Hesenarian Mysteries

The cult elected their leader every year after their main festival, an occasion which celebrated the union between the two gods. He or she served for one year before stepping down. No person was reelected twice in a row.   The Hesenarian Mysteries focused around the love story between two deities. One was a Divine named Lilia, the personal messenger to Peron, patroness of olive groves, and protector of forbidden lovers. The other was a Daimon named Trenios, a local guardian of the wild and nature. In mainstream Diakai mythology, Lilia and Trenios later had a falling out after being unable to reconcile their differences. Meanwhile, the Hesenarian Mysteries believed their relationship persisted despite infidelity and vicious infighting, becoming stronger as a result. This version of the myth was unique to Hesenaria and environs of surrounding regions.
Their agenda was not public, but they sought to worship their gods and defend the integrity of their holy sites. The mystery cult provided a safe place for lovers whom society didn’t accept to live together with like-minded people. When the Satri Empire invaded their home, they sought to harass them as much as possible and aid the local resistance. They ambushed Satri scouts, destroyed supplies, and pressure locals into supporting anti-Satri efforts. Unfortunately, they also extorted local farmers who were rumored to harbor pro-Satri sympathies, even burning the farms of those who failed to comply.
The mystery cult possessed temples and groves where they worshipped their two deities. Their holiest site was an ancient pine grove where the two gods got married.
Traditions related to the Hesenarian Mysteries stretched back centuries to the Diakai Dark Age. The cult was believed to have emerged from local fertility and nature worship. Daimons - beings described as spirits elsewhere - played an important role in Diakai religion. The site of Trenios and Lilia’s wedding had long been a sacred location.