The Binding of a Starbound Night

The Binding of a Starbound Night is a ritual that is practiced by Atxian artisans and Atxian magi, which is the only way that certain rare materials, such as Atxian Stargems, Atxian Starsteel, and Atxian Nightsteel, can be created.
This ritual is significant in that this is one of the only times that Atxians will emerge from their warrens, as they require a clear view of the night sky. This exposes them to risk, particularly from bandits who lay in wait for the Atxians to make their presence known. To circumvent such disturbances, veteran fighters of an Atxian warren will protect the perimeter of the entrance to the warren, and help may be lent by passing Atxian rangers.

Execution

The ritual of the binding follows the same sequence of events:

Preparation

1. Two weeks prior to the hour of alignment, the warren's astromancers will inform the seers, alchemists, and artisans that the stars are moving into alignment, and that preparations should be made for items that may need to be bound;
2. The warren's council of elders will assign members of the warren's guardians as protection detail for the nights of the ritual, and will outfit them specifically for such a task. Messages may also be sent out to other warrens and to known rangers in the area, as a call for assistance;
3. One week prior to the hour of alignment, reagents are being prepared, material is set aside for binding, and the ink that is utilized for the array is purified and contained in warded glass bottles.

Execution

1. Four hours before the alignment, guardians clear out the entrance of the warren, and establish the perimeter. Rangers will be lurking in the wilderness far ahead, re-directing stray travelers and harassing/eliminating hostile entities;
2. Three hours before the alignment, astromancers and seers will begin setting up the arrays, the computational engines, and the systems of lenses and mirrors that will direct starlight to the array's critical areas;
3. Two hours before the alignment, the artisans and alchemists will arrive, and begin their set-ups, including the movement of material that will be sacrificed as ritual components, and material that is destined for binding;
4. An hour before the alignment, all final materials are in place, and containment wards are established. With the stars in close alignment now, the lenses, mirrors, and focal points, as well as the runic array, are moved into position;
5. The alignment - reagents are drained, crystals are exhausted, and runes are burned away, as starlight and the infinite dark are captured and forced into objects through binding means. Artisans and seers steel their minds and maintain the focus of their third eyes as the ritual of binding is underway;
6. The ritual is complete, and the newly bound items are secured by the artisans. Breakdown of the ritual site begins.

Components and tools

Components

The components of the Ritual are as follows:

• The runic array will be laid out in purified ink, created from charcoal that has been purified for this purpose;
• Ethercrystals will be laid in a perimeter and drained as the ritual progresses;
• Certain alchemical reagents and potions are made available for usage, and may be drained or otherwise consumed during the ritual's progression;
• The objects in question will be positioned in the center of the working array;
• Lodestones etched with runes of separation will be positioned in equal spacing around the working array, forming a secondary array of containment in the event of disastrous overload;

Tools

Various tools are used to ensure the success of the binding:

• A brass and silver rotating ring, with spots for the application of the charcoal ink runes, is utilized and re-used;
• Various orreries and astrological charts are plotted, and the array adjusted to match the positioning of the celestial charts;
• Cauldrons, alembics, and centrifuges for the preparation of reagents are available outside of the ritual space;
• Magnifying glasses and mirrors are utilized to concentrate and focus starlight into critical portions of the working array;
• Most recently, computational engines that are connected to orreries can automatically make array adjustments as necessary.

Participants

The ritual of binding a starry night to given material will always have the following participants:

Ritual Side

• The Artisans will provide the material and keep it within the center of the runic array, utilizing their own mana to maintain the objects' positioning as the ritual is brought to bear until its completion;
• The Astromancers ensure that the stars are in correct alignment with the rest of the runic array, and will constantly rotate the circular array until the alignment is perfect;
• Alchemists may be on-site to prepare formulations that may be unstable and thus unsuitable for prior preparation, as well as to replenish reagents that may be used up during the progression of the ritual;
• The Seers are in charge of the construction of the array, the positioning of the correct runes for the objects being bound, the stability of the working, and the provision of the sacrificial objects and ether for the successful operation of the ritual.

Non-Ritual Side

• Guardians will provide protection to the non-combatant members of the ritual, and ensuring the entrance of the warren remains secure;
• Rangers from other warrens or from Atxian wanderers may lend their arms in the defense of the ritual, should they be nearby when the ritual is underway;
• Other visitors, including non-Atxians who are friendly with the warren, may also be invited to witness such an event. Particularly influential visitors may even be gifted one of the items bound in such a fashion, or may be offered to have one of their items bound by the starry night, creating one of a kind relics of untold power.

Observance

The rites of binding are observed whenever the stars approach the optimal alignment for the object in question. Said alignments are monitored by Atxian astromancers that utilize star charts, computing engines, orreries, and mathematical equations to work out the next optimal night that such bindings can be attempted.

Related Ethnicities

• Atxi