Kithairien: Prayers and Holy Days

Prayers

Prayers to Kithairien are usually for the hunt but are rarely asked for. Kithairien largely respects those who ask little of him and rely upon themselves first and foremost.

A priest of Kithairien, however, may pray something like this before an important hunt: "Oh Great Hunter, I ask that my wisdom be enough so I may know the moment to act. May my speed and agility be as the Great Runner. That I may act swiftly when the time comes. That my strength shall be enough for my prey to fall easily, suffering little."

Priests of Kithairien offer worship before a battle, a hunt, or at times when great strength may be needed. As all of his people are roamers and hunters, they tend to offer worship at dawn. Worship for these followers does not include asking for great boons or prowess, simply acknowledging their faith and a personal reassertion of their commitment to live as he did.

Holy Days

Until recently, followers of Kithairien did not celebrate widely recognized holy days. The tribes of wild elves marked anniversaries of important events in the group's history and celebrated them in Kithairien's name. Anniversaries of births, important hunts, and discoveries of new places are all important events as are unions between their people and times where they have worked together with other tribes. With each celebration comes a feast, with the telling of tales, music, and dancing. These events were important to the tribes to build strong bonds among its members.

However, after the fall of Sinthar Bloodstone, many of the tribes took up a ceremony to mourn the passing of the starlit sky. In the beginning, it was an attempt at comfort for the tribes in the growing cold months. Then, it became a plea for the return for normalcy. While Kithairien's people still roamed, explored, and lived life as they would, the hard times wore the tribes thin. Eventually, this ceremony became one of mourning, a dance of remembrance. Each tribe has its own parable, its own message, and its own dance to accompany the ceremony. At the root of it all however, the sentiment was the same. They mourned for their lost kin due to the darkening of the skies. The ceremony seemed to fill a void in the tribes. Even now that the Dark Ages have ended, the ceremony remains.