Tel'Rhea
The Great Mother
An eladrin woman tends to her flower-laden grove with meticulous care, nurturing life from the land. The flowers she grows will flood the streets near the House of Life, bestowed upon the most honored among them: mothers. A middle-aged man with an orchid brooch travels from village to village, giving advice and a gentle nudge to ensure the young and old alike follow the tenets of the Great Mother. For where would the continent and the rest of the pantheon be without the mother goddess of Life? For life pervades all, does it not? Without Tel'Rhea, would it not be true that the rest of the pantheon – and all the joy they bring to this continent – be lost? Often regarded as the mother goddess or the Great Mother, Tel'Rhea is the goddess of life, patron of mothers and families, and bestower of fertility and protection. She is almost always depicted as a humanoid female either pregnant, holding a child, or both as she simultaneously balances a bouquet of flowers or a bushel of fruit on her head or tucked in her arms. Those lucky enough to hear Tel'Rhea directly describe her voice as soft and soothing, just like a mother's lullaby.
A common greeting:
Life is the purest gift, and it is an unfortunate circumstance that Death must occur. Still, the second life – the after life – is a blessing, even for those in the Unclaimed Sea of Souls.
Tel'Rhea's light shine upon you.
Antagonist: Tolvaj, the Life-Stealer.
The Intercession of Tel'Rhea
The Great Mother is believed to be or have been the lover of Ah'Shal. Entwined in a lover's dance, the two matron goddesses represent the deeply interconnected cycle of life and death. From this the Intercession of Tel'Rhea arose. When a loved one was on Ah'Shal's doorstep and all healing failing, the only goddess capable of interceding was Tel'Rhea. Devoted friends and family travel from all over the continent to the courtyard of Tel'Rhea's Temple: the House of Life. Once there, they offer some token of great importance to one of the many statues of the goddess, spend hours prostrated before her, and pray for her to intercede with Ah'Shal on behalf of their loved ones.
The Ladies of Life
Those capable of bringing life into the world are considered to be the most highly blessed and honored of Tel'Rhea. It is no surprise then that Tel'Rhea's most devout and honored clergy are women, referred to as the Ladies of Life. These women are tasked with overseeing the Intercession of Tel'Rhea across the continent. When in the region of the Mother Goddess, Ladies of Life are expected to fill multiple roles, including midwives, counselors, gardeners, and more. More generally, they are expected to be representatives of Tel'Rhea walking among the people.
Divine Domains
Life, Nature, Peace, agriculture, birth, renewal, fertility, protection, family, mothers and motherhood, and children.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
The Emerald gemstone, orchid, lotuses, rose buds, rabbits, dryads.
Tenets of Faith
All Life is Sacred – Life is a glorious gift that should be embraced to the fullest. No creature deserves to be wrongfully denied the right to live life in the way that they desire, so long as it respects the sanctity of the lives of others and, by extension, respects the Mother Goddess herself. Treat all life with respect, including those of vastly different forms, pasts, and lifestyles.
Mothers & Motherhood – Children are a great gift from the Goddess of Life herself, representing the contination of the Cycle of Life. Mothers are, therefore, a direct extension of Tel'Rhea. A slight against a mother is a slight against Tel'Rhea. A blow to a mother is a blow dealt to Tel'Rhea. Respect and reverence should be given to all mothers as images of the Mother Goddess. One of the greatest roles a follower of Tel'Rhea can hold, is one of a parent or, more broadly, a guardian of a child.
Life in All Things – The Great Mother is the mother of the continent. Her presence pervades all lands, all divine domains, and all corners and aspects of the mortal experience. Those who follow Tel'Rhea should strive to assist and guide those who walk the path of faith to any of the Dremoran Pantheon and, should service to another deity contradict the verdicts of the Mother, mortals are expected to follow the path of Tel'Rhea, first and foremost.
Mothers & Motherhood – Children are a great gift from the Goddess of Life herself, representing the contination of the Cycle of Life. Mothers are, therefore, a direct extension of Tel'Rhea. A slight against a mother is a slight against Tel'Rhea. A blow to a mother is a blow dealt to Tel'Rhea. Respect and reverence should be given to all mothers as images of the Mother Goddess. One of the greatest roles a follower of Tel'Rhea can hold, is one of a parent or, more broadly, a guardian of a child.
Life in All Things – The Great Mother is the mother of the continent. Her presence pervades all lands, all divine domains, and all corners and aspects of the mortal experience. Those who follow Tel'Rhea should strive to assist and guide those who walk the path of faith to any of the Dremoran Pantheon and, should service to another deity contradict the verdicts of the Mother, mortals are expected to follow the path of Tel'Rhea, first and foremost.
Holidays
The Festival of Flowers
Divine Classification
Spirit of the Land
Alignment
Neutral Good (Typically)
Current Status
Informal head of the pantheon
Children
Pronouns
She/Her/Hers
Aligned Organization
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