Sacraments of ent folk

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My Notes
Ranulph's Notes

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Since observing the ents with Ranulph, I have been conducting my own research. To date, I've built [#] Vale Totem[s] and rummaged through Vale Offerings [#] times. I've also earned [#] Vale Research Points which Ranulph will exchange for items he finds around the Auburn Valley.

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I would not have expected to find myself spending such time observing ents, yet they present a curious and repetitive ritual.

From the moment I arrived in the Auburn Valley, it was clear the ents themselves held a high position in the valley hierarchy. There is little to no separation between the local population and the ents, with many of the latter choosing to walk through the local town itself.

My first objective was to investigate any potential interfacing between the ents and the locals. With this in mind, I began to observe the rituals being undertaken.

One of the first and most noticeable elements of the ritual is the perpetual nature of it all. The ents do not break from their paths, and there is no definition of a start or end. To become involved in the ritual, one must simply present themselves and begin to follow it.

It appears the ritual itself revolves around a set of totems that represent the spirits of the forest. Initally, I assumed the totems to be a creation of the ents, but I have now learnt that it is in fact the citizens of these lands that maintain them. The ents appear to appreciate these contributions, especially when the totems are accurate to the local spirits.

This is not all, however. For a totem to be considered complete, it is apparently important for them to be decorated with cut and carved wooden objects. Apparently this is some form of returning material to the forest in a manner the ents respect.

For those interested in a consistent involvement in the ritual, I've noted that many follow the ents around to join them in appreciating the natural world. I believe they find it refreshing to pause and take in the sights of the forest.

On moving through the forest, it is impossible to miss that the footsteps of the ents occasionally causes spectacular growths to emerge. My understanding is that by walking through these growths, one can feel more connected to the ent that left it behind.

I've not collected enough information to confirm, but I believe the ents offer more reward to those connected to them.

I'm sure there is more that I have not yet discovered so I will keep working to build a stronger picture of how this ritual process works.