Silvandra

Sometimes, at the edges of dark and anciet forests a mysterious and enigmatic goddess known as Silvandra, the Masked Forager, is spotted. Silvandra is an elusive deity, veiled in a perpetual mask, her visage forever concealed. She communicates not through spoken words but through the rustling of leaves, the whisper of the wind, and the subtle sounds of the forest or through little pieces of paper she hands to those who get close to her.

### Physical Representation

Silvandra's appearance is obscured by an simple white clay mask that shrouds her face. She wears a simple, worn blue-gray cloak adorned with stiches of various plants and mushrooms of the forests. Her robes are known to change over time, mirroring the seasons and the diverse flora of the wilderness.

### Domain and Influence

Silvandra is the silent guardian of foragers, hunters, and those who seek sustenance from the land. She straddles the line between Wilderness and Civilization, not truly home in either and usually spotted at their intersections. In her mute presence, she guides those who respect the delicate harmony of the wild, taking only what they need.

#### Altars and Offerings

Altars dedicated to Silvandra are often simple, found at the edges of forests. Usually erected in the hollow of a tree and adorned with foraged herbs, wildflowers, and tokens representing the gifts of the forest. Offerings include fruits, nuts, and handcrafted items crafted from materials found in nature. Followers communicate with her through silent prayers and by leaving these offerings whenever they enter or leave the forest. Much like the immediacy of nature and foraging, Silvandra's Altars often appear and disappear and her followers do not maintain an altar for longer than a few weeks, preferring to find a new spot to show their dedication, letting the old altar fall back into the lap of nature.

#### Ceremonies and Rituals

Ceremonies in honour of Silvandra are serene and contemplative. Muted gatherings involve communal foraging, where participants silently express gratitude for the resources provided by the goddess. Such rituals are often preformed alone or in a small group of family or friends. In all ceremonies, the immediacy of the moment and the connection to nature, themselves and each other is essence.

#### Followers

Silvandra's followers are often druids, rangers, and those who live closely with nature. But just as often they are simple peasants and farmers. They embrace a life of sustainability, understanding the rhythms of the land and relying on the goddess's silent guidance in their foraging and hunting endeavours. Silvandra does not have a formal priesthood, rather she prefers for each of her followers to experience the quiet and calm of the forest themselves, appearing to those troubled or in danger.

Silvandra remains an enigma and a relatively minor deity in the grand scheme of things but her muted presence fills her followers with a quiet contentedness. A common Silvandric poem, simply referred to as "My thoughts are free!", is often reference by Silvandric followers when questioned why they worship such a humble and minor goddess.

> "My thoughts are free, Who can guess them?
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> They fly by, like nocturnal shadows.
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> No one can know them, no hunter can shoot them.
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> And so it will always be: My thoughts are free"
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It is used to show both the immediacy and temporality of all thought as well as the inability of anyone, to control your own thoughts. So its best, they argue to take pause and experience the now and here including your own thoughts and take joy in the externals beauty of nature and internal beauty on oneself. Many Silvandric followers describe Silvandra more as a close friend or maybe an old acquaintance or family member rather than a goddess in need of formal worship.