"He is strength, will, and action given form

His hooves swallow the earth

Thorns and antlers crown his fierce eyes

He flies without wings

His eyes are as sharp as his star-tipped arrows

He is Cernunnos - King of Centaurs"

Mythology of the Mother Circle

     Long have druids known Cernunnos as the Horned Lord; Aspect of the hunt, hunger, and primal instincts. Sometimes he is associated with the gnawing grip of disease, the ferocity of the wildfire, and the tempest's roar. For the Mother Circle, the Legend of Cernunnos stories the Hunt Father as a massive beast-man, depicted as either half stag or horse with strong body, large forked antlers and a bow of legendary strength. His arrows pierce the soul, shattering the mortal coil that delays the rebirth of nature. He and his many sons and daughters travel freely from the Court of the Fae Queen to guide the natural flow of the balance, and during the season of autumn oft associated with the Centaur King, he will blow the Horn of the Wild Hunt, beginning the greatest season of change. The leaves will recoil and shrivel into dark, fiery colors, the prey will be driven from their burrows. Hunters and gatherers alike will rejoice in the fair weather in which they will toil for the spoils of autumn, feasting on the weak and plentiful before the cold inevitabilities of winter.

     The celebrations of Cernunnos traditionally begin during the Fox Moon, or final Phase of Life. To honor the Hunt Father, the Mother Circle will coordinate adventures into the surrounding realms of the Grove. Before every hunt, a communal prayer is held before the grove is departed. The Huntsman's Creed is recited, the bows and blades of the hunters are blessed, and the hunters are sent off while the hearths and feasting grounds are prepared. The Creed is storied to be the self-imposed rules of any honorable hunter worshipping Cernunnos, including the sparing of young and mothers, the focus upon hunting the elder animal, and respect of animal population in reverence to the balance. Needless slaughter is taboo, and is said to invite the attention of mischievous or malevolent fae.

The Huntsman's Creed

With blade and bow, O Father, may I remain humble in harvest

Grant my feet and arrows swiftness, may my eyes and sword be sharp

When the heart is pierced, the throat cut

May your arrow loft this animal's spirit to the Forest

In their rebirth, may I remember this hunt

Keep me their memory, the animal honored

And in your will may the Wild Hunt forever come

Cernunnos and Astrology of the Mother Circle

     While a majority of the kills sustained during the months of the Wild Hunts, there is some game that is coveted by Cernunnos himself. For the Mother Circle, a druid has become a part of the natural cycle once they arise from the waters of attunement. Druid and Draoi alike will eventually meet their end at the hands of Cernunnos' bow. Fabled to be tipped with the stars themselves, Cernunnos is also the artist of the constellations in the night sky, for every great hunt must preserve a story to honor the fallen. It is said that when Druids finally enter the Eternal Forest for rest, or Draoi for eternal turmoil, the wake of Cernunnos' soul-reaping organizes the stars into a memorial. Rumored to be the arrows of Cernunnos' bow themselves, comets or falling stars are oft seen as an omen of change. The graves of the fallen are typically marked with the simple pattern of stars and connecting lines forming the druid's memorial constellation, which are best seen from the Mother Circle's observatory. There the living druids ponder wisdom left by the fallen, warnings of those who have failed the Aspects, and legends of the Order's history.

"When the moon rises in hue of strawberry,

then has come the hour of the flower faerie.

On beams of moonlight, they paint and dance,

a springtime eve to enchant!"

Excerpt from the folktale of the Wildblossom Faeries

When the Crystal Moon has set, the druids of the Mother Circle pay homage to the arrival of true spring by observing one the season's more prominent faerie tales. After the Fae Queen Cerridwen emerges from her winter chrysalis, the Springmother breathes the first warm winds onto the land and blesses the dormant ground with life. Upon the perfumed breezes of moonlit nights come the Wildblossom Faeries, thought to act as the paintbrushes of the Aspect herself. The vibrant hues of spring, nearly endless in color and shape, make the living world not just a vessel of life from the Aspect, but also a reflection of her eternal beauty. Sometimes depicted as riders of springtime birds such as cardinals, robins, or hummingbirds, the faeries are believed to serve as the helpers of the Mani Kholibrii until the arrival of the next moon. 

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During the passing of the Painted Moon, the Mother Circle celebrates the lunar month as one of creation and artistry. Wine and liqour is bottled with essence of spring, new clothing is sewn, performances are entertained, and the colors of the wilds are welcomed into the grove. Great care is taken to foster the growth of the blooms brought by the passing of the Painted Moon, avoiding harvest of the flowers until the time of the faeries' crossing has passed. In folklore, it is thought that those who have earned favor with the Fae Queen will discover many blooms around their house, and find their family blessed with prosperity and health. Some devout druids may choose to cultivate a certain color of flower during the season in hopes to provide their space with some living air of inspiration, such as red blooms for courage or white flowers for peace. While the Mother Circle celebrates the Painted Moon and awaits the arrival of the next, the druids offer a creation of their own to Cerridwen in hopes that when the fruits and berries of summer come, the Aspect promises a good harvest for the druids in return for their faith.

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A painter's depiction of Cerridwen's springtime rebirth

As the previous moon wanes to a sliver, the folklore of the Mother Circle stories the great rebirth of Cerridwen from her deep winter sleep. In her slumber she is veiled in the crystalline ice of the coldest nights of the year and her court empties. The turning of the seasonal wheel comes to a quiet halt; the longest night of the year swallows the realm. Then, as ever faithfully as spring comes to winter, the hand of time turns backwards. From her chrysalis, Cerridwen reawakens. The faerie tale of the Springmother is celebrated during the Crystal Moon, the first phase of the new lunar year of the Mother Circle. Through traditions and rites, the Mother Circle honors the end of the Wild Hunts of Cernunnos and embraces the Breath of the Springmother: the very wind of life that paints with bright green in a cold, grey realm.

During the days of early spring, artisans set to work carving with traditional faerie stones: carved gemstones or kuila. The Crystal Moon was rumored to be so named after the phenomenon of naturally growing cave quartz or minerals, seeming to grow and bloom as a flower might. In likeness to the Fae Queen's chrysalis, the minerals are made into offerings to Cerridwen or placed around the grove to pray for a prosperous spring.

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The Jackelope Faerie

Told alongside the rebirth of Cerridwen is the curious faerie tale of the rare Jackelope; a horned rabbit thought to be a Herald of Spring. Emerging to bring news of the Fae Queen's revival, they The rabbit of folklore breaks stubborn ice with jagged horns, leaping great bounds over the ground, the thunderous thumping of rabbits foot in the brush sowing the seeds of berries and flowers that will soon bloom and grow. A sighting is considered very rare, and is believed as a symbol of luck. While depicted as soft, innocent creatures, they are rumored to bare a voracious appetite without discretion, including prey. To see the jackelope and escape certain devouring is to embody luck itself. Particularly paranoid followers of the faerie culture might craft a rabbit's foot talisman in hopes to sway luck in their favor, and keep the Jackelopes at bay.

The most celebrated ritual of the Mother Circle is that of Attunement, or the Rite of Rebirth. Toiling for years in the wilds and among the great druidic family, a dedicant that has successfully proven themselves will earn the chance to be presented to Cerridwen within the Mother's Sorrow. There, guide and student arrive together in the crystal waters to immerse the spirit within the crystal clear waters, symbolizing the tears the Great Mother sheds to bring the druids the miracle of rebirth; to experience the light of life through the transcendence of the soul and into the web of life. For every miracle of birth, there is death, and in those tears of understanding are druids born into this realm anew.

The Lyric of Rebirth

During the Rite, the lights of the grove are dimmed. The attuning druid prays to the Great Mother through song, asking for her guidance as the druid ascends into the cerulean dream. The prayer is in gratitude to the Mother for providing the blessing of sharing the gifts through rebirth and for life itself, and for her watchful eye over the life and eventual death of all of her children. This is often performed with the gift of singing, so that the newborn druid may rest easier and find comfort after attunement. For times of childbirth among the mothering druids and for when a brother or sister must be said goodbye to, the lyric is often heard in accompaniment to a similar ceremony.

Kae matayna salume

 I experience the great life 

Ahaelun, mataliiyna’ito

Great Mother, within my essence 

Nae elasirameonn myumiera

 You have brought Rebirth (Attunement)

Fitayna, Fi’Talonnionn

(You brought) New Life, New Child (Of the great family)

Mawynn taliiyna’ito

Great Joy is within the heart
Mawynn taliiyna’ito

Great Joy is within the heart

Kaean ahernan ito nae

 We thank you

Kernan’tayna

 For the nights of Life

Kaean ahernan ito nae

 We thank you

Karinan’tayna

 For the days of Life

O Cerridwen, O Cerridwen

Hiylu’evar, fidruii

 Welcome, newborn druid

Kae ito Ma’Talonni

I bring you into the Great Family

Kae elsul salume

I experience the light

Ito maillern, fitaynan kaeleh’ito
 A miracle, a birth from me

Mawynn taliiyna’ito

Great Joy is within the heart
Mawynn taliiyna’ito

Great Joy is within the heart

Kaean ahernan ito nae

We thank you

Kernan’tayna

For the nights of Life

Kaean ahernan ito nae

We thank you

Karinan’tayna

For the days of life

O Cerridwen, O Cerridwen
 

The light of the stars dim; the hour is near.

Then the curtain of night swallows the skies, black and hungry.

The Wolf Moon has risen, the end of the Wild Hunt is nigh."

Excerpt from the faerie tale of Cerridwen's Wintersleep

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An artists' depiction of the Wolf Mani Morea swallowing the Moon

The final moon of the Lunar Cycle is also the darkest time of year both literally and spiritually for the druids of the Mother Circle. Once the Moonmoth Faeries make their pass under the light of the previous Winter Moon, it is believed that they whisk away the weak and old as a flurry of a thousand pure white snowflakes; peaceful, deadly, and beautiful. As the Winter Moon sets, the final hours of the lunar year chase away the last golden rays of the winter skies, daring not to rise again until the first breaths of spring.

It is when the long, frigid and hungry nights of deep winter arrive that the cold Wolf Moon rises, along with the final reaping of Cernunnos' Wild Hunt. Thought to be chiefest among the Centaur King's Huntsmen, the Wolf Mani Morea arises as a frozen shadow and swallows the lingering life not meant to recieve the Breath of the Springmother in the new year. In this, Morea is believed by the Mother Circle to be the enactor of Cernunnos' Bounty and a symbol of the inevitabilities of life; the eventual cost of death for that which is of the Balance is certain.

In the Tale of Cerridwen's Wintersleep, it is storied that Cerridwen grants Cernunnos and his Wild Hunt pantheon her own bounty: the willing sacrifice of a part of herself to ensure the Wild Hunt leaves behind a healthy, strong generation to be reborn. Morea leaps from the shadow of the setting Winter Moon and swallows the last lunar phase, named the Wolf Moon after this faerie tale. Blessing given, the Fae Queen falls into a deep, death-like sleep. The warmth of the SpringMother is gone, there is little fruit and prey, and the world seems to hold its breath. In the shadows, the Packlord Morea and his IceFang faeries stalk the realm unseen, concealed beneath the shadow of the new moon and the beginning of the new lunar cycle.

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The faeries are depicted as the terrible spirit of hunger itself, with long arms and ravenously sharp claws and eyes like stars; a mirror of Cernunnos' arrows. They are the fear of those that have not accepted death, and the awful, violent fury of the hunt they have evaded for too long. On the eve of the new lunar cycle, the druids of the Mother Circle place things that are in excess, such as old trinkets, food offerings, or memories of the past year that they wish to grow and move on from. With these offerings, a bonfire is lit to destroy them in an offering to Cernunnos, the light from the pyre symbolically keeping the faeries away as they seek out the excessive and the lazy.

An artists' depiction of the Court of the Faerie Queen

"She is the breath of life in our lungs,

the rain that both mourns the fallen and nourishes the living.

She is the kaleidoscope of colors in spring;

the heartbeat of the world.

Her name is Cerridwen, Queen of the Fae."

Mythology of the Mother Circle

Oft regarded as the orchestrater of the druidic gifts herself, Cerridwen has been a lauded symbol of motherhood, guidance, and life itself. The Mother Circle has cultivated a rich culture in reverence to the Aspect of life, and hosts many notable shrines and sacred glades dedicated to her role in the Balance. Even if she is as silent as her equal counterpart Aspect, Cernunnos, the evidence of her eternal role in the Balance is just as clear and colorful. While the Father's symbol is fire, the Mother's is water. Her seasons are spring and autumn, when the flowers and harvest are at their strongest. In the mythology of the Mother Circle, Cerridwen holds dominion over all living things, but particularly of the fae who are thought to be the richest representation of life's potential. As such, the lunar calendar is a visible symbol of Cerridwen's three eternal promises: birth, life, and decay.

The Lunar Phases and the Fae Moons

The calendar is separated into three seasons to represent the flow of life. Additionally, each Archdruid of the Grove represents a lunar season.

The Moons of Birth - Spring to early Summer, depicted as the Waxing Moon

The Moons of Life - Summer to early Autumn, depicted as the Full Moon

The Moons of Decay - Autumn through Winter, depicted as the Waning Moon

Rarely, a thirteenth moon will be visible during the lunar calendar. Known as the Fae Queen's Moon, it is believed that Cerridwen's influence over the realm reaches a crescendo at the height of the full moon, calling the wandering fae and the souls of deceased druids home to her court in the Fae Realm. Phenomena of whimsical and beautiful natural wonder are storied to emerge on this sacred night, bathing the world in the pure light of the Mother's radiance.

Depiction and Worship

The Mother Circle traditionally displays Cerridwen as a winged being of wondrous bioluminescence, crowned with wisps and butterflies. When depicted in physical means either through statues or shrines, she is also seen as a green lady with misty eyes and wild tresses of ivy. Chiefest of the sacred places within the grove is known as the Mother's Sorrow, where the Cerridwen's glowing gaze looks down upon the pool in which the Rite of Rebirth, or Attunement, is performed. Here, a descendant is born again, bathed in the tears of the Mother. Just as in the labors of childbirth, Cerridwen baptizes her newborns in both tears of joy and tears of sorrow, for even druids will too decay, and suffer the eventual toll of death. The druids of the Mother Circle believe that all life is merely borrowed from Cerridwen, and in time it must be given back.

The crying statue of Cerridwen within the Mother's Sorrow, overlooking the Attunement pool

In addition to the physical worship of the Aspect, the Mother Circle believes the Fae Queen's pure spirits, known as faeries or the fae, are the manifestation of a mother's specific lessons, cherished traits, or even enactors of the will of the Aspects themselves. While not truly worshiped in the same manner as the Aspects, they are revered as sacred beings and are sometimes claimed to be seen fulfilling phenomena in nature. The StormTreader Stags, for example, are pure white faeries of deer that are believed to the source of lightning when they crash their antlers to smite the souls of draoi or evil spirits.

"And then comes the kiss of winter, pure and silent.

They come as flurries, frozen tears of the Faerie Queen, beautiful and deadly;

and the soul is ferried onto the next rebirth."

Excerpt from the druidic Faerie Tale of the MoonMoth

Midwinter marks the rise of the Night Moon for the Mother Circle, and the arrival of the first snows that blanket the realm in frosted, shimmering powder blankets. The days become short, and long nights of cold darkness arrive in which the Night Moon is named. As the third Moon of Decay and the third cycle of the Wild Hunts of Cernunnos, the MoonMoth faeries are storied to cross into our realm and enact the Horned Lord's will of death. They are depicted as pristine white-winged moths of winter majesty, as small as mice. Disguised as an alluring, shimmering flurry of snow, they swarm the dying and sick in numbers uncountable and freeze the soul in silence. Then, the faeries steal away the dead upon winter winds and back to Cerridwen, where life is reborn during the Moons of Birth.

A painting depicting Cerridwen, the Faerie Queen with a cloak of MoonMoth Faeries

For the druids of the Mother Circle, the mythology of the MoonMoth faeries parallels with the yuletide tale of Cerridwen's winter slumber. When the Centaur King's hunts reach their crescendo, the Faerie Queen falls into a deep sleep to prepare for the Moons of Birth. It is during this time in the lunar calendar that the Mother Circle exchanges gifts and festive greetings, for the completion of the Lunar Cycle is as revered as the start. It is thought that to be selfless and generous even during a time of scarcity earns the favor of the Aspects, and ensures prosperity and rebirth when the snows eventually melt. Paramount above all is the acceptance of death, however, and the druids will often leave offerings to their dead within the garden of memories.

"You can't see it... but you can see where it's been.

It's the lightning that starts the forest fire,

or the rain that will douse it.

Fate's a funny thing... but I've seen stranger."

A Huntsman's Grimoire on the Faerie Legend of the Windrunner

One of the more abstract faerie tales regarded by the Mother Circle is the story of the Windrunner, oft depicted as either an eerie winged beast as the shadow of death, or as a guardian of the harvest boughs and abundant life. The Mother Circle druids regard this faerie as a Fae of the Wild Hunt, but more specifically one of the hunter's preservation and destruction of life. Some have claimed to be haunted by the cold eyes of the faerie after surviving a near-death experience, courting with paranoia of the thing after cheating death. Thought to be associated with the wordless will of fate within the Balance, the faerie is believed to manifest as the creeping cold of winter, or the autumn feast for the hunter. One will never give unless the other takes, as it is with the Balance and the perpetual flow of time.

The Mother Circle, during the height of the Crimson Moon's passing, a great feast is held. It is a time of thanksgiving and toasts to good health and fortitude for the coming winter, but also a day to remember those whose fates had been decided. The toll of death is best not forgotten, for the harvest of the now is seldom achieved without sacrifice. At the end of the feast, offerings are given to the sculpture of the faerie in hopes that the rejection of excess might align themselves further with the Balance, and to honor the aspect Cernunnos and his Wild Hunt. As it is in the Huntsman's Creed, the druids of the Atoll remain humble in harvest. Only when the dead have been honored and the feast concluded, the Mother Circle druids prepare for the frosts and hardship left behind from the Crimson Moon's arrival. 

"When the gloam of autumn brings a chill

NightWing takes flight o'er forest and hill!

Pumpkins, black cats, tricks and sweets

arrive at midnight, a spooky celebration to entreat!"

Excerpt from the Legend of NightWing, patron faerie of the Pumpkin Moon

The Phases of Life have passed. Summer days have faded into memory, and the leaves have begun to decay and fall. A chill is in the air... but for the druids of the Mother Circle, the festivities of the year's end have only just begun. In the tale of NightWing, the bat faerie, the mischevious hunter of Cernunnos' Wild Hunt preys upon bullies and naughty children and torments them with nightmares or tricks, and steals from them to give to the well-behaved. As a connoisseur of tricks and treats alike, NightWing delights in frightening or wonderous costumes on the night of the Pumpkin Moon's arrival, and will chase away evil spirits if the grove remembers to leave a pumpkin lantern or a snack out for NightWing as he passes by!

The Festival of the Pumpkin Moon traditionally begins a few days prior to the full moon's arrival, starting with a great pumpkin harvest and artisanal exposition. Pumpkin carvers, costume makers, and confectionaries all gather to fashion a welcoming place for the trickster fae. Each pumpkin takes a portion of the bonfire flame to illuminate a creepy or jolly face on the night of the full moon, and the costumed party-goers partake in games, sampling sweets and snacks as they go. But kin beware! To be greedy is to invite bad luck, and poor sportsmanship attracts the torment of haunts themselves...

((Come join us for the month of October for spooky-themed events!))

"The nights have come sooner, the winds are changing.

The lanterns in our caravan seem to change every night... Didn't we only have fifty five before?

My father went into the forest after the lights...

He has yet to return."

- Unknown account of a trader's mysterious encounter with the will-o'-the-wisps

The Ocean Moon has faded. Blistering summer days and warm sun have begun to change, and in their wake the shadows of early autumn come. In folklore of the Mother Circle, the changes seen in the final Lunar Phase of Life is celebrated with the fabled faerie spirit of trickery, Nailah. As the ambusher soul of the Wild Hunt of Cernnunos, she is depicted as a cunning nine-tailed fox, one for each of her trickster children.  The significance of Nailah's tails is that, in likeness to the number nine, she represents a cycle's completion, but not final ending. She is the moment that secures death or survival, the clock's tolling of new hour, bringer of foggy mornings for hunters to hide in, and the spirit of autumn that changes the leaves from green to gold.

Occasionally, the trickster fox faerie has been rumored to prey on those souls that fall victim to curiosity a little too easily. Tales of strange lights in the forest, numbering nine, giving the illusion of nearby adventurers. Instead, they are lured away and are mysteriously mauled by a roaming predator, or happen upon a treasure of peculiar worth. The will-o'-the-wisps are rumored to be blue flames or lanterns carried by her nine mischievous kits, leading the unlucky into a twisting maze of wilderness to be devoured by predators and guiding some towards relics or natural secrets. 

For the Mother Circle, Nailah's faerie tale is celebrated primarily with a masquerade gathering in which games, hunting, and feasting occur. The first harvests of fall begin after, and artisanal goods are prepared for the coming feasts of fall and winter. Talismans, jewelry, and riddles are often exchanged as a way to celebrate the entire lunar month. The final Moon of Life has made its pass, and preparations are made for the coming, harsh Moons of Decay.

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A painting of the sunken city of merfolk faeries

" It is a realm not quite near, and not quite so far...

In those sunken, forgotten halls

The Ocean's daughter mourns evermore. "

Excerpt from the Faerie Legend of the Sea Maiden

During the third and final full moon of the summer months, the Mother Circle reflects upon the legend of the Sea Maiden, a mermaid queen fabled to be the source of all ocean treasures. There, deep in the cerulean city of the ocean's splendor, she guards and keeps the tides, waiting for a day that shall never come.

When the the world was young, and the seas without graveyards, a Son of Malin ventured into the surf with silver sails to glide over the water's surface as a shooting star in the night sky would. His hair was as pearly as the sea-foam upon the shore, and his eyes glimmered with the wondrous blue of the deep ocean. From her young throne, the Sea Maiden, Queen of Sirens and Mermaid Fae gazed up from her throne and knew that no pearl, no shell nor jewel was fairer than he.

Yet, when the Sea Maiden erupted from the surface to meet her beloved... He denied her.

For the elf with a mane of stars and eyes of tempest sought not love nor beauty...

He sought glory that she could not give.

Then, the world experienced the first cataclysm of the sea's legendary rage. As the sailor departed, the white hull of his vessel trailed a terrible, sorrowful storm. The tides swelled as the Ocean's daughter wept day and night. Even the land trembled beneath the black clouds; wailing, tumultuous pain of love that will never be. The typhoon raged across the land and deposited all of the riches of the ocean onto white shores. Pearl, fossils, coral, and shells and jewels like a kaleidoscope of treasure showered the shores of Kings and peasants alike.

The Sea Maiden had rejected all of the Ocean's wealth that day. Her heart longed not for the shimmering coat of pearls and gems, but for the diamond-hair of her sailor. Still, she sings a mourning song in the depths of the sea, hoping that one day her sailor might return and join her atop the Cerulean Throne.

It is rumored that sirens and mermaids are drawn to sailors, so that they might lure them into the abyss to bring the Sea Maiden her true love in which she searches for even still today.

An artists' depiction of the Mermaid Queen

To celebrate the fable of the Sea Maiden, the Mother Circle holds a great Ocean Ball at the end of the summer cycle. Donning sea-side treasures such as pearl, abalone, and coral are seen as a gesture of good fortune, as the Sea Maiden supposedly sends trinkets into the surf to those that reject fame and glory for the quieter fates of life.

With royal mane of leaf and umber.

When the days turn long, the sun's veil of fire

awakens summertime from the Lion's choir."

Excerpt from the Faerie Tale of Majira, the Midsummer Prince

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The Sixth Moon of the Lunar Calendar of Faeries is known as the Lion Moon, named for the likeness of the druidic fable of Majira, a great lion thought to guard the Court of the Fae Queen. Majira slumbers most of the year at the entrance to the Verdant Glade, where he rests after his yearly roar that brings the crescendo of summer to the realm. He is thought to be the father of the PrideMother fae spirits, roaming hunters of mischievous faeries and trespassing spirits of draoi, and a patron of wild and domesticated feline companions to descendants alike. With Majira's watchful eyes holding the light of dusk and dawn, it is storied that witnessing reflective eyes of cats big and small is a sure sign that there are foul magics or dark spirits afoot.

When the Stormtreader stags cascade their cacophony of thunder and rain during the Fifth moon of the calendar, Majira will awaken and loft his head high. His roar shakes the realms of the Forest and Descendants, rich ribbons of summertime season weaving nature's crescendo into the land and sky. Exhausted, the Great Lion shakes his mane, billowing sweltering breeze to shoo away summer storms that have overstayed their welcome. The oceans begin to stir with life, and the world bears summer fruit of sweet nourishment. Then, the Midsummer Prince returns to rest, so that he might regain his spirit to bring the next year's summer.

The Pridemother's Chant, Song of the Midsummer Dance

Lye orrarae, Maln!

(We hunt, Father!)

Lye orrarae karinte, Maln!

(We are going hunting, Father!)

Il'Kaean narnae, larionn'an, lye orrarae karinte!

(Come with us, sisters, we are going hunting!)

Lye!            Uhierae, ehierae!

Lye!            Uhierae, ehierae!

(The people!)      (We seek, we find!)

Maruriar, Maln!

(Roar, Father!)

Lye!            Haelun, kaean annil!

Lye!            Haelun, myumier ito!

(The people!)      (Mother, guide us! Mother, carry us (to it)!)

Ito orrarae!

(Here, we hunt!)

Oh, draoi uhierae!

(Oh, we hunt evil!) 

A painting of Mother Circle druids partaking in the Midsummer Dance

In the Mother Circle, a great celebration is held in honor of this story during the phases of the Lion Moon. Known as the Midsummer Dance, performers travel dressed as Majira and his pride of daughters to spread the joys and beliefs of summertime according to druidic values. The chiefest display involves firedancing, a great demonstration of the story of Majira in the form of a traveling performance and feast. Adorned in bright summer colors and masks of the Midsummer Prince and his hunting pride of daughters, the druids of the circle travel the world to instill strength and faith into those that aim to preserve nature. Summer fruits and laurels are few of many gifts brought to a communal feast, while stories of great accomplishments for the preservation of the balance are shared.

While Summer is indeed a season of vitality and strength, it is also a season where the weak perish. When the Mother Circle celebrates the Midsummer Dance, they are praying for the wisdom and strength of the hardy spirits of summer. Wise druids know that no season truly holds an era of quiet when it comes to the protection of the balance, and the summer heat often proves harshest to many. Celebrating the Midsummer Dance and feast forges bonds that many wish to maintain in solidarity of the hard work yet to come.

The Caribou's hooves roar over the land like thunder.

The Elk's voice the screaming wind of the tempest.

The Storm Moon has risen above murky summer skies!"

Excerpt from the Legend of the StormTreader, Guardian of the Storm Moon

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A painting of the mythical StormTreader Faerie

When the final lunar phase of the spring months has passed, the kin of the Mother Circle know that the harsher times of the lunar calendar is upon them. The clouds churn into great veils of shadow and storm, washing the land with a cleansing rain. When the sky illuminates with the crash of thunder, it is said that the mythical StormTreader stags are clashing their antlers together. Rain cascades over the earth like a tide to cleanse the remnants of the old and warn of the scorching summer months to come, and lightning strikes the land to smite wayward, trespassing spirits of draoi and evil spirits. To honor the story of this fable, the Mother Circle gathers for a grand hunt and the creation of the Lunar Year's Tempest Crown.

The tradition begins with two hunting parties representing the Wind and Rain of a summer storm. Venturing into the wilds, the hunters harvest a deer, elk, or caribou to obtain the antlers required for the creation of the Tempest Crown. Then, a grand reenactment of the clashing of horns is held between two chosen warriors of each hunting party. Using only the horned helms they have created, they endure combat during the first summer storm until one of the crowns break. The remaining artifact is exalted as the year's Tempest Crown, a symbol of the Circle's resilience during real and spiritual storms.

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A sketch of a druid having won the Tempest Crown

"When lightning strikes, kin beware;

For the draoi and slothful druid

Are one in the same in the eye of the storm."

The faerie stags themselves are believed by the Mother Circle to be pure faerie spirits of justice, and enactors of Cerunnos' will. While not associated with the Pantheon of the Wild Hunt, they are considered stalwart protectors of the Court of the Fae Queen and help ensure that malevolent faeries that cross into the mortal realm are kept in line, never overindulging in their unknowable mischief and tricks on descendants. To witness the passing of a white stag is to see a StormTreader in the flesh, an incredibly rare sight and an omen of nearby danger. The Mother Circle considers these faeries to be the first children of Ameathon, and will often keep antlers from hunts and present them to the most honorable and tested warriors of the Grove to symbolize their dedication to the glades of Cerridwen.

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For as long as the Circle has been able to cast eyes of wonder up to the moon, stories and myths have been sung and written by the Mother Circle. Cautionary tales, omens of fortune and legends of rare creatures are celebrated during the Mother’s Cycle, or the Lunar Calendar. Typically there are twelve moons of the year with a rare thirteenth moon, all with specific festivals, traditions, rites and patron mythical creatures. The twelve are divided into three lunar seasons in honor of the Mother’s Cycle of Birth, Life, and Decay. In addition, there exist fables of strange creatures that the Druids revere.

The Moons of Birth
The Moons of Birth represent nature’s revitalization from the changes of autumn and winter. The blessings of new blooming flowers and mild weather are celebrated, with the largest celebration being held during the Flower Moon. It is said that the vibrant energy of the NightFall domain pours in from the fae rings towards the end of winter and offers the eternal colors of spring and rebirth to the world. 

The Crystal Moon
The First Moon of Birth is still cold and symbolizes the challenges of birth. When the last of the ice crystals cling to the realm, the tale of the Fae Hare’s emergence is celebrated for the month. It describes a pure white, horned snow hare that emerges to carve away the last biting cold of winter and spread the seeds for the coming Spring.

The Painted Moon
Once Winter is but a memory, the realm is painted with the colors of spring. Dread erupts into joy as life surges in a green crescendo of new growth and the sky burns bright with spring’s radiance. The Circle celebrates the beginning of Spring by decorating the Grove with bright colors of druidic creation. It is believed that the Painted Moon offers passage to the Color Flight of Cerridwen, an innumerable flock of Hummingbird Fairies that represent every color imaginable and bring their rainbows to the world with new vibrancy.

The Flower Moon
The Flower Moon is one of the largest celebrations of the Mother Circle. A great forager’s feast is held of berries, sweet honey and artisanal fruits. With the great crescendo of flowers and nourishment from the land, brewmasters are summoned throughout the realm to display their mastery of nature’s elixirs and liquors. Flower dances and gifts of new clothing are cherished among the Circle.

The Cloud Moon
When the radiance of Spring begins to come to a close, Cerridwen’s Breath blows in great winds that summon warmer weather and billows fertility over the land. The flowers close up and begin their journey to fruition, or take flight in the wind to plant the seeds of future life. It is believed that this Moon brings a more mischievous Fae passage into the world; butterfly pixies as small as bees that enact the Mother’s promise of Life. It is said that if one were to be foolish enough to harm such a creature, they would be doomed to experience extreme misfortune for their savage disrespect to the Spring Sprite. 

The Moons of Life
The Moons of Life are believed to be the most powerful and strong Moons of the Mother’s Cycle. The Dayward Lands influence the four lunar cycles with energy from the eternally sunny realm and breathe vitality into all living beings.

The Storm Moon
Eventually, the breath of Spring turns into a great windy storm seen during the Storm Moon. When the weather suddenly shifts from balmy to the intense heat of the coming summer, Cerridwen’s Stormtreaders emerge as heralds of rain and thunder. Cleansing the land and nourishing the realm, Stags of mist and tempest bring thunder with their stomping hooves and cracks of lightning through the clash of antlers. In some tales, it is said that when lightning strikes the land, a Stormtreader has reprimanded a dangerous trespassing fae or draoi and returned it to the Fae Realm.
 

The Lion Moon
After the rains of summer have quenched the thirst of the land, the heat of summer is ushered in by the Midsummer Prince. He is a storied lion guardian of Cerridwen’s Glade within the Fae Realm, and will roar a wave of primal vibrancy from the Fae Realm. The sun will blaze bright and the days will become long and difficult. During this great offering of sunlight, however, the Midsummer Prince gifts the coming autumn bounty with Cerridwen’s Blessing of Life, so that there may be a grand harvest to nurture the world towards the end of the year.
 

The Ocean Moon

When the Roar of Summer begins to warm the oceans, the Festival of the Sea Maiden is held upon the beaches and shores of the Mother Grove. The Sea Maiden is the fabled mother of summer sea creatures, often depicted with the scales of a rainbow trout, luminescent tails of the jellyfish, or long hair of lakebed greens. She can leap from any body of water to another and morph her body to suit any climate. During the Festival of the Sea Maiden, the bounty of the Ocean is celebrated through great works of art in sand, coral, and sea stone. During this Moon, it is said that the Children of the Sea Maiden, Mermen and Sirens, will guard the tide and rivers against greedy travelers. Doom is said to follow those who are unable to resist the mischievous games of the Fae, while those who respect the waters of the world might stumble upon a small token of wealth from the sea in the form of rare pearls and sea-stones. Many of these riches are gifted to loved ones, guides, or to the Mother herself to ensure more good fortune will follow.

The Fox Moon
To celebrate the first changes of Autumn, the Rite of the Vixen is held once the toiling of summer has concluded. During this celebration, a masquerade is held in honor of the nine-tailed Fae spirit that symbolizes riddles, change, and clever wisdom. It is told that by hiding one’s face behind a Fae that they attain the most wisdom from during the rite, the mischievous sons of the White Vixen will not age the festival participants unkindly. Instead, her young pups will cloak the realm in shades of autumn and chase the prey animals of the world into the season of the Wild Hunt.

The Moons of Decay
When the Mother’s Cycle reaches the time of decay, the days become shorter and the radiance of summer turns quiet. With each dusk and dawn, the realm of the Twilight Bound hushes the roar of summer into a somber lullaby. Darker nights and trickster creatures of the fae rule the final phase of the cycle.

The Crimson Moon
The Rise of the Crimson Moon signals the beginning of the Wild Hunt. The Circle will form parties of mighty hunters to follow the guidance of the Fae Vixen’s children to their prey. Wreaths of autumn leaves and berries are adorned as crowns onto successful Hunt Masters, denoting status as a harvest provider within the Circle. During this moon, the Windrunners have been rumored to briefly present themselves before particularly skilled hunters. Very little is known of the purpose of the Windrunner’s visit, but it is associated with the spirit of fairness and clean kills. Should a hunter not properly use their kill or leave excessive waste, the Windrunner may secretly stalk them and sabotage their days until the imbalance has been corrected.

The Pumpkin Moon
The Pumpkin Moon is perhaps the largest event held within the Mother Circle. The harvest’s yield comes to a close, and the Ritual of the NightWing is performed during the full moon of the month. The NightWing is depicted as a great bat that visits the young of the realm and gifts them with sweets and toys stolen from naughty children and bullies. He will appear as kind and happy to those that have respected the Hunt, while playing games of mischief and terror upon those who have wasted the season. With a promise to share their gifts with their mother and father, the children and their families of the Grove will carve lighted pumpkin and gourds in honor of NightWing to ward off the dangerous fae spirits that may enter the realm during winter months.
 

The Night Moon
The Night Moon is the start of the coldest time of year. Frost sweeps over the land silently in the night, thought to be ushered in by a flock of moonlit moths that flutter from the silver rays of the silvery winter moon. The MoonMoths are silent and never intentionally interact with descendants in legend and are considered a dangerous Fae. Those unlucky to find themselves alone and lost in the wilds during the winter months may find themselves frozen to death, rumored to be the work of the moth spirits themselves who have been found by a doomed wanderer. The final days of the Night Moon are marked by the resilience of the evergreen trees, the largest of which is grown by the Druids in reverance of the Mother’s Promise of Rebirth. Traditionally gifts were exchanged to ensure the Circle’s prosperity during the colder months, but tokens of appreciation are also popular in the form of new clothing, toys, and sweets.
 

The Wolf Moon
Marking the End of the Cycle, the last and coldest moon of the year is marked with the trials of survival. The Mother’s children, if they are to navigate the obstacles of deep winter, must show resilience and faith in Cerridwen. In the wilds during particularly cold nights, the Spirits of Hunger stalk the realm. Also known as Icefangs, these fae monsters hunt the weak and the dying so that their life might be recycled in the coming spring. Howling cacophony of hungry wolves might just be the rallying cry of a pack of Icefangs bringing a kind end to suffering, and hunt both descendants and evil fae spirits. The greatest trophy of a pack of Icefangs is the soul of a draoi, who they hunt tirelessly during the Wolf Moon. A talisman of an IceFang is said to bring their protective nature to the aid of innocent newborns and children, whom the IceFangs shall never harm as decreed by Cerridwen. On the last day of the year before the Moons of Birth, an offering of old items, food, or clothing is set before an altar to Cerridwen in hopes that by discarding what is not needed and offering it to another, the Icefangs may overlook their homes and glades and continue their hunt for more appropriate trophies.
 

The Fae Queen’s Moon
Occasionally, a thirteenth moon will arise during the year. Such a rare and sacred event to the Mother Circle has been celebrated at the season of Cerridwen herself, the Fae Queen. In stories, the light of the Fae Queen’s moon calls all of the Fae back to the Realm in summons to a great court of nature and seasons. The souls of druids past convene with Cerridwen and the Fae to discuss matters of the Balance and the three realms of the Fae. An unusually bright full moon illuminates the night sky, with the Mother Circle holding the greatest rite of all, the Gathering of Lights. The gathering involves the creation of glowing lanterns that are sent into the heavens, holding prayers and wishes that the Circle hopes that the Mother’s court may hear.
 

Notable Legends of the Mother Grove
While not necessarily associated with any season, the following mythical fae creatures carry important teachings to the Druids of the Mother Grove. Whether they actually exist or not is certainly debated among the realm, but their stories are very real and sacred to Druids.

The Wanderer

The Wanderer is the most elusive fae storied within the library of the Mother Circle, but beloved by believers. It is a tall, olog-sized fae ape that strides around the outskirts of fae rings to ensure that no fae of ill-intent comes to harm Druids by trespassing into the world. Many druids believe that The Wanderer is a sole member of a once plentiful sect of the Mother’s Guardians, and has been gifted with the ability to phase in and out of the fae realm without the need of a direct gateway. This makes the Wanderer a creature of legendary elusivity and the ultimate ambusher. In some texts, the Wanderer is locked in an endless hunt for the Hungered, fae that embody the starving winter months and harbor a deep hate for druids and descendants.

The Hungered

The Hungered is by far the most sinister of cautionary tales of the Mother Circle. When the Moons of Decay come, there are some spirits and souls that wish to cheat death by resorting to the most heinous and evil of hunts; the murder and feasting of their own kin. The Hungered are  invisible sprites that will infect the forms of starving, desperate druids and animals that have killed or eaten their family. When the sprite has possessed the body, it will mutate into a hideous creature of winter with skin like permafrost and teeth of needles and icicles. Plagued by a never satiated, primal hunger, they wander in and out of the fae realm on cold nights and consume the flesh of the weak while they are still alive. According to legend, the first Hungered was the warped soul of a draoi that has since harbored a hate for the Aspects. Forced to forever seek contentment, the draoi spirit searches the world for weak druids to tempt and possess in a method of continued revolt against the Balance.

The Glimmerhorn
Collectively known as unicorns, the Glimmerhorn fae are the Mother’s beauty incarnate. Incredibly rare and thought to bring fertility and wealth, they travel the world in solitude bringing the light of the Fae Realm by their shimmering hooves and long horns. Residing within all three portions of the Fae Realm, they can come in nearly any array of colors and glow. The Glimerhorn is the patron fae of warriors who enact the Mother’s Wrath against mages, dragonkin, and evil spirits. These unicorns are extremely territorial and will guard their glades valiantly. The longer the gleaming horn upon a unicorn, the more imbalance it has vanquished in its life.

The PrideMother
Feline creatures are immensely important myths and real companions of the Mother Circle. Some druids claim that the cats of the world, big and small are descendant from the PrideMothers themselves, great saber-toothed cats that hunt and track draoi and more dangerous fae. They may resemble a ghostly specter or a whimsical recreation of their natural descendants.  The reflective eyes of the cats that remain with us in this realm are remnants of the PrideMother’s ability to see even invisible fae or demons, and the light caught within their gaze is used to locate their prey with pinpoint accuracy. To witness the shine of a cat’s eyes as a descendant or druid is a certain sign that foul magics are afoot. The Talisman of the PrideMother is a common gift given to new mothers so that they may be blessed with the gift of Cerridwen’s discernment to protect her young.

The Glade Serpent
Historically, Taynei the Great Green Dragon has offered the druids trials, wisdom, and strife. Lesser dragons called Glade Serpents inhabit all reaches of the forest but bear very little of Taynei’s intelligence and ability to speak. To the Mother Circle Druids, the Glade Serpents are the symbols of joy and prosperity, as they are thought to be the faithful companions of smaller fae that reside in the Fae Realm. They are typically depicted as a whimsical mount for fabled sprites, aiding their daily tasks within the Fae Realm.

"She is the breath of life in our lungs,

the rain that both mourns the fallen and nourishes the living.

She is the kaleidoscope of colors in spring,

the heartbeat of the world.

Her name is Cerridwen, Queen of the Fae."

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-From the writings of Aerendyl, Archdruid of Song

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Revived from an age of dormancy, the eldest circle is comprised of druids from many paths and creeds united in devotion to the preservation of the Balance. Believing that all life is merely borrowed from the Faerie Queen, these faithful druids commit their living years to the preservation of the Balance, stewardship of the wilds, and the proliferation of a culture of reverent storytelling until the Great Mother calls them to give back that life afforded to them and take rest within the boughs of her enchanted court deep in the Eternal Forest.

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From merciful healers to inviolable guardians, the Mother Circle druids serve nature in lockstep with the dual ordinance of the King and Queen in the woods, Cernunnos and Cerridwen. Believing that the will of the Aspects can be discerned by the natural phenomena of the lunar cycle, astral events, and seasonal change, the circle observes the progression of the Lunar Calendar; a timetable of twelve moons and occasionally a rare thirteenth moon that is divided into three seasons that reflect the promises of the Great Mother: Birth, Life, and Decay.

The Phases of Birth                            The Phases of Life                         The Phases of Decay

 The beginning of the                                        The middle of the                                The end of the Calendar,

    calendar, the emergence                                Calendar, the arrival                                Summer’s degradation into 

 Of Spring from Winter                              of Summer from Spring                                  Autumn and Winter

     _______________________                                          _______________________                                   ________________________   

  The Crystal Moon                                           The Storm Moon                                        The Crimson Moon

  The Painted Moon                                            The Lion Moon                                         The Pumpkin Moon

 The Flower Moon                                           The Ocean Moon                                          The Night Moon

 The Cloud Moon                                               The Fox Moon                                             The Wolf Moon

The Fae Queen’s Moon

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A rare thirteenth moon that sometimes arises during the lunar calendar, and is considered

most sacred of the thirteen. During its arrival, it is believed that the souls of departed druids and

wandering faeries are summoned to Cerridwen’s Court deep in the Eternal Forest, guided by

the light of the full moon. On the night of its arrival, the druids celebrate the

Gathering of the Lights, a ritual that involves the interpretation of constellations

and the ascension of faerie fire lanterns carrying prayers to the Aspects into the night sky.

"With blade and bow, O Father, may I remain humble in harvest

Grant my feet and arrows swiftness, may my eyes and sword be sharp

When the heart is pierced, the throat cut

May your arrow loft this animal's spirit to the Forest

In their rebirth, may I remember this hunt

Keep me their memory, the animal honored

And in your will may the Wild Hunt forever come”

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The Huntman’s Creed

Honored equally, Cernunnos is worshiped as the Protector of the Fae Queen’s Court and Master of the Wild Hunt; a recurring age of great autumnal change, harvest, predatory drive and perseverance. The beginning is marked by the arrival of the Fox Moon and ends at the final waning crescent of the Wolf Moon, during which time the circle honors the arrival of the Centaur King’s chiefest huntsman including both Mani and faeries alike. Thought to bear star-tipped arrows that shatter the mortal coil and reap souls to return to the ever-cycling flow of life, the Mother Circle recognizes Cerunnunos as the artist of constellations and chronicles the celestial signs diligently. The Astral Observatory doubles as a graveyard for departed druids of the Order, where their specific constellations can be viewed in the reflected firmament upon the mirror sheen of the observatory’s viewing pool.

Druids seeking spiritual purpose from the Huntsmaster himself may dedicate themselves to further service through induction into the Wildwood Rangers, a loose fellowship of druids whose duties are to roam the realm, seek out threats to the Balance before catastrophe strikes and fiercely protect any who dare threaten the glades of Cerridwen’s Devoted. The Rangers are encouraged to remain active in exploration and stewardship, scorning slothfulness and exclusivity. Requiring only to follow the ethics of Cernunnos’ Huntsmen and memorization of the Creed, the duties of the Ranger remain a popular purpose for Mother Circle druids to pursue.

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Druids of the Mother Circle, collectively known as Cerridwen’s Devoted, are considered equal among their peers. Nominated by existing archdruids or the whole circle in absence of leadership, the Circle is organized by three roles of oversight. The number three is thought to be sacred among Cerridwen’s Devoted, harkening to the lunar cycle and the three promises of the Great Mother.

The Mother’s Song

Aerendyl Hawksong

Responsible for cultural worship, inspiration

and guidance of the Circle’s learning Druids,

and outreach to nations and realms

          The Mother's Mercy                                   The Mother's Wrath   

        Suika Lorenthus Vanari                                            Amethyst Vanari          

    Responsible for the advisement of                       Responsible for the detection

the focus in the Circle's efforts                                 of threats to the Circle

        to preserve the Balance                                   and preservation of unity

The Mother Circle Druid

Inaugurated either by attunement through the Rite of Rebirth or through three basic trials, these druids actively participate in the Circle’s core duties and assigned missions. Foreign druids may choose to complete the following tasks to attain recognition as a part of Cerridwen’s Devoted: the performance of the Rite of Rebirth, the leading of a hunt with the recital of the Huntsman’s Creed, and a held sermon on the lunar calendar, fae, mani or Aspects. Some may choose to take the Ilmyumier markings of the Circle, which depicts three blue faerie roses woven together in any place of choosing.

The Dedicant

Those prospects who have pledged to follow the path of druidism are known as dedicants. Through years of diligence in studies and tasks, the dedicant is prepared by their guide and mentors within the circle to be presented to the Aspects through the Rite of Rebirth, in which the King and Queen in the woods will pass their final judgment.

The Sylvan Warden

-Vacant-

To manage and coordinate the Wildwood Rangers, a symbolic figurehead is chosen to organize outings and communicate with the three Archdruids. Keeping the tasks and missions of the Rangers enigmatic to outsiders, the Warden’s primary role is to keep the Rangers engaged.

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Rite of Rebirth

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When a dedicant has fulfilled the requirements of dedicancy, the circle gathers in the Mother’s Sorrow to immerse the druid in the living waters of the grove. Believing that Cerridwen herself labors to offer descendants a renewal of life through attunement and the gifts, the Lyric of Rebirth is sung in prayer as the dedicant is presented to the Aspects for judgment. This rite is also performed to usher the souls of departed druids to the Eternal Forest. 

Sounding of the Horn

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To herald the season of the Wild Hunt, the massive horn of the Circle is blown at the height of noon on the first day of the Fox Moon. The druids have infused the horn with potent gifts, so much so that nature itself quakes in fervor at the call of the Centaur King’s Huntsmen. While primarily used for ceremonial purposes, the horn will sound when the grove is threatened to instill druidic energy in the environment and prepare the glades for battle.