Threshold Definition

History

Threshold Definition is one of the oldest and most universal traditions on Khthon, enormously predating the written record and seemingly having been present on some level or another since the first days of the first "lesser" mortals as evidenced by some of the few remaining artifacts of the sirens before their fall. Though the focus on thresholds, those between the planes reflected in those at the entrances to homes, etc. has remained constant as has much of the ritual, tradition, and implementation there have been two great sea changes in the purpose and meaning of each of those. In its initial form, while there was an aspect of guarding against potential incursion by the fey or creatures of the shadow, it was equally a celebration of the seasons and the elemental planes and a time when the living could experience the joys of the various afterlives for a time. When the Shaper Gods departed, it became a much more religious holiday, focusing strongly on communion with no longer present deities, and instead of the living visiting the afterlives, it was a time to honor and potentially communicate with the departed. Some of these older motivations still remain, but since the advent of the First Great Demon War and mortalkind's knowledge of the Abyss, the aspect of protection against incursion has come to entirely dominate all other concerns.

Execution

Though the specifics vary across cultures, the focus is always on (predictably) defining thresholds, most often with some sort of ritual and/or decoration. In the current day most of this is rooted in the culture's ideas of fortification and warding, often including runic tracings thought to offer protection or strength. For those who still emphasize other aspects of the tradition, there may be symbols or rituals very specifically dedicated to their desired plane and a redoubling of the protective elements against others.

Observance

Threshold definition is universally practiced during Edrannon on the first of every year, but beyond that it can vary based on culture and surroundings. If there is a stone circle in the area which marks a thin point in the barrier to the realm of the fey, then likely there will be more frequent practicing based on the holy days of the druids who erected the circle and/or the phases of the moons. Cultures who place a strong emphasis on using the ritual to communicate with the dead will likely have proscribed holy days set aside for that purpose in addition to the more protective days when the boundaries are thin.