Alignment: Neutral Good

Domains: Plant, Animal, Good, Destruction

Goddess of nature and of the wild, that part of nature that provides the fire from her wood, food from her animals, and protections to those that would find balance with nature. She realizes that one must take some from nature to survive, and as long as one respects it, she accepts the loss as a necessary part of the cycle of life. To those that would despoil nature and destroy its balance, she saves her full wrath of storms and attacks from the animals that dwell in the deepest parts of her forests. Temples to her are usually of wood and trees, cultivated and grown naturally, and tended by great druids that watch over her forests.
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Bria is one of two deities that stayed with the refugees from old land to new. Being the goddess of nature she is just as strong in this new domain as she was in the old. Bria counts all forms of natural creatures, plants and lands under her care, from the barest seeming deserts to the lushest jungles. As the guardian of nature Bria understands that balance is required to sustain all those that are a part of nature, including the sentient races that walk across her lands. As long as the balance is respected, she allows the harvesting of plants, farming, the killing and raising of animals and all other actions that allow the sentient races to live and prosper in this world. In these ways she is a supporter of the sentient races, as she can see the ways they contribute to nature, even while they draw from it. It is only those that abuse the balance of nature that she reserves her ire for, whether the abuse is intentional or not. In the case of the most innocent of infractions Bria will simply send some of her animals to disrupt the offending activities, or scare off the perpetrator so they may learn their lesson and become more balanced in their ways. Intentional miscreants can find their activities hampered in more serious ways; the plants and animals of the environment will literally work against them in a quiet war to end the activities that are upsetting the balance. Animals will attack randomly, plants will tangle and overgrow equipment, diseases, bad weather and unexpected patches of quicksand or other hazards will appear and disappear all in an effort to drive off the intruders. The worst cases will bring forth giant versions of animals common to the environment being despoiled, many times stronger then their normal versions. These enhanced creatures are blessed warriors of Bria used to physically destroy the threat to her lands. Among the gods Bria’s power is respected by most, and is a point of contention for others. Ine’th Xa believes that Bria wishes to take over control of the elemental domains. Bria especially hates the god Paragor, whom she believes represents the supreme abomination. His undead servants are an affront to the natural cycle, so Bria does everything in her power to spoil whatever Paragor’s plans whenever possible.

Bria’s temples are all constructed in ways that utilize whatever natural structures exist in the terrain they are founded. Forests will have temples in clearings shaped by Bria’s druid priests, an altar will be grown from the forest floor, as will any seating places. Deserts may be a simple oasis in the sea of sand, with one or two palm trees, and a single stone in the center of the water. All temples will have their own shape depending entirely on what would be natural for the place such a temple is created. Worshippers of Bria either become druids to attune with the natural realms they care for, or they become clerics charged with the defense of the natural realm. The hierarchy of Bria’s temples is fairly loose, the servant of Bria that has been at the temple the longest is most often the one charged with guiding the rest of the coven and conducting the ceremonies important to the temple. Bria often charges these covens with helping communities and people to live in balance with nature, providing what they need to live, without drawing too much away in exchange.

All kinds of races worship Bria, though some obviously have more destructive tendencies then others. Half-orcs, their full-blooded bretheren and other races that show little respect for nature rarely serve this deity. In order to respect the balance of nature, all of Bria’s worshippers must be neutral, and must understand the place of all things within the world. The route followed by those worshippers can vary, some spend their time healing the damaged land and helping those that seek balance, these worshippers are usually NG. Others are more destructive, these followers believe that many cannot change, and set out destroying offenders and those they see as violating the natural order. These few often reach NE alignment, their view of balance becoming more important then the lives of those that may violate it.

© 2003, Geoffrey Quick, All rights reserved