#Bloemenmagde

[taken-by-sireen]

"Through the grasses covering the glade walked - no, not walked - floated a queen, radiant, fiery-eyed, ravishing. The Queen of the Fields, decorated with garlands of flowers, ears of corn, bunches of herbs."(Andrzej Sapkowski, story The Edge of the World).

[xuelingxu]

Lore discussion

Topic: Aen Elle's religion

Through the grasses covering the glade walked - no, not walked - floated a queen, radiant, golden-haired, fiery-eyed, ravishing. The Queen of the Fields, decorated with garlands of flowers, ears of corn, bunches of herbs. At her left-hand side a young stag pattered on stiff legs, at her right rustled an enormous hedgehog.

Dana Méadbh is the elves' name for a goddess also known as the Eternal One, Queen of the Fields, Lyfia, and Bloemenmagde by the dwarves. Lyfia is a goddess worshipped in the area of Dol Blathanna, the Valley of Flowers, as well as in Kaedwen and Aedirn, venerated by peasants, beekeepers and pitch-burners, all of those who live off gifts of the soil and the forest.

We can learn from "The Edge of the World" that Dana Méadbh seems to be the goddess of Aen Seidhe. So I can't help but think, what is Aen Elle's religion like? Here are a few questions to discuss:

Does Aen Elle have religion?

If so, what kind of God/Goddess would they believe?

Will this religious belief become the mainstream thought?

First of all, I'm an atheist and I don't know much about religion, so I apologize in advance if my thoughts offend any of you. Because religion is indeed a rather sensitive topic, I also hope that we can all discuss it in a more rational manner.

Then, let me talk about my opinion. I think the Aen Elle also have a religion, and even they venerate Dana Méadbh, because I think they don't know how to farm like the Aen Seidhe, except that they live a privileged life and have human servants to help them farm, so they don't have to steal or rob to get food like the Aen Seidhe sometimes do.

If their goddess is not Dana Méadbh, I also think they venerate a goddess of a natural one similar to Dana. Yes, I think they would venerate a goddess, considering that they seem to be doing well with affirmative action (had Princess Lara as a priority, proud female elf image, etc.).

They're also a nomadic people who are similarly martial (except now they're stuck in Tir ná Lia because they lost Lara and can't open The Gate of the Worlds), so I think the god/goddess of war is a revered being for them as well.

However, I don't think that religious beliefs will become mainstream in Aen Elle's society. For example, I think Eredin will only believe in his own strength and will not put his faith in religion because he is strong enough and confident enough. Let me be a little mean (sorry), some civilians choose to believe in religion because they are unable to achieve their desires on their own, or their spiritual needs are not satisfied, then they will hope that religion will bring them psychological comfort. Aen Elle, because of its high standard of living, will allow religion to exist, and there will be civilians who believe in religion, but the rest have many other ways to satisfy their spiritual needs, so not the whole race will be religious.

@martinebishop @lamie-lad @livingonmyown @seinyacarol @eredins-wife @ysangre-f-a @dclcq @pickingfightswithsprites @papauue @andordean @craiteys @rosyfingeredqueer @golden-olea

Hello, everyone, if you are interested, you can express your opinion here!

[twojowniczka]

                                                   Elven religious beliefs

“Through the grasses covering the glade walked - no, not walked - floated a queen, radiant, golden-haired, fiery-eyed, ravishing. The Queen of the Fields, decorated with garlands of flowers, ears of corn, bunches of herbs. At her left-hand side a young stag pattered on stiff legs, at her right rustled an enormous hedgehog.”  The Last Wish (stag with antlers is a symbol of spiritual authorities, hedgehog represents wisdom, fertility, mother earth) 

Elves don't discuss their faith in the presence of humans, because they think they would be unable to grasp its philosophical and mystical subtleties. Besides, most humans don't care about elven beliefs. In fact, elves are no less passionate about religion than humans or dwarves, they just experience faith in quiet way.

 It is a fact that elves believe in Dana Méadbh, the mother goddess, also known as the Eternal One, Queen of the Fields, Lyfia, and Bloemenmagde by the dwarves. They believe Danah is the goddess of the earth, who represents nature, creation, fertility, motherhood and the exact opposite: death, destruction, extinction, ergo, the cycle of life. A few Seidhe claims they encountered with the Queen of the fields - although actual words never crossed her lips, the elves said she talked with them in their heads, shared her wisdom and blessed them.

Elves do take a more casual approach to the worship of their deity, they don’t build temples for Danah, nor they follow strict rituals; they usually connect, pray silently during meditation or before they go to sleep. Often a Seidhe will rise from their meditation and solemnly leave an item on a rock, throw a gem into a lake, or bury a trinket under a tree to show appreciation or payment to Danah. They gather together and perform sacrifices on special ocassions, such as savaeds, childbirth and death. 

It is believed that before leaving for the life hereafter, the deceased elf's spirit lingers on for a while in or near the body to purify themselves by reflecting on their lives in the physical world and prepare for the journey to the immortal, spiritual world, where they can meet their deceased loved ones, there is no good or evil concept: every Aen Seidhe who had ever lived, every elven soul goes to Edhellen. Therefore, elves do not consider death as the final destination, they see it as a necessary event, a path to high grade existence.