| Areas of Influence: | The natural world, the primal wilderness, fertility |
| Alignment: | Unaligned |
| Symbol: | Varies; trees, claws, and knotwork patterns are common |
| Classes: | Barbarian, druid, shaman, warden |
| Great Temple: | n/a |
| Astral Dominion: | n/a |
The worship of the Earth Mother (called the Faith of the Earth Mother or more commonly just the Faith) consists of those who venerate the great primal spirit of the natural world and/or the various spirits that serve her. Druids, barbarians, and other inhabitants of the uncivilized world are adherents of the Faith. This religion predates all the others; in fact, many of the other deities of the world are the children of the Earth Mother, created to combat the Old Gods.
Though often called "the Goddess", the Earth Mother is a primal force of nature and fertility. She is also known as Lyani to the Sylvari and Verhild to the Runir. The druids and shamans that serve her are collectively known as the myrshae.
Notable spirits of the Faith are detailed below:
Earth Mother (aka the Mother, the Goddess): The Earth Mother is described as a "three-fold goddess" who changes her form from a young maiden to a matronly woman to an aged crone. She represents nature and all that it encompasses. Her devoted work to teach people how to live in harmony with the world around them and to prevent its unnecessary destruction or abuse.
Cerunn (aka Master of the Hunt, Lord of Beasts): Cerunn is the Consort of the Earth Mother. He is depicted as a cross between a muscular human or elf and a stag. He is generally not worshiped individually, but in conjunction with the other elements of the Faith. Hunters, rangers, and barbarians will occasionally call upon Cerunn for aid. The myrshae often describe the Lord of Beasts as the savage half of nature, with the Goddess being his tranquil counterpart.
Karnus (aka the Red Wolf): Karnus is one of the more powerful spirits of the Faith. He is depicted as a barbaric warrior in a wolf headdress, wielding a greatsword in a berserk frenzy of carnage. He is the incarnation of bloodlust and battle, embracing the strong and condeming the weak. Karnus is popular with barbarians as well as "civilized" warriors in the southern climes. He is said to inhabit the
Eastern Desolation, in the "walking city" of
Xalindus.
Skaldur (aka the White Bear, the Stormlord): Skaldur is another powerful spirit of the Faith and a rival to Karnus. He is the incarnation of storms, lightning, cold, and winter. He is highly revered by the
Vykir and has some following among the
Kyrgar and
Aesric. The northern cities fear him and burn fires year round to keep him at bay. Skaldur is also popular among warriors and sailors, though the latter are more likely to try to appease him than praise him.
The Stormlord is depicted as a large, bearded, savage warrior clad in furs, leather, and chain. He wields two axes: Olgir - the "axe that splits the sky with lightning" and Njeidar - the "axe that shakes the earth with thunder". He is said to live in the far northern realm of
Valenheim.
Symbols and Associations: The colors green and brown; carnelians, emeralds, copper; yew, oak, laurel, mistletoe; the number three; stags, wolves, bears
Holy Days: The equinoxes (spring and autumnal) and the solstices (summer and winter) are all holy days of the Faith, with Highsummer 16th - the Summer Solstice or Midsummer - being the holiest. On Midsummer, the myrshae gather at their stone circles for daylong ceremonies to give praise to the Mother and provide sacrifices to her and the spirits of the wild.
Essence of the Faith: Take what you want from the earth, but no more than you need. Rebuild after ruin. Seed new life as often as you are able. That which is unnatural or not in harmony with the land must be set right or destroyed. Know who is hunter and who is prey.