Wheel of the Year

Rites for the seasons. Bestows blessings on those in attendance.

Level: Witch True Ritual – Witch 4
Components: V, S, M, DF, XP
Casters Required: 3
Proxy: Yes
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25ft + 5 ft/2levels)
Target: Participants in the ritual, witches and proxies.
Duration: One season, 13 weeks.
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

Witches celebrate the changing of the seasons as an affirmation of life, death and rebirth. Spring is time youthful vigor, Summer a time of strength, Fall a time of harvest and passing on, and Winter a time not just of death, but of rebirth and a return to life.

Each ritual is specific and is only cast on the first full day of that season; the equinoxes and solstices.

• Rites of Spring: Spring is a time of renewed vigor and growth. Participants in this ritual gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution. This effect lasts time the Summer Solstice. Children conceived during this time gain a +1 benefit to their Constitution for one year after they are born.
• Rite of Summer: Summer is time of strength, when the Consort, God of the Sun rules. Participants gain a +2 enhancement to Strength during this time and until the Autumnal Equinox.
• Rite of Autumn: Autumn is a time of Harvest, the Sun God is weakening, but the Goddess is again gaining strength. Participants gain +2 enhancement to their Intelligence until the Winter Solstice.
• Rite of Winter: Winter is a time when the land slumbers. It is also a time of renewal, for the Winter Solstice marks the return of the light and a time when the Sun God is reborn to the Goddess. In her mourning the Goddess gained Wisdom and that blessing is passed on to Her witches. From the Winter Solstice to the Vernal Equinox participants gain a +2 enhancement to their Wisdom.

Alternately the Coven may choose to honor the Cross-quarter days instead. These may require additional material components.

• Imbolc Rites: The pending return of Spring is heralded by the birth of many animals. A newborn may be blessed with +2 enhancement to any check. This lasts until Beltane.
• Beltane Rites: A popular choice for marriages, this rite provides a +2 enhancement to any check to newlyweds. This may be stacked with a Handfasting. These effects last until Lammas.
• Lammas Rites: The harvest is nigh and bounty is shared with all. This rite provides +2 enhancement to any check for the hosts of the Lammas feast. These last until Samhain.
• Samhain Rites: The celebration of the dead. Anyone bereaved or in mourning after losing someone over the last year gains +2 enhancement to all checks. This ‘Blessing of the Dead’ lasts until Imbolc.

Material Components: In every case a feast is required. The feast maybe paid for by the coven, the proxies, the participants or some combination thereof. The Lammas Rite feast is paid for by the host. These feasts also include music and dancing. The cost is 100gp or 10gp per participant.

Focus: The divine focus for these rituals is the ritual itself. By practicing by rote and ritual the witch strengthens her bonds to the coven, her Patron and her community.

XP Cost: 50 XP for all present. The recipient of the enhancement may proxy these experience points if they wish. For the Imbolc Rite the parents of the newborn may take on all the required experience point costs.