Naak'e'tuun
Naak'e'Tuun, which translates to The Collectivity of Nature, is a way of worship towards the various entities of Nature, such as the Aö-Rê (the Great Spirits), their messengers and children such as the dryads, ents, fauns and other elementary creatures, but also each plant and every animal.
Religious Leaders
The spiritual leaders of the Collectivity embrace the sacred duty of protecting Nature and guiding the paths of the devoted. Guided by their Patron Spirits, they have learned to revere the intricate balance of the natural world and to honor the cycles of the world that pulses through every leaf, every creature, and every breath of wind.
RITUALS
With each season, we gather to celebrate the cycle of life and the bounty it provides. From the awakening of spring to the harvest of autumn, we express gratitude for the gifts of the wild and the harmony it brings us. Through these rituals, we forge a deeper connection to the land and its creatures, knowing that with each season, our bond with nature grows stronger.
“Ribbit! Ribbit!”
- Carl, according to Ovidia Ben Jacob, cleric of Carl the frog
The Croakening is the name given by the followers of Naak'e'Tuun for their annual celebration of winter’s end, and therefore the arrival of spring. Unlike many spring festivals that take place at the equinox, the Croakening takes place when the snow has melted locally, and the frogs and toads have begun to wake from their winter sleep. The life cycle of frogs being one of the best known, this animal represents renewal within an annual cycle. Communities following the way of the Collectivity will gather near a small stream where it is possible to find frogs in order to celebrate and commune with nature and its fellows.
Common activities of the Croakening often consist of sharing a good time with your peers, with drinks and food when available, but also to get out of your winter hibernation. Perhaps the most popular activity is imitating frogs, trying to mimic their croaks as faithfully as possible. Many will even make it a competition! The title of croaker of the year is a prestigious one, guaranteed to earn the favor of the Frog Ao-Rê. Although for city dwellers it may seem embarrassing to croak in front of an audience, it is a good way to break the ice and bring members of the community out of their shells.
Essentially an opportunity to get together and get to know each other, it's the perfect moment to let go and be in a jolly mood! Wooden frogs and other instruments are welcome, as are swamp-themed elements. Incense can be burned, ideally with scents reminiscent of wetlands, and green candles are welcome as the sun sets.
From a more spiritual point of view, certain practices will be appropriate for devotees of nature. Some will wash their hands and face in the cool water of the nearby waters, swollen by the melting of the snow. This practice is a symbol of washing away the past and welcoming the new year. Others will make offerings to the local stream’s spirits to receive their blessings, and to thank them for welcoming them into their homes. Another custom is to simply sit back for a moment in order to confide in the batrachians, who will always listen, and will always keep your secrets. It is said that confiding one's fears and worries to the frogs and toads during the Croakening is a sure way to alleviate them.
The Croakening
SPRING
“Nature’s greatest gift is not just the fruit of the land, but the joy of those who gather to celebrate it.”
- Vixen, BoozeMother of the Grape
In the heart of Summer, where the gentle whispers of the Aö-Rê embrace every leaf and petal, there lies a joyous celebration like no other! The "Berry Harvest Jig" or the "Berry Blessing Dance" is done in the peak of Summer heat, to celebrate abundance and give thanks.
A berry crushing jig that weaves the threads of nature and devotion into a vibrant tapestry of reverence. Gathered beneath the verdant canopy, followers of The Collectivity of Nature unite, their spirits alight with an unyielding adoration for the entities that grace our world. They dance, and stomp about, either in traditional large, berry crushing buckets, or in simulation happily during a feast or picnic. It matters not where the jig is done, but rather that it is done with joy in your heart.
Drums and other very rhythmic instruments are the usual sounds to which the celebrants will stomp around, often increasing in speed until both exhaustion and quite often laughter take over. Following such merrymaking, it’s often the custom to cool down with cold beverages, with the highly honored berries as a choice ingredient. Bakeries, wines and other fruit based creations are often traditional tokens of participation to the celebration to share with friends and family alike.
Berries' Blessing
SUMMER
“Sure, this is a lot of food, but this is not luxury when facing winter.”
- Cannelle Croc-Ardent, motherly priestess of the Bunny
The Autumn’s Den is the name given by Naak'e'Tuun's followers to the celebration that takes place when the trees begin to take on warm hues of color, while the nights cool down significantly.
Unlike the more festive celebrations, the Autumn’s Den is intended to be more reserved. It is common for the populations of Mundus to celebrate the harvest with grandeur, but among the followers of the Collectivity, we instead follow the example of ants and rodents. It's a more relaxed celebration, inviting people to cook and share food preserved for the Winter. We can therefore find meat pies, preserves as well as candied delicacies. It is also courteous to make offerings for the comfort of the home, both aesthetic and practical. The important thing is to ensure that everyone can spend the winter as comfortably as possible, when nature is at its slowest.
On a more spiritual side, followers will gather at sunset to prepare for the Long Night. The tradition is to spend a first night awake in a group, to practice a host of activities suitable for this time of year. Cooking, crafting clothes or winter blankets, but also sharing stories and legends, snuggled up against each other, around a comforting fire. Everyone knows that it's okay to skip sleep this night, because they know that a full day of rest will soon follow. At sunrise, the followers of Naak'e'Tuun will join their beds, and this until the following dawn. The roosters will be silent, and the usually noisy animals of the farms and the forest will do the same. Strangely so, an outside observer could possibly see that it seems during this day the wind calms down, just like the ambient noises of the rivers, leaving the supporters of the Collectivity to rest amply, like a reward after a summer of toil.
The Autumn’s Den
AUTUMN
“To hoard is to wither, but to share is to thrive!”
- Fern’ai the Moth, champion of the Spider
The Winter Flame is not just a festival, it is a promise, a vow to one another that during the coldest stretch of winter, when the ground is frozen solid, and the nights seem endless, no one will face the cold alone.The fires blaze high, not merely for warmth and light, but as a symbol of the collective spirit that binds all life together. Mead and mulled wine are poured generously, stews bubble over open flames, and roasted nuts and dried fruits make their rounds. Any food that would soon spoil is cooked and enjoyed, a reminder to not waste what can be consumed, especially when it can be shared with your community.
It is also common to exchange small gifts for warmth like hand knitted items, but it is also a moment of preparation. Seeds, meant for spring planting, are exchanged between hands as promises of life yet to come and as symbols of renewal. Stories of past harvests and future hopes are shared like embers, passing warmth from one to another. Not only to pass the time, but to weave wisdom through the Collectivity, like roots beneath the frozen earth. In this way, the land’s cycle is honored not just in the reaping, but in the careful tending of what will grow when the thaw returns.
Some may stay awake until dawn, watching over the embers, while others drift to sleep, knowing that as long as the fire is tended, the warmth of Spring will return.
The Winter Flame