Gaia - Goddess of Earth and Nature

## Symbol

Mother Gaia is the goddess of life, love, nature and fertility. She is one of the oldest gods, even being the mother of few, and values life above all things, wishing to both create and protect it. She is one the most worshiped of deities in the current era, being the patron of farmers, physicians, healers, parents and children who follow the Old Gods. Her followers are forbidden to kill unless that death leads to more life, either by being the only way to prevent further death or by feeding life around it, speeding its growth and allowing it to flourish. She urges her followers to spread and prosper, placing great emphasis on family and the sanctity of marriage and procreation.

#### **Symbol**

A sheaf of wheat, interlaced so as to take the form of a tree.

#### **Liturgical Gestures**

Joining one’s palms over the chest, interlocking the fingers.

#### **Preferred Materials**

The Mother Goddess has greater influence over plant matter, and greatly prefers linen, copper, plant fiber, green gems or glass, rare woods, and flowers, nominally chrysanthemums and hibiscus, as materials for charms and rites.

#### **Prayers**

* ***Common Exalted Name.*** Lady Gaia,\ Creator and ruler of all living things,\ All-Mother of our Earth\(...)
* ***Combat.*** Bless us Earth Mother,\ forgive us the lives we take,\ receive them in your loving embrace (...)
* ***Marriage Vows.*** Do you vow take your husband\ in holy matrimony as convened by the All-Mother\, to hold them in sickness and in health,\ in prosperity and defeat?\ [...]\ Are you honest in your promise to be faithful,\ to sow the future’s harvest,\ and tend to that of your kin.\ [...]\ And will the groom uphold this covenant\, will you vow to be faithful in (…),\ Are you honest in your promises to protect your honors,\ to be helpful and a guard of her kin and rights?\ [...]\ I confirm here,\ as witness to the holy covenant,\ the willingness of these two faithful\ and that of their kin.\ [...]\ Then, by Her word and providence,\ I proclaim you wife and husband.\ Two souls connected by love\ Two souls who should never be apart\ May the Mother bless this union, and bless it with undying love*.*
* ***Birth.*** *May this child receive love and life\* *Like the all mother gives to all things living\* *May* *(she/he)* *grow and flourish\* *So that in time he/she can bring life as well.*
* Harvest Psalm.

#### **Rituals**

* **Marriage.** Marriages are entirely presided by the apostles of Gaia. The presiding druids will beseech Gaia to bless the couple with stability and fertility and to watch over them with loving grace. Because of Her influence on marriage, homosexuality is somewhat frowned upon. On the other hand, inter-racial marriage is very much within normalcy.
* ***Birth.*** Although the birth of a child might be in the realm of medicine, a pontiff of Gaia is usually present, so as to bless the child with the protection of Gaia.
* ***Harvest.*** As the goddess of life Gaia also oversees the harvests and planting of crops, many of her holy days coincide with the harvests of the season and, if the year is bountiful, usually a celebration to Gaia is held. Many farmers build shrines in their crops with wood, hay, flowers and leaves in the belief that Gaia will protect the crops.
* Planting and Herding.

#### **Peculiarities**

* The pontiffs and followers of Gaia are usually vegan, although that is not a requirement.

#### **Saints**

* Sanekoryus, The Warmth of the Forest. Sanekoryus is a member of the Lads, who was later sanctified as a Saint of Gaia. He is the largest yourdle to ever live, standing at 2 meters.

#### **Holy Days**

Gaia’s holy days coincide with the harvest and plantation cycles. Depending on the society and the crops thy use these days might shift.

#### **Holy Sites**

To Gaia, all that is natural is holy.  However, one place stands above all to Gaia’s followers: the world-tree. It is a gigantic tree worshiped by Gaia’s followers. It is said to be the first tree to ever sprout, and extends all over the mundane world, binding all places as one.

#### **Enemies**

* **Gallius.** Gallius and Gaia have long since been enemies. To Gaia, war is just mindless killing, without any purpose or benefit. Gallius views this as Gaia being weak and not fully understanding that it is in the nature of man to kill and conquer. They actively try to sabotage each other.

#### **Friends**

* **Kefka.** Due to their complementary authorities, their respect for life, their kind nature, and their long period of confraternization, the God of Death and the Goddess of Life are very friendly with each other, a fact that is reflected on their worshippers. Many medical schools are headed by both Kefka’s and Gaia’s chosen, and it is more than common for both churches to cooperate on even minor incidents. Kefka usually functions as a mediator in Gaia’s and Gillius relationship as Kefka maintains good relations with both.
* **Fengyaion & Íllion.** Being kind goddesses, and daughters of Gaia, the relationship between them is friendly.

#### **Complications**

* **Acteon.** Although many animals hunt, Gaia cannot understand the pleasure Acteon derives from hunting. However, Acteon’s appreciation for nature makes their relationship more friendly than not.

#### **Holy Weapon**

A shield, representing the protection of life, and not the taking of it.

#### **Companions**

Gaia is mostly represented surrounded by all types of animals, although the most common are wolves, deer, and eagles.

#### **Angels**

Gaia’s angels usually have the appearance of Ents, fairies or forest creatures, as well as a powerful caste of angels whose bloodline has trickled into the mortal world: horse-human hybrids known as centaurs.