Church of Silvanus

Activities Urban worshipers of Silvanus were gardeners who tried to create a space of wilderness within the broader city.[1] They also dispensed sweetsap drinks, such as maple syrup, sweetroot brews, and mint teas, in order to attract followers.[1] Clergy of Silvanus preached about the peace and purity of wild lands.[1] Clergy of Silvanus were expected to protect forests, plant new trees whenever possible, and banish disease.[1] They also were friends of Dryads, and were expected to seek them out and serve them whenever possible.[1] While expected to kill only when necessary, they were fierce enemies of those who would harm the forest with axe or fire.[1] Silvanites should use violence only when the situation or hostile enemy leaves no other option.[1] The most common activities of Silvanites were counteracting land clearances, brought by extensive farming or overhunting.[1] The underlying cause of these incursions against nature were often population growth and the pressures this brought.[1] Silvanites often tried to slow or redirect such development of civilization in order to protect nature and the sacred Balance.[1] This even led them to sometimes covertly sponsoring brigands, or placing and selectively breeding predators to curtail human expansion.[1] They did this secretly in order to preserve their good reputation with nearby human settlements.[1] Silvanites aided in wildlife breeding, nursing sick animals, and replanting shrubs and trees.[1]
Rituals Most rituals to Silvanus take place atop a hill with a stand of ancient oak trees crowning the top.[1][3] Worship of Silvanus always involves sacrifices, but never blood sacrifice, instead something wooden must be ceremonially broken and buried, but never burned.[1][3] Wooden carts, wagons, or chairs were examples of items suitable for sacrifice.[1][3] Call of Oak, Ash, and Thorn In this ritual the supplicant to Silvanus gathers the leaves of Oak, Ash and Thorn trees.[1] The leaves are then floated on still water, and Silvanus is entreated to hear the worshiper's prayer.[1][3] Vigil of Silvanus For more serious concerns, the worshiper of Silvanus can participate in a Vigil.[1][3] This can be used to converse with a servant of Silvanus, or to receive godly favors or magical powers.[1][3] The worshiper anoints their body with powder of crushed acorns and mistletoe leaves mixed with either rainwater or springwater.[1][3] Once anointed, the supplicant must spend the night either lying down upon or in contact with a growing tree.[1][3] This must take place for most of the night.[1][3] In addition, some part of the supplicants bare flesh must be held in contact with green, growing moss.[1] These requirements made moss-covered giant trees commonly used for Vigils.[1][3] Song of the Trees The Song of the Trees was one of the more powerful and holy rituals of the Silvanites.[1][3] It was a droning, repetitive chant that could sound haunting, that would leap from sharp to flat pitch.[1] The power of the ritual would increase the more worshipers who participated.[1] When the ritual was performed, woodland creatures would surround the worshipers and watch in silent witness.[1] The creatures would not prey upon or fear one another, leaving aside their natural instincts.[1] The Song of Trees also healed diseased, scarred, or burned trees.[4] In rare moments of special favor with Silvanus, even fallen or felled trees could be restored.[4] Dryad Dance The Dryad Dance was another powerful and holy ritual of considerable widlness that drew out Dryads and Hamadryads.[4][3] It involved considerable dancing, piping, and carousing.[4] Dryads and Hamadryads were empowered by the dance for a month, able to to walk far away from their trees as long as the magic from the ritual lasted, although they were unable to use their Charm abilities while far from their trees.[4] Dryads and their trees were revitalized and healed by the ritual.[4] It was common for matings between humans and dryads to occur during the ritual, which caused the rapid spread of new oak trees and the birth of new dryads.[4][3] Thorncall A grim ritual, this ceremony allowed thick walls of dangerous thorns to be raised out of the forest soil.[3] The thorns had to be raised over the body of slain servant of Silvanus, or if such a servant had shed much blood in the vicinity.[4][3] Sadly, this was the ritual performed the most often by Silvanites.[4] It was used to protect the forest and wild lands from further incursion and despoliation and to protect the Balance.[4][3] The thick walls of thorns were as permanent and labyrinthine as the Silvanite clergy wished.[4] Worshipers of Silvanus, or servant creatures such as stags, if slain or harmed, could form the basis of the ritual.[4]
Holy Days While the Silvanites worshiped the Forest Father at all times, they had several holy days.[1] Greengrass Midsummer Night Highharvesttide Night the Forest Walks This festival could occur at any time of the year.[1] During this festival, when Silvanus is restless, the forests and trees themselves move about.[1][3] Streams and ravines can change and caves can appear or disappear in the forest.[1] Forest magic is particularly strong and wild, and monsters who live in the forest become very active

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Related Traditions

• Greengrass