The Land's Protectorate is an institution of faith that acts like a temple in the Burrows. It is led by the Elder Deacon Elan Fairbairn.

The temple of the Land's Protectorate reflects the halflings' special tie with the land and beyond. Its religion centers on a respect for the land and the barriers between Daylight World and Shadow World. As such, it does not worship any god but its deacons and guides have abilities similar to priests. Some of its teachings are similar to those of Ruornil, but it is also seen as a source of knowledge on Shadow magic. Some scholars believe that Erik watches over the Protectorate and its care for the land, but others view the success and harmony of the Burrows to be a sign of Sera's power.

The Land's Protectorate is also used by warriors, rogues and priests for training in the Shadow World abilities particular to halflings. As such it is like a guild in that it teaches and administers exclusive skills and practises. The main lodge in each province is run by a Deacon, with the Elder Deacon being the regent.

The teaching and knowledge of the Land's Protectorate is divided into two key areas of specialisation:

• Evanescence, or the Mastery of Movement and Space - a study of the lands of Aebrynis and the Shadow World (and beyond), what connects and differs between them, and how to open and close and travel between them.
  
• Ken, or the Mastery of Knowing - a study of the reality and existence of those from the worlds, and how they may influence and manipulate their form and that around them
  

A lot of this knowledge is used to protect the Shambles. Mastery of the Evanessence provides skills at detecting and closing portals into the Shadow World as well as understanding how time and space may bleed and interplay to enable teleportation and shadow travel. Mastery of the Ken can combat the Seeming and those who dwell in the Shadow World, as well as help those who may be affected by the Taint. This includes knowing the beasts from the Shadow World and being able to cast wards, protections and attacks that can work against them. There are often liasons between the Land's Protectorate and the Quintain Brigade of Guardians and Watchers, each informing and aiding the other in guarding the Shambles against those who may wish to cause mischief, mayhem or misery from the halflings' former homeland. This includes some specialists that are outside of the normal priest or warrior roles.

Cerilian halflings naturally have an affinity with the Shadow World, and as such have a shadow sense. However, they can also be trained to extend this into other shadow abilities. The Land's Protectorate is one of the few places on Cerilia that provides such training, but does so cautiously. Firstly, it does not advertise that it has such expertise or services. Secondly, it limits who will be trained in what. It tends to only teach the Shadow Walker feat to those who it feels will use it for worthy purposes. The more powerful abilities, like Shadow Guide or anything requiring a stronger connection to the Seeming like shadow magic, tend to be reserved for a select few in the church's senior staff. Of course, not everyone finds they are able to link to the Shadow World and some are driven mad by its taint.

Elan Fairbairn (MHlf; Pr5, Land's Protectorate; Br, major, 26; CG), Elder Deacon
Tobias Farskin, (MHlf; Pr3, Land's Protectorate; Ry, minor, 12; CG), provincial Deacon of Coarsewell
Dodric Dansen (MHlf; Pr4, Land's Protectorate; unblooded; NG), provincial Deacon of Fellrock
Nada of the Orange (FHlf; Pr2, Land's Protectorate; An, minor, 8; LG), provincial Deacon of Westwold

Viga Loresage, temple historian and curator
Corlen Hartwall, senior Guide, Master of the Evanescence
Shorla Fairbairn, senior Guide, Master of the Ken
Graysund Fenstone, leader of the Quintain Brigade of Guardians and Watchers

• Distant cousin: The lodge in Fellrock is visited by an elf who needs help finding their pet. The thing is they don't seem like any of the elves normally encountered in the Burrows, and the animal doesn't resemble anything found on Cerilia. However, Polina Fairweather seems quite eager to help.
  

Domain Table: Land's Protectorate

Province	Law	Temple	Guild	Source
Ambles-on-Hillsfair, The Burrows (5/0)	EG (5)	EF (5)	JI (3)
			HB (2)
Coarsewell, The Burrows (3/4)	EG (3)	EF (2)	HB (1)
Fellrock, The Burrows (2/5)	EG (2)	EF (1)	JI (0)	RG (4)
Greenlock, The Burrows (4/3)	EG (3)	EF (3)	HB (3)	RG (3)
Westwold, The Burrows (6/0)	EG (5)	EF (4)	JI (3)
			HB (3)
Abbreviations: EG = Edvara Garrelban (Burrows); HB = Hollisande Burnlaffen (Burnlaffen, Childe, and Tallrow); JI = Jollid Innkeeper (Breadfruit North-South); EF = Elan Fairbairn (Land's Protectorate); RG = Rheulaan Greencloak (Wizard of Rheulgard);

There is a lot of ambiguity about this temple. Most of the canon information is from HotGB but that intentionally makes things ambiguous, like which deity they follow (cf. Doctrine and Faith) and what shadow abilities they teach (cf. Shadow training). Even the name of the temple is confused, with the text calling it the Land's Protectorate but the Domain Holding Table naming it Land's Protector.

So it is up to a DM how they wish to interpret this temple. The main gods mentioned are Ruornil (magic and night), Erik (nature and balance) and Sera (fortune and balance), but you may wish to link the powers of their clerics to the Shadow World and Seeming as a shadow class. This might mean that it isn't divine magic in the normal sense, as it comes from the land like the magic of the classes of druids or rangers. Likewise, you may decide to limit or restrict the temple's training of outsiders to combating or controlling creatures and powers from the Shadow World, like Seeming. Of course, this may have consequences, like the Taint. They may also not wish this to be common knowledge, or even for it to be known that they teach it. HotGB says that "Warriors, rogues and priests alike go to the Land's Protectorate for training in the use of the halfling's special Shadow World abilities, and that makes them a fearsome force to those who do not understand" (p53). This has been taken to mean that not all races can use the same abilities and as such it is mainly halflings who are trained. Others are not encouraged to dabble in the Shadow World, or to seek out the temple for their knowledge. While the temple is willing to teach its understanding of the two worlds, it will not share its secrets with everyone.

The link of halflings and the Burrows to the Shadow World is also not clearly expressed but you may wish to make this a core element of this temple. For instance, while it is known that halflings are said to have originally come to Aebrynis from the Shadow World, little is known how strong that connection still is. In your campaign, you may wish to include a subrace of Shadow World halfings or have realms in the Shadow World that are controlled by halfings. The role of the temple could be in helping the Burrows understand or overcome Shadow World matters.

Likewise, the Burrows has a few non-canon locations that could easily be associated with the Shadow World

• Crow's Treasure, in the mountains of Fellrock
  
• Grove of Lament, in the marshlands of Greenlock