Followers of the Great Pine

The primary religion of Dendronecia, few if any Children of Briathombar are found outside the country. To be a Follower of the Great Pine is to live within the confines of the deity they worship, Briathombar, the tree that grows within Dendronecia's desert. Followers flock to the tree in increasing numbers ever year, and some claim that the tree grows accordingly as it receives more worship. The Children of Briathombar are quite peaceful, and will welcome any weary traveler into their midst as they pass through the desert, regardless of their beliefs. Worship is a constant facet of their everyday lives, as they believe it is through worship that Briathombar is capable of growing the lush grounds and dropping the plentiful fruit they survive off of. Despite their peaceful nature, many nonbelievers find themselves perturbed by the Children, seeing them as less a religion and more of a cult that attracts the weak minded. The Great Pine's predilection for sacrifice as part of its worship does nothing to assuage outsiders' fears.

History

History as the Children know it is a dour affair. The universe was once fruit upon the branches of Briathombar. The tree grew through eternity itself, as stars and planets drooped from its prodigious branches. But a disease had found its way into the Great Pine's veins. His bark dried and cracked and fell away. Leaves withered and died as branches atrophied and dropped rotten fruit. The only two fruits that didn't succumb to the disease were the earth and sun. They fell away into darkness as Briathombar crumbled into dust and died. It wasn't until millennia later that the very last surviving piece of the Pine, a single seed no bigger than a house cat, fell to earth. Its roots grew slowly and took hold within the earth, giving birth to the first of the Terran races that went on to worship and populate. For centuries Briathombar was no different than any other tree found on the face of the world. But when a vicious storm struck the region the Pine resided in, he found himself the sole survivor in the middle of a great desert. His roots grew longer and longer, searching desperately for nutrients. He began to grow larger and larger, and one day a caravan passing through the desert, lost from the safely traveled paths, found the Pine. They worshiped it as a god, and others came too to see the Pine. Some came out of humor, others from reverence, and others still from morbid curiosity. But all stayed, and all prayed. Briathombar grew tall and powerful once more, nourished from their affection. Some day the Children believe that with enough prayer and sacrifice, Briathombar may one day grow again to wrap the universe within his protective branches.

Demonym

Children of Briathombar