Demeter

Demeter, Goddess of the Wildwood
Realm	Groves and the Wildwoods
Symbols	a hazel tree, the Sacred Grove
Relatives	None
Allies	None
Enemies	Wyrm of Worlds
Order Name	Awen
Temples	Aerinewild

Demeter, Goddess of the Wildwood, was also known as the Queen of the Sacred Grove. Originally a Celani tasked by Gaia to guide and nurture the nine forest spirits, She nearly became a Goddess in Her own right as the forests flourished. When an elemental imbalance threatened the forests, Gaia approached Demeter for aide in saving them. Demeter agreed, sacrificing most of Her essence to aid Gaia in destroying the threat to Her beloved forests. Weakened, the Celani was forced into a deep slumber in an attempt to recover, hidden in the depths of the forests She once protected.

After the disappearance and departure of the Earthmother, Demeter felt a stirring in Her dreams. A quest pursued by those who loved the forests which started with Jallah and Vixen led to the summoning of a silvery mist which immediately travelled to the Great Oak. The forest spirits were consulted but ultimately the mist pleaded with the forestals to collect the essences or seeds of each forest which were offered in a ceremony led by Kalleah, the spirit of the Hazel. The forest spirits then chose six people to complete the ritual and as it ended, the mist wrapped around the tree in the Sacred Grove. The tree shook as though it did not want to release what was inside of it. Two forestals placed their hands on the tree, and in this gesture of love, the Goddess Demeter stepped from it.

However, during Her aeons long slumber Demeter had fallen prey to the vile Wyrm of Worlds. The demon, once imprisoned by Gaia, tore free of its bonds after Her passing and fell upon the sleeping Celani. Winding itself into Her essence, it eventually overcame and possessed Demeter completely, taking over Her form and imprisoning Her weakened soul in the Netherworld from whence he came.

Eventually freed by mortals, She returned and battled the demon, defeating it. The harrowing experience changed Her so much, altering Her on such a fundamental level that She ceased to be Demeter and became Melantha, the Goddess of the Seasons.

The Temple of the Seasons rests in the Aerinewild forest.