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Beade

BeadeThe goddess of Nature, Beade is considered the mother of the planet. She watches over all that is living, and also the forces that affect the planet, such as weather and the seasons. Worship of Beade is usually practiced out of doors and away from centers of population, where her followers can be in tune with nature. As with the rest of the Ancient Ones, Beade plays only a small part in the affairs of mortals, being more focused on the world as a whole. Many rangers worship Beade, and it is widely believed that the entire profession originated from the early druidic practices of the priests of Beade, although the two have now taken separate paths. Lacking the structure of formal temples, many shrines to Beade still exist throughout the realms. Mysterious earthen structures dot the landscape in many areas, remnants of ancient forms of worship. Modern times have found the true followers of Beade retreating further into the forests of Thrael and becoming more reclusive.

Written on the inside of cleanly scraped bark with faint brownish ink that has faded over the years are the musings and passing thoughts of the one who is presumed to be the oldest known druid whose name is still in memory; Sidlody Fawndock. These difficult to decipher excerpts from his diary, disintegrating and tied together by a fragile threads of sinew provide interesting insights into the nature of Beade as well as random information on balance in the ecosystem, plant-gathering tips and herbal remedies.

On one sliver of bark is this rumination: "Also known as Mother Nature, The Good Mother and The Bountiful Sister, Beade embodies the health and vitality of Thrael and the known universe. Views differ between races, and while most believe she is the intelligent force behind elemental nature and the defender of all things natural, sylvani belief is that Beade is the world in the most literal sense. The daun have marginalized this entity to represent a celestial caretaker of the world, but the elves are firmly convinced that she is an actual, living entity whose physical manifestation can be seen in every animal, mineral and vegetable."

His writings continue, so faded in places that it is impossible to make out all of the words. Daun worship of this goddess focuses on the veneration of a wide variety of avatars, manifestations and phenomena attributed to Mother Nature. It is important to note that no singular entity using the name of "Beade" has ever appeared in mortal memory.

The next several fragile pages are dedicated to what appears to be an antidote to a virulent poison, a recipe for a vegetable stew and a small, yet charming, drawing of a flock of rabu in an unkempt field. Following these are the words, "The spells granted by the Goddess are typically given through much introspection and searching of the soul, but occasionally the intercession of a prophet, avatar, manifestation or agent of Beade has been known to show a devout follower a path he otherwise would not have found. This has led to speculative discussions questioning whether or not the planet is sentient, as the elves seem to think it is. My faith tells me that mere mortals are unable to grasp that which is Beade in her entirety and thusly, I simply worship her to the best of my abilities." Following those thoughts are notations, which appear to describe the effects of a spell that summons a small animal.

While Sidlody is revered in some circles, others find it difficult to follow him, given that he never made it clear where he stood personally in his beliefs as to the nature of Beade. Other followers of the Great Mother with more decisive views garnered strong followings over the millennium, however this much is clear; like most deities, the worship of Beade varies from culture to culture. Some take up the ranger profession as martial defenders in the service of Mother Nature. Others venerate her through the application and study of elemental magic. Many practitioners of the theurgical school of Arcane Materia are fervent devotees of the Beadean faith. These individuals believe that to tap into the elements of air, earth, fire and water is akin to communing with the most essential aspects of reality on a both a temporal and divine level.

The more rigid enclaves of druidic worship state that Beade cares not for mortals in the least and they are living parasites upon her breast. They believe that her singular concern is that which emanates from her divine being in the form of plants and minerals. This is echoed in the maxim, "The Mother cares only for that which is rooted within her." These druids see themselves as little more than humble caretakers of The Good Mother's body and soul. They do not believe that Thrael was created for mortals to dominate and feed upon, but rather as a divine battlefield for the soul; the challenge being to tread lightly and seek redemption through works of selfless labor in the service of the Mother. As they are but strangers to this soil, they have a divine charge to care for this living entity that so generously tolerates their presence.

Some of these druids are so dogmatic in their beliefs that they have been known to utter such quotes as, "We mortals are nothing more than foul vermin gorging ourselves on the blood of Beade's beleaguered soil." and "We must humbly give thanks to the Good Mother with each waking breath that we seem not inconsiderate guests in her most splendid abode." Many refuse to eat nothing but meat as to partake of the fruits of the green earth equates with the most heinous of crimes. Beasts are considered as mortals and are thus appropriate for consumption. These fanatics have grown less in number over the years, although their intensity seems to grow stronger as their size dwindles and some have been known to go almost berserk-like in their efforts to protect the planet from man.

This contrasts with the more liberal sects who are firm in their beliefs that Beade understands the symbiosis of all living forms and, in fact, obviously designed the world in a special balance that allows for and even encourages the life-cycle of all, plant, animal and mineral to be used in endless repetition. Given that many of Beade's followers are loners by nature, views regarding her wishes seem, at times, to be as varied as the flora and fauna of the world.


Attributes

AliasesMother Nature, The All Mother
PortfolioAgriculture, Farmers, Gardeners, Herbalists, Harvests, Herbs, Plants, Nature as Creative Force, Fertility, Rangers, Forests, Jungles, Forest Creatures, Animals, Sentient Life, Survival, Nature, Naturalists, Nature as a Destructive Force, Gravity, Change, Renewal, Weather, The Four Winds, The Four Seasons, Time.
SymbolA green/blue orb
Color(s)Blue-green
Material AffinityDaun
Gem AffinityNadis Crystals, Malachite, Amber