Lonthan Trekk

The Lonthan Trekk is a coming of age ceremony among the Lonthan Tribes. This article will speak largely of the Trekk performed by the Jerelli, as this is the most easily observed tribe.

When: As a coming of age ceremony, an important note is when in the life of a tribesman do they perform it? The answer isn't an age, a time, or anything actually calculatable, but rather a decision made by the person going through the ceremony. When a child decides they are ready to be of age, when they transition from being cared for and all that entails to becoming a full member of the tribe, they initiate the Trekk. Any member who has not undergone the Trekk is called a child, regardless of age.

What it Means to be Of Age

To be of age among the Lonthan Tribes is largely the same among the four. The tribes are democratic, so once a member is of age: they can take part in voting; they can make decisions (to a certain extent) for the tribe; they can initiate trade with ambassadors and merchants; they can take up a trade, such as to make Rune Ink or Glass; and they can choose to take a public office with a country on behalf of their tribe or take up a Temple position. This differs from being a child in the tribes as children cannot vote and are assigned tasks to do within the tribe, but likewise are not required to make any difficult decisions and are given everything they need.

Another major difference of being Of Age versus not is marriage. A tribesman who is of age is able to marry and have children, if a tribesman has a child but has not yet taken a Trekk, they can choose to make the Trekk, or the child will be claimed and raised by another member of the tribe. The act of a "child" having a child of their own is not considered to be taboo or bad in the way it may be viewed throughout the central countries, but a "child" raising a child of their own is not allowed among the tribes.

The Trekk

The Trekk is broken up into five major pieces.

The Ruin

The First step of the Trekk is the Ruin. Considered a sacred site among the Lonthan Tribes, it's location is kept secret from observers, though a description has been given.

A place where the stones are carved from the Lonthan Mountains, each enchanted by Runes ages ago. Within, the Ruin is built from Rune Wood from the Surli Forest, also enchanted. There is a matching structure in the Surli forest, made of Rune Wood on the outside, and Lonthan Stone on the inside, two mirrored structures on opposite sides of the continent. These ruins, by description, have several rooms broken down by rune and Soul. The Lonthan Tribes aren't allowed to take anything from the Ruins, though there are rooms within with crystal clear wells, rooms filled with plants, and some animals who call the Ruin home.

Once inside the Ruin the child is to find the Mosaic Room. This is the only instruction for the child on their Trekk and the room and the process within the ruins is not explained further, only that once the mosaic is found, this stretch of the journey is explained on it's own.

The Lonthan Mountain Pye

In the Lonthan Mountains there is a structure on record dedicated to the Eastern Soul. The structure appears more as an abandoned town built around a massive Rune Pye. Once they've completed their time at the Ruin, they are to make their way to the Lonthan Mountain Pye. At this Pye, the child is to decypher it, it is against the rules for the tribes to translate the pye out loud to anyone. Those undergoing the Trekk alone are allowed to translate it. The Pye, similar to the ruins, will direct the Child to complete this leg of the Trekk. One member of the Temple has been allowed to visit the Lonthan Mountain Pye and record it. It is still, after several hundred years, undergoing translation at the Moonwin Temple.

The Barrier Mountain Crystal Cave

Once the Child is done with the Lonthan Mountain Pye, they are to make their way to a cave on the Barrier Mountains. This cave falls along the Hillard Tree Line, and within is said to have clear turquois waters, and is a breeding ground for Barrier Butterflies. The Child's task for this leg of their journey is to collect a Barrier Crystal, which forms from the crystalized remains Barrier Butterflies and the signs of their life, according to the Lonthan Tribes. As these crystals have not been made available for observation the actual method of this crystal formation is unknown, and very few are available among the Central Countries. Once the Child collects a crystal, it becomes theirs to keep. Many inscribe their name rune(s) on it once they make their home among a band or tribe.

The Lonthan Temple

Once the child is done with the Barrier Mountain, they make their way to the Lonthan Temple. Once at the temple, they are given what children within the central countries are given at birth: a middle name, a patron soul, and any prophecy that may come with their soul. The child at this part of the journey is officially considered an adult and often the Temple takes record of this ascension, even outside of record years.

The Return

Once their time at the Temple is done, the child must make their way home. This can be a difficult stretch of the journey, as every other part the child has direct instructions on where to travel. The return home can be difficult, however, because the tribes are nomadic, and often not where the child left them. For this stretch, the child makes their way to where they believe their band to be, following old travel patterns and news offered by other bands. This stretch varies from Trekk to Trekk, as some people choose to join other Bands or sometimes even other tribes along this part of their Trekk, making home with a new people.

Once they claim home with a Band, their Trekk is officially over and they are officially considered an adult.