Eldath, Mother of Groves

Alignment: NG
Domains: Community [Family], Good [Friendship], Plant, Protection [Defense], Water.
Favored Weapon: Net

Eldath is the guardian of groves, and her presence is felt wherever there is calm. She is also regarded as a goddess of serenity, comfort, and healing. Any waters blessed by her are known to cure sickness and madness. They can also calm the dying, giving them peace and a natural passing. Eldath is a pacifist who avoids hostile action, even if threatened. Although she, quiet, and enigmatic, Eldath is possessed of unknown depths of character and unexpressed resolve that cannot be broken. She meets challenges by strategically withdrawing, a course of action that in time always leads opponents to overextend into an untenable position in which their reinforcements have been converted to her side. Recently she has been suffering many attacks from Malar and his followers, with the People of the Black Blood despoiling several of her sacred pools. Read more here.

Dogma: Peace can only come from within and cannot be taught or imposed. Seek stillness and thereby find peace. Plant trees and green-leafed things and tend such things when they need it, wherever they may be. Nurture and aid, and do not to restrict or punish. Work violence only to defend, and slay no thing of the forest except to prevent it from slaying themselves or another under their protection. Swear to take no thinking life except in direst need. Share with all beings the beneficial things that grow in or come from running water that all may know of and praise Eldath.

For Deific Obedience

Obedience: At a pool or calm stream or pond, reflect on the peace of the Goddess. After your meditation, offer to heal a stranger of his wounds, either by using the powers granted to you by the Goddess or with a potion, scroll, or the Heal skill. Tell the recipient it is by the will of Eldath that you have shown them compassion. Gain +2 sacred bonus to saves against any effects with the emotion or fear descriptor. If you engage in lethal combat at any point during a day, you lose all benefits of your obedience until atonement is made.

Boons
1: Peacemaker (Sp) peacebond 3/day, miserable pity 2/day, or blade snare 1/day
2: Divine Interference (Su) As an immediate action, when an enemy within 30 feet hits an ally with an attack, you can make the enemy reroll the attack roll. The second attack roll takes a penalty equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Whether or not the second attack is successful, you cannot use this effect on the same creature again for 24 hours. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom bonus (minimum 1).
3: Quietude (Su) You maintain an aura of utter peace. A continual sanctuary effect surrounds you, requiring enemies to succeed at a Will save (DC 11 + 1/2 your HD + your Charisma modifier) to directly attack you. Extraplanar creatures that manage to attack you directly must succeed at an additional Will save (DC 14 + 1/2 your HD+ your Charisma modifier) or return to their plane of origin as though affected by a dismissal spell. If you attack another creature, the sanctuary effect temporarily subsides for 1d4+1 rounds.

Paladin Code

Paladins who follow the tenets of the Knights of the Tranquil Pool are few, given the Goddess’ adherence to peace, and loathing to harm living beings. They will defend, rather than aggress. Of course, things that are an abomiation to life — undead and other such beings — will find paladins devoted to the Lady of the Waters to be an unforgiving torrent that won’t stay their hand until the corruption is destroyed.

• Life is sacred — I shall not act to harm another living soul lest to defend another in my charge.
• I shall seek peace first; I shall offer my hand in mercy before raising that hand with a sword. Should that mercy be spurned, I shall seek to subdue so that the same mercy might be extended once more in defeat.
• As the Goddess nurtures the earth with her waters, so shall I nurture those around me; I shall not leave another living creature hurt or in need.
• There is no peace where evil flourishes; when I must act against darkness, I shall make no hesitance.

For Followers of Eldath

Specialty Priest: Peacekeeper† (Oracle)

Archetypes: Monk of the Lotus (Monk), Sacred Shield (Paladin), Tranquil Guardian† (Paladin), Trapper (Ranger), Vow of Peace (Monk), Warden (Ranger)

Feats: Beacon of Hope, Bestow Hope, Hands of Valor, Intrepid Rescuer, Protective Channel, Riptide Attack, Thicket Channel, Wave Master

Divine Fighting Technique: Eldath’s Snare

Prestige Classes: Arcane Devotee, Divine Champion, Divine Disciple, Divine Scion (Unchained), Harper Agent

Spells: House of Hospitality, Peacemaker’s Parley

Traits: A Shining Beacon, Abundant Bounty, Child of Nature, Eldath’s Speaker, Eyes of the Wild, Flounderer, Fruits of Your Labor, Know the Land, Mighty Protector, Natural Philosopher, Patient Optimist, Peace Maker, Protective Faith, Purity of Faith, River Freedom, Split-Second Defense, Strong Swimmer, Wave’s Sight, Wise Teacher.

Unique Spell Rules

• Peace Bond can be prepared as a 1st-level Ranger spell.
• Sanctuary can be prepared as a 1st-level Paladin or Ranger spell.

Clergy & Temples

Pacifists and lovers of nature cleave to the Green Goddess. Many are vegetarians and herbalists who desire to take no life, but the ranks of the Eldathyn are studded with hardy adventurer-priests who serve as envoys to other faiths, act as go-betweens with urban worshipers (often guiding them to and from forest fastness temples), and carry items and messages from priest to priest within the faith. Although it is part of the making of a priest of Eldath that an individual must travel the lands widely enough to pray in at least nine sacred fastnesses (temple groves) dedicated to the goddess. Most Eldathyn settle in one grove or one forest and live their lives thereabouts. Aside from the major fastnesses, small temples and shrines exist in or near great forests, and clerics tend to the surrounding community and woodlands, usually in the form of an altar in or beside a consecrated pool, grotto or stream.