Atroa (ah-TROH-ah)

Bringer of Spring, Provider, Shy One, First Sister

Spring, east wind, renewal

Lesser Power of the Beastlands

Aliases: None
Domain Name: Brux/Grove of Perpetual Spring
Origin: Oeridian
Superior: Velnius (father)
Allies: Ehlonna, Phaulkon, Sotillon, Velnius
Foes: Telchur
Symbol: Kara tree full of red. ripe fruit
Worshipers' Alignment: Any good
Atroa is the youngest of the three daughters of Velnius. She is the power of rebirth and the first sister of the seasons to show her face after Telchur has his wintry reign. She brings the warmth back to land after winter's cold grip, causes the crops to grow, and brings the warm winds from the east. She represents planting and self-perpetuation.
Atroa is a shy god. rarely communicating to her priests or followers. Her worshipers understand the circle of life that she represents — birth, growth, death, rebirth. The seasons always change, but life and spring always comes again. Atroa assures her people of that.
Atroa almost never appears in avatar form. A threat to her followers must be very great for this goddess to set foot on Oerth. When she does appear, Atroa takes the form of a beautiful young woman dressed in a short, green skirt and tunic. A few fresh, green leaves are usually tucked in her blonde hair. Her features are perfect, more elven than human, and her skin is tanned by the sun. Warm breezes constantly play about her hair and clothes, keeping both in motion. She is never armed.

Other Manifestations

Atroa most often manifests as a gentle gust of warm wind. Sometimes she lets her followers know she is about by causing grass or greenery to sprout in an unusual place, such as grass growing suddenly in a snowstorm or vines growing out of solid rock inside a build- ing. The demonstrations are rare, how- ever, as Atroa seems reluctant to deal with mortals.

The Church

Clergy: Clerics, specialty priests, mystics
Clergy's Alignment: Any good
Turn Undead: Yes
Command Undead: No
The church of Atroa is widespread along the routes of the Oeridian migrations to the east. She is widely worshiped in Ull, Ket, Bissel, the Gran March, Keoland, the Ulek States, the County of Urnst, the Great Kingdom, and in the Wolf and Tiger Nomads' lands. Other lands often have small shrines dedicated to the goddess, though they see little use except in the spring. Many farmers worship her, praying for a good harvest and an early spring. Sailors and sea merchants sometimes pay their respects to Atroa and pray to her for favorable winds to blow their way. The trade winds of the spring and summer which blow from the east are often called "Atroa's breath."
Temples to Atroa are usually small, simple shrines or chapels. They are always made of wood and have many windows (most of which face east) to allow the wind to blow through. Carved wooden statues depicting Atroa sometimes stand above the altars. Each chapel invariably has a tower with a bell mounted in it for ringing out the hours. Most of the churches have large gardens.
There are two sects of the church of Atroa: the Planterings and the Bearers. Planterings revere spring, the renewal of life through farming and animal husbandry, and the warmth brought by the eastern winds. These young women and men are hardworking members of the church who use magic and their own hands to see that the yearly crops are planted and readied. They are most active in the early year and spend their winters preparing for the spring again. The Bearers have taken more strongly to Atroa's concerns of renewal, spreading the word of the god in that light and urging the proliferation of the human race. Almost always women, Bearers revere the family and the propagation of children, and they are often pregnant themselves. Bearers often run orphanages, treating each child as if he or she were the Atroan's own and keeping them well fed, well rested, and loved. They are taught at an early age the importance of Atroa and of life itself. Male Bearers are very rare.

Dogma

Spring is the time that the world awakens from her slumber by the invigorating breath of the east wind. Spring brings new life and love to the world, renews old friendships, and pulls on the heartstrings of lovers, poets, and travelers. It is a time for old things to be repaired, old feuds to be buried, and old biases to be discarded. Like the dawn, it presages great things to come; look to them with an open mind and heart so that they may be enjoyed to the fullest.
Atroa's followers believe in the goodness of people. Each new thing is part of the cycle of life. Celibacy is frowned on in the church, and marriage is encouraged for both its members and clergy. Pregnancy is looked upon as "the blessing of Atroa." and priests who become pregnant are seen as the holiest of all. Although there are fewer male than female priests in Atroa's church (about 80% of the clergy is female), they are also respected for their own ability to father children.
The church also teaches responsibility. Although Atroa's followers preach renewal and rebirth without constraint, they also believe in nurturing what has been planted. Allowing a plant to die or a child to go hungry because of neglect are both seen as great sins.

Day-to-Day Activities

Priests of Atroa are most active in the spring, when they take part in the planting of crops, Atroa has no reluctant followers. Everyone spends some time in the fields planting seeds, pulling weeds, digging canals, or maintaining the fields, The clergy of the church tend to the fields throughout the spring and summer, and many of them become quite learned in the areas of crop rotalion, fertilization, irrigation, and agriculture in general.
Many priests of Atroa (especially bearers) are midwives,

Holy Days & Important Ceremonies

Morning prayers and thanks to the Wind-Daughter for another day and another season are important to the clergy of Atroa. Working in the fields is considered prayer, and the mantra "Blessed be this ground" is often recited while doing so. Priests bless newly born children and newly formed families, and they preside over funerals, preaching that even the dead will someday come agaim
The holiest day of the year is the Spring Feast, which falls on the 4th day of Growfest (Spring Equinox). This is a day of prayer, rest, reflection upon the last year, and thoughts of what the new year will bring. Almost as important is the entire festival of Growfest, when the clergy of the church are busy planting. The week is filled with days full of back-breaking work, followed by evenings of song, prayer, food, and drink.
Only Godsday, the 4th of Growfest, is set aside as a day of rest during this time, breaking the planting into two short half-weeks and making the work seem easier for all involved.

Major Centers of Worship

The Temple of the Children is the largest temple of Atroa in the Elanaess. Situated in the city of Gradsul in the Kingdom of Keoland, this large, wooden structure competes with the Foaming Tower (the temple of Osprem, also located in Gradsul) for followers. Since most sailors want the blessings of both gods, the churches have many members that belong to both. The Temple of the Children also serves as one of the greatest orphanages in Keoland.
The Trade Wind Chapel in High Mardreth in the County of Urnst is the second largest Atroan temple. This place caters to sailors and ships and has grown as more shipping bypasses Nyrond for the Urnst States.

Affiliated Orders

Atroa's church has no affiliated orders.

Priestly Vestments

Clergy of Atroa usually wear simple farmers' clothes and green wide-brimmed hats tied tightly to their heads. Sometimes they wear green cloaks covered with red dots, and they almost always wear leather gloves to work in the fields, Formal dress includes green, knee-length robes with short sleeves (usually halfway between the wrist and elbow in length) and hoods. The clergy believe that whatever they wear, it should not get in the way of the day to day business of work.

Adventuring Garb

Atroan clergy usually dress like farmers. though often wearing green, wide-brimmed hats and green and cloaks. Atroa's holy symbol is worn prominently at the neck or on the hat band. Clergy who choose to wear armor usually chose plain, unadorned leather armor

Specialty Priests (Green Daughters/ Sons)

Requirements: Constitution 14
Prime Requisites: Constitution, Wisdom
Alignment: Neutral Good
Weapons: Any nonmetal
Armor: Any nonmetal
Major Spheres: All, Animal, Creation, Healing, Plant, Sun, Weather
Minor Spheres: Divination, Time
Required Proficiencies: None
Bonus Proficiencies: Herbalism and either Agriculture (Planterings) or Healing (Bearers)

• Halflings can become Green Daughters or Sons, but this is relatively rare.
• All Green Daughters or Sons gain a bonus of +2 to saving throws vs. Death Magic. If no saving throw is usually allowed, the Green Daughter or Son still receives a saving throw with no bonus.
• At 3rd level, the Green Daughter or Son can cast Gust of Wind once per day for every three levels of ability.
• At 6th level, the Green Daughter or Son regenerates 1 hit point per turn, even if killed.
• At 12th level, Green Daughters and Sons can cast Regenerate once per day.