Vestria's Grounds

Historical Overview

   

Age of Rule

  In the first century of the Age of Rule, the goddess Vestria began to formalize the College of Vestrial Priestesses, and selected the first High Priestess, Cecilia Laval. Legend holds that Laval had an unusually close relationship with Vestria, a particularly reserved goddess. In the course of their long friendship, the two often meandered down from the Vestrial Tower to Vestria's Grounds, a sacred grove within the forest of the same name. While the High Priestess had a long life, common in those early years, she eventually passed in 154AR. During the period of her advanced age, Vestria walked the path to the Grounds alone, on the 16th of Mistra of each year. Following the death of High Priestess Laval, the goddess maintained her traditional procession, and was said to let one tear fall upon each journey. Allegedly, this eventually created the sacred pond in the center of Vestria's Grounds.  

Age of Men

Following Vestria's exit from the mortal world during the Crossing Over, the College of Vestrial Priestesses began an annual journey to the Grounds. To commemorate the goddess' mournful trip, the procession arrives at the Grounds on the 16th of Mistra, after a week-long journey to Honeymill from the Vestrial Tower. The priestesses stay in a tower off of the Haruspal Way for the evening, then finish their procession down the sacred route on the 16th.   This festival often spurs adventurous visitors to attempt to enter the Grounds through the Haruspal Way, pitting them against the Vestrial Temena, who protects the Grounds from sacrilegious intruders. The Grounds themselves hold the sacred pond used by the High Priestess to divine the will of Vestria for the next year, and observe visions sent by the goddess.