"All Roads Lead to Zenithstrand"
MACCHIA DI COA
Kudzu
It takes a village to raise a child, and many hands to tend to Coa’s garden. The Hemlock are the most aggressive tribe in the Overgrowth, and they aim to be as lethal with their strikes as their namesake. Tales tell of a garden maintained by the Hemlock at the heart of the Overgrowth.
HEMLOCK TRIBE WILDÂ ELVES OF ZENITHSTRAND
All tribes on the island refer to the Hemlock garden as the Heart of Coa’s Grove, though none are certain whether they have maintained the place of Coa’s original grove or have tried to remake their own. They are fierce isolationists who guard their borders against anyone who dares enter the depths of the garden, especially any Scavengers, Jackal, or Crow they come upon. The Hemlock are not known to extend mercy to an enemy, and their strikes aim always to kill. Those that have safely entered and left the territory of the Hemlock tell of how they have transformed the land, once covered in beaches, hills, and rocky outcrops, into a vast garden, to which they tend religiously.
HISTORY
Many years ago, when the island was whole, the elves of the shadow isles did not have separate tribes. On the day of the sundering, when the island began to shake, Coa chose two of her closest friends to protect her greatest treasures. The first treasure was Coa’s infant daughter, Elan. The second treasure, though unbeknownst to them at the time, was also an infant. The young sapling was the first sprout of Kindthorn, the treant that sat at the centre of Coa’s grove.Â
The recipient of this second treasure, a young elf named Caise, was the first to take the markings of the Hemlock plant for his own. He and those that followed him became the first council of the new tribe. They called themselves the Macchia Di Coa.
The Hemlock tended to this sprout, keeping their promise and defending the sprout with their lives, displaying a fervent protective instinct for the treant it became. The treant continued to grow and soon produced sprouts of its own. Because of this, Treants are now a common sight in Hemlock territory, and are integrated into their society.
TRIBAL TATTOOS
Members of the Hemlock tribe bear the marking of the branch of their namesake, the stem always starts on the bridge of their nose. Olagot’Thalan who are born into the Macchia Di Coa are given the stem and a single hemlock leaf to signify their place among the tribe. As they grow and gain new ranks within their tribe, additional leaves are added, though the positioning of the leaves may vary for each individual. Although Treants born within the garden are considered members of the tribe and are granted these markings, the stem of the Hemlock marking can only be earned at Birth.
CULTURE
Social Structure
Hemlock value and respect nature. More than blood relations, they value the relationship between a mentor and their apprentices. Hard work and talent are the only ways to advance in Hemlock society; those who lack ambition, good work ethic or aptitude may be used for apprentices to practice their various crafts on or may be exiled, but they are not welcome among the Hemlock. The social structure of the Hemlock is stratified based on skill, mentorship, and to an extent age.
Sprouts
Every child in the Hemlock is marked as a sprout upon birth, with just a single leaf upon their stem. The Sprouts of the tribe are raised communally, and each year’s class has a master from the council that aids in their education and stays with them through their childhood. This master is often looked upon as the primary parental figure for members of the Hemlock tribe. Sprouts most often do not know who their biological parents are, and it is frowned upon for them to seek this information out.
Seedlings
When a class of Sprouts turns thirteen, their class takes place in the festival of The Sewing, where each is chosen by a Gardener to become their apprentice. They are given their second leaf, and are known as Seedlings. They live with and learn from their master until their master is satisfied with their training. Their master becomes a second parental figure to the seedling and Seedlings who share a master view one another as siblings.
Gardeners
Most members of the Hemlock are Gardeners. When a Seedling has completed their education to the satisfaction of their master, their master will testify in front of the council that they are ready to begin life as an adult within the tribe. With the blessing of the council, the apprentice is given two more leaves on their tattoo, and becomes a Gardener. The next Sewing festival, they can take on an apprentice of their own, and their old master may take a new one. It is frowned upon for a gardener who can take an apprentice to not take one at the next Sewing. Gardeners keep a strong relationship with their old master, and continue to learn from them through their whole life, passing their new knowledge down to their own apprentices.
Council
The ruling strata of Hemlock society is the council. When a Gardener undergoes a significant trial in their duties to the garden and proves themselves to be solely dedicated to the defence of the garden and the tribe, they may receive an invite from the council to join their ranks. Upon joining the council, the new Councillor is marked with their 5th and final leaf, and honor that only a few Hemlock ever experience. All members of the council are considered equal, and decisions of the council are decided by vote. A council member retains the position for the remainder of their life, and are never permitted to decline participation in the Harvest when their time comes.
Council members are still considered Gardeners for the purpose of taking Seedlings as apprentices, and it is considered a great honour for a Councillor to choose you as their apprentice during the Sewing. For this reason, while Council positions aren’t dynastic by design, they often manifest as such, as the most capable apprentices are almost always taken by Councillors.
FESTIVALS
The Sowing
In early spring, the current year’s class of Sprouts is given the opportunity to show off what they know, and to express interest in what direction they want their education to move in. Each Sprout will participate in a display of talent: some will create armour or weapons, some will have written songs to perform, and some will participate in martial displays or competitions. Gardeners who are available to take on a new apprentice will observe these displays and offer their tutelage to a Sprout that catches their attention.
The festival of the Sewing can last several days, and is one of the happiest and most anticipated times of the year. The Sewing Festival represents the strength and the future of the tribe, though it is alsong one of the first opportunities for Hemlocks to celebrate together after the long winter has passed.
The Harvest
When a member of the Hemlock tribe becomes infirm or irreversibly ill, they participate in their last celebration. The Harvest Celebration occurs late in the fall. The sick and elderly Hemlock gather together and ceremoniously pass on all their physical belongings to their apprentices while recalling stories of their lives and accomplishments. Mentors pass on everything to their apprentices, even their younger apprentices, which are reassigned to their more experienced ones.
As the sun on this day begins to set, the elder Hemlocks drink a strong dose of poison and lay themselves down in their final resting place. Their successors then bury the deceased deep in the earth and plant seeds above them. To have a baby treant planted upon one's grave is the highest honor one can receive upon their death.
While participation in this yearly celebration is voluntary, Hemlock who reject participation in the Harvest Ceremony almost invariably go mad. For this reason, most Hemlocks believe it is better to lay themselves to rest and offer themselves to the garden before they become too old to do so with a sound mind.
The remainder of the night is then spent beside a large fire where deadfall is burnt, making room for the new life that will join the tribe the following spring.
COA'S DAY
Coas day is celebrated every year in July by all the Kudzu of the Shadow Isles. While other tribes pay tribute to Coa with various rituals and celebrations, the Hemlock approach this day quite differently. In memory of when the tribes were all one, led by Coa, the Hemlock tribe enforces a day of peace. While the Hemlock are normally very protective of their borders, they allow one day for visitors into their groves and gardens to visit the treants and pay their respects. Anyone, so long as they do not betray the peace, may enter Hemlock territory during the celebration. Additionally during the celebration of Coa’s day, no one is permitted to engage in hostility against any elf. The Hemlock enforce this rule and tirelessly hunt down and punish any who dare to break this sacred peace, even if the culprit is one of their own.
RELIGION
There is no predominant religion among the Hemlock. Although reverence to Dunarthos is not considered unusual, some of their beliefs differ greatly from the God’s teachings, making fervent worship extremely rare.
GRUDGES
Crow
The Hemlock hold in contempt the materialistic ways of the Crow. The Crow gather and hoard resources that could be used for the betterment of the Kudzu, and for the defense of the garden. They also scoff at fosters, rejecting the belief that tribal membership can be obtained by any method other than birth.
Several attempts by the Crow to violate the sanctity of the garden have been repelled by the Hemlock over the years, reinforcing this bitter rivalry.
Jackal
The Hemlock view the Jackal’s necromantic traditions as an affront to nature. The Hemlock believe that the dead should return to the earth in order to continue life’s cycle.
Scavengers
The Hemlock despise all scavengers, viewing the scavenger way of life as a betrayal to Coa.
They carry a particular disdain for the Vulture’s cannibalism, since a consumed corpse is not able to fully rejoin the land as they believe it should.
Their disdain for the Coyote is linked heavily with their hate of the Jackal, as the Hemlock have neither forgotten nor forgiven the Coyote for their past.
In the tribe’s early days, the Hemlock engaged in deadly disputes with the Kraken tribe, who tried to establish a dock on the Hemlock’s shores. The Hemlock still carry this grudge with strong conviction.
ROLEPLAY TIPS
Tend the Garden: The garden in Hemlock territory is what supports the life and existence of the tribe, and the tribe is what supports the life and existence of the garden. Everything the Hemlock do is with the garden in mind. Even the dead of the tribe, and of those they kill for entering their land, are turned into fertilizer to nourish the plants.
Many trees mark the sacred resting places of your kin, to cut one down is a grave disrespect for the dead
Do not attack that which you do not intend to kill. If you do attack, make sure whatever, or whoever, is on the opposing side of your blade dies or passes through the resurrection circle
Protect the garden: It is the responsibility of your tribe to tend to protect your territory and the Heart of Coa’s Grove. Should it be in danger, it is your responsibility to do what it takes to ensure it’s safety.
Protect the treants: Treants, even those that are not descended from Kindthorn are symbols of the tribe’s sacred commitment to Coa.
Respect your mentor: Each tribe member is connected, through their mentors, directly back to Coa. The lessons a mentor has to give contains not only their own wisdom, but that of all mentors before them.
CONTRIBUTORS
Daniel McCoshen
James Samuel