[color=lightgray][center][h2][color=f7941d][b]The Ceremony for the Summer Solstice[/b][/color][/h2]
[youtube]https://youtu.be/FVkuRUEIag4?si=4SpVgAuPK4uNMIPD]The Audiocrat Calm and Peace[/youtube][/center]
[color=f7941d]Time:[/color] Night
[color=f7941d] Location:[/color] Edge of Lover's Lake.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/emmZpAO.png[/img]
[h2][center][color=f7941d]Written by [@ReusableSword] [/color][/center][/h2]
The summer air was cool outside the warehouse, marked with white, blue, and purple flags—the colors of the Ravenwood family. This was the designated location for the ritual attendees to gather, unless they chose to arrive on their own at odd hours of the night. With about an hour remaining before the sun set, the Ravenwood clan, and indeed many people from Varian, worked quickly to assemble baskets, boxes, kegs, and various other items into a few horse-drawn carts. The mood was cheerful, with many smiles and hearty laughs filling the air.

Soon, an entourage comprised of nobles, guards, merchants, workers, and people of all ages, gathered in and around the carts to make their way to the ceremony site. Musicians played music commonly heard in the Northern Varian territories as the procession slowly advanced toward the lush forest. The chosen location, the westernmost edge of Lover’s Lake, had been meticulously prepared for their ceremony. The past few days were dedicated to clearing brush, setting stones and designs into the ground, preparing fire pits, arranging food, and setting up seating for the night.

At the site, a few guards and the shaman had already arrived and greeted everyone with smiles, beckoning them to begin unloading the carts and sorting through the crates. Most everyone pitched in to unload everything from the carts until they were empty. During a brief pause in the activities, a man stepped up onto one of the empty carts and gestured for everyone to gather around for an announcement.

Roman stood tall on the empty cart, wearing his traditional Ritual attire, which made him look quite imposing. He wore a plaid kilt in his family’s colors and little else—no shoes, no shirt. However, strapped to him were large, thick bones—the upper half of a large snow bear skeleton. Its ribs encased his chest and torso, with long arm bones tied to his arms that ended in oversized boney paws with sharp, dagger-like claws. Its lower jaw hung from around his neck, and under one arm was the skull itself. The bones had been altered slightly to fit his size, yet anyone could still estimate the size of the beast from the skull he held under his arm. A skull that, like the rest of his bare skin, was adorned with ancient patterns and runes meant for protection and strength.

“[color=f26522]Hello friends, family, new and old faces, one and all. Thank you for coming to our Celebration and Ceremony of the summer solstice. There are a few ground rules I must go over with you, especially if you have never been to one of our celebrations,[/color]” he spoke clearly, slowly, and with distinct enunciation, ensuring that all could hear his words. “[color=f26522]First and foremost, there are no titles here—Royalty, Nobility, and the common man will all be treated the same, as we are all equal in the eyes of the gods.[/color]”

He paused briefly, his smile never fading. “[color=f26522]Second, if you're going to act disrespectfully, whether sober or not, you will be escorted back to the city if you are disrespectful towards each other or our ceremony. This is for your safety as much as it is ours; some of us may enter a trance as we sing and dance, and some of us may not recognize you.[/color]”

He allowed those words to sink in before continuing, “[color=f26522]Third, there are cups offered by the shaman herself.[/color]” Roman motioned his arm toward her, “[color=f26522]These are the only cups that are colored red. They contain a drink mixed with our natural plants and mushrooms from the north. This drink is what we give to our people who wish to see. No one knows what you will see, but mostly it is to help you see your true self, so that you may find peace and heal from the wounds no one else can see. If you're lucky, you may even meet a god.[/color]”

A chorus of laughter erupted from him and some of the other northern men, as if they were all in on some inside joke, or perhaps they were all just a little insane. “[color=f26522]Lastly, and this one is important,[/color]” Again, he paused to ensure everyone was listening, “[color=f26522]Our ceremonies are ancient, from a time before our kingdoms were kingdoms. You may think or feel that the way we worship is magic in some way, but I can assure you it is not. We sing, dance, and offer to our gods, our ancestors, and the spirits that inhabit the land.[/color]”

His smile returned as he placed the hollowed-out skull onto his head, concealing his eyes in shadow. The red rubies set in the eye sockets of the bear's skull glistened with the dying light of the sun. “[color=f26522]Now, for the ceremony itself, we will sing four songs in the old tongue. The many guards not participating in the ceremony have been instructed to translate for you if you ask. Our songs represent birth, life, death, and the last song for the gods. Before we start, you will find benches close to the fires; these are meant for offerings of food, wine, and prayers or words to a loved one who has passed—anything you wish to offer to the gods and the ancestors.[/color]”

Again, he paused to look over the crowd. “[color=f26522]Mina Blackwood and I will be leading the songs for this ceremony. So, we have a little while longer before the fires are lit, so please enjoy the food, the drinks, the music. Take this time to prepare yourselves for the celebration. Remember, all we ask is that you be respectful of our customs. It's up to you whether you want to participate or just observe. No one here will judge you for getting in tune with nature.[/color]”

Glancing out across the forest for a moment, three smaller fires were set up in a triangle with ample space in the middle for the largest of the fires. Stones and paint formed an intricate pattern along the ground, one that could only be fully appreciated from a higher vantage point. Tables with food, drinks, instruments, and ritual wear were arranged around the outside of the very large circle. With that, he descended from the cart, and the crowd began to disperse. He still had a few things to prepare for the ritual himself.




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