Cleansing of Darkness

A step into adulthood

The Cleansing of Darkness is a tradition that slowly emerged with the group of Light Fae called Ilnetian Light Fae who left the safety of the Fae Realms because they disagreed with the unification of all fae. The Ilnetian Fae have now settled in the human world and they live in Dunkelwood in Dysvoll. Dunkelwood is a forest plagued by Dark Entities, which ensures the fae privacy from the humans but requires them to be able to stand against this threat.

A step into Adulthood

The earliest a person can undergo the cleansing of darkness ritual is at the age of 30, and while in the age bracket from 30 to 45, any fae can choose the time in which they want to do the tradition. It's most common that it is done a week after one's birthday, no matter where in the age bracket you are.

Adulthood for Fae

To be recognised as an adult in this group of fae, you need to be able to protect yourself and those around you from the dark entities. The average lifespan of fae is around 180 years and a person is considered an adult at around the age of 30-45, depending greatly on their individual behaviour and skills.

A test of capability

The Cleansing of Darkness is a test to see if the person is able to survive on their own outside of the safe perimeters of the village. To see if this is the case, a dark entity is caught and the person is put into a room with it. Here they are supposed to either subdue it, banish it to the shadow realms or exterminate it fully.

If they are capable of this, they are allowed to test out their skills in a more realistic environment: the forest itself. Through every step, four other fae will be present and ready to step in should anything go wrong. These people are chosen by the person undergoing the cleansing of darkness. The only requirement is that they themselves passed the test.

Passing the test

If the person undergoing the trials makes it through the room encounter as well as manage a night in the forest without needing help, they might be considered to have passed the test. However, the final say lies with the four fae who came with them through the whole endeavour. If these four fae evaluate them to be capable, they are allowed to leave the village on their own and are officially considered an adult If they aren't deemed to have passed the trials, the person will have to undergo more education and training and they will have to try again.

Celebrations

If the person successfully manages the trial, a celebration is held in the village. A little feast will be made in their honour and they will be given the crest of the village as an emblem to wear on their clothes. It's common for parents or other older family members to hold a speech in their honour and announce them officially stepping into the ranks of the adults.

Primary Related Location

Dunkelwood

Related Ethnicities