Worshiped by the people of Mag Duinn since the dawn of the First Age, Nespera is a Rustic God central to what are called "The Old Ways" - a religion called The Ashen Bough. While she isn't a goddess that directly interacts with her devout, her influence is felt through natural signs: a good harvest, a prayer answered through circumstantial means, dreams or through ritual evocations.

Because she isn't a Goddess that deals directly with people, her representation in art and worship vary from region to region. Often she is depicted in motifs similar to a 'Green Man' - with a feminine face composed of foliage, almost always with leaves or branches protruding from the mouth. Other times people carve visages out of wood; usually very rustic and crude. These are often left in natural environments and shrines are constructed around them.

There are those who argue that Nespera is a vehement goddess that brings as much pain and destruction as she does prosperity - there are also others who insist it is the opposite; namely a cult known as The Groundskeepers who worship an aspect of Nespera without venerating Her destructive capabilities.

Daughter of the Pale Blossom

While theologists argue as to whether the Daughter of the Pale Blossom is an entity distinct from the Goddess Nespera, or if she is a goddess fully independent of the established deity of Mag Duinn. Regardless of her identity, she is the focus of worship for a fledgling cult called The Groundskeepers.

She represents the healing, gentle side of nature and is imagined to be a beautiful woman of pure light. Adherents of Her faith claim she is able to heal any ailment, and even restore the dead to life by sharing her breath with them. These claims are, however, only myth as there have been no credible sightings since the dawn of the cult.

Origins

Nespera is said to have been born in the land currently occupied by Aldeia de Espiga when a seed from the Upper Sphere fell through a network of fissures in the ground and planted itself in the fertile soil of the valley. When the plant blossomed, the Goddess Nespera emerged from the petals. All of the plant life in Mag Duinn is the result of Nespera's gentle guidance.

The supposed site of this miracle is marked with a massive ancient statue. Its artists are unknown, as the culture that carved it left no other physical legacy. It remains a sacred site and the destination of a popular pilgrimage route in the realm.