Chetria
The Great Bear
Chetria (Khet-rhee-ah) is seen as two distinct entities by her followers, one is a stately, beautiful woman with long hair made of entwined icy, the very embodiment Nature in all its glory; the other is a great strong Bear, a symbol of the earth and its strength. Chetria is revered by her followers as the Creator god, responsible for life and nature. She was one of the first of the gods of Tarien, and the creator of the land itself.
Chetria is perhaps the most widely worshipped god on the face of Tarien. All cultures revere Chetria in one form or another. The Khadra worship her as Grumbach the Bear while the Dharja call her the Lady of the Rains.
Many theologians believe that Shar’iish’ta are the same being. The Kari-Zaro and Tzecheni'korak who see Chetria as the daughter of the elder Shar'iish'ta believe that while Shari'iish'ta and Jez'bali'dahn have planted the seeds of @Tarien, Chetria is its gardener. While they might respect the elder gods for their power, they often make their appears for intervention to Chetria.
History/Relationships
Chetria is a solitary figure, taking interest only in the land and the things that grow upon it. She has no real ‘friends’ among the gods, her very nature is a bit to alien for that. Only once did she dabble in the affairs of the divine, when she took a human child as her own.
Dogma
Chetria is the land, and through their custodianship of the land her followers pay her homage. Chetria’s teachings are the very principles that druids and rangers hold dear: a oneness with nature.
Church/Priesthood
Chetria’s followers are especially devout. Most dedicate their lives, in one form or another, to the protection of nature in one or all of it’s forms. She counts Druids and Rangers among her primary followers, as well as her priests. Devotees of Chetria pray for their spells at dawn, outdoors under the open sky, if possible. If they are unable to reach the outdoors, they must at least pray over some bit of growing thing… a plant, or some moss perhaps. Chetria’s church has only one holy day, the Fourthday of the Crimson Moon, known as the Day of Creation.
Worship of Chetria takes place almost anywhere, so long as it is surrounded by green, growing things. Few actual established temples of Chetria exist. In the wilds, worship of Chetria takes place in circles of standing stones, and other ancient places of power. Urban centers usually erect small shrines to Chetria in parks, or on the outskirts of civilization. These shrines are tended by local priest or druid.
The goddess herself, who ultimately reports to Shar'iista, Chetria’s devotees rely on the organization of the Order of Shar'iish'ta should they need it. Like their goddess, however, they are individualistic and headstrong, and are as likely to chafe at parental directives from the order as they are to follow them. Fortunately, focused on more cosmic concerns, the Order rarely exercises this power over Chetria's faithful.
A priest of Chetria’s ceremonial garb always contains animal skins, leather, leaves, and other natural elements. Since most of her devotees are also rangers or druids, these strictures are not difficult to adhere to. All priests of Chetria carry a staff of burnished oak, which they must craft themselves during their time as an acolyte. In the field priests wear armor of overlapping leather leaves, and where their holy symbol on a chain around their neck.
"I wandered the paths of the small forest for hours, lost in my thoughts. As the sun began to set I realized that I knew not where I was. The birdsongs faded abruptly and before me stood a massive bear. Standing on his hind legs he stood as tall as two men. His snout pointed west, into the sunset and there I realized the solution to my problem."
Religions
Alignment
Neutral
Children
Ruled Locations
Bear and Tree
Main Temple
Garden of Chetria, Hopki
Portfolio
Agriculture, Elements, Instinct, Nature, Physical Power
Domain
Life, Nature
Head of Priesthood
(Nominally) Darequai E’thenilil
A Path in Chetria's Garden, Hokpi