General Description

Other than in Evir, where Arawn is the national god, and in Menahem, his worship is not prominent, and is concerned more with propitiation than with actual devotion. However, his cult is strong in rural and forested districts, and many of the rites of the religion are intermixed with folk festivals and traditions. While intimately bound with nature and beasts, the religion is not as conservation-minded as is Ratri's; the prevailing attitude is "what will be will be." Most cultures turn to pleasanter gods such as Vasha or Mitra, or more powerful gods such as Set, though all honor Arawn at the end of life; only the Evirese and the Menaheem worship the Lord of the Hunt as their patron, lacking all fear of Arawn and what he signifies. Farm folk also worship Arawn, being close enough to the Wheel of the Year to see death as merely part of life. Finally, he is the patron of all hunters and rangers, invoked to give them his keenness of vision and unerring aim.

Arawn is shown as a powerful, dark-complected man on a black horse, his muscular form clad in black steel armor, a naked black sword in one hand, an ash wood bow slung on saddlebow. At his right is his sword brother, Pwll, who gave up his crown for a year to let Arawn taste the life he must take from all mortals, while at his left is his daughter Mora. The sword is the impartial dealer of death that comes to all, even the Elves.

Avatars

Herne: Herne is popular in Evir, where he is worshiped in every holt and grove. He is the hunter, the Stalker, the one who brings food to the table and provides for the family. His worshipers are perhaps the most reckless fighters of all; who can fear death when it leads but to new life? Herne is personified as a horned man, clad in stag furs and riding a white mare. He is accompanied by seven white dogs with red ears, the Wish Hounds; it is said that any who see these dogs will have any wish granted, yet not without suffering. This is the aspect that rides on the Wild Hunt, the merciless stalker of his prey.

Pryderi: Pryderi is the son of Rhiannon of the Birds, White Lady of the gods, and the mortal king Pwll. Pryderi is the comforter, the one who brings forgetfulness and blurs the pain of grief for both the dying and the mourners. His devotees are sworn to comfort the afflicted, no matter their faith or deeds; alone of all sects of Arawn, those of Pryderi come together in companies of monks and nuns, pledged to tend the sick an wounded, to heal if they can and kill if they must. Pryderi is shown as a golden haired young man, laughing and unafraid. On his shoulder sits a white bird, a reminder of his holy mother. In one hand he holds a physician's kit, in the other a knife: one to heal, the other to kill if the suffering becomes to great. Every physician in Evir takes an oath to Pryderi to bring painless death, whether by drugs or the knife.

Cernunnos: Cernunnos is the sorcerer, the fearless seeker of knowledge and alchemical secrets. His devotees are almost invariably mages and alchemists, with the occasional scholar invoking him before beginning a particularly dangerous spell. Cernunnos is also the sacrifice, the God who dies for the good of the land and raises again, reborn from the halls of Annwn as spring comes from the barren frosts of winter. Ruling nobles in Evir must take their oath at a shrine of Cernunnos, to put the good of their realms above all else, even to sacrifice themselves if circumstances demand it. His worship is strongest in Menahem. Cernunnos is seen as an old, keen-faced man clad in the familiar stag cloak and antlers. His garments are darkly stained, whether with chemicals or blood no one can say. He travels by himself, for all who bear great responsibilities must bear them alone.

Mora: Mora is the Lady of Battle, the Crow who winnows the field of battle and guards the souls of the brave. All girl children of Arawn worshipers are dedicated to Mora and given at least enough war training to defend themselves with their knives; some later join such martial orders as the Sisters of the Sword, or the Daughters of Mora, an all-Evirese women's fighting order. A woman of Evir who makes her living as a warrior is considered to be under Mora's special protection, and is honored for her courage in emulating the goddess. Mora is depicted as a young woman on a blood bay stallion, red haired and blue eyed, her hair long and loose in the wind; because of this it is considered extremely bad luck for redheads to cut their hair shorter than their shoulders. She carries a double-bladed axe, Melda, or "beloved." This curious name for a weapon is explained by the belief that death is a fulfillment, not a curse.

Membership and Initiation

Worshipers are sealed to the god by a symbolic sacrifice as a reminder that death and life are but aspects of the same road. This sacrifice usually takes the form of a small brand on the inner thigh in the shape of a double-bladed axe, weapon of Mora. Children are branded as soon after birth as they are strong enough to survive, adults after the completion of a year's study under the supervision of a priest or lay leader (see below). All are sworn to support the natural cycle, honor the God in all his aspects, and give the defeated a clean death. Incumbent upon all devotees, and especially the priesthood, is unwavering opposition to all forms of necromancy and control of the dead. Any cultist of Arawn who studies such rites, or joins a necromantic order, is automatically excommunicate, and his/her life is forfeit to any other devotee.

Strictures

The greatest taboo is to meddle with the forces of life and death by seeking to cheat Arawn of his own; the existence of the Unlife is the ultimate blasphemy. The most extreme subcult, the Children of the Crow, follow this so strictly that they use no medicines and refuse to hire physicians and midwives, or even veterinarians for their animals. However, the average worshiper interprets this as a prohibition on learning unclean magics, the spells that control and bind the dead to the caster's will. They hold necromancers, and the necromantic cults of Set, in utmost contempt, and will do all they can to sabotage or destroy such magics.

A less strict prohibition is a collective taboo on torturing prisoners or prolonging death. Worshipers are much more likely to kill the defeated or hopelessly wounded than are members of other faiths. They also have fewer qualms about euthanasia or suicide than other folk; all must die, and the manner of their dying should be quick, painless, and of their own choosing if at all possible.

There is a strong mystical element to the worship of Arawn, perhaps strongest in the subcult of Herne the Hunter. Devotees believe in invocations and incantation, and often come together in small groups to worship through the raising of their collective power.

Benefits

Since death is a part of life, devotees tend to be much more fatalistic than the average, and as such they make fearless mercenaries. Since all are reborn on the Wheel of Life, the end of this life is of little concern to the individual himself, however much painful to the survivors. Arawn worshipers make superb researchers and alchemists, unafraid of the most dangerous chemicals and diseases in their quest for knowledge. There are no special benefits beyond a sense of peace and mission. The perfect initiate lives each day as though it were her last, yet as if she had a century of life to come - since death comes to all, it is best to live life fully and not come to Annwn with a sense of life unlived.

Arawn worshipers are seldom solitary. Many have sword friends, and the vast majority marry. It is a major tragedy if one's sworn companion dies in one's service, and those so deprived have been known to enter deep declines. It is not uncommon for sword friends to marry each other's siblings, or even each other. This practice arose in emulation of the friendship of Arawn and Pwll; sworn friends are often closer than kinfolk, and sometimes are adopted into each other's clans.

Priests

Priests and priestesses of Arawn must be unmarried adults at the time they begin their training, and sworn to no one's service; if a servant, slave, or ruling noble hears the call to the priesthood, permission must be obtained from master, guardian, or next of kin before the candidate can be considered for ordination. It is said in the holy books that no one can serve two masters, and the commitment to the God is so demanding that any other would negate the devotion needed.

A candidate must spend at least one year as servant to a priest to learn obedience. The trainer is invariably of the opposite sex of the candidate; since a priest must minister to all of the faithful, men must learn of women, and women of men. After the disciplinary year, the candidate spends one year studying holy scriptures, one year studying clerical magics, and one year out in the world. During this year the candidate is expected to support himself in one of the professions under Arawn's special protection: hunter, healer, sorcerer or warrior. At the end of this year the candidate must make a final profession of faith and undergo a three day vision quest. If any irregularities of character or personality are observed, the candidate is refused. Those who fail are allowed to undertake the lay leadership of the faith; those who succeed are ordained, and are henceforth addressed as Father or Mother.

Priests spend a year or so after ordination in a temple to accustom themselves to the clerical life with fellow clergy to advise them. Most are then sent to local temples, or sign up as chaplains of mercenary companies or hospitals. The wandering priest of Arawn is a rare sight; since Death is a part of Life, and essential to the community, those who deal in Death must live in the community and not sitting on a rock somewhere.

Limitations/ Strictures

Clergy of Arawn have few limitations on their behavior beyond those common to the faithful: no necromancy, no sadism, and so on. They may marry after the completion of their training, but most wait until settling into a parish to do so. Perhaps the greatest burden on the clergy is prejudice, their own and others. Because of the hatred of necromancy, fanatical priests have been known to attack Witherers; milder forms of disapproval have led to harassment campaigns against Set temples, all of which can make life uncomfortable for the initiate. Few are willing to think about death on a day to day basis, and the priest of Arawn is sometimes a target for suspicion and hatred because of his faith.

Priests wear dark brown robes and grey stoles embroidered with the sigil of the First Sword; necklaces or charms bearing a cross to symbolize the Sword are almost always present. They carry "mercy knives" in their cinctures, or double-bladed axes if the are specifically devoted to Mora. Formal vestments are worked in silver and white and black gems (crystals, jet, onyx, diamonds). Those above the rank of parish priest carry ceremonial longbows, silver for bishops and archbishops, gold for the Patriarch and his priests.

Benefits/Powers

No religion has such a hatred of the Unlife, and no clergy has such great power over them. Priests learn to dispel undead, administer last rites that none can break, and nullify minor controlling spells. Senior members of the hierarchy are rumored to be able to break Black Bindings, but do not speak of such outside the temple. Priests of Arawn also make excellent warriors, especially the women, and mercenaries will turn to Mora's daughters when they cannot find servants of the Wolf. Finally, priests of Arawn have a much greater chance of researching and developing new spells than other clergy; they are utterly unafraid of any adverse consequences, and since they do not traffic in demon-summoning or the Unlife, they need not fear loss of their souls.

Temples

Arawnian temple architecture is not standardized, although there are some common elements. Since in a coven all stand on an equal footing, there is no pulpit or raised dais, and altars are on a level with the rest of the congregation. It is almost always centered in the sanctuary, giving scope for casting the circle around the congregation - and there must be room to do so during every ceremony. Since weekly rituals are generally done standing, pews or other seats are uncommon.

Greenery is common in one fashion or another, with ample provision for sconces or freestanding poles upon which to tie boughs or bundles of grass or other foliage. Some temples are open to the elements or are designed around arbors or sacred groves. Wood is overwhelmingly favored as a building material over stone, and with the possible exception of Upuaut, no other faith eschews gems, precious metals or rich fabrics in temple construction to the degree Arawnian temples do.

Orders of Service

Since a hallmark of the faith is for a parish to have joint priests in chief (see below) many of the rituals below are jointly conducted, and the curates will alternate the responses listed for a priest or celebrant.

Marriage

The couple must approach the priest or coven leader in their parish at least two weeks before the ceremony. They will be questioned as to their sincerity and readiness to commit themselves to marriage. If one partner is of a different faith s/he must swear to support and encourage the Arawnian in worship, and to expose any children to both religions. Banns are called for two weeks beforehand so that any objections to the marriage may be heard.

On the night before the ceremony, the couple reenacts the courtship of Pwll and Rhiannon. The woman is dressed in white and seated on a white mount and taken to the nearest hill. The man, dressed in black, mounts a chestnut or bay and pursues her around the base of the hill three times. After the third circuit he reins in his mount and calls out, "For the sake of my steed and the love I bear you, I pray you wait for me. She pulls up and says, "Courtesy has won what speed could not. Welcome, my chosen love." The two embrace and ride back to their dwelling, where they privately pledge themselves a final time and spend the night in separate rooms.

On the wedding day bride and groom arrive at the temple separately; it is considered bad luck for them to see each other before the ceremony. The woman wears a dress of blue trimmed in grey, and wears her hair unbound. The man wears grey and carries a sword. So important are the garb and the sword that most temples keep appropriate garments and weapons on hand for couples that cannot afford to buy. Each may have two close friends as attendants, and they jointly choose a man known as "The Spoiler." Rings are dark onyx set in silver or some other light metal.

The couple enters from separate sides of the temple as instrumentalists perform. When they reach the altar, the celebrants enter from the back. S/he wears blue and grey vestments trimmed in silver; all altar cloths, vessels, etc., are of silver if possible.

Celebrant: "Welcome, ye who would join together. Be blessed in the name of Arawn, for all young men and women are kings and queens upon this most sacred and joyous of days." (Blesses the couple and their attendants.) "Now (bride's name), is it your will to take (groom's name) to be your husband in the sight of Arawn? Will you stand beside him and support him in all, no matter the fortunes of life? Will you cleave faithfully unto him, and be in all ways and times a loving and loyal wife until the day Arawn calls you home?"

Bride: "So shall it be."

Celebrant repeats the vows with the groom, then joins their hands and smears them with ashes. "Even in the midst of joy, recall always that the sweetness of life comes because it is so brief. Blessed be."

Couple: "Blessed be."

Celebrant: "When Pwll wed Rhiannon he gave her his signet ring as a sign of their troth. Therefore it is meet and right for the married couple to exchange rings, as dark as death and brilliant as love, as symbols of their bond." (Blesses rings and gives them to couple.)

Celebrant (bride/groom repeating): "I (name), take thee (name) to be my (husband/wife), and so pledge my life and my honor."

Celebrant: "And as these two have pledged themselves and exchanged rings in token, I declare them wed. If anyone has any prior claim upon them, let him speak now or be silent as the grave."

The Spoiler (from the congregation): "I speak. (Groom's name) promised me a boon, and I have yet to claim it." He comes forward, clad all in white. The groom comes to meet him.

Groom: "What do you ask? Anything I have is yours, save my life and my lady."

Spoiler: "Had you answered less well, I would have had the bride. As it is, I ask for your sword."

Groom: "So shall it be." He hands over the sword. If it is his own, it will be returned to him at the reception with appropriate teasing; if the temple's, the celebrant will reclaim it after the ceremony. The groom then returns to the bride and The Spoiler goes back to his seat.

Celebrant: "May all your trials be so easily conquered. Now go out into the world secure in your love, and the strength of your bond. Blessed be!"

Naming

Naming an infant is usually done in the home, before immediate family and intimate friends. Although priests usually conduct the ceremony in the cities, lay leaders customarily do so in the country.

The oldest person present casts the circle, the celebrant and parents in the center, others surrounding them. Before them is a small brazier, an axe-shaped brand heating in the coals. The celebrant tosses a pinch of earth into the coals and waits until they have been completely consumed to speak.

Celebrant: "Children of the Hunt, we are gathered today to witness the naming of a new life in the protection of Arawn. Let us rejoice in this child, this guardian of the pure death newly sent to our care by the Lord." (Turns to the parents) I charge you both, as ye love the Lord, to care tenderly for this child. Will you raise him/her in the faith, guide him/her on the path of righteousness, teach him/her to love and serve Arawn unto the hour of his/her return to Arawn?"

Parents: "We will, upon our lives and honor."

Celebrant: (Draws a blessing on the child's brow and right hand, then take the glowing brand from the fire.) "I call upon those present that (parents' names) have sworn to raise this child in the faith of Arawn, and have pledged their lives and honor to this task. Will you serve as witness that they have so sworn, and ensure that they obey their oath? And if they are taken to the Lord before their child, will you serve in their stead, to teach this child the true faith?"

Witnesses: "We will, upon our lives and honor."

Celebrant: "What name will this child wear, before the world unto the Ice Floes? (Parents give the name.) "(Child's name), I declare that this is thy name, decreed by thy parents and witnessed by thy kin. Let this be thy name within the circle unto the end of time." (Brands the child. After the infant has ceased to scream, anoints the wound with a healing salve to set the axe mark in the skin) "(Child's name), thou criest now with pain, but someday thou shalt cry with joy within the circle. Be not afraid, for the Lord of the Trees is with thee. Blessed be, (child's name)! Blessed be!"

Parents and Witnesses: "Blessed be! Welcome!"

Celebrant: (Blesses the entire circle.) "And now, the blessing of Arawn be upon all in this place. Go out into the world with a light heart and a glad step, and rejoice in this child, this new life given to us all. Blessed be!" (Opens the circle.)

Dedication

This is the rite of receiving adult members into the faith. Usually done by a Dark Man or Maid, the clergy occasionally preside over this as well. The celebrants cast the ritual circle, carefully leaving a space for the initiates to pass through.

Priest: "Rejoice! Today we welcome those who wish to unite with us in the worship of the Lord Hunter, he who keeps the dead. (Reads names of initiates) Do you promise to keep the commandments, to control no waking dead, to give clean death to those who request it, to treat those under your protection with honor, to refrain from torture? Will you do these things, unto the day Arawn admits you to His kingdom?"

The Initiates (unison): "We so promise."

Priest: "Then be welcome unto our Lord of the Trees. (Anoints them with earth and ashes, and gives them a drink of wine mixed with the same.) For to the earth we shall return, and wear this reminder of our mortality. Yet we are unafraid."

(Each initiate is brought into the circle, which is closed a bit more after each enters. It is closed after the last initiate is inside. The priest recites a prayer appropriate to the occasion, and the initiates each speak a short prayer, whatever the god sends them. The priest blesses each one, then opens the circle.)

Priest: "Now go out into the world, secure in the protection of Arawn. May the faith that endures, the hope of the peace to come, and the love that triumphs always be with you now and evermore."

Last Rites

The priest anoints the dying person with dust and ashes mixed with blessed oil. The axe symbol is drawn on the brow, the breast, and the weapon arm, and the dying person makes a final confession. The priest gives absolution, even for the crime of consorting with undead, for to refuse forgiveness even to a blasphemer will condemn him/her to eternal bondage as an undead, and no priest of Arawn will allow that. After absolution, the priest and the initiate recite the following prayer: "Lord of Death and chastener of souls, receive me into thy keeping. Judge me according to my deeds, both good and evil, and treat me as I have treated those under my protection. I commit myself unto thy mercy for the final journey of this life."

Funerals

Without proper burial it is said that the initiate will walk the earth a ghoul, and many of the Hunters are the kin of those so lost, hoping to find their loved ones and give them rest. Arawnians will accept the last rites from any priest, of any faith, if a Servant of the god cannot be found, so great is their dread of such a fate. Even worse is the grief of one who has lost a faithful bodyguard or sworn companion and loses the body for some reason. It is considered imperative to find the body, by any means, and see that the proper rituals are performed.

The dead are waked for three days after death in the temple, the corpse laid out before the alter. A close relative keeps watch by the body each night. At the end of this time the body is taken to the tomb, or cemetery, and there interred.

The priest casts a ritual circle of blessed earth and ashes about the grave and mourners. S/he then lifts a handful of freshly turned earth from the grave and recites a prayer for the repose of the dead before passing the earth to the chief mourner. Each mourner repeats the initial prayer (see Prayers, above), and tells a favorite memory of the deceased, passing on the earth to the next person. The last mourner casts the earth into the grave as the priest pronounces the final blessing. S/he then blesses the mourners, and throws the first shovelful of earth into the grave (closes the door of the tomb). The mourners do the same. One last invocation to Arawn to bless the dead and comfort the living, and the priest opens the circle so that the living may pass back into the world until it is their turn to journey to Arawn's kingdom.

Weekly Devotions

The weekly ritual is usually short and simple. There is a short prelude sung or dances by temple attendants (in a coven, an improvised chant or spiral dance rather like Crack the Whip). The celebrants enter from the right of the altar.

Priest: (Stands in a cruciform position, arms slightly curved) "The hour cometh and now is, when the initiates shall worship our Lord of the Trees in spirit and the truth, keen as the hound on the scent. Sure He is in this place, where the faithful have gathered."

Congregation: "This is none other but the house of the Hunter, and this is the gate to His realm. Let the circle be cast, let the chant be sung. Call and we shall answer, swiftest of the hunt."

The celebrant casts the circle about the entire congregation, beginning and ending it at the altar. On the altar is a flack of wine and a bowl of mixed earth and ashes.

Priest: "The circle is cast. Be at ease within, all ye children of the Lord of the Trees. All souls are mine, saith our Lord Arawn. As is the soul of the parent, so also the soul of the child. Let all who desire the blessing of the Lord of the Trees come forth and share the bounty of the Eternal Hunt." The celebrant then raises the wine skyward and pours it into the bowl, reciting the following prayer:

Priest: "Brothers and sisters in the Hunt, it is said that on the night that Arawn and Pwll exchanged their lives, each for the other, Arawn came unto Pwll and shared wine red as blood with him to seal their vow of friendship. Pwll took the ashes of the fireplace and the dirt of the floor and mixed them in the wine before he drank, saying, "My Lord and my friend, I drink to remind myself that though I shall be as a god for this year, I am still mortal." And then Arawn drank from the same mixed bottle, saying, "And I too must drink, to recall that I will share in your mortality, beloved brother." So thus we must share in the Cup of Reminder, to recall that we are mortal, but still mirror the Godhead in our deeds and words upon this earth. So mote it be."

Congregants: "So mote it be."

An anthem or hymn based on the week's reading is then sung, and the priest sips from the bowl.

Priest: "Therefore, come all ye that are in the service to the Lord of the Hunt, Ruler of the Dead and Master of the Wheel of the Year. Let not this cup pass from thy lips, that ye may be meet in the sight of the Lord of the Trees."

The congregants then file up one by one to the priest and receive the holy wine. As each drinks, the priest makes a sign of blessing and says, "As before, so again." After the congregants have returned to their seats, s/he finishes the wine and returns the bowl to its place on the altar.

Priest: "Great Lord, grant thy blessing to all who gather in thy service, and upon all those who gather in thy name. Remember also those who have gone on before and are now safe in thy keeping, parent, child, sibling, spouse, sworn companion, and let them rest easy in thy love. Grant all who call upon thee with a sincere heart, all who fight and seek and hunt, all who pierce the mysteries and comfort the afflicted. Let them walk in thy ways forever, unto Dagor Dagorath and the end of the world."

The priest allows the congregation a moment for silent prayer before leading them in the second invocation (see above). S/he then turns to face the congregation and stands in a cruciform position, head cast back and eyes open.

Priest: "Great Lord, make us to walk in shadowed forest paths. Bless us as we tread upon the Wheel of Life, and give us the peace we seek. (S/he signs a general blessing.) Peace be unto all in this place, now and in the hour of our return."

Congregation: "So mote it be."

Priest: "Now go out into the world, secure in the protection of Arawn. May the faith that endures, the hope of the peace to come, and the love that triumphs always be with you evermore."

Minor Devotions

Each initiate is expected to prey in private at least once a week, if not more often. Minor devotions include handfastings; thanksgivings for deliverance from evil, birth of a child, confirmation of a pregnancy; and anything the believer may find necessary or desirable.

Blessed art thou, Eternal Lord, Winnower of the weak

Leveler of nations, giver of surcease from pain.

Be with us in this life and in the lives to come.

Lord, these things we give:

Loving hearts

Loyal minds

Mercy to all

Pain to none.

Lord, these things we ask:

Strong arms

Stout hearts

Pure souls

Clean deaths.

Hierarchy

Local

In the city or the manor, the center of worship is the local temple. This can house anywhere from two priests and an acolyte to upwards of a dozen priests, dozens of students and ordinands, choirboys, alter girls, archivists, monks, copyists, etc. The priesthood is invariably a twinned one; parishes must have both a male and female priest, and many services are celebrated jointly. Often these priests are married to one another, although this is not canonically necessary.

Over the local temples are the bishoprics, larger temples in major cities that are responsible for training new priests, educating the young, and so on. Bishops must have at least twenty years in the priesthood, have no family responsibilities, and be married. The best and most talented of these are eventually sent to Annuvin (see below) for more training, possibly even selection for the Coven of the Worthy.

In the country, the basic unit is the coven, a group between seven and thirteen worshipers, led by a covenmaster or Dark Man. He calls the faithful to prayer, casts the circle, directs and grounds the cone of power, and conducts the symbolic sacrifice on the eve of the Wild Hunt. For certain rituals a woman performs these functions (naming of a girl child, funeral of a warrior), functioning similarly as the living embodiment of Mora. She is know as the Maid. Priests conduct the major rituals, when available, but the Dark Man and the Maid conduct weekly services, catechize children, and preside over handfastings and minor vows.

The Patriarchate

The Patriarch of Arawn has his seat in Evir. Although both sexes can take priestly vows, their chief must be a man, to embody the Lord of Death. He never wears anything but brown or grey, although he may don a gold cope for services. The proper form of address for him is Lord Hunter, and in token of this he carries a golden bow. The Patriarch is attended by seven archers, and has a guard sworn to defend him with his life, even to the point of substituting himself for the Patriarch during the symbolic sacrifice (or actual, should there be need).

However, women are equally important. The Patriarch must be married, and must have a priestess (usually wife, otherwise blood kin or kin to a sworn companion) who will take the female role in certain essential rituals. The priestess who serves this role for the Patriarch is known as the Queen. She is honored only slightly less than the Patriarch himself, and is addressed as Lady Queen.

The Patriarch is chosen from among the thirteen most senior clergy, the Coven of the Worthy. He then chooses his own guard and the Queen.

Orders

The Servants of Pryderi are the chief physicians and midwives of the cult, and sponsor hospices for the care of the terminally ill. Brothers and sisters are sworn to poverty, celibacy and obedience to the Preceptor General of the Order and must vow to serve all who come for care, regardless of station or religion. They alone of the priesthood wear a light color; their habit is a golden robe clasped with Pryderi's knife. They must also dye their hair blond to further embody the god.

There are several military orders dedicated to Arawn or one of his aspects. The Brothers of Pwll are sworn bodyguards, fanatical in their devotion to their lieges. The Daughters of Mora is an all-woman fighting order; their cult weapon is the axe. The Hunters of Annwn are the most fearsome, for they dare to ride abroad on the night of Durithil, killing all the Unlife they can find before they lay down their own lives. Other orders include the Sisterhood of the Gracious Dark ("cleanup crew" on battlefields, givers of peaceful death to those who desire it).

Ecclesiastical Calendar

Calentin 18 - Alcoire, the Spring Equinox. This is a day for rejoicing, for welcoming the emergence of Arawn from the underworld to join humankind on earth as Pwll goes to Annwn. However, when it is Durithil and not Alcoire, the Hunters ride out and righteous folk keep to their houses and temples, praying and fasting against the walking dead. A solemn mass is celebrated for the souls of all those condemned to walk the earth, and as many bodies as possible are buried with full ceremony from those killed by the Hunters.

Celebros 18 - Lammas, the Feast of Wheat. The remaining wheat from the harvest is eaten today, and the fields are sown with the first seed of the year. Those who must go into battle have seven drops of blood drawn during a special mass dedicated to the Morrian.

Aiwenal 13 - The Festival of Friendship. One of the most joyful days in the Arawnian calendar, a day dedicated to sworn companions. Those who have sworn to each other exchange gifts of anything but money, and repeat their vows in public. This is also a favored day for the ordination of new priests, initiations and christenings.

Oranor 9 - Lughnasath. This is the day of the suns, marked by the lighting of new fires from the temple altar. It is considered an especially lucky days for weddings and handfastings.

Oranor 15 - Alcoire, the Summer Solstice. The longest day of the year is commemorated by athletic contests, picnics, dancing, and general merriment. Engagements are often announced on this day. At night a bonfire is lit, and bouquets of summer flowers are tossed into it, a reminder that the beauty of summer must give way to the flames of death. After this, folk frequently go to the local graveyard in hopes of seeing the images of those who will die in the coming year, for it is said that those so chosen by Arawn will be seen entering the temple by the side door.

Laurenan 11 - Aramas, the Wild Hunt. This is Herne's holiday, when Arawn takes his guise and rides out with the Wish Hounds to catch the unwary and the unlucky. Solemn masses are said, most people stay inside, and a small plate of food is left outside the door for the Hounds. Any who see the God as he rides will have unusual luck during the coming year, whether for good or ill none can say.

Daemoth 9 - Beltane. This is another fire festival. The local covens meet and cast a circle of protection, then light a bonfire and attempt to leap over of through it as a way of cleansing themselves of evil. It is considered wise to have a monk or nun of Pryderi standing by, ostensibly to bless, actually to tend the burns of the less agile. Temple rites are less dangerous, involving candle lighting and not bonfires.

Helcalos 9 - Altinwe, the Winter Solstice. This is the day of mourning for the death and resurrection of Cernunnos. All the faithful go into mourning, and hold a day long lyke wake for the year.

What do they think of ... ?

Manannan: We have little enough to do with the Sea Lord and his followers, as long as they do not "harvest" their lumber to the enduring hurt of the forests. Their ways are not ours, nor ours theirs.

Mitra: Their eyes are in the heavens, while strife and struggle and life take place right in front of them. They are staunch in opposing that which must be opposed; it is a pity that they seem to oppose nearly everything else as well. They think us cruel, but they ignore people in their claims to Love Life.

Ratri: The ways of the Lady of Darkness are wise, and her folk concern themselves with the Wheel. They dissipate their strength in too much revelry and pleasure, and perhaps we are not allies on the battlefield, but they are our closest friends in all else and must always be respected.

Upuaut: Our blade comrades on the field, and none better or more welcome against the scourge of the Unlife. Still, they burn longer than is wise and fight for the sake of fighting, not so much for a cause, and that is what makes the Wolf Lord's legions weaker than we.

Varuna: The Moon Lord's creed is as sterile as His cold light. Honor and truth comes from more than adherence to esoteric codes, calisthenics or eating the right amount of rice. It's not that they've forgotten to live; they never knew how. We shall dance around the Hollow Hills, while these bloodless fools mediate upon their navels.

Vasha: One of the great paradoxes of history is how the greatest warrior of all the Gods spurned her hard-won skills and birthright and turned into an enfeebled pacifist. They take stands against evil, then expect others to fight for them, and then lecture us about the price we pay in their defense. At least Varuna worshipers are not hypocrites. Learn what is useful from these loremasters, then reject their cowardly ways.

Set: They have part of the truth, but that much is fouled by their unholy flirtation with the Unlife. Little wonder that they seek to ride the Earth as they would a supine whore, not to embrace Her like a beloved and welcome lover. The followers of the Serpent can be brought to a proper path ... after their sins have been purged in blood.

User Submitted Ideas (0)