SanTodag
The Day of Blood
The Orcs of Az-Atla are cruel people.
This tendency to enjoy suffering and the suffering of other is reflected in their rituals. Once in an Orcs life, when their family elders determine they are ready for the day that celebrates their birth, SanToDag is granted.
This tendency to enjoy suffering and the suffering of other is reflected in their rituals. Once in an Orcs life, when their family elders determine they are ready for the day that celebrates their birth, SanToDag is granted.
History
Orc children often do not live long.
The inherent dangerous nature of the orc culture, the land of Aut'tep'ko , and the capital of Gar NourAza have lead to a high mortality rate. It is common for Orc families to have many children, some do not even bother naming them, as it is even more common for the majority of them to die tragically, so why name them.
Orcs don't waste time celebrating each year of a child's life.
They only celebrate the birth of that child when they survive to adulthood. That is their true day of birth.
The SantoDag, Day of Blood.
The inherent dangerous nature of the orc culture, the land of Aut'tep'ko , and the capital of Gar NourAza have lead to a high mortality rate. It is common for Orc families to have many children, some do not even bother naming them, as it is even more common for the majority of them to die tragically, so why name them.
Orcs don't waste time celebrating each year of a child's life.
They only celebrate the birth of that child when they survive to adulthood. That is their true day of birth.
The SantoDag, Day of Blood.
Execution
SantoDag has four stages. It begins at sundown on the last day of the celebrant's childhood. They either become an adult or die a child.
The first stage of the ceremony is The Accounting.
Those gathered speak of the events in the celebrant's life that they deemed worthy of an non-child. It is considered inappropriate to come to the ceremony if you can not speak on behalf of the celebrant.
The second stage of the ceremony is The Aspirations. Those gathered speak the skills and talents that they have seen the celebrant display through their life. It is considered inappropriate to come to the ceremony if you can not speak on behalf of the celebrant.
The third stage is The Pledging.
This is the hardest stage of the ceremony and the part from which its name is taken. In this stage the celebrant goes to each attending adult and pledges to complete a task during their adult life. The adult to whom the pledge is given, then slashes the young orc with the YaritOrtur, cutting them and causing them to bleed. The celebrant orc makes one pledge to each adult and receives on slash from each adult. This is a very important stage. If the adult does not believe that the celebrant can complete the task they will slash too deep in the hopes that the celebrant will bleed to death before the completion of the ceremony.
Historically many celebrant orc have been killed during this stage of the ceremony, but the Paragons have stated that such waste of life is not inline with the Glory and Will of the Devouring Mother. This has caused some commentary from the Old Guard Orcs.
The final stage of the ceremony is The Rebirth.
In this stage the celebrant orc steps into their family's hot spring baths and must fully submerge themselves before stepping out an adult. Death at this point is rare.
The first stage of the ceremony is The Accounting.
Those gathered speak of the events in the celebrant's life that they deemed worthy of an non-child. It is considered inappropriate to come to the ceremony if you can not speak on behalf of the celebrant.
The second stage of the ceremony is The Aspirations. Those gathered speak the skills and talents that they have seen the celebrant display through their life. It is considered inappropriate to come to the ceremony if you can not speak on behalf of the celebrant.
The third stage is The Pledging.
This is the hardest stage of the ceremony and the part from which its name is taken. In this stage the celebrant goes to each attending adult and pledges to complete a task during their adult life. The adult to whom the pledge is given, then slashes the young orc with the YaritOrtur, cutting them and causing them to bleed. The celebrant orc makes one pledge to each adult and receives on slash from each adult. This is a very important stage. If the adult does not believe that the celebrant can complete the task they will slash too deep in the hopes that the celebrant will bleed to death before the completion of the ceremony.
Historically many celebrant orc have been killed during this stage of the ceremony, but the Paragons have stated that such waste of life is not inline with the Glory and Will of the Devouring Mother. This has caused some commentary from the Old Guard Orcs.
The final stage of the ceremony is The Rebirth.
In this stage the celebrant orc steps into their family's hot spring baths and must fully submerge themselves before stepping out an adult. Death at this point is rare.
Components and tools
YaritOrtur: A ceremonial bone knife made from the bones the families deceased children. Each orc in a family is given one when they become an adult.
Family Baths: Each orc family has a traditional hot mineral bath in Gar NourAza. These baths have been in the orcs families since the beginning, and it is believed that baths imbue orcs with specific abilities, resliencies, and usual abilities, once the Orc has completed the Santodag.
Family Baths: Each orc family has a traditional hot mineral bath in Gar NourAza. These baths have been in the orcs families since the beginning, and it is believed that baths imbue orcs with specific abilities, resliencies, and usual abilities, once the Orc has completed the Santodag.
Participants
The only participants required are the young orc who will become and adult and one other adult family member. However, there is a great deal of prestige and social standing if other adults choose to come to the Santodag. Many will talk of their Day of Blood and brag about who was there, their pledges, which ones they've completed and how many participated.
Observance
The rite is observed when the parents and adults of the orc believe they are ready to assume the mantel and responsibilities of an adult regardless of the young orc's age.
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