Dance of the Verdant Offerings
An Annual Religious Farming Ritual
Each spring equinox, worshippers of the Goddess Gia form a ring in newly plowed fields, weaving baskets full of fresh blossoms, wearing crowns of wildflowers as they dance barefoot. With each step, sprouts and shoots push through the soil, symbolizing Gia’s blessing on the coming year.
This is when almost every human settlement south along the Everdales and the Burning hills, through the lands as far north as Frard's Mill, celebrate the Spring Equinox with a dance of the Verdant Offerings. Within most of the Territories of the two kingdoms, the Duchy of Rymar and the Kingdom of Rivenar, this is a predominantly Human Ritual, but some halflings who have established permanent settlements in these territories have also taken up the ritualistic practice and worship of the Goddess Gia.
Execution
Before The Ritual Dance is performed, the people make preparations of the fallow fields in every community's farmlands in time for the spring equinox. In anticipation of the event, Peasants, Farmers, and Serfs Collectively till the fields and strive to get their fields planted before the Ritual Dance is performed. It is considered an ill omen if a farmer does not complete the planting of his fields before the Spring Equinox.
Part of the execution is done differently in each hamlet town or thorpe in a small way. Some have one central ring tilled out for the ceremony, while other towns each farmstead will till out a ring on his or her land for the ritual.
Priests of Gia will hold tryouts among the Daughters of a given settlement selection is through is based on the ability to dance well and physical features of the Daughters; can play a role as Priests of Gia will look for the girls that best embody the image and mannerisms of the Goddess herself. Several girls are chosen and practice the dance leading up to the Spring Equinox and the day of the ceremony.
Early before sunrise on the day of the Equinox, the community will gather around the ceremonial ring or throughout the day. Males of the village will bring hoes, shovels, or musical instruments, and music is played while the chosen daughters dance around the ring and sew seeds. These seeds are usually of wildflowers such as Bluebell, Cowslip, and Wild Garlic. During the dancing, the community's males will often stamp the soil to the beat of the music while others play instruments and sing, calling the Goddess Gia to bless them with a bountiful growth and a prosperous harvest. The actual ritual will usually last 1-2 hours, and it is said that if Gia Graces the ceremony, then these sown wildflowers will show signs of emerging from the soil during the ritual or within 24 hours.
In the case of multiple ritual rings within a farming community, priests will visit each farm's ring from sunrise until sunset with the chosen dancers and perform the ritual for
Components and tools
Among the Tools and Components needed for the Dance Ritual are Hoes, Shovels, Baskets, and pouches of seed.
Participants
Priests Perform Rites and bless the Crop Seed, select and train the Verdant Offering Dancers in the ritual.
Verdant Offering Dancers Train and Practice and perform the ritual.
The Community prepares for the Ceremony Ritual, performs the Music and accompaniment during the Ritual and
Observance
Every Spring Equinox
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