The Holy Church of the Life Gardener
Territories
The Holy Church of the Life Gardener is most present in the North Western regions of Eclayora; Yoswaine, Aspar, some regions of Ascium and some sects in The Twin Isles.
Tenets of Faith
- Preserve nature's majesty though tending to your own little garden
- Take only what you need and give back to the earth
- Without the ants there wouldn't be any bears; everything has a part to play
Ethics
This is a peaceful offshoot religion of Scent's teachings that focuses mostly on the nature aspect of her. Although there is a minor focus on the natural cycle and such, as a whole, most of its followers keep an intense focus on how they personally can nurture and aid the nature around them in taking its path while keeping the grand scheme in mind. As such, many of its followers practise gardening, druidic arts, foraging and hunting for survival only, farming and natural/herbal healing. They tend to avoid influences that stray too far from the natural way such as trading for financial gain and certain advancements in technology, instead choosing to lead a simpler life of trading for necessities and living in a self-sustaining way.
Worship
Holy Days and Celebrations
The Death of the Year.
The Death of the Year is one of the biggest celebrations for all of Scent's followers. The Holy Church of the Life Gardener use this time as an opportunity to take a look at what they have gained throughout the year, what they no longer have need of and where it can best be of use for the next year. As such it is common practise to give each other second hand gifts they think the other can use, buying gifts for this is seen as taboo but crafting gifts from what you have is also ok. The celebratory meal is kept simple and any leftovers are returned to the earth as compost. It is also common, but not universal, for members of this group to plant a bulb or seed as a family at the stroke of midnight to kick off the new year. Any children or families with animals that give birth around this time are seen as blessed for the year to come and the child is thought to have been chosen by Loisia, which whether a result of a divine blessing or community pressure tends to lead to devout followers who achieve great things for the church.The Changing of the Seasons
Each season change is observed as a holy day for this group. The date is usually defined by the first sign of the season's change in nature so it is not a universal date but instead dependent on the smaller sects. As soon as a follower in the area witnesses the first autumnal leaf, the first bud of spring, the first migration of summer or the first flake of winter, they report it to their clerics and the word is spread to begin the celebrations. What the first is can also be changeable by the climate of the region, for example in a snowy area such as Aspar the first flake of winter is replaced by a first migration of winter. As for the celebrations, there is usually a feast for all followers in the local temple as well as the specific celebration welcoming each season. For summer, there is a grand herb gathering to restock local medicinal supplies. For autumn, collecting remaining flowers that will soon die and pressing them, is a common practise, to leave them around the home as a reminder that summer will come again. For winter, a gathering of fallen branches and small bonfires finalise celebrations, spare gathered wood is then stored for the remainder of the cold months. For spring, strategic gardening and replanting is done communally to give as best a chance as possible for each being.The Solstices
Despite each solstice being heavily linked to other members of The Five the solstices still have natural importance for members of the Holy Church of the Life Gardener. For the Summer Solstice, a day of rest. The world is working harder on this day so you don't have to. Families will spend this time together doing something as simple as a local picnic or as elaborate as a grand reunion. For the Winter Solstice when magic is at its peak the druids and clerics of the group use the extra power granted to them to put on great displays of Loisia's power. Druidcrafted floral displays, mass healings of the sick and even blessing the surrounding area with improved fertility for a time. It is also a time of teaching and an opportunity for budding clerics and druids to come into their power, with the most followers in the Church gaining such power on this day.The Day of Preparation
The day of preparation is also an important festival in the Holy Church of the Life Gardener. This is the final day of the preparation period before the coming of the autumnal harvest. By this day all preparations must be finished or else they must be forgotten and you must face the problem caused head on when the time comes as is the way of the natural world. This celebration is solemn, in remembrance of the coming of the end of the cycle and the harsh lead up to it. Followers leave an offering of the dried flowers they collected at the changing of the season to Loisia at the temple, in hopes that any missed preparation does not hinder them and that all other preparations come to fruition.The Harvest Festival
A day of celebration after all has been gathered. Families celebrate what they have gained to put away and survive off over the winter and others mourn their misfortune. Families that have gatherings to spare pile them all together in the temple for the unlucky to take what they need, but any found lacking must simply accept the hand nature has dealt to them if nothing is spare for that is the path of life.Political Influence & Intrigue
The Holy Church tries to stay out of political affairs as much as possible deeming them predominantly unnatural and of no importance to their operations. They occasionally petition against certain movements that would disrupt the natural world such as logging plans and pest exterminations however this is usually on a small local sect scale than the organisation as a whole.
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