Few gods have stuck around as long as the Silvanus. He counts no other gods his superiors, seeing himself as an equal or better of Grimnir Blue-Cloak, and his power & influence are felt across just as many lands. Much like Grimnir he takes many forms and many guises, but his intent is always the same. While the other deity of earthly nature, Terra, is concerned with agriculture and the hearth, Silvanus is more concerned with the Balance of nature.
The church of Silvanus is persistent: wherever peoples walk in the shades of his trees, there remains worship or at least a passing acknowledgement of Silvanus by wise peoples. Non-worshipers have often found themselves at odds with his worshipers as they have obstructed expansionism into woodlands-- sometimes even resorting to violence. His clerics, druids and rangers serve as both shepherd and sheep dog-- protecting the forests, seeking out unnatural threats, and helping others to see the benefit of living in harmony with the wild.
Silvanus metes out times of plentiful bounty as well as famine and drought. To the worshipers of Silvanus, life and death are both sacred and cyclical: everything has its season, everything must live and everything must die. Balance is key.
The Green Father himself has a cyclical nature.
Every morning the Green Father is born when the first rays of the rising sun touch an old oak tree. He pulls himself free of the bark of the tree, breaking his way out with his might mallet, and standing fresh and new like an adolescent elf with small pronghorns. He then set about exploring the many forests of the world with an open heart.
For this reason, most of his faithful are wisest to propose new and unusual ideas when beseeching him.
By midday, surveying the land, Sylvanus has taken measure of a great many things, having counted every branch and leaf from east to west and north to south. He takes the form of a man in his prime with wild antlers and takes to more proactive engagement with the enemies of the wild.
For this reason, it is considered wisest for his practitioners to call upon him for strength and courage during the afternoon.
As the sun sets, Sylvanus has become a bearded old man with great wide antlers, often accompanied by bird and animal spirits, as he makes his way through the wood. During this time, his heart has grown weary of battle and he appreciates all life with the wisdom of his experiences.
During sunset, it is best to ask for forgiveness for failing to break his tenants and to seek to forgive those who have wronged the wild.
At nightfall, silvanus's body becomes covered in treebark and he more resembles a treeant with a might bushy green beard than an elf. It is during these hours that he visits each seed that will sprout a new sapling in the morning, imbuing in them a little spark of his power, until he has nothing left to give.
The night is a sacred time in the woods and it is best to give thanks for all it provides during nightfall
By the end of the night, silvanus's body has grown weary and he sets roots down in the earth and begin the cycle a new at sunrise.
The cycle continues...
Title(s)
The Green Father, The Oak Father, Treefather, Green Man, Cernunnos
Pantheon(s)
New Gods
Power Level
Greater Deity
Alignment
Neutral
Symbol
A living green oak leaf
Portfolio
Druids, trees & forests, the wilderness, balance, rangers
Domains
Life, Tempest, Nature, Protection
Worshipers
Druids, wood elves, hulderfolk, foresters (hunters, trappers, loggers), herbalists,
Favored Weapon
Maul
Holy Day(s)
Festivals and rituals for the seasonal equinoxes
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