Grove Faith

The Grove Faith is an animistic and totemistic religion practiced by the people of the Grove Tribe of the Eastern Mesa. It is centred around venerating and communicating with various elemental spirits, of whom Earth spirits are seen as the highest and closest to the tribe itself. A variation of this religion is also practiced in the Schevakian Apostolic Church of the Grove, which is spearheading the expansion of the religion outside Grove Tribe.

Beliefs
According to the religion, everything that has a physical manifestation also possesses a counterpart spirit (héhé). The people of the Grove Faith try to live in harmony and friendship with the various elemental spirits of the Overworld, honouring them in word and deed. The faithful also practice elemental magics fuelled by spiritual energy.

Whilst all Overworld spirits are seen as worthy of respect, followers of the have a particular affinity for earth spirits (hrahé). Both the Grove Tribe and members of the Apostolic Church believe themselves to be descendants of such spirits and it is believed that upon passing away, a tribesman once again becomes an elemental spirit free to roam the earth. As of such, the term héhé also covers ancestors of the Grove Tribe members and Schevakians.

Due to their regard for the spirits, the tribesfolk avoid warping or processing the natural elements in radical fashion, believing that upsets the spirits and disturbs the natural order of things. Therefore, it is rare to see cobblestone, planks or other such blocks in tribal territory. Notably, however, blocks of pure metals and minerals are seen as genuine representation of the corresponding spirits, and not frowned upon. The Schevakian Apostolic Church takes a more lighthanded approach to this, instead offering sacrifices and tribute and performing rituals to appease and placate the spirits of the places humans have raised their buildings.

All members of the faith believe the End and Nether to have their own spirits (šušurru and nárra), which are harmful to the Overworld and corrupting to its spirits. The religious actively pursue the destruction and removal of all End- and Nether-related blocks and items in their territory, and refrain from using them or even going into the dimensions themselves. Any undead or enderman that cross their path are killed on sight.

Concepts are believed to have their own spirits as well, falling under one of the four elements. For example, Honour spirits fall under the element Earth. These spirits oversee oaths and promises, and consider words to be very strong bonds. As of such, Tribesfolk never break their word and dislike renegotiating contracts, even if it benefits them. While a follower of Honour spirits may twist words or omit truths, they also never state an outright untruth.

Similarily, Fire contains Pride and Work spirits. Pride spirits guide the faithful to only take what they need and deserve, which is why members of the tribe dislike receiving charity, unless they feel they have done something to earn it, or it pertains to religious matters. Work spirits inspire followers to work with passion and grit; they are the reason the Grove Tribe has forbidden mob farms. It is also known members of the tribe venerate Wisdom spirits, which belong to Water.

Main article: Grove Tribe Epic
The Grove Tribe believe that once upon a time, the Villagers, Overworlders and Spirits were all one people, and they banded together into four tribes ruled by four powerful siblings: Winds, Earth, Waters and Fire. Movement between those tribes was free and each was powerful and skilled in their own right, with the people of Winds being musicians and bards, Earth's folk being farmers, rangers and crafters, Waters hosting explorers and scholars and Fire holding sway over the mightiest warriors and mages.

However, Fire grew jealous of the other peoples and closed the gates of his realm to bar any from leaving. Many of his subjects, however, fled before he was able to shut the passageways, becoming the native fire and magic spirits of the Overworld. He then sent undead and other woes forth from his realm to capture and corrupt the other lands, and does so to this day. The state of being permanently captured in his Nether came to be known as Death (although this Overworld Common term has also been applied to the state of temporary corporeal destruction experienced by Overworlders. In the Grove Tribe language, permanent death and temporary death are distinct, unrelated terms). The former Fire became the dark spirit Wither.

Seeing this, Winds grew fearful and separated her domain from the Overworld, and only few spirits of hers remained below, becoming the wind and weather spirits. The rest fell prey to a great depression and sorrow, and haunt the Wind plane, nowadays known as the End, guarded by the Ender Dragon, the tormented and corrupted form of the former chief Winds.

The people left in the Overworld then split into three peoples. The wisest and most powerful, having lost many kin and lamenting the lost past, faded into the elements and became one with the world, and they came to be called Spirits. The Grove Tribe looks up to those spirits as their ancestors and worships them, asking for advice and strength. Some folk forgot their valiant past and the old days, and failing to cope with what had happened, their minds became simple and they became timid and powerless. Those were the Villagers.

Lastly, those that carried on fighting were Overworlders: humans, dwarves, gnomes, goomies and so forth. In time, they have split into many tribes and factions and mostly forgotten their origins or purpose, but the Grove Tribe believes themselves to be the carriers of Earth's legacy and await the day of the promised leader, called Steve (Stíf), who would unite all the peoples and retake the Nether and the End. 

Artefacts and Places of Worship
The lands of the Grove Tribe are surrounded by a number of Earth Totems or hraħanemm (also called Smoking Totems), which serve a triple purpose: to remind travellers that they are entering tribal territory, and should act accordingly; to ward off evil spirits, such as Nether creatures; and to act as a guide and beacon to friendly spirits. The Grove Tribe places great importance in the smoke the totems and their campfires emanate, as smoke is believed to unite the four main elements (it comes from fire, behaves like air, and is made of earth and water).

Near the Grove Tribe village, an altar can also be seen. It is known the Tribe uses it to bring offerings to the spirits, as well as communicate with them. The altar is adorned with two Talking Earth Heads (kumethracemu), a prominent feature in Grove Tribe architecture. Those Jack-O-Lantern-esque blocks are believed to allow the spirits to interact with mortals, as spirits are thought to be able to speak and see through them.

Under the tribe's main plateau is located their temple to all spirits of all elements, called Ryuššriħan or Aŧásriħan, the House of Cleansing.

Far south, near the former grand city of Grand Mesa, lies Hagu'ahakħan or The Temple of Toils. It is a temple dedicated to working and professions and the spirits that embody those. It contains two shrines, one for crafters and the other one for providers such as hunters and farmers.

The tribal lands also contain various smaller places of worship to local spirits, such as a totem of the Cool Nut Spirit, who guards the woods between Grove Tribe proper and former New Mesa, and an altar to the Andesite spirit.

An altar to the spirits can also be found in Schenektengrad, built for the Schevakian Apostolic Church of the Grove.

Holidays and Rituals
October 31st - Whilst other peoples celebrate Nether spirits on this day, it is known that for the Tribe, it is a day of harvest feast and thanking the spirits for their kind bounty. In the Grove Tribe language, it is called Báta'hratyép or Giving Earth Day

Test of Four Spirits - A test a new follower of the faith must pass before being accepted as a member. Individuals who take the test must prove four virtues about themselves to four associated elemental spirits and then partake in a ritual trance with the Earthseer, wherein the spirits will show their acceptance with a vision sent to the new member.

Cleansing Ritual - it is known that various rituals involving throwing End and Nether items to safely purge them from existence are performed in the House of Cleansing. Followers of the faith might occasionally even commit ritual suicide in fire or lava to make sure they do not carry evil with them after having handled such items.