The Foundations of Rontra

The foundations of Rontra, where the Rontrans worship, can be found throughout most lands, for her followers are quite numerous. In rural areas, where farming and living off the land are a necessity, there is almost always a Rontran foundation present. Farmers offer prayers there daily, so Rontra might bless their crops.
In cities, the foundations of Rontra are far less common. When found, they are most likely concerned with her fertility aspect. Women of all social classes pay homage to the Wellspring of Life, hoping they will be able to “bear fruit,” as the tree of Eliwyn did through Rontra’s grace. Quite often, the churches of Rontra and Morwyn are linked, as they are considered the grandmother and mother of the people, respectively. In Great Church cathedrals, their altars are always found together. The main goal of Rontra’s church is to sustain life and the earth that supports it. Those who kill and maim for no reason, or pillage the earth without cause, are enemies of the Rontran faith.
Priests of Rontra view themselves as counselors more than leaders of the people. They provide guidance to the faithful and maintain the health of their flock through wisdom and advice. They lay down their lives if necessary to defend the land and the living things that derive sustenance from it, but they rarely tell people what they should or must do.
Most Rontrans take pleasure in the treasures of the earth, such as gems and precious metals. They often make these into beautiful works to honor their goddess. There are many within the Rontran faith who are expert at such matters, and in mining societies the worship of Rontra is closely tied with worship of Korak, the artisan, who taught mortals to craft such wonders.
The foundations of Rontra are always constructed from stone or brick, derived from the strength of the earth. The Rontrans never raise their buildings more than one story above the ground, and often construct many subterranean levels and chambers. The floor of Rontran foundations is always bare earth. Those entering the temple must remove their footwear out of respect and walk barefoot. Thus, they are always in contact with the Earth Mother. Many faithful Rontrans avoid wearing shoes for this reason.
Rontra has never believed in actively influencing events or telling mortals what to do, even in the time of the div, but since the Compact, she has become even less involved in the daily lives of mortals. Though she is as bound to the sphere as the land itself, she observes mortals from afar. She is pleased with most aspects of what her church has become, although she thinks that more focus should be put on the overall welfare of people throughout the world. She believes her faith has become too focused on farmers and those that work the land.
While she appreciates the reluctance of her faithful to instruct others and lead them toward the right path—they are taking a page from her book, after all—she does pressure the most powerful of her followers to assume a more active role promoting peace among all people. When she can, she sends servants such as the Shepherdess or the Miner into the mortal sphere to right a grievous wrong, stop the wanton destruction of the earth, or (most commonly) subtly influence mortals to do it for themselves.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion