The Good Mother

All awakened dogs know of the Good Mother. This is an instinctive understanding, something all dogs sense. To awakened dogs, there is much more than merely feeling. There is knowledge, recognition even. there are memories, and visions, of a being who nurtures them, who tends to them, even in the darkest of times. Some see a vast white bulldog with piercing green eyes, defending them against a cruel master. Others remember the warmth of a sheep dog's fur they could nuzzle against, even out in the cold. The Good Mother is always there, even if she isn't always seen and can't intervene.

Belief in the Good Mother is a universal amongst dogs. That is not to say that all follow her or choose her as their deity, but none deny her existence. She is a presence in the lives of all dogs even if only as a silent and unwanted one, and even if replaced by a belief in another god more directly pertinent to a given dog's life. There is no aspiration against dogs who choose to worship another deity in place of the Good Mother. To be so judgmental betrays the Good Mother herself. Amongst all true believers in the Good Mother there is a ferocious antipathy towards any dog who lives cruelly, who commits violent acts against the innocent.

The Good Mother's faithful seek to bring her tenderness into the world, and to bring the comfort of a good cuddle with a dog in front of a glowing fire to those who lack it.

Dogs are deeply committed to their faith, once chosen. They believe deeply in the tenants of the Good Mother, believing that through her they might finally arrive at the Great Hearth - the vast kitchen that all good dogs are granted access to. Here, there is always enough food, always a roaring fire to curl up next to, and always a fellow dog to chase and nip and play with. There is no hell which bad dogs are consigned to. The Good Mother is always bereft at the loss of any of her children, but amongst those canines who are attuned to the beyond, they say that bad dogs might be lost, wandering alone, and searching for the Great Hearth. It is said that every prayer uttered to the Good Mother helps to guide a lost dog to her side, and to the warmth of the Great Hearth.

The Great Hearth is always the principle behind the design of the many temples and shrines dedicated to the Good Mother. Such places of congregation can be found throughout the land. While they vary in size and state of repair, each offers any traveler (of any species) a warm welcome, a good meal, and a soft bed (or basket). Safety, comfort, protection. The essential qualities of the Good Mother are held as absolutely sacred in any place dedicated to her worship. Any adventuring party is always pleased to see a Temple of the Good Mother, and all dogs do their utmost to protect them, contributing in whatever way they can to maintain these sanctuaries.

The Good Mother is a god of many different aspects. Each dog cleaves to a different facet of the Good Mother's spirit, finding that part of her that reflects them best. Each aspect is different, and manifests itself as each individual dog requires.

The most commonly worshipped aspect of the Good Mother is She Who Nurtures, manifesting as a large Labrador with deep, dark brown eyes and an expression of purest joy spread across her features, not to forget a constantly wagging tail. She Who Nurtures is the aspect commonly invoked by those awakened dogs in search of comfort, of home and warmth. She is also often honored by clerics, bards, and some druids, who seek to spread the joy and comfort the Good Mother offers to those who need it. The symbol of She Who Nurtures is the Basket.

Beloved of rangers and rogues, She Who Hunts is the aspect of the Good Mother committed to the pursuit of the chase - whether for the fun of the game or in earnest. But She Who Hunts is not only concerned with tracking the quarry. Those dogs who follow She Who Hunts do so to celebrate the companionship formed between groups of friends who set out on dangerous journeys, or those who work towards a common goal no matter how risky the outcome might be. The symbol of She Who Hunts is the splayed paw.

She Who Protects is the chosen aspect of most who live by their skill with a weapon or jaws. Monks, paladins, fighters.... all place their faith in the bared teeth of the protector, drawing on the fierce determination that She Who Protects feels towards all her many children. No matter the odds, no matter the risks, those who commit themselves to She Who Protects always interpose themselves between the innocent and defenceless and anything that seeks to do them harm. It's a path that comes with a lot of hardship, but those who walk it do so gladly. The Symbol of She Who Protects is the Tooth.

This aspect takes a great interest in shaping the lives of the dogs who pledge themselves to her, as She Who Corrects is the part of the Good Mother than helps those who seek it to find redemption. Those who choose to follow She Who Corrects are those who fear that they might be, or might become, bad dogs. Warlocks are often conscientious followers of She Who Corrects, believing that only through balancing the demands of their patron with the positive influence of She Who Corrects can they reach the Great Hearth. The symbol of She Who Corrects is the collar.

For those dogs whose power is drawn from the beyond, there is the aspect known as She Who Seeks. This is the part of the Good Mother that looks beyond, explores, discovers those things which were lost in the darkness or were buried and needed to be unearthed through dedicated digging. Sorcerers and wizards are most drawn to She Who Seeks, her restless hunt for that which has been lost mirroring their own obsessive hunt for knowledge to guide and shape their power. The symbol of She Who Seeks is the pricked-up ear.

It is rare to see She Who Bonds worshipped directly. Her role amidst the myriad aspects of the Good Mother is more enigmatic. She is the aspect that brings together all dogs, all canine species, with other species. Some beasts are incapable of being tamed. Dogs are not such a species; they quickly become friends with humanoids, other beasts, and other dogs. They form deep attachments. They love deeply and devotedly. This is the gift of the Good Mother, the capacity to care. So deeply entrenched is this aspect of the Good Mother in all dogs, though, that few feel the need to dedicate themselves to it. It simply is. An inalienable and undeniable part of each and every dog. The symbol of She Who Bonds is the tail.

Aspects of the Good Mother