Melora, the Wildmother is the goddess of wilderness and the sea.[5] She watches over nature, good harvest, grants protection from washing away in storms, and guides the passage of ships. As an NPC, The Wildmother is played by Matthew Mercer.
Symbols
A Melora Swirl vs. the Tharizdun Spiral of Decay
In addition to the staff-and-wreath, one of Melora's symbols is a swirl carved into stone, a slow cascading spiral with a wave crest at the center.[6] (This should not be confused with the jagged spiral sometimes used by followers of The Chained Oblivion, which is sometimes called The Spiral of Decay.) In her role as a goddess of sea life, this symbol is also often painted onto a sea shell.(See below right for an example made from a seashell.)
Artifacts
The Spire of Conflux, a staff capable of casting powerful druidic spells and increasing the power of the wielder's spells, was made from the Wildmother's breath.[7] It is currently wielded by the archdruid Keyleth, Headmaster of the Air Ashari tribe in Zephrah, Tal'Dorei.
Places of Worship & Holy Sites
Issylra
The district of Vasselheim known as Abundant Terrace is dedicated to the Wildmother.[8] The Abundant Terrace is where most of the food in Vasselheim is grown. In such a cold environment it is Melora's blessing that allows the land there to be fertile and grow crops from many different places. The temple in this district devoted to her worship is called the the Birthheart.[9]
Wildemount
Worship of the Wildmother is banned in the Dwendalian Empire.[10]
Outside of the Empire, there are five notable holy sites or shrines dedicated to the Wildmother that are currently known:
- The Blooming Grove: Caduceus Clay and his family tended the graveyard in the Blooming Grove, which was a magically-warded sanctum that contained graves of people who had been touched by The Wildmother in the Savalirwood near Shadycreek Run.[11] This site is a gift to the Archeart.[12]
- The Mother's Lighthouse: In Nicodranas, there is a lighthouse called the Mother's Lighthouse that is dedicated to the worship of the Wildmother.[13] It had been kept by Lightkeeper Gladys for her entire 86-year life.[14]
- Cinderrest Sanctum: (also known as "The Kiln" or "The Burning Lodge") Caduceus Clay's allies of the Dust Clan have their home in the Underforge of The Wildmother, a gift to The Allhammer located within Kravaraad. Kravaraad is a craggy black volcano with a lake at its base.
- The Arbor Exemplar: A lone, massive tree located in the Barbed Fields of Xhorhas. The Arbor Exemplar is surrounded by verdant grass which grows out a hundred feet or so during the night and then retracts during the day.[15] The Arbor Exemplar is the sister tree of the Birthheart in Vasselheim.[16]
- The Menagerie: Located in the jungles southwest of the Whitedawn Lagoon,[17] the Menagerie was created and maintained by the Stone Family at the behest of the Wildmother as a gift to The Changebringer.[18]
Commandments of the Wildmother
Commandments of the Wildmother
Protect the untamed wildernesses of the realm from exploitation and destruction.
Slay abominations and other dark mockeries of nature.
Embrace and respect the savage nature of the world. Exist in harmony with it.
Known Worshipers
One worshiper in Westruun keeps a statue of Melora in her home. When the statue was broken, the owner said that she knew she would be forgiven for letting the statue break.[19]
- Caduceus Clay, cleric of the Blooming Grove
- Fjord, warlock/paladin of Port Damali
- Gladys, Lightkeeper of the Mother's Lighthouse
- Lamor, worshiper at The Birthheart in the Abundant Terrace (in Vasselheim)
- Ophera, High Hierophant of The Birthheart in the Abundant Terrace (in Vasselheim)
History
Background
Fan art of The Wildmother, by @TheRileyOMalley.[art 2]
During the Calamity, Melora created the Spire of Conflux, one of the Vestiges of Divergence. Along with the rest of the Prime Deities, the Wildmother left the Material Plane and sealed herself behind the Divine Gate during the Divergence.[20]
Towards the end of the Calamity, the Wildmother planted a seed in the most desolate place in the world before withdrawing beyond the Divine Gate. That place is now the Barbed Fields of Xhorhas, where the huge tree stands alone in the middle of dangerous plains. Called the Arbor Exemplar, it is considered the sister of the Seed of Rebirth in the The Abundant Terrace, the main temple of the Wildmother in Vasselheim.[21]
The Wildmother is in a relationship, albeit fractured, with the goddess of civilization and laws, Erathis. The fractured nature of the relationship reflects the disparity between civilization and nature, and Melora greatly wishes for the two to return to the harmony they once had.
Campaign 1: Vox Machina
The Spire of Conflux was one of several Vestiges of Divergence found by Vox Machina while gathering power to defeat the Chroma Conclave.[22]
Fan art of Fjord's symbol of Melora, by Doug Myers.[art 3]
Keyleth invoked Melora's name as she cast her last Feeblemind spell on Raishan.[23]
Campaign 2: The Mighty Nein
"Within the Nest" (2x28) The remaining members of the Mighty Nein sought out the priest located in the Blooming Grove, a holy site to Melora, in order to avenge Mollymauk Tealeaf's death and free their friends from captivity. They discovered Caduceus Clay there, who joined the party to help find a cure for the rapidly spreading disease plaguing his home temple.
"The Ruby and the Sapphire" (2x33) The Mighty Nein visited the Mother's Lighthouse in order to find some information about the recent whereabouts of Marius LePual.
"In Hot Water" (2x43) After being banned from Darktow Island, Caduceus cast Divination asking the Wildmother where the safest place to port and repair the Squalleater would be. She responded back, "Bisaft Isle brings you safest harbor in what you seek." After casting the spell, Caduceus felt more confident on the seas. [24]
"The Second Seal" (2x47) Caduceus Clay cast Divination, asking The Wildmother what Fjord's former mentor Vandran was doing. He heard a warm voice along with an unexpected warm wind on a cold night say "Staying out of sight. Making amends."[25]
"A Game of Names" (2x49) While the Mighty Nein were trying to figure out who had kidnapped Yeza Brenatto, Caduceus Clay cast Divination asking The Wildmother, "What is Yeza's destination?" He felt the wind around him pick up and a voice speak through the wind: "Ghor Dranas".[26]
"Duplicity" (2x55) Jester Lavorre cast Revivify on Caduceus Clay after Nott accidentally killed him with an explosive arrow. For an instant she felt a presence and saw a matronly smile and a figure with tumbling hair in the shadows. Jester told Caduceus she saw The Wildmother looking over him and smiling. While in darkness, Caduceus had a vision of green fields, ice-covered land, a fiery forge, and glimpses of scattered historical families. A warm breeze blew east past the mountains and the wastes. Caduceus mysteriously felt like he was on the right path.[27]
Fan art of Caduceus Clay casting Commune, by Nikki Dawes.[art 4]
"Chases and Trees" (2x65) Caduceus Clay cast Commune while the Mighty Nein camped near the Arbor Exemplar in the Barbed Fields. He asked if the tree was hers. The Wildmother responded it was her last and final seed. He asked what was keeping her away. She responded that the land was still scarred since the gods all left. He finally asked if he was here to fix the landscape. She responded: "It's too big to fix. Your path is your own."[28] That night, Fjord dreamed of Uk'otoa threatening him, when a voice said "Come with me, child." He swam into a small chamber of tangled vines and roots, and the voice spoke once more, "The womb I grant, but withers without faith. His will shall find you again... but until it does, rest." That same night, Caduceus also had a vision of a mountainous area with a volcano. Shards of green glass were thrown into the magma and turned purple in color. The vision then shifted to a jungle oasis holding a temple next to a pool. The same crystals were placed in the water and grew roots like a germinated seed.
"Beneath Bazzoxan" (2x66) While on their night watch, Fjord told Caduceus about the vision he had the night before under the tree. Caduceus explained that the voice he heard is the Wildmother, the deity that Caduceus's family worships. Fjord shared that he had been surrounded in warmth and wanted to feel that again. Caduceus taught Fjord how to meditate, and he heard the familiar sound of waves crashing on the shore.[29]
"Clay and Dust" (2x72) The Mighty Nein visited the Cinderrest Sanctum under Kravaraad in search of someone who could reforge the Star Razor.
"Rime and Reason" (2x75) Caduceus cast Commune, asking the Wildmother if she could give Fjord his magical powers back. She responded with a definitive yes.
"Refjorged" (2x76) While meditating, Fjord saw Melora's face in the sky. She told him the seed of darkness in him was too deep for her to heal, but she could help him if he would swear to protect all that is hers. He agreed without hesitation, and she gave him her boon as tendrils of seaweed encased him. In the morning, he awakened stronger and officially became her paladin.
"The Folding Halls" (2x80) After realizing that they had been scryed upon, Caduceus cast Commune to ask the Wildmother about it. She affirmed that it had been someone in the Kryn Dynasty, that it was not Essek, and that it was by command of the Bright Queen. During the communion, Fjord and Caduceus's hair unexpectedly moved to an invisible gust of wind.[30]
"The Beat of the Permaheart" (2x82) Caduceus cast Commune and learned that Yussa Errenis was still alive in the Happy Fun Ball, but not in either the Dreadnought chamber or the Crystal Mines.
"Unwanted Reunions" (2x88) Fjord was given a holy symbol of the Wildmother by Caduceus after maintaining his sense of self throughout his battle with Uk'otoa.[31]
"Lingering Wounds" (2x89) Fjord used his downtime in Rexxentrum to meditate and allow himself to be more open to the Wildmother. After some time focusing, a calm breeze washed over his mind and he heard the familiar sounds of the ocean waves.
"With Great Power..." (2x94) The Mighty Nein visited the Menagerie in order to help Caduceus complete the quest given to him by Melora.
"Family Shatters" (2x96) Caduceus and Jester were able to restore the petrified members of the Clay family and several of the Stone Family as well. Caduceus fulfilled the last step of the visions the Wildmother had sent him by dropping his transformed residuum crystals into the pool in the Menagerie. He then gave the crystals to his sister Calliope, and asked her to plant them within the Blooming Grove in his stead.
"High Seas, High Stakes" (2x99) After Fjord was revived successfully by Caduceus and had the Cloven Crystal taken out of him, he began to remember the cold isolating darkness that came along with death as he slept. Melora sent a "bloom of green and warm blossom" that helped wash away the lingering anxiety and fear. [32]
"The Ruined Sliver" (2x104) Caduceus successfully cast Divine Intervention and asked the Wildmother about Vokodo's true nature. He was shown that Vokodo had fled from the Astral Plane while being pursued and crashed on Rumblecusp, dragging slivers of multiple other planes with him. [33]
"Devoutness and Dicks" (2x107) As Caduceus was trying to meditate in the evening, visions of the floating city in the Astral Sea flooded his mind once more. He felt afraid and a cold chill shot through his body, knowing that this entity was a perversion of the values he held dear. The next day, Caduceus cast Commune, asking the Wildmother if she knew anything about this creature. She responded back with a cold breeze, indicating she didn't know what this creature was or if it was coming for them.[34]
"Traveler Con" (2x108) Caduceus cast Commune asking the Wildmother if the Traveler was being reasonably honest about his plans for the TravelerCon the following day. She responded only with a comforting embrace indicating she didn't know the answer.
Trivia
- The Wildmother's holy day is Wild's Grandeur, celebrated on the vernal equinox.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 21.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 18.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 23.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 67.
- ↑ See "Trial of the Take: Part 1" (1x18) at 50:01.
- ↑ See "At Dawn, We Plan!" (1x53) at 22:12.
- ↑ See "A Name Is Earned" (1x49) at 4:46:03.
- ↑ See "Loose Ends" (1x84) at 2:44:31.
- ↑ See "Trial of the Take: Part 1" (1x18) at 50:01.
- ↑ See "Steam and Conversation" (2x09) from 0:40:39 through 0:43:10. Claudia Sheed lists the approved deities of the empire, which do not include the Wildmother.
- ↑ See "Within the Nest" (2x28) at 1:01:22.
- ↑ See "Talks Machina #143: 'Family Shatters'" (TMx143) at 0:53:10.
- ↑ See "The Ruby and the Sapphire" (2x33) at 53:39.
- ↑ See "The Ruby and the Sapphire" (2x33) at 2:58:51.
- ↑ See "Beneath Bazzoxan" (2x66) at 1:16:59.
- ↑ See "Chases and Trees" (2x65) at 2:41:48.
- ↑ See "Family Shatters" (2x96) at 0:09:05.
- ↑ See "Causatum" (2x70) at 3:32:41.
- ↑ See "At Dawn, We Plan!" (1x53) at 0:21:34.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 7.
- ↑ See "Chases and Trees" (2x65) at 2:41:49.
- ↑ See "Vorugal" (1x71) at 4:39:39. Vox Machina recover the Spire of Conflux from the corpse of Yenk the goristro
- ↑ See "The Deceiver's Stand" (1x83) at 3:29:47.
- ↑ See "In Hot Water" (2x43) from 2:31:08 through 2:31:44.
- ↑ See "The Second Seal" (2x47) from 3:21:12 through 3:22:34.
- ↑ See "A Game of Names" (2x49) from 2:27:53 through 2:29:00.
- ↑ See "Duplicity" (2x55) from 4:05:11 through 4:08:18.
- ↑ See "Chases and Trees" (2x65) from 2:37:57 through 2:40:16.
- ↑ See "Beneath Bazzoxan" (2x66) from 2:47:02 through 2:48:43.
- ↑ See "The Folding Halls" (2x80) from 39:40 through 41:28.
- ↑ See "Unwanted Reunions" (2x88) at 1:21:40.
- ↑ See "High Seas, High Stakes" (2x99) from 1:45:45 through 1:47:36.
- ↑ See "The Ruined Sliver" (2x104) from 35:55 through 39:43.
- ↑ See "Devoutness and Dicks" (2x107) from 1:22:40 through 1:24:45.
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of the Wildmother, by Binky (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of The Wildmother, by @TheRileyOMalley (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Fjord's symbol of Melora, by Doug Myers (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Caduceus Clay casting Commune, by Nikki Dawes (source). Used with permission.
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