Fountain of Purity

The Fountain of Purity is the name of both Ohedyn ruling council as well as the physical natural fountain at the root of the first Treehome of Ohedyn. It is believed that this Fountain has magic properties, having been purified within the Hearth of Aroka which, in turn, purifies the minds and spirits of those that drink from it. The Elders of Ohedyn drink water exclusively from the Fountain, whether directly from it or from hollowed out fruit used to transport it to seven other Treehome of the region. In the early days of Ohedyn, everyone drank exclusively from the fountain, but it became relegated to magical practitioners, spiritual leaders, then just the Elders as their population grew and the flow of the fountain diminished, though diluted mixtures of it are often distributed to those performing magical functions on behalf of their councils to enhance their abilities, even if only slightly. It is also customary to all citizens of Ohedyn to make a pilgrimage to the Fountain to drink from it as a right of passage into adulthood.

The Fountain itself springs forth from a small cliff-face and cascades down a series of small waterfalls before pooling within a knee-deep pool formed by the roots of the capital Treehome of Ohedyn. These roots also form the chairs of the Elder Council, who spend all their waking hours in the pool, allowing its purity to guide their decisions. The Eldest, leader of the Council, sits beneath the last waterfall that pours into the pool. The Eldest is constantly soaked from head to two in these waters and never leaves, ensuring that their purity never waivers so that they can lead the council and, in turn, Ohedyn upmost righteousness. This will often result in the Eldest freezing to death during the Prayer to the Great Night, though there have been instances where they have survived. Apart from the Elders, none are allowed to even touch the waters of the Fountain unless given permission and are supervised by an Elder. The most common examples of this are bottling the water for transport to the Elders or magical practitioners of other Treehome, drinking it as a part of a pilgrimage, or special occurrences such as ritualistic blessings. All unauthorized contact with these waters is punishable by death for fear of corrupting the rest of the Fountain with an impure spirit.