Death Night Rite

Celebrated at the time when the longest night and the shortest day occurred. It was also the only time of the year when the planet Elis was visible in the sky - provided good weather.
In most countries, people avoided going out, said it was bringing bad luck, and just stayed at home praying for the coming of the next day.
There was, however, one sect, which believed that this was an especially meaningful time. Instead of fearing the death and underworld, they actively sought connection with its gods, believing that, since everything came from the earth - there was no reason to fear its dark powers.
On that cold night therefore, they would go out in a procession, without any lights. Earleir they would prepare pits in the earth and surround them with hot stones, as the time of the year was cold. Then, one by one, they would lie down in those pits, whilst the Medicine Man walked among them and gave them a pellet made of very bitter herbs. After ingesting the pellet, the participants went into a trance and, with foam rolling down their mouth, eyes turned inside their skulls, they'd convulse for a while and then collapse.
As the next dawn came, they would awaken. All except for one. Because the Medicine Man would prepare one of the pellets with a deadly mixture. He would not know who was going to receive it himself. That person was the price for the rest of believers to be released for another year.
Most folks returned from the trance with a rememberance of a vision of the underground, and some would swear they saw the dead one happy with the Dark Goddess. If someone didn't remember any vision, they wouldn't admit it, fearing it was a bad luck and could mean they would be the ones who were not going to return the next year.