The Elements {Tau Retammas}

Bowynn Gods: Chappa

Chappa  (Chop-pah)  Chappa Kii are the Mountain spirits. Their reign is from the foothills to the peaks of all mountains. These Kii are titanic in size and are made out of rock or said to have flesh as strong as rock. If both be the case, then there may well be two types of Chappa Kii. Like all Kii, the Chappa are not evil spirits but will seek equal revenge to those that insist on destroying the mountains they reside around. On the other hand, there are tales of Chappa granting blessings on mortals as well who help them maintain their mountain homes. Some sacred stories and tales speak of a Chappa that would leading lost hikers or travelers back on their right path.  In tradition when one looks at a mountain, one would say "Thats a Chappa" or "That is the home of that Chappa of that mountain. A strong equivalent to the Chappa would be what is today "Giants" and certain Titans of Greek mythology.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Blessed Solstice

BOWYNN GODS: VELLA

Vella (Vel-Lha)  Goddess of Jewelry, Gold and Silver Smithing. She is the daughter of Brea and Unthar and the sister of Panu. She is also the patroness of jewelers, jewel-smiths.

     No know sacred stories of Vella exist. All that is spoke of her is that she wed the God Gondor and lives with him, Kalen and Panu in a grand yet simple smithy deep in the sacred forests of Alaway, where she crafts gifts for mortals and immortals alike. For mortals, these gifts will appear as a strange find in some manner or another.

     Vella appears as young woman with black hair and light eyes. She wears simple clothes, as with those she resides with. His simple woven dress is said to be of an orange or rust color with yellow accents. In her hand she is said to hold pinchers or tongs. Sacred to Vella are all the tools a jeweler would use as well as gem stones, time pieces and or course incense.   

Bowynn Gods: Khammii

Khammii  (Kham-My)  Khammii are the Kii (spirits) of freshwater bodies, such as ponds, streams, lakes, rivers and so forth. They are said to be of human size, very beautiful and live either in the waters they protect or on its shores. Unlike Mermaids, the Khammii do not have fish bodies. But they can turn into westland animals like fisf, herons, egrets, bitterns and otters. The beauty of the Khammii is depicted in many of the sacred tales. The sadness comes when one learns how protective the Khammii are of their waters. So much so, that mortals that abuse their waters fall to a dramatic ending. Other times sacred stories speak of a mortal and a Khammii that have fallen in love and either one or the other dies, in an attempt to live with the other. Clearly a warning as to how dangerous bodies of water can become.

     The Khammi can be compared to mermaids or water nymphs, but the gender of the Khammii is mixed; some are male and some female. 

My Prayer to Deanna, of Abundance

O Deanna, Radiant Goddess of the Harvest, I humbly approach you, cradle of the earth’s abundance, as your golden light bathes the fields in warmth and fertility. Daughter of Anhur and Rhya, you are the seed planter, the nurturer of life, who graces our world with fragrant blooms and nourishing grains. In the cycles of nature, I seek your guidance and blessings, that our labors may reflect the beauty of your divine gardens. O Benevolent Deanna, I beckon the spirit of growth to envelop my endeavors, teaching me the sacred arts of planting, tender care, and reaping the fruits of my toil. In your sacred stories, I find inspiration; for through your wisdom bestowed upon the first clans-folk, humanity was gifted the sustenance needed to thrive. Let your teachings echo through the earth, reminding me of the profound bond between all living things. With sincere heart, I present before you a bounty from my table—grains, fruits, and herbs borne of my labor. May these humble offerings serve as tokens of my reverence for the gifts you provide. As I gather the harvest, let me honor the sacred connection between soil, seed, and sustenance, acknowledging the sacred divine that breathes life into every grain and petal.

O Divine Deanna, bless our homes with the warmth of your daughter Io, the hearth of nurturing, and the artistry of your son Hyu, who brings sustenance to our tables. May their grace flow through my kitchen, enriching my meals with love and wisdom. As I partake in the blessings of your cornucopia, let each bite be a celebration of the cycles of life and the interconnectedness of all beings. In your presence, I pledge to honor the earth and respect the gifts bestowed. May I tread lightly upon the soil, cultivating harmony between humanity and nature. O Deanna, I am forever in awe of your intricate dance of life, and I vow to share your wisdom with those around me, ensuring that the knowledge of harvest endures through generations. So shall it be, in reverence and love for Deanna, the cherished Goddess of the Harvest, forever nurturing and guiding the fruitful paths of our existence.

Syember!

Blessed Winter Solstice

Bowynn Gods: Onaur

Onaur  (Oh-naur)  Winged god of love and passion. Onaur is a lot like his European counterparts Cupid and Eros only a bit older in years. He is the son of Brenda and Dhonan.

     Like his mother Brenda and father, Onaur is a god that cannot induce love on anyone. At first, he did try to do just that, when he was granted his godly station by Anhur. Onaur was so overjoyed by his godly gifts, he took his flute and played in the ears of mortals everywhere, making them fall in love with each other. But this caused much chaos and problems in the world. When word of this got to Brenda, she took away his flute and wings. Brenda then had to force him to undo all the false love he had spread. This taught the young god a lesson that would stick with him for the rest of his immortal life.  Despite the advances of many young girls, Onaur always stayed true stayed unbonded, so that he would not take sides.

     Unlike Onaur’s European counterparts, Onaur is an older god and not a cherub. He is often seen as a teenage buy. And unlike both his Greek and Roman counterparts, he is not winged. He is said to have blonde hair and the bluest of eyes. On his shoulder hangs a bag which he keeps his flute magical flute that he uses to project love. Some claim he also has a magic dust in his bag which induces lust instead of love. Onaur is said to take the disguise of a bird of his choosing, when he is around mortals. Unlike many of the gods of the Akua, Onaur was not one of the gods that sat with the first tribes, as he and his brother Shane were not born at the time. But now, Onaur and Shane spend much time among mortals to make up for his absence.        

     Sacred to Onaur is the flute and magickal herbal blends for love. Flowers like the carnation, lily and rose are just some of the flowers sacred to Onaur, as are their scents and votive images of birds also makes a most divine gift.

QUESTION & ANSWER: Familiars and Guardians

QUESTION: In your tradition's do your witches use Familiars and Guardians? If so, how are they summoned?

ANSWER: No. Mysts do not have any need nor summon any sort of creatures or spiritual animals. Our belief here is that a true working Myst is on guard and protected at all times. And that there is nothing a mystical creature can provide that we can not handle on our own. We do not believe in the calling of the spirits of the dead. As it is seen as rude, disrespectful and sacrilegious.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Clothing/Garb

QUESTION: In the Bowynn tradition, is there any special robes mysts and practitioners wear?

ANSWER: Technically no. That is to say that no one is required to wear any particular clothing. Especially black witch robes. We kind of shun away from wearing the iconically (and non historic) black robes and conical hat. That said. Over the decades of weekly gatherings, we found that we were all gathering in our Fantasy/Ren Faire garb. Which eventually became something of a common occurrence amongst all of us. While no there is no requirement to wear such clothing, it has become what it is. (Side not to this is that; so many times I have remarked "We all look like we stepped away from filming 'Robin of Sherwood'. LOL)

Mysts [witches] in the tradition do not commonly wear black unless its is there desired comfort clothing. I personally like to wear blue jeans and a blue T-shirt. It's up to the person.

BOWYNN GODS: SANNA

Sanna  (Sahn-nu-ah)  This race of Kii is much similar to the ancient Greek and Roman “Ichthyocentaur.” That is to say the fore part is human, the back end is of a dolphin and has the front legs of a horse. The Sanna are the kii that protects boats, ports, harbours, and men that depend on the sea as a livilyhood. Bowynn ports will have a Sanna sculpture facing outward as a protective ward.