Nemea

Customs

Worship of Nemea is usually decentralized and left to those who worship Her to do so individually. There are a number of ways to show devotion to the goddess of the forest and hunt, including:

Meditation during times of grief. Though all meditation can be considered worship of Nemea, it is specifically grief-stricken meditation that rests closest to her domain.

Offering thanks to Nemea over meals and hunted game. Often incorporated into this is a vow to ensure that none of what has been taken will go to waste, though this is most commonly used by hunters, not the general populace.

The donation of the Lumin flowers or coins to shrines to Nemea.

Wearing Nemean religious symbols, especially in times of grief. The most common of these is an emblem of silver vines wrapped around a Lumin flower.

Attending festivals at the start of the season is considered one of the most important methods of Nemea worship. Though attending in festival attire isn’t required, it is traditional to do so.

Traveling to Mount Pavlonis is considered a religious pilgrimage, though it should be made through forest as much as possible to allow the pilgrim plenty of time to enjoy Her forests.

Tea rituals, ranging from complex to simple, can be considered worship of Nemea. Though a commonly acknowledged practice, it is mostly associated with the tea maidens. This is due to the time involvement and coordination between multiple worshippers for the more complex rituals, which conflicts with the individualistic nature of Nemea’s worship outside of the group. Despite this association, even just enjoying a cup of tea in Nemea’s name and with thanks can be considered worship of Her.

Tea Maidens

Despite the nature of Nemea worship, there is one cohesive group of worshippers that has existed in Delphinia since soon after the faeborne began to appear. Notable for being both a group primarily made of said faeborne and the length of time it has existed, they don’t acknowledge themselves as a religious group nor have an official name.

Colloquially, they are known as ‘tea maidens’, a name which the group has historically either approved of or not cared about. This name came from the group’s focus on devotions to Nemea through tea; whether it be in the form of elaborate social rituals or just a cup of a maiden’s preferred brew left on a Nemean shrine.

While they are an ancient religious order, the group forswears political power, devoting their attention to worship of Nemea alone. As a result of this long-standing tradition, they are often called on as mediators in the various Delphinian courts, able to act without overt bias. They also often act as hosts to diplomats from neighboring nations, where the customary greeting is the sharing of a tea from the diplomat’s homeland, most often prepared by the tea maiden. Despite this involvement, they are an entity unaligned with the ruling body of Delphinia; attempts to place political pressure on them to coerce them is considered a great affront to Nemea.

Though tea maidens are traditionally women, there is nothing stopping others from joining their ranks, something which has happened multiple times in history, even if not a common occurrence. While there isn’t a book of tenets to follow when joining the tea maidens, there are a few requirements:

Worship of Nemea is a necessity, not a recommendation. All tea maidens worship the goddess of the forest and hunt.

Tea maidens can’t wield political power directly. This includes leading a city or being a member of a noble house, though nobles who abjure their nobiliary rights are allowed to join.

Though not a strict requirement, it is generally acknowledged that tea maidens are knowledgeable about the different varieties of tea available in Delphinia, Vdalion, and Aphros. This is a stereotype; the majority only know in-depth knowledge of their preferred types of tea, while there are some who take it upon themselves to learn of all the tea on Eternia itself.