Bounty of the Goddess (Voonlar)

The Bounty of the Goddess was a temple and garden complex dedicated to Chauntea in Voonlar.

Location
Voonlar was a trading town and farming community located in the southwest corner of the Moonsea region of north Faerûn. The temple itself stood at the intersection of the North Ride and Shind Road in the center of Voonlar.

Description
The temple and extensive gardens were surrounded by walls and took up about a third of the town proper. The gates were circular in design and made of thick iron bars overgrown with flowering vines and moss. The frame around the gates bore a design of sheaves of wheat.

The main temple was a beautiful edifice with multiple slender bell towers. The grounds of the compound were a maze of flagstone paths that passed by lush flower beds and blooming shrubbery interspersed with pools and trellis-covered benches. These bowers could be lit at night with dancing lights. There were also three guesthouses and several greenhouses all connected by tunnels used for heating and irrigation pipes.

Activities
The Bounty generated some revenue by selling quince and persimmons, herbs and spices, seeds, and herbal elixirs that had various healing properties. They kept a small supply of healing potions but sold these discretely, unlike the Lathanderites of the House of Holy Light who made it a lucrative business. There was also a small brewery run by one of the Trueseeds, but it is unknown if the barley beer was sold or given away as gifts or favors.

Adventurers on the run from local law enforcement, the Zhentarim, or the Cyricists from the Dark God Reformed could sometimes find shelter in the guesthouses and extensive tunnel system in the gardens of the compound.

Despite the animosity between Voonlar and Shadowdale, the Bounty of the Goddess enjoyed a close relationship with its counterpart in Shadowdale, the House of Plenty. Lady Shrae exchanged news and information, such as intelligence about impending raids, and the activities of the Cyricists and the Zhentarim, with High Harvestmistress Glamerie Windbough via messengers with armed escort. Under Lady Shrae's tenure, her messenger was Trueseed Rolivar Brimbruir, typically accompanied by at least eight mounted temple guards.

Defenses
The guards of the temple were mainly farmers and drovers, known as Harvestrods, that could be called upon to don leather and chainmail armor and defend the Bounty of the Goddess, typically against acts of vandalism, thievery, and arson by the local Cyricists. The guards had training in broadsword, dagger, and mace.

History

 * When the walls around the Bounty of the Goddess lands were first constructed, there was strong opposition from Bron Buorstag Hlammythyl, the elected sheriff of Voonlar. He later completely reversed his stance and became a supporter of the project.
 * As part of the project to build a wall around the temple grounds, the Bounty donated a large tract of their gardens north of Daerndrean Street to the town, essentially tripling the size of the Common Gardens that adjoined them.
 * The temple also sold a guesthouse it owned on the North Ride near the outskirts of town to a Sembian gold merchant from Yhaunn named Ornar Harlathar who converted it into a hunting lodge. This action pleased Bron Buorstag because more hunting in the woods meant more chances to kill or drive away raiders from Shadowdale or Harper spies.

Rumors and legends

 * It was speculated that the Bron's sudden change of heart about building a wall around the temple was precipitated by a suggestion from someone in a superior position within the Zhentarim who felt that the wall would make it easier to contain and observe the Chaunteans and their visitors.
 * It was said that the iron bars underlying the flowery wooded gates to the Bounty of the Goddess compound were of ancient dwarven craftsmanship.

Inhabitants
The most well-known of the clergy at the Bounty of the Goddess were: Many of the lay servants were the mothers of the active clergy.
 * Ardethra Murmarand: Watchful Sister; expert herbalist for humans and livestock.
 * Erlan Faerlnar: Watchful Brother; soil and nutrients expert.
 * Haronstin "Leatherjaws" Garulth: Close One; seed-seller and carter; elderly, relaxed, high tolerance for alcohol.
 * Immithra Shrae: Mother of the Harvest; high priestess of Chauntea; soft-spoken, kind, and pleasant.
 * Jhalanessa Brithlar: Watchful Sister; expert herbalist; mischievous and passionate.
 * Lauratha Delrym: Trueseed; prim but nosy; knew everyone in town and what they were doing.
 * Lothan Maergh: Watchful Brother; expert with bulbs, seeds, and grafting.
 * Rolivar Brimbruir: Trueseed; boisterous and burly brewmaster; even Cyricists laughed at his jokes and appreciated his beer.