Bounty of the Springmother

A Primary Holy Scripture of Galana Printed Throughout the Territories

Written by David_Ulph

A tender sapling grows,
Each change too small for mortal eyes;
And time, like river, flows,
As kingdoms fall and kingdoms rise.
An excerpt of a poem featured in 'Observations' by Basho,
another text considered holy in Temples of Plenty

Temples of Plenty

One of the primary deities revered by the Holy See is Galana of the Garden, under the standard epithet of the Spring Queen. Holy sites dedicated to Galana the Spring Queen across the Holy See Territories are known as Temples of Plenty serviced by a priesthood known as Acolytes who support nearby communities in the spheres Galana governs according to the Holy See: The hearth, community, charity, fertility, maternity, family, orphans, domestication and beauty.

A major element of this is to build Temples of Plenty in rural agricultural communities so that the Acolytes of Galana can assist in farming festivals throughout the months of Ostara (3rd) and Harvestend (10th) to assist in sowing and harvesting respectively. In these rural settings, Temples of Plenty are open-aired courtyard-styled buildings, that often double as gardens, greenhouses and nature preserves.

These blessed gardens often contain rare plants and animals with healing and other magical properties, as well as a copy of the sacred text known as the 'Bounty of the Springmother' written in every language for all to be able to read and learn the holy knowledge of the Saint. Infernal is even included for Tieflings who have converted to the righteous path of the Holy See.

The Bounty of the Springmother

The book states that it was written by the Springmother, though it is a collection of farmers' tales and rural musings that provide helpful advice for farming, as well as for many day-to-day personal problems. Much of this book contains legends of ancient animals and plants with special magical properties, as well as common plants with alchemical benefits and easy charms for everyday farming issues.

Excerpts

When a stone is tied to the cow's tail, and the mystic words of Our Lady are uttered, the animal would be found safe and at the same spot in the morning.

When a new-born child of any mortal creature is being washed, a straw rope should be tied around it and then cut into pieces. This will safeguard the creature from falling deathly ill from malady of the Mind and suffering seizure. If seizure does occur later in life, burying a cockerel alive during the event will prevent it from happening again.

The branches of a rowan tree are indispensable to a farmer, as lining your crofting land with a border fence made of said branches will repel any bad Spirits who seek to do harm to livestock or produce. If you carry a piece of rowan on you, at all times no evil or envious eye will rest upon your equipment.

The pearlwort is a most holy plant of Galana, for it grows and thrives on cold hard walls which proves any of her creations can thrive atop this Mortal Realm. Placed on the lintel of the door, it will ward off the risen dead from entering the abode. If placed in a bull's horn at the time of being with a cow - though also works with sheep or goats - the offspring's milk can not be stolen away by witches. Finally, if placed below the right knee of a woman in labour which is known to be a sacred time for Galana, Our Lady will show favour to the child and bless away any evil machinations which would have aimed to curse the birthing.

Prompts Advent Calendar #4

WorldEmber Article #5

Type

Text, Religious

Medium

Paper

Author

The Springmother

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The Author

The identity of the Springmother, as well as her very name, has been lost to obscurity over the centuries since the Holy See's establishment. As such, this very absence of fact has led to many different interpretations and beliefs sprouting like dandelions in an unkept garden surrounding the Springmother.

Official Interpretation

The Springmother is revered as an unconventional Saint according to the canon law of the Pontifex Maximus, where she is not openly revered in prayer but appreciated for her work most holy in the eyes of Our Lady Galana. She is understood to have been a mortal elderly woman who was closely connected to Galana herself and in tune with the nature she is worshipped for. An example that any faithful subject of the Holy See Territories can aspire to become.

Aspect of Galana

Zealous Acolytes of Galana have been known to claim the Springmother was an aspect of Our Lady Galana herself after she crossed the Star Bridge to walk among the Mortal Realm. While many Pontifex Maximus' have been accepting of more zealous interpretations in the past, it is a founding belief of the Holy See as a unified religion that the gods cannot return to the Mortal Realm under any circumstances unless they tip the balance of the Great Dance too early than Effe's Destiny predicted. Therefore, these claims may be deemed heretical and touched by madness.

Basho the Changeling

One somewhat heretical claim is that both Basho the Poet and the Springmother were the same figure, and that Basho is a Changeling and therefore explains why he could live amongst hostile Wood Elves for so long as well as appear as the Springmother to hide his bardic fame.

While the extreme differences in Basho's busts found in Temples of Plenty across the Holy See Territories may only provide evidence towards this fact, Changelings are the children of Hags and therefore connected directly to Throff, the Great Hag and mortal enemy of the Celestial Gods. To claim not one but two Saints of Galana were hagspawn is to suffer immediate excommunication and potentially execution via witch-hunt.

However, the theory still exists strong on the fringes of the Territories not connected to heathen frontiers. The lack of Holy Citadel missionaries passing through allows for such diverging faiths to continue and spread slowly in the vast Territories. And this is an unacceptable divergence in the eyes of the Pontifex Maximus, as it allows more lenient treatment given to those who give favour to Throff or her ways.

One report from the great famine of 4E 234 in the Duchy of Westvale came to the ears of the Holy Citadel that the small farmstead of Griminish seemed to be miraculously saved from what was judged by the Pontifex Maximus to be divine punishment for hidden sins only the eyes of a Celestial could see. A Heldenic Inquisitor was sent to investigate the Griminish Temple of Plenty, where it was discovered a Green Hag by the name "Bosha's Ma" had been accepted into the parish priesthood. To prevent any fear of Throffian influence, the Temple and all surrounding healthy farms were all burned down.