Rebirth Through Rain
On rare occasions, the Drowned Circle carries out the Rebirth Through Rain ceremony, wherein those who have passed away are placed on wooden platforms and left in the rain and rising tide. It is believed that the souls of the dead are resurrected during this act, taking new form or becoming empowered by the storm’s chaotic energy.
Those who are believed to be resurrected by the Rebirth Through Rain ceremony are often changed. They may return in a new form, marked by strange glowing sigils or storm-imbued traits, or they may become spirit-bound guardians of the marsh, tasked with serving the Everstorm in some capacity. In rare cases, they return with otherworldly powers or prophetic insight, adding to their legend and solidifying the faith of the Drowned Circle in the storm's divine will.
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History
The Rebirth Through Rain ceremony is an ancient and solemn rite practiced by the Drowned Circle. Rooted in the belief that the Everstorm has the power to purify and transform souls, the ceremony is intended to resurrect those who have passed away, giving them a new form or purpose. The origins of the ceremony are linked to a myth involving the first prophet of the Circle, who, after dying, was said to have been reborn through a tempest that swept across the marshlands. The story recounts how his soul was lifted from the water, reshaped by the storm, and sent forth with a divine mission.
The Drowned Circle believes that the Everstorm, with its chaotic and destructive energy, can cleanse the soul of its earthly limitations and allow it to be reborn into a new existence. The Rebirth Through Rain is only carried out during storms of exceptional power—those that are seen as signs from the storm gods. Only the most devout members of the cult, along with the soul’s closest kin, participate in the ceremony.
Execution
The Rebirth Through Rain ceremony is conducted at the height of a violent rainstorm, when the waters of the Howling Marsh are rising, and the air is charged with lightning and wind. The body of the deceased is prepared in accordance with Drowned Circle traditions, adorned with stormwoven robes or ritualistic markings, representing their connection to the storm gods. The body is placed on a wooden platform made from ashwood timber—a sacred material believed to bridge the realms of the living and the dead.
The platform is then carried by Tidebearers—members of the cult tasked with guiding the deceased through the waters—into the flooded heart of the marsh, where the body is set afloat amidst the rising tide. Once the body is placed on the water, the mourners, family members, and priests form a circle around it and begin chanting Storm Verses, invoking the power of the storm to awaken the soul.
As the storm intensifies, the rain falls upon the body, and it is believed that the chaotic energy of the storm infuses the deceased, either resurrecting them with a new form or granting them divine empowerment. Some say that the rainwater itself holds the essence of the Everstorm, capable of reforming the soul and making it whole again, whether as a mortal or as a spirit bound to the storm.
Components and tools
- Wooden Platforms: Carved from ashwood timber, symbolizing the bond between life, death, and rebirth.
- Stormwoven Robes: Specially crafted garments imbued with arcane energy, worn by the deceased to honor their connection to the storm gods.
- Storm Verses: Sacred chants and incantations that are sung by the participants to call upon the storm and invoke the blessing of the storm gods.
- Soulbind Chains: Ritualistic chains that are used to bind the deceased to the storm’s will, preventing their spirit from being lost in the waters.
- Tidebearer Lanterns: Lit with stormglass flame, used to guide the procession and protect the soul from malevolent spirits during the ceremony.
Participants
- The Voice of the Storm: The high priest of the Drowned Circle who leads the chanting and guides the ceremony. They are believed to be the intermediary between the living and the dead.
- Tidebearers: Members of the cult who carry the body to the marsh and oversee the placing of the deceased on the water. They are also responsible for ensuring the platform is safely carried and that the spirit is protected.
- The Mourners: The family members or close kin of the deceased, who participate in the ceremony by offering prayers and releasing tokens into the water.
- The Deceased: The body of the individual who has passed away, placed on the wooden platform to undergo the ceremony of rebirth.
Observance
The Rebirth Through Rain is only conducted during rare storms of great intensity—storms that the Drowned Circle believes signify divine approval. The ceremony is held in secret, away from the prying eyes of outsiders, as it is considered both sacred and powerful.
- The timing of the ceremony is crucial: it must take place during the peak of the storm, when the rains are at their heaviest and the winds are strongest.
- The offering of the body is a profound act, representing the ultimate trust in the power of the Everstorm to transform death into life.
- Only the most devout members of the cult, along with the deceased's family, are allowed to witness the ceremony. The ritual is often considered both a mourning and a celebration of life, as the soul is believed to be cleansed and renewed by the storm.
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