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This article is about the worship of Venari, for information about the Deity see Venari.

Venari is the almighty God of Hunters and the Hunted in the Realms Pantheon. He embodies the natural instinct to survive and the struggle that exists as species compete to do so.

"Take care of the land and the land shall take care of you. Hunt for what you need and game shall always be there for you. This is the balance of nature, the law of Venari."

Worshippers

Venari's name is invoked by hunters in the wilderness so that their hunt may be successful and find enough food for them and their community to survive. It is also invoked by those in danger from wild beasts and monsters, that he will help them escape their clutches, to hide or to flee. It is thought that even animals give prayer to Venari, so that they might catch the prey necessary to survive or escape the jaws of the predator, and that Venari favours whoever prays the hardest or offers the most in that moment. Followers of Venari often live in the wilderness and so they are popular amongst rangers, druids and tribes.


Clerics and Priests

Priests and Priestesses of Venari are often prolific hunters and may be the main or even sole provider for their immediate community, ensuring that there is enough for everyone to survive. They also see to it that others can become self-sufficient, especially those that for whatever reason have been outcast from society, teaching them the ways of the land instead. The position of High Priest is currently held by High Priest Brielle.


Temples

Although there often are temples to Venari in many cities, as a homage to a simpler time where the hunt was integral to the community, most temples can be found instead on the outskirts or tucked away in the wilderness. Those in the wilderness are often simple, made out of natural materials, or even from encouraging plants and trees to grow into the temple. The High Temple of Venari can be found in Waywyn.


Beliefs

Followers of Venari are expected to do what is needed to survive, focusing on necessity over all else. They hunt what they need for themselves and their people and no more. Worshippers are expected to respect the land and work with it rather than against it, leaving what they can undisturbed. It is believed that those who take too much from the land and damage her may soon find no quarry wherever they go until they learn the error of their ways, or worse, will find that they are being hunted themselves.

Most worshippers prefer quick kills in which, ideally, the prey never knows its fate before it’s too late. This is both to reduce suffering, but also to ensure they receive Venari’s blessing over their quarry. Others, however, revel in the thrill of the hunt and the chase, believing Venari will favour whoever is the most skilled and most devout.

For all followers, wherever possible, no part of an animal is wasted, with skin becoming clothing and waterskins, bones becoming knives and tools, and any excess being returned to the earth.


Holy Day

Huntswax is dedicated to Venari, with dedicated followers and pantheon followers alike leaving more offerings to Venari throughout the month. At the mid-point of Hunstwax lies Venari's Holy Day, The Lands' Dawn, is a day of hunting and giving respect to the lands we rely on. Large hunts are conducted during the day, with the community coming together to hunt, skin and cook together in celebration.


Religious Rites

Offerings - Along with usual donations of gold, offerings to Venari may include game, berries, and items crafted from the animals they've hunted.

Funeral Rites - Venari worshippers often wish to see their remains returned to the earth, so that they may become one with the land. Some choose to have open or 'sky' burials so they may feed animals in death as part of the cycle of life.


Afterlife

Those dedicated to Venari's worship believe that when they die they shall enter The Hunting Glades, where they may hunt endlessly surrounded by stunning landscapes, either hunting alone or joining the communities of hunters throuhgout the ages.