Matron of the Wild, Mother of Beasts, The Huntress

Domains: Nature, Life

Lady Devana, known as the Mother of Beasts, represents the wholeness of nature, the hunt, the wilderness, and the creatures that roam the wilds. Her domain stretches through all planes of existence where common folk rarely venture. Even though she presides over all things wild—coral reefs as much as trees, deserts as much as mountains and tundras—mortals often think of her as the personification of brushwood and beasts. For them, primeval forests serve as temples of the Huntress, and carved idols and shrines, often tree trunks and wooden effigies, are marked with her symbol. 

These shrines frequently serve as markers for those traveling through her domain, but also as a warning that beyond lies the dangers of the wild. When people come upon these shrines, they often place a gift in the form of a wreath of flowers, fruits of the forest, or a simple bow and arrow, honoring her role in the ceaseless and unforgiving cycle of survival. 

Devana doesn’t have dedicated priests like most deities, simply those who follow her tenets. Often her worshippers are loggers, shepherds, hunters, rangers, druids, and any who dwell in her wild domain. Faithful worshippers pray to Devana when seeking safe passage through her realm or to gain her favor during a hunt. The Matron of the Wild is worshiped mostly in smaller settlements close to nature that rely on her for survival. 

The Mother of Beasts requires no sacrifice. Devotion to her means the protection and respect of nature and its beasts. Trees felled by lumberjacks are ritually replanted during her feast day to give back to the forest that provides shelter and resources. On her holy day, hunters mark themselves with her symbol and embark on a holy hunt. Any prey caught is taken back to the settlement, where none of it is wasted; the hide is dried, the innards flavor broth, the bones become tools and armor, and the meat is cooked and ceremonially eaten by everyone in the settlement.