Significance
Blood oaths are among the most grim of Achillonian traditions. They serve as a tool of rapid mustering, but are used by Amazon leaders only in the direst of need. Most often, such occasions are the result of dishonorable acts done by an enemy, and the blood oath is sworn for the sake of vengeance.
After swearing the oath, the bloodsworn immediately enter military service under a military commander -- they will not even return home to pack their belongings. Their commander will provide the bloodsworn with whatever equipment they will need. But this typically isn't much. Bloodsworn can come from any walk of life, and many of them are not warriors by training. As such, they are mainly used as expendable front line troops, lightly armed and armored. Few bloodsworn expect to survive beyond their first battle. And that is well, for it is their sacred duty to die as much as it is to kill.
Swearing a blood oath is among the greatest of honors an Amazon can achieve. It can serve as redemption for someone that has fallen from fame and favor, or it can be the last blaze of glory for an aged veteran. Blood oaths are also seen as a communal duty -- something to be answered for the glory of Achillonia by as many able-bodied men and women as possible, regardless of profession, social standing, or personal life situation. After all, there is no finer fate than to die in battle, and
Galatea looks favorably upon all that selflessly speak her ancient oath of war.
Execution
The old oaths can only be sworn before an
Oathstone during a sacred ritual performed by a priestess of Galatea. The ceremony is open to everyone and announced well in advance. Societal functions can even be halted during the ceremony so that every member of a community can attend.
First, the priestess draws the eye of the goddess with relic and ritual. Then, the swearing of the blood oath is offered to anyone willing. An
Oathbearer is named to command the Bloodsworn in battle -- typically a famous military leader. The Oathbearer announces a
Blood Quest as they have agreed upon previously with the priestess. The quest is a specific goal that must be achieved in war, such as the sacking of a certain city, the death of an enemy leader, or the defeat of an enemy force.
Anyone willing then speaks the sacred words of the blood oath as dictated by the priestess. The words are repeated over and over as a chant as the supplicants begin smearing their skins with paint. Acolytes walk among them, throwing out puffs of powdered cinnabar from holy amphoras. The supplicants are free to paint themselves with whatever designs they wish -- and not only their own bodies but also those of their comrades. Finally, Galatea herself binds the supplicants to their oath, sealing the paint upon their skins with divine magic, making it impossible to wash off.
The markings are removed only should the blood quest be completed, and even then only from those bloodsworn that lived to see it.
Components and tools
The body paint used in the ritual is made by galatean priestesses from ritual oils mixed with blood. The oil is extracted from various types of thorny bushes indigenous to the
White Peaks. The blood must be from the race that is to be the target of the Blood Quest, whether it be
human,
elven,
dwarven or even
draconian.
Powdered cinnabar is sprayed upon the supplicants after they have applied the body paint, making the mineral cake upon blood-oil-mixture.
Comments
Author's Notes
Players of Total War: Troy might notice where this is from :) Indeed, I loved the Blood Oath / Bloodsworn faction mechanic when playing as Penthesilea. I knew I had to incorporate it into Achillonia.