The Church of the Great Mother is a relatively minor branch of the Church of Chauntea (when compared to the great churches of the Sword Coast or the Heartlands). Despite its relatively small size it is culturally significant to the Moonshae Isles, being the first foreign church to be welcomed to the islands, and part of the transformation of Callidyrr into a modern trading nation, comparable to other regions of the Sword Coast.
History
Priests of Chauntea had been present in the Kingdom of Callidyrr for many centuries, since the arrival of a great migration of tethyrians in the year 467 DR. The connection between Callidyrr and mainland Faerun only increased when the Hugh Dynasty ended, and Niall Carrathal established the Carrathal Dynasty with help from his supporters in Tethyr in 944 DR.
Since the coming of the Carrathal Dynasty, ever greater numbers of priests from the churches Chauntea, Helm, and darker gods arrived in Callidyrr, establish shrines and informal cults while attempting to convert the suspicious ffolk.
It wasn’t until 1234 DR, during the reign of Cedric Carrathal, that the Church of Chauntea in Baldur’s Gate was given licence to establish a branch of the Church in Callidyrr (an attempt to repair relations with that trading nation after the disastrous policies of King Bayle).
Six years later in 1240 DR, the first temple was completed in Caer Callidyrr. The Ring of Callidyrr of the Fidouyr chose a cooperative relationship with the church, hoping that together they could enrich the kingdom of Callidyrr. Instead the Fidouyr declined against the more vigorous Church of the Great Mother which gradually replaced the functions of the druids and their place in society.
Today the Church of the Great Mother has shrines and priests in every major settlement in Callidyrr, helping the ffolk with the harvest and providing herblore and advice to those in need. More recently, with the approval of King Reginald, the Church of the Great Mother is seeking to expand into other territories.
Organisation
Headquarters: Kingdom of Callidyrr, Caer Callidyrr, House of the Harvest Embrace
Members: 800 priests
Hierarchy: Strict
Leader: Harvestmaster Treyvor Stoutstalk commands the Church of the Great Mother, but he in turn reports to the High Harvestmaster Bakar Dalsoritan of Baldur’s Gate.
Religion: Chauntea, Earthmother
Secrecy: None
Symbol: Sheaf of wheat on a sunburst wreath of golden grain
The Church of the Great Mother was founded by priests from the Pastoral sect of the Church of Chauntea in Baldur’s Gate over a century ago. The church of the Great Mother is modelled upon the structure of its parent church, with ranks of Close One, Watchful Brother (Frewwrd)/Sister, and Trueseed (Spioltafiorch) reporting into the Harvestmaster in Callidyrr who in turn reports into the High Harvestmaster in Baldur’s Gate.
The Church of the Great Mother recruits members from among the ffolk of Callidyrr, and their membership is spread across the kingdom, with the lowest ranks attending shrines and temples while the higher ranks travel between sites.
Promotion within the organisation is supposedly based upon merit, but in a feudal society like Callidyrr, it is increasingly based upon the patronage of nobles and merchants and what wealth and power a member can bring to the church.
Dogma / Motivation / Goals
Membership / Recruiting
Allies
Enemies
Important NPCs
Nolan (Neutral, Human – Tethyrian, Magic User 3): Frewwrd Nolan is a member of the Church of the Great Mother in Callidyrr, currently on a mission to Caer Corwell to bring the worship of Chauntea to the ffolk of Corwell. He is a skilled healer and expert in Corwell’s Laws, dispensing both to those in need.
The Alternate Forgotten Realms 