Eldath

Eldath, also known as The Green Goddess, Mother Guardian of Groves, or the Mother of the Waters among the Bedine people, was a lake spirit who acted as the guardian of groves and watersheds. Her presence was felt wherever there was calm.

Description
Eldath was a pacifist who avoided hostile action, even if threatened. Although shy, quiet and enigmatic, the Green Goddess was possessed of unknown depths of character and unexpressed resolve that could not be broken. Eldath protected rivers, streams, and druids' groves; her dogma was pacifistic, and her followers only resorted to violence in defense of themselves, of their friends and loved ones, and of pools and groves.

The Mother Guardian of Groves was regarded as a goddess of serenity, comfort, and healing. Any waters blessed by her were known to cure sickness and madness. They could also calm the dying giving them peace and a natural passing. Many rural communities have a designated pond or glade which serves as a holy site for local parishioners.These places were traditionally used as places to reflect and meditate. Usually a body of water (either the pond itself or a stream near those glades considered holy sites) serves as a repository for offerings to Eldath in connection with these holy places. But, when no water is near a special tree or bush is designated as a repository to which offerings are tied to its branches. Offerings are typically weapons broken so they can never be used again, or an item that caused an argument and must be discarded to promote peace.

Worshipers
Eldathyns were organized into a simplistic hierarchy, where priests reported to a local high priest responsible for a realm or larger region. Most followers dwelt in quiet forest communities with open-air sacred places of worship or in woodside cottages, far from the baseness of city life; both often containing pools of placid water in unspoiled areas. They rarely ever engaged in open confrontation and always acted subtly and peacefully.

Druids of Eldath prayed for their evocations once per day at a time selected after great personal reflection. The only calendar-related holy day of the church was the Greening, a gathering and festival celebrated at Greengrass. It was preceded by Firstflow, a festival held at varying times when the ice broke up and began to flow at the conclusion of winter.

Worshipers of Eldath could be of any alignment, but priests were always non-evil. Druids that followed the Mother of the Waters remained neutral, while her specialty priests sometimes leaned toward good.

Many people came to Eldath for help in overcoming memories of a violent past, sometimes a single event that affected them but it could also have been an accumulation of battles fought by the individual.

Her clergy often followed migratory patterns traveling from holy site to holy site in a local area. They took care of the holy sites and allied with the local druids who followed the First Circle, of which Eldath was considered a member. Violence of any kind against an Eldathan priest was considered taboo, and murdering one was said to bring extremely bad luck. Even so, most servants of Eldath preferred to avoid conflict rather than trying to pacify it because they understood that peace cannot be forced. They would happily preside over peaceful meetings and witness political treaties.

Temples
Main article: Category:Temples to Eldath

Relationships
Eldath considered Mielikki a sister and together with her she served Silvanus loyally, even if she did find him at times intimidating. She had close relationships with Chauntea, Selûne, and Lathander, as they shared some common interests. Eldath and Mielikki were said to directly bring retribution down on any who deliberately set fires in the High Forest.

Although Eldath was diametrically opposed to Tempus, the Lord of Battles, they were not enemies. He thought she was naïve, but appreciated her convictions and punished any of his followers that harmed Eldath's faithful or desecrated her shrines and temples.

Rumors & Legends
According to Bedine legend, the sun goddess At'ar was jealous of Eldath's beauty and imprisoned her at the oasis of Elah'zad in the Anauroch desert.

Appearances

 * Novels


 * The Parched Sea

Connections
Eldath