#can you tell that Liliah'to just really loves food?

[thevoilinauttheory]

If They Were a Deity | Liliah’to

( Thank you so much for the tag @hadriandemara-ffxiv​!! I had so much fun doing this version, and I appreciate you giving me the chance to do so! I’ve done something like this for: Maximiloix, Danny, Amosis, and M’nhea! You’d think that my next endevor would be Lothaire, but honestly, Lothaire would make a shitty deity. And I need to get word of Liliah’to out again, so where to start but here~ ) ( I am also tagging: @renofmanyalts​ to do one for Maati; as well as @jasleh​, @munchix-home-cooking​, @astralyehga​, @ahlis-xiv​, @egrine​, @mathemagiks​ for Scrap!, and @ever-searching​ for Storm! )

Deity of: Culinarians, food and brews, traveling merchants, happiness, optimism, and healing through magic and medicine

Associated with: long winding paths, forks in roads; dirt, gravel, cobblestone; wind and water, foraging, cornucopias, river stones, wild game, laughter, smiles, homeopathic remedies, building from scratch, house brews, meal-time, cooking, restaurants 

Sacred plants: Dandelions, Lavender, Sunflowers; any fresh herb or vegetable is sacred to him. These flowers are often left on altars as offerings, but the best offering is to create something out of them - flower crowns, tea, oil, soaps, salads - as long as it’s made with hand and love, that is what’s most important.

Sacred crystals/stones: Clear Quartz, Halite, Honey Calcite; unassuming, smooth, river stones. The quartz and calcite are used in prayers, while halite is often consumed with the meal as a seasoning; river stones are to be used as a soup stock. Confusing these stones will also confuse him, though no harm will come of it (unless you decide to digest the other stones, then there may be some other god you need to pray to for that).

Sacred animals: Deer, Wildfowl, Wild Hogs; any hunted animal for a meal. Animals that are hunted for the specific purpose of becoming a meal are to be blessed and honored after they are killed. To thank the land, and Liliah’to, for the bounty.

Colors: Green, White, Black Those that worship him often dress themselves in green and white; on holidays, traditionally colored candles are lit in his honor, while black is worn during meals.

Food: Any - specifically with foraged ingredients. During holidays associated with him, it is polite to create meals from herbs, meats, and vegetables grown out in the wild; but not necessary - a home cooked meal is enough to gain his blessing.

Scents: Petrichor, Sweet Pea, savory seasonings and cooked meals.

Accepted offerings/ways to honor: Liliah’to has many ways to be honored, creating meals from scratch are the best offerings; though simply enjoying a meal with friends, strangers, and family, are also accepted. 

Other offerings include his sacred flowers and stones, home-made brews, potions, water and wind crystals, hand-drawn pictures and artwork, fallen applewood or hickory branches (do not clip the branches, unless the tree is specifically grown in his honor), collected rainwater, worn down boots and shoes, and worn cookware.

Gardens can be planted in his honor and as offerings, but it is tedious to maintain if one is not used to growing plants. Gardens that die and are left to wilt are considered an insult to him - and while he is benevolent enough not to punish anyone, he will still be hurt enough to ignore your offerings and leave you with no blessings. Gardens that die that are reclaimed - either by the same person, due to lengthy illness, or by another should that person have passed on - are given greater blessings to help grow what was once there.

Liliah’to is a welcoming and benevolent god, offering great bounties to those who worship him - regardless of whether it is purposeful or not. He delights in homecooked meals and drinks; and brings healing to those who need it. He is not easily insulted, though when he is, he bears no punishment to anyone - he can be forgiving, though stubborn in doing so.

He has two holidays throughout the year, one celebrated throughout the 2nd Umbral Moon and 3rd Astral Moon; and another throughout the 5th Umbral Moon and 6th Astral Moon. 

The first, celebrated in the springtime, is to honor healing and medicine. Meditation is expected from the most devout followers, but for the casual follower, they will often take a religious holiday break from work to destress and spend time with loved ones. Offerings on these moons are usually flowers and herbs, as well as hand made drinks - such as teas, lemonades, and fruit-waters. Alcoholic beverages are avoided for offerings during these moons, but are consumed in celebration of life and what the land brings.

The second, celebrated in the autumn, is used to honor the harvest and meals. Food is shared with everyone and the best offering to leave for him is to share in your creations. Meals and conversation with strangers are done in observation of his holidays, and offerings left include homecooked meals, homemade alcoholic beverages, and any leftover harvest. These moons are seen as a more “loud” celebration compared to that of the spring, and can be spent partying, traveling in groups with strangers from one city to another, candlelit paths to nearby towns, and overall filled with song and happiness.

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Those that follow Liliah’to closely are often aspiring chefs, traveling merchants, and restaurants. Restaurants opened in his name are often decorated with his colors and flowers, and pride in fresh food and grown gardens.  He is fond of them and offers blessings in their business; but he favors the traveling culinarian more. Sometimes, he will seek out these travelers - even without worship to him - and bless them with luck and safety on their paths.  Medics and apothecaries also favor him, for his association with medicine and healing. Homeopathic remedies are blessed by him before use to ensure their potency; and he will listen intently to the troubles of those suffering from grief, stress, and mental illness, and bring them peace when they are done.