[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/rtwLejQ.png[/img]
[color=f26522]Time[/color]: evening
[color=f26522]Location[/color]: the ceremony at lovers lake
[color=f26522]Interactions[/color]: [@Lava Alckon] Farim  [@Infinite Cosmos] Munir [@princess] Ana [@Tae] Mina
[color=f26522]Mentions in order[/color]:
[color=f26522]outfit:[/color] plaid kilt in his family colors, wearing a snow bear skull headdress/ mask, bones of the bear down his arms back and rib cage, body paint in the form of runes, no shirt or shoes.[/center]
[hr][hr]

The time was growing near to start the festivities, the fuel for the fires was added, food and drink were shared, prayers and offerings left by the fire to be consumed by the fire. Many had come, many more than he thought, many more commoners had come as well, some dressed in what looked to be something one would wear to Calbert’s shindig whereas others dressed like himself. No shirt or shoes. Laughter from his people no doubt sharing stories of past battles and adventures, of comrades come and gone, of loves lost and gained. Thus, was their culture, life was short so one must live it to their fullest and not skimp on the little things like laughter and stories.

One such offering of prayer caught romans ear as he walked through the area they were to have their ritual. Farim was who he noticed singing a hymn in his native tongue, a language he always found to be beautiful, it was one he did speak but not often. Roman turned his masked face towards the man as he approached but did not speak right away. His expression was near impossible to see as his mask obscured his face and eyes from those looking upon him. This effect was on purpose this way he would not lock eyes with others as he is meant to be a conduit for the gods and not to have the songs be directed towards individuals but to all of them.

[color=f7941d]"I hope I did not disrespect the way you do things here. I heard you mention offering words and....well my heart felt it necessary to pay a good friend some needed words." His hand instinctively clutched onto the necklace he wore around his neck, and the same vulnerable sounding tones in Farim's voice seemed to imply something tragic, but it soon faded as Farim did his best to perk up around present company. "You have a lovely setup here, I can appreciate all the work you had put in to such a gathering, and just wanted to pay a simple greeting without taking too much of your time."[/color]

Roman reached out to Farim before he was able to walk off for just a moment resting his hand on his shoulder and speaking in the Alidasht language, “[color=f26522][i]they are with the gods now, be happy that they have passed and no longer need to suffer here with us. You will see them again someday.[/i][/color]” A quiet reply but his words held emotion that carried with it the feeling of understanding what it feels like to lose someone close, for him it was more than a few people.

He gave Farim a nod and watched him turn to meet someone behind roman. Turning he spotted Munir approaching with his bodyguard, however when roman began to move towards them to discuss something he wanted to before the start of the ceremony he was cut off by the ethereal visage of Mina. He always enjoyed seeing her like this, it felt right for both to step away from their duties in court and just be free. This freedom he could clearly see in the way she walked and spoke.

[color=f26522]“The shaman found this spot all I did was approve it; she has been working hard these last few days to prepare it. Im glad you and your uncle were able to come, and you were able to find the ritual wear we had brought with us as well.”[/color] He paused for a moment finding his next words carefully, [color=f26522]“it looks like the gods themselves blessed you to look just as beautiful as the full moon.”[/color] He wasn’t flirting with her, at least he wasn’t trying to, it was merely a compliment, the action still made his face warm beneath his mask.

Another seemed to enter the fray, Anastasia wore some simple attire fitting of the occasion with a crown of flowers, she looked absolutely adorable. He bent down to give her an appropriate hug and whispered to her, “[color=f26522]thank you for coming, I believe you would benefit from drinking some of our special brew tonight.[/color]” He let go and smiled at her, even if she couldn’t really see it. he watched her lock on to Farim and move over to him with little hesitation. It was cute seeing her like that, the carefree anna that he grew up knowing just like when they were kids.

He turned again to mina and sighed, he could see the shaman looking at him from the edge of the ceremony ring, there was still one more preparation he needed to do before the ceremony could start and he still needed to say something to Munir before they began. “[color=f26522]Mina, could you check with the others and make sure they are ready? I still need to set the barrier with the shaman before we begin. I shall return here once I have finished and then we can begin.[/color]” He held her hand for a moment trying not to let his nerves get the best of him, “[color=f26522]if you will excuse me.”[/color] He wasn’t trying to be dismissive of her presence, but he really did have to set the barrier before they began. 

He didn’t walk directly to the Shaman, instead he made his way purposefully to Munir and his handler. They were both dressed in what was the simplest thing he had ever seen Munir wearing, and he was proud of him for it. Roman was aware of how much effort and how uncomfortable the man could possibly be in such attire, still to see him go against what was likely instinct to the man and his fashion sense gave roman pride in knowing that Munir would forgo his colorful clothes for this event. The respect he already had for Munir, and the others had grown just from this fact. 

“[color=f26522]Munir I must speak with you for a moment.[/color]” He began before shifting to Munir’s home tongue, “[color=f26522][i]I don’t have much time to explain so I apologize if this sounds rushed. Being aware of your interest in Mina you should know some things about the ritual. The position I asked her to take in the ceremony is of my echo, this position is normally for the speaker’s wife or betrothed because I have neither I asked Mina to be my echo as my friend.[/i][/color]” He paused for a moment then continued, “[color=f26522][i]because of that and our traditions our songs and dance can be… intimate at times. I respect you brother; I do not want to come in between you two, but I also cannot change how we participate. I simply wish for you to be aware of this and just as well, even though our bodies may be our own, the spirits inside may be different.[/i][/color]” He let that sink in for a moment and waited for his reply for just a moment longer.

With a nod to the men, he left towards the shaman. 

Drawing near to the shaman he began to feel it, the lightness in his head, the time was drawing near. The spirits grew restless, the gods were coming, the energy ebbed and flowed around each one of them as the veil between worlds grew thinner. He felt it in his heart, in his mind, in his soul, willing or not all rituals like this were magic in some way. For this he had to stay here just a little longer to seal the circle of patrons, gifts, song, and dance. A protective barrier to make sure the spirits don’t run rampant outside of the circle and to ward off the spirits that may have ill intent from encroaching on their ceremony.

This celebration was inherently magic connected to many other celebrations happening around the realm. Connected and alone, energy not to be bound by time or space, magic that ebbs and flows from past rituals and current ones. This form can make the magic power stronger but can quickly overpower those ill-suited for it. This he knows, this ritual to bring about peace to the spirits of this land and good fortune for the living. His duty, a privilege, a responsibility.

The shaman is a short but fiery petite woman wearing many layers and colors of cloths wrapped in leafy vines and wearing the skull of a female elk, several of her assistants surrounded her obscuring their actions from the party goers. She held out a wooden bowl towards him, stained a dull red, many ingredients stirred softly in a red liquid. It smelt of pine and iron, Roman knelt in front of her. No words were shared, they had both been through this before, she dipped her right hand in the bowl then pressed the red hand onto the top of the skull he wore then again onto his chest over his heart, he stood and proceeded to do the same with her.

Speaking together in quiet unison, 

[color=39b54a] “With this I am bound to you and you to me.
Roosters crowing - galders growing.
Norn’s spinning - fates binding. 
Gods crying - wolves howling. 
Ravens shouting - giants sleeping. 
Shadows threatening - barley swaying. 
Fields growing - sun shining. 
Wolves hunting - sun fleeing.
Stone Protects – Spirits dance.
Blood etched – Circle marked.
Ancestors bound – Fire envelopes.
Offerings given – Gods waiting.”[/color]

The duo walked slowly together around the stone circle three times, chanting those words quietly as they walked. everything they did was in near perfect unison to share the burden of setting the circle. With each step the duo dripped some of the red liquid from the bowl onto the stones below them. When they were done both had to take a moment to breathe, the bowl was empty now.  both were satisfied that the circle was set, and the first song could soon begin.