Blessing Tree (log)

This ritual is a sacred dance, which is performed during the summers imploring Aeia for a bountiful harvest. This particular ceremony was peformed by Missoni Sebretache in Wehnimer's Landing. The following is the record of that performance. The was also a small, informal talk after the performance about Aeia.

Location of Last Performance

[Wehnimer's, Boatyard]
This promontory, formed of rocks and sand partially covered by weathered wooden docks, extends a short distance into the river. A few workmen hustle to complete their nighttime tasks, repairing and refurbishing the sailing vessels that are moored here. A refurbished frigate lies at anchor just offshore, awaiting a new cargo as well as a new lease on life. The sand-covered riverbank beach stretches to the south. You also see a clam shell candle holder with a richly hued mulberry candle on it, a small gilded glowbark altar with some stuff on it, a small stone shrine with a polished ironwood plaque on it, a narrow crack in the ground at the base of the tree and a flowering linden tree.
Also here: Jaysehn, Mexlur, Thuunk, Lady Musiac, Murmurr, Ceolbind, Ashnaar, Zaleki, Missoni, Sanuria
Obvious paths: south, west

The Dancer

You see Missoni Sabretache the Witch.
She appears to be a Faendryl Dark Elf.
She appears to be young and sprightly and shorter than average. She has long-lashed chimerical viridian eyes and olive skin. She has long, glossy blue-black hair pulled over one shoulder and gathered loosely with a wide abalone ribbon-swathed barrette. She has a delicately-boned slender face, an upturned nose and a prominent collarbone marked by a tiny mole. She has small, dainty ears that taper along a graceful crescent into well-defined points.
She has an oval blood red eye tattoo on her neck, and a kneeling vathor demon tattoo on her shoulder.
She is in good shape.
She is wearing some green glimaerstone prayerbeads, a maiden talisman wrapped with flowing multi-hued ribbons, a pair of dark carved ivory armcuffs fixed with sheer viridian sleeves, a short bronze crushed silk bodice, a colorful braided ribbon sash, a woven modwir flower basket, a wispy red kerchief skirt, and a knotted conch shell anklet.

The Ritual

Missoni says, "Before I begin the ritual, I would like to explain, for those of you who do not know, a little about Aeia."

Missoni says, "Unfortunately, not much is known of her."

Missoni tilts her head up.

Missoni says, "But I have made it a quest of mine to search out what little lore I can, and stumbled upon this ritual recently."

Missoni says, "Aeia is the mother of all around us, and this ritual, the Blessing Tree, asks her for a bountiful and fertile harvest."

Missoni says, "The dance is often performed throughout the summer, sometimes beginning as early as Ivastaen."

Missoni says, "It can be conducted alone, or with any number of dancers. Ribbons are tied to a large tree, and the dancers weave them around the trunk and branches."

Missoni says, "I will be performing alone. Followers of the Mother are few outside of River's Rest, unfortunately."

Missoni says, "If you would all join me, we will go to the tree. I will be using the one in the boatyard, for convenience."

Missoni kneels down.

Missoni lights the jasmine incense, which flickers and begins to burn.

Missoni bows her head, placing her palms upon the ground and leaning forward to touch her lips to the earth

Missoni stands up.

Missoni removes a beribboned silvered maoral tambourine rimmed with bright silver bells from in her modwir flower basket.

Missoni strides to the tree, grasping the end of the green ribbon with one hand, her tambourine in the other. She raises her arms high overhead, then begins to tap a moderate beat with the heel of her hand. 

Missoni rises slowly to the balls of her feet, then continues to lift the sole of her right foot off of the ground until it rests against her opposite thigh. Knee jutting outward, she pivots quickly, the motion binding the green fabric around her wrist and hand.

Missoni brings her knee forward and lowers the arm which grasps her tambourine in a wide arc, stopping when the arm extends perpendicular to the remainder of her body.

Missoni twists her wrist quickly to shake the tambourine back and forth in an array of chimes. Toes pointed, she unbends her raised knee until the leg is straight in front of her. 

Missoni pauses for a moment, her calves straining visibly beneath the hem of her skirt. With a slight hop, her raised foot meets the earth and she steps a few graceful steps around the tree. The ribbon loops around the trunk, catching around some of the tree’s higher branches.

Missoni taps the tambourine against her hip and arches her back slightly, her eyes following her arm up to her ribbon-bound wrist, which is still raised skyward. She spins gracefully around the tree a few more times, weaving the swath of silk into the thick foliage.

Missoni flushes slightly, some color reaching her cheeks.

Missoni lets the ribbon slither from her arm and flutter against the trunk. Her hip juts out to meet the head of the tambourine with a firm crash and she turns to grasp the end of the white ribbon.

Missoni weaves her way in an out of the ring of candles that encircles the tree, the shadows flickering around the area. The lily-hued ribbon crosses over its mate, binding the trunk and branches in a loose web.

Missoni put a beribboned silvered maoral tambourine rimmed with bright silver bells in her modwir flower basket.

Missoni turns to face a flowering linden tree.

Missoni takes one ribbon in each hand and dances around the tree with free, graceful movements. Her arms circle in wide arcs, and the ribbons twine around each other as they complete their journey down the drunk of the tree.

Missoni turns back towards the altar, lifting the goblet from it and taking a long sip. She pours some of the liquid on the base of the tree, then returns the cup to the altar.

Missoni removes a fragrant white lily from in her modwir flower basket.

Missoni touches the petals of the lily to her lips before resting it at the base of the tree.

Kretan lightly brushes his fingers over his white lily symbol in a reverent gesture.

The mulberry candle flickers softly, casting a warm light throughout the area.

Musiac smiles softly

Missoni raises her glimaerstone prayerbeads adoringly to her lips.

See Also

• Aeia and the Tiger Lilies
• Aeia question and answer