
Harvestide - Greatest of
the Calandran holidays, Harvestide is usually three days long, and like the Vernarius, includes contests and
games. There are usually competitions among local farmers
for the largest squash or fattest pig, as well as for best
pies or beer. In mining communities, this festival is a
season of thanks for the bounties of ore and gems from within the
earth.
Preferred Weapon
The preferred weapons of the Calandran faith are the sickle,
scythe or flail.
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