Ocean
 |  Subject: Rituals and Holidays | Guide Mon Sep 15, 2014 7:57 am | |
| Rituals:
M O X | I N I T I U M || Mox Initium is the celebration of a birth. When the pups are one day old, the kingdom[s] will gather at the den and give their blessings and even presents to the newborns and parents. Then, a small deer or wild pig is brought to the den for the parents to eat in the coming days. This carcass is normally where their children's first meat comes from.
A D V E N T U S | O F | A E V U M || The official coming of age ceremony. A small group of wolves, the minimum two or three, maximum seven, are sent out to a Adventuring Area. If they come back alive and with something to show for it (treasure) then they are let into the pack. The group is normally made up of yearlings nearing the age of two years.
N E C T O | C E R E M O N Y || The Necto Ceremony is a sort of "wedding" in the pack. It joins two wolves as mates for as long as they both shall live [or until they decide they hate each other and divorce]. The Necto Ceremony starts off with the bachelorette separated from her to-be-mate for one entire day. She is cared, groomed and pampered by her female relations [including those of the bachelor's family] and her friends and generally prepared for the big day.
The male/bachelor, meanwhile, spends [most of] his day with the male relations of both his and the bachelorette's family. He must try and convince them to accept him into the family, and hopefully succeed. After that is accomplished, he will either spend the rest of the day just chatting with them, or he will dapper himself up for the wedding.
Typically, the bachelorette would have a special veil over her face until the beginning of the ceremony, when it would be lifted over her head by the male to reveal her face. The bachelor would normally carry a rose, flower, or a decorated stick/bone in his mouth during the last seconds of the ceremony, at the very end passing it to the bachelorette as a symbol of love.
The actual ceremony and ritual is quite simple. Normally taking place until a new moon or just as the sun rises in the dawn as a symbol of a new beginning, the bachelor waits with his back turned to where she will approach from, for the bachelorette. If they have a crowd watching, she will walk through a split made in the middle of them. Once she reaches the male, he will turn to her and unveil her face. Then he will recite either poetry for his beloved or a speech before she does the same. Then, together, they will simply say the words, "I take you as my mate, until there is no breath in my lungs."
A P P O N O | R I T U A L || The Appono Ritual is the ceremony of moving a wolf to a higher rank, and a sort of "crowning" ritual for Monarchs. The ceremony starts by the summoning of both kingdoms at The Seats of Stone along with the chosen promotee. Once everyone [including the promotee] is gathered before the thrones and their Monarchs [or elders, should there be no Monarch], the chosen wolf is called forth to the thrones. The Monarch that is the head of the kingdom that wolf is in will ask them to kneel/bow before them. Once done, the Monarch will place their paws on the shoulders of the wolf and say the following words: "Guest, we are gathered here, in The Land of Four Seasons, the place of your home and mine. We are gathered here to make you our [RANK] of [KINGDOM], for you to take your place among many Kings, Knights and honoured nobles. I ask of you your loyalty, your honour, your love and honesty. Will you follow me - us - and serve us until the end, just as we for you? Will you protect our lives, just as we will yours? Will you show true and brave, and be our [RANK]?" To which, the wolf shall reply.
E X I T U S | V A L E || Exitus Vale is basically the final ceremony to pay respects to a wolf that has passed. In short, a funeral of sorts. It starts off with bringing the deceased to a special clearing in Lex Forest where all our dead is buried. A deep hole in the ground is dug out and the deceased is place in it. Those who knew the deceased place flowers and gifts symbolising their life on earth within the grave with them, giving a short speech about them as well and wishing them farewell. If the wolf died due to battle wounds or such, they would have their wounds dressed before they are placed in the grave.
Once the deceased and their gifts for the journey into the next life or afterlife have been placed, then those who knew and loved the deceased cover over their grave. Typically a marker of some sort, normally a stone with a few letters scratched into it or another artefact symbolising their life, is placed over their grave along with a couple more flowers.
Pack Holidays:
M U L T U S | F E R I A T U M || The two days everyone spends in the winter territories. Multus Feriatum - sometimes called "Multus Natus" - typically starts off with a day of preparation. Everyone gathers food and hunts for a great feast in the next day. Everyone except pups fast until that feast, for it is so grand, normally including red meat [such as caribou and bison], fish, fowl, and special treats such as edible berries and honey.
If not preparing for feast, they would be collecting decorations and "decking the halls" - meaning the Velheritz den. Pinecones, feathers, leaves, berries, and more are used to add some festivity to the den. A small tree grows in a area of the cave without a roof. This tree is decorated and presents for pack members from other pack members are placed under it, as well as where The Giver leaves gifts for the younger members.
On the eve of Multus Feriatum [the preparation day] everyone spends the night in Velheritz. When they wake up in the morning, they are given the presents [the ones that were under the tree] that were for them, and they give the ones they got for others. The rest of the day is spent playing games and talking, until the sun goes down and the feast is eaten. Many games and contests are played afterwards.
A E T A S || Aetas represents the transition into the new year. All pack members stay up until midnight and into the new morning whilst celebrating with food and games. Members typically howl on the moment of the new year.
A D A M O | S O L S T I C E || Commonly called "The Solstice of Love" is the Adamo Solstice; when everyone gets together for a celebration, and a "ball" of sorts. The kingdoms gather in a meadow in the spring territories, and are paired together in twos [one is randomly chosen if the members don't already have a partner]. The two must act as "lovers for a day" and attend the Kingdom Ball together, as partners. The Kingdom Ball is typically a feast and a dance. Members stamp their feet, howl, and sing to their own music whilst other basically move in a rhythmic way by wagging their tails and stepping forward and backwards. The feast isn't as grand as the Multus Feriatum, normally having a bison or deer and each pair much bringing a hare or fish or something to add to the feast. © Ocean | |
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