Lynthail

A hearty goddess not possessed of great beauty, but great strength and earthiness. Lynthail is the protector of the crops, watcher of herds, and caretaker of the world. It was she who nurtured Leylia's lifeblood and restored balance to Miranda before all mortals perished. She wears a long dress covered by a simple tunic and cape over her left shoulder. She carries a pouch on her right hip that contains seeds, plants, and all manner of things. Her boots and vambracers are wolf's fur with leather laces, which show her connection to the great north where she resides during the winter. On her brow is a gold and silver circlet, which holds back her long and curly hair, represents the circle of the seasons.

She is always accompied by two large sheepdogs named Orion and Borri that were gifts from Senesti. Because of this all dogs now serve Lynthail. She has tasked the dogs with helping watch over the herds that feed off her land and bring bounty to her followers.

Lynthail is a church of the commoners; although there are a few lords whose fortunes are derived from the earth who make occasional prayers. However, the clerics spend a majority of the time helping the field hands and assisting the farmer with his crops. It is not too rare to find a cleric of Lynthail working in the field of a nearby farmer. Sure, they work slower that other people as they bless the land and its bounty while they work. But it is well known that ground blessed by Lynthail's hand will yeild crops beyond compare.

Most of Lynthail's temples are very open structures consisting of little more than a rough circle of standing stones carved with the various bounties of the earth. Because formal ceremonies are small, the circle is often only thirty feet across. It is expected that the priests go out and pray in the fields where the people work.

Those temples near mining towns are structured very differently. They are closed temples with well-dressed stone walls and a large statue of Lynthail just inside the door. There are usually a couple of benches near the alter, but most of the people are expected to sit. With few windows and the doors closed, the church prays for the safety and care of the miners who work in the earth.

The most common is a black pitchfork on a golden field. However, most temples have changed this symbol to whatever happens to be most commonly worked in their area. Therefore crossed mining picks, a shepherd's crook, sheaf of grain, and a sickle have all been associated with Lynthail over the years.

Lynthail finds most of her worshippers among the people that tend the fields and live off the bounty of the land. Hunters, farmers, and field hands all hold Lynthail with the deepest regard. They bless her for their bounty and offer up sacrifices to her name in the hopes of a good crop. Her nuturing, but unforgiving nature about laziness, makes her particularly popular among the women of most villages.

Many of those that also offer up prayers in the name of Senesti also offer prayers to Lynthail — for they are both associated with animals that walk the lands.

There are a great many long and complicated rituals used by the clerics of Lynthail in order to secure her blessing over their yearly harvest. They pray for healthy and strong herds, bountiful crops, and rich mining veins. Because of her nature most of these rituals are done on a seasonal basis only.

Lynthail and Senesti are often seen together, for she represents the grains that feed the herds and he represents the hunter who's bones will enrich the earth when his time passes. However, they are also great competitors and have often appeared in disguise before mortals to have them judge a contest. These contests usually involve athletic skills like archery, running, balance, and endurance. Since both are so evenly matched they often end in ties or victories swap between them.

The two sheepdogs that follow Lynthail everywhere were a special gift from Senesti after she won a particularly difficult challenge of getting a tuft of fur from the great tigers. Upon that day Senesti decreed that all dogs would accept Lynthail as their new master.