Silvan

Silvan
Scripture	Venandi's Truth (translated)
Founder	Venandi
Origin	Ta'igi ta'e (Old Silvan)

Introduction

The Silvan people, children and guardians of the Forest, worship nature and her beauty endlessly as they pursue selfless, yet meaningful lives. Omnia provides the Silvans with protection from harm through her brothers and sisters regulation of their material world. Ancient in text, the Silvan religion contains many prayers and songs worshipping the mighty four and above all, Venandi, the children of the forest's savior. Through his guarantee of safety with his boots and bow, Silvans no longer live in fear, but in prosperity and might.

Higher Powers

Gods

Gods are first generation immortal higher beings.

Omnia: Ruler and mother of most deities. Creator of the Universe. True neutral, neither benevolent or malevolent. Immortal.

Atterizamos: God of all Lands. Brother to Omnia, second born. Molds the Earth. True neutral. Immortal.

Caelum: God of heavens and the air. Brother to Omnia, third born. Controls the weather. Lawful Neutral. Immortal.

Neptus: Goddess of seas. Sister to Omnia, fourth born. Regulates the water. Chaotic Neutral. Immortal.

Venandi: God of the Hunt. Unknown son of Omnia and Occidere. Controls hunting, regulation of life-cycles, and ruler of the Forest. Worshipped by the people as a hero. Left behind his boots to ensure the people’s safety. Lawful Good. Mortal.

Dieties

Dieties are second generation immortal and in some cases mortal higher beings.

Flora: Deity of plants. Daughter of Atterizamos, twin to Fauna. Creates and nourishes plant-life. Lawful Good. Immortal.

Fauna: Deity of animals. Daughter of Atterizamos, twin to Flora. Creates and feeds life. Chaotic Good. Immortal.

Solis: Deity of the sun. Son of Caelum. Controls the sun cycle and light. Lawful Neutral. Immortal.

Luna: Deity of the moon. Daughter of Neptus. Controls the tides and shadow. True Neutral. Immortal.

Occidere: Deity of War. Fuels anger and conflict while living amongst humans. Chaotic Evil. Immortal.

Lifestyle

The Silvans practice their worship in shrines representing the mighty four, typically at dawn, while lying on one's knees. Prayer takes place most commonly after directly killing an animal or human, specifically to the goddess Fauna, while touching the diseased being. All Silvans are allowed to claim property when they come of age and perform the act of praying to Atterizamos. Though often very large in total population, Silvan communities contain small family trees, typically housing 2 children, with advanced infrastructure. Most importantly, Silvans value their weapons like family as they are seen to be gifts from Venandi. Traditionally, a bow or axe is chosen from a young age for a child to begin how to yield before maturity. If chosen, some townspeople can wield a Trident, rumored to be given only to those in close relation with Neptus. Weapons used by adult Silvans must be forged from their own hand in respect of the gods and deities they serve. Tight fit, movable clothing is worn to allow the Silvans to hunt whenever they need. The sacred colors of the people are Green and Silver to represent the hero Venandi's sigil, the Silver Stag.

Values

Life, nature, peace, tradition, religion, intelligence, adequate training and self-defense, architecture, and respect for the dead.

Taboos

Murder, adultery, envy, ignorance, many children in one generation, fasting/dieting, laziness, theft, and suicide.

Prayers

Omnia: Mother Omnia, protector of the weak, help me to be strong against my fears. Mother Omnia, protector of the wronged, help me to do right by all I meet. Mother Omnia, protector of the home, help me to safeguard those within my walls. Mother Omnia, help me to do what I must, be with me as I walk in the world.

Atterizamos: To great-hearted Aterrizamos, master of the woodland, I offer my praise. Wise and knowing god, older than old, holder of the land’s secrets, teacher of prophecy, generous one who gifted Venandi With the swiftest of courses, I call to you with my thanks. Great Atterizamos who is as simple and as enigmatic as nature itself, whose voice we hear in the ground behind our backs, to you I give all honor.

Caelum: Caelum, god of the North Wind, god of the cold, bitter breath of winter, purple-winged herald of snow and black ice. Most needful one, in your season we honor you. Caelum, god of the West Wind, god of the seedtime, husband of the greening fields, father of the fruited trees, mild one, kind one,, within your domain does love unfold. Most needful one, in your season we honor you. Caelum, god of the South Wind, god of summer storms, god of the soul-searing heat, of the drenching rains and the pale, parched soil. Mos needful one, in your season we honor you. Caelum, god of the East Wind, god of the blood-red leaves, the golden blades of grass, by the palace of the sun you dwell. Most needful one, in your season we honor you.

Neptus: We call to Neptus, lady of waters fresh and briny, queen of the broad blue seas and of each sweet spring and fountains that emit from the earth. Neptus,mighty one, controller of the beasts of the sea, companion of the ocean-life, yours is the source of life, the water and the salt, yours are the treasures beneath the waves. Good friend of the sailor and the fisherman, granter of food and riches to mankind, Neptus, we call to you.

Venandi: I praise you, Venandi, courageous hero who roams the wildwood with gold bow at hand. Venandi of many names, Venandi of many lands, your temples stood shining and tall, in cities and in villages. In the long days of summer the maidens dance in your honor. Venandi, the mountains are yours to wander, fleet-footed and firm of step; the wilds of the world are dear to you, O guardian of forest and of beast. God who takes joy in dance and song, companion of the laughing humans in all their play, of all mortals you are the swiftest and the strongest, the finest and the first, in skill and grace the greatest.

History

Venandi's Legacy

The hero Venandi appeared hundreds of years prior to the discovery of the God's. Stories that had been passed down through out generations to the modern times vary from each other but they all hold the same morals and conclusion. Unfortunately access to the stories is hard to come by as Venandi's achievements was written down was when Old Silvan was still the primary language that the Silvans used which is a dying language and known by very few Silvans. Today Venandi's boots all but one pair are possessed by Romanus Silva where they have stayed for a long time, however it is not known where Venandi's bow is and is theorized to still exist somewhere in the forest.

Venandi's Tale

In the year 'e'sosu ugata the tribes of Fangi, Gboto, and Samu came under attack of the arcane and monster horde under Occidere's fist. The tribes were far too primitive to handle such an invasion yet took up arms. The first battle resulted in the total annihilations of the Samu tribe and its people and many thought that they would be next. Fangi, the largest tribe, was next to be attacked but they would be ready as the sole survivor of the Samu tribe was a man by the name of "Oni 'ikpa Venandi". As the horde marched on Fangi the leader Occidere himself stepped forward before the gates of Fangi demanding the submission of the people. The soon to be hero Venandi stepped forward outside the gate opposing Occidere and challenged the unknown god to a battle on the terms that if he won Occidere would leave the tribe eternally. The duel began after the redicule of Venandi whom used his bow and superior athleticism to take down Occidere stopping just before attempting to kill the god Occidere admitted defeat and left with the horde. Venandi continued on to live near the ruins of Samu and was hailed as a hero while any nuissance in life was referred to as "Occidere" by the ancient silvans. However many prevalent stories would happen across the next two hundred years as people kept seeing what they believed to be Venandi in the forest watching over the people.

Silvan tribe unification

One thousand years after the disappearance of Venandi the tribes of the forest has significantly advanced culturally and technologically with the discovery of the arcane magics and with such advancements this had called for major political reformation. The current tribes at the time were Fangi, Gboto, Tsubamo, Susha, and Sasheso although Fangi and Susha were the most prosperous. In the year 'e'igi tasosu 'eta the Fangi tribe had elected a radical leader by the name of Ditso that had a dream of a united forest tribe nation and he called it Silva the Old Silvan name that people used to describe the gods, or in other words "all powerful". Ditso successfully was able to convince Gboto join Fangi under the banner of the Silvan Federation which would be represented by a Golden Stag which most considered sacrilegious. Fangi would go on to rename its self to "Romanus Silva". Over the course of the next 6 years Ditso had united all the tribes except Sasheso due to how far north it was and the distance from Romanus Silva, Ditso would grow increasingly worried as his 8 year term as leader was almost over and his dream was not yet realized. Ditso then resorted to drastic measures and used arcane magicians combined with canons to blow down the walls around Sasheso to attempt to force them to join the Federation, Sasheso would hold out until two weeks before Ditso's term was over before the Sasheso Lord came out and surrendered himself to the Federation. Once the armies returned to Romanus Silva on the final day of Ditso's term the civillan population would learn of what Ditso had done and would riot through the streets. These riots caused Silvan extremists to call for Ditso's term to be illegally extended while others opposed them. The rioting went on for a week before Ditso put himself under self imposed exile and left the nation he had created.