The Mother's Pantheon

[Toffee 2843]

 

 

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One can take a Mani as their patron, but worship should be reserved for the Aspects. Let prayer and offering only be for the Mother and the Father, and where one prays at the shrine of a Mani, this is in recognition of the fact that the Mani are the guardians of the Aspects domain.

 

Illynora Sylvaeri, the Way of the Mother

 

ALTHOUGH WORSHIP SHOULD BE reserved for the Aspects, there are some Mani who are within the Mother’s domain, or otherwise compatible with Cerridwen and her values. This writing seeks to outline the Pantheon of the Mother, and how reverence for certain Mani can enhance worship of Her.

 

The pantheon is divided into four choruses, with the Mother at the pinnacle.

 

THE CHORUS OF PATIENCE

 

Llan’sae

 

Llan’sae, the Princess of Sea Turtles, is an enigmatic and deeply contemplative Mani. She embodies the characteristics of patience and empathy, is deliberate in her decision-making, and possesses the qualities of extraordinary foresight. It is these traits which make her compatible with the Mother, who exudes patience and empathy. Llan’sae acts in pursuit of long-term objectives that are incomprehensible to mortalkind.

 

Machana

 

Machana is the Princess of Horses. She has a passive nature, often avoiding conflict, which is what makes her compatible with the pacifism found in the Way of the Mother.

 

THE CHORUS OF BIRTH & RENEWAL

 

Sha’maiden

 

Sha’maidan, known as the Princess of Elephants and the Gentlest of Giants, is a powerful Mani. She invokes both admiration and dread because of her enormous size, and is known to lead and guide those displaced by war. She is the gentle guide, avoiding violence where possible, and is sympathetic to mortals, acting as both a mother and a teacher. She has been known to expel corruption, allowing nature to regrow, and offers the survivors of war a chance to start anew, just as the Mother is a harbinger of life and rebirth.

 

Bolomormaa

 

Bolomormaa, the Princess of Bears, is a Mani with strong ties to motherhood, making her easily compatible with the Way of the Mother. She is associated with the natural role of caring for and protecting children. She has a dual nature of peaceful strength and protective fury, making her a complex and revered figure among mothers of the Mali’ame.

 

THE CHORUS OF DEEP WATERS

 

Sabio

 

Sabio, known as the Sage of the Western Winds and the High Seas Savant, has perhaps the most tenuous connection to Cerridwen, but a connection all the same. He is mostly connected with her due to his overlapping duties with Hamatsa, the Dolphin of Mercy, who is the patron of healers. Hamatsa and Sabio both protect sailors and ocean travellers. He focuses on areas untouched by druidic influence, which works well with the Way of the Mother which emphasises that you need not be a druid in order to spread the word of the Aspects.

 

Hamatsa

 

Hamatsa is the Dolphin Prince, a patron of sailors and healers. He has a benevolent nature. Because the Mother is the Aspect of life and healing, Hamatsa fits comfortably within her domain.

 

Serenil

Serenil, the Heron Mani, embodies the very essence of the river, preferring to observe the ebb and flow of life rather than directly intervene. She has a deep compassion for all living things, and often meditates on life’s cyclical nature. Her serene, tranquil nature is believed to echo that facet of the Mother.

 

Cnidaria

 

The Princess of Jellyfish is aloof, and rarely involves herself in the matters of the surface. She is a symbol of eternity and clarity, and was directly created from the wellspring of life by Cerridwen’s own hands. Like Serenil, she is a mere observer, and does not adhere to concepts such as good and evil.

 

THE CHORUS OF LIGHT & LIFE

 

Amametta

 

Amametta, known as the Prince of Peafowl, is a unique figure amongst the Mani in the sense his inception was an accident. He was the youngest and least impressive of his siblings, but took it upon himself to impress Cerridwen. He danced tirelessly for her at the heart of a raging wildfire, and after he had been burnt alive, he was reborn from the ashes with the Mother’s blessing. In this way he is directly touched by Cerridwen and thus makes a good patron for her followers. He is a figure of love, passion, and penitence.

 

Luna’illi

 

Luna'illi, the Prince of Moths, is the Mani associated with forests and the full moon. He is docile and curious, wandering through the forests where moths reside. It is because of his ethereal nature and lunar cycle that links him with the Mother, as the moon is closely aligned with the tides, and where the Father embodies fire, the Mother has long been associated with water and the ocean.

 

Kholibrii

 

Kholibrii is a vibrant and graceful Mani associated with hummingbirds. Key attributes include being representative of hope, especially during dark and gloomy times. Kholibrii is generally peaceful and non-interactive with Descendants, and this peacefulness makes her compatible with Cerridwen and those who follow the Way of the Mother. She is the patron of hope, joy, and beauty.

 

Nimrothel

 

Both Cerridwen and Nimrothel, the Prince of Dragonflies, radiate a nurturing calm. The Mother through her steady, life-giving presence, and Nimrothel through his tranquil dance and soothing guidance. Nimrothel’s perpetual movement and celebration of lightness parallel the Mother’s association with the cycles of life and growth.

 

 

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