Birth tree tradition

A birth tree is a tree that is planted at ones birth. It is a common ritual in the Northern Innlands, though regional variations exists. In villages, it is common for the close family or friends of the parents-to-be to go pick a tree seedling and plant it whilst the mother is in labor. It is said that the baby is born once the last bit of earth is pushed firmly on top of the roots.

History

The ritual was first observed in minotaur settlements. A minotaur’s keen sense of direction is said to always include their birth tree.

Execution

It is a common tradition for those who are able, to visit their birth tree on their birthday. Visiting someone’s tree outside of ones birthday is considered to bring bad luck, unless for other traditional reasons such as taking a branch for symbolic reasons. Consciously observing a tree after a year and noticing all changes in the branches and leaves is believed to be a healthy experience as it provides the opportunity to reflect the changes one has experienced themselves in the past year.
A dry birthday is a birthday when someone is unable to visit their birth tree. Reasons can be dislocation from their birthplace or removal or death of their tree. This is why some take a branch of their birth tree when traveling for an extended period of time.
When a person dies, so does their tree. Noticeably, none of the birth* trees from the First Alliance gods have died. These trees grow tall in locations that are viewed as sacred by the worshipers of the respective god.
When a birth tree dies before a person, it is generally viewed as a bad omen. However, restorative magic can be performed to breed a seedling if there is any part of the tree that survived. Some will keep seeds from their tree in a safe location to prepare for such an event.
*(not all the first alliance members have these trees, and of those that do, most trees were moved as cutting of an original tree on the home planet)

Participants

Being asked to plant a birth tree is traditionally is considered an honour and those who plant it are expected to develop a special bond with the child. When a person dies, so does their tree. It is often included in a death ritual to hand out dried leafs from the deceased tree as a token of remembrance.