The Verdant Frolic

This tradition began several centuries ago when early settlers of Honeyknell Hollow struggled to grow crops. According to Hollow lore, a grove-druid named Brunella Mossglen (“Momma Moss”) noticed that where sporetails nested, the plants grew stronger and never withered from blight.
She organized the first gathering, enticing the sporetails to play among compost mounds to cleanse the seeds. As the settlement prospered, this practice formalized into a festival led by the druids of the Circle Unbound.

Over time, it evolved from a small communal necessity into a cherished celebration. The ritual grew to include songs, shared meals, and later, careful integration with the ley line tending practices of the Circle. Factors such as population growth, shifts in ley currents, and occasional blights or invasive species all shaped minor changes in how the Frolic is performed.

The Verdant Frolic unfolds in the early days of planting season, typically over a single evening.

1. Preparation: Fields and gardens are tidied, adorned with garlands of moss, mushrooms, and bright blossoms. A large seed mound of compost, saved seed stock, and floral offerings is built in the central garden.
2. Procession: Druids lead villagers through the gardens with low, rhythmic chants, carrying bowls of seeds blessed by previous harvests.
3. Summoning: Sporetails are coaxed out with fruit mash offerings placed around the mound. Their natural curiosity and delight in rolling through the piles is the heart of the ritual.
4. Ley Blessing: As the sporetails play, druids touch the earth around the mound, channeling gentle ley energy into the soil.
5. Distribution: Once the sporetails are satisfied and the mound is quiet, seeds are divided among families to plant in their own fields. The rest is gently folded back into the community gardens.

• Seed Mound: A layered heap of compost, old seeds, flower petals, and small fungal blooms.
• Offerings: Bowls of fermented fruit mash to attract the sporetails.
• Druidic Sigils: Simple ash or chalk markings to focus ley energies.
• Songlines: Small hand-drums or woven rattles to maintain the procession’s rhythm.

• The Circle Unbound: Primarily responsible for leading chants, tracing sigils, and overseeing the ley blessing.
• Sporetails: Essential participants; without them rolling through the mound, the ritual is considered incomplete.
• Villagers & Farmers: Gather to offer seeds, watch the Frolic, and later plant the blessed grains.
• Children: Often encouraged to scatter petals or gently herd the sporetails with laughter and coaxing, reinforcing the bond between village and nature.

The ritual is observed with deep reverence but also lighthearted joy. It is as much a festival as a sacred rite — concluding with shared breads, herb cheeses, and early berries around lantern-lit tables. Families take home small charms stamped with tiny paw prints to protect their stored seed and harvests.