The Athar Guide to Mother Powers
by Burbank and Corsica Ralopolis
Most pantheons have their mother-figure gods, the nurturers and life-givers of the divine world. These powers represent timeless symbols of creation, nurturing, and protection. They’re the deities who embody the essence of motherhood itself, be it in the gentle caress of a summer breeze or the fierce protection of a she-bear guarding her cubs.
Consider Gaea, the primordial Earth Mother in Greek mythology. She didn’t just give birth to the Prime; she birthed gods, monsters, and titans alike. From her union with Uranus, the sky, came the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the fearsome Hecatoncheires. Her children are the very foundation of Olympian mythology, from the deathless Titans to the rise of the current powers of Olympuss. But Gaea’s legacy is also one of conflict and betrayal, as her children turned against one another again and again in their quest for supremacy.
Another of the fertile powers is Danu, the mother goddess of the Celts. While details about her are sparse—since birthing half the pantheon, she’s disappeared off into the mists of obscurity—but nonetheless she’s considered the matriarch of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
According to Egyptian myths, Nut, the sky goddess, bore some of the most significant deities of the pantheon, including Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. Chant goes that each night, she swallowed the sun god, Ra, and then gave birth to him again each morning.
On the darker side of the fence, the Great Mother of the beholder pantheon is exactly that. Except the ‘great’ part; she’s actually a terrible mother. Her only known surviving divine spawn is Gzemnid, who is in hiding somewhere in the Outlands. Her other spawn are mainly powerful mortal beholders; chant goes she slays any who get too mighty in order to protect her crown.
These mother-goddesses represent the nurturing aspect of the divine, reminding us that across the pantheons there’s always a place for the gentle touch of a mother, the fierce protection of a matriarch, or just plain old murderous psychopathy.
See Also: The Athar Guide to the Powers
Mother Powers
Source: Jon Winter-Holt, mimir.net