Offering of Tears

"As one we express our sorrow."

— From a prayer associated with the ritual

The Offering of Tears is a ritual observed by the Oumai of the Tarkena.

History

The origins of the festival are unknown but is commonly accepted to predate the Great Invasions.

Execution

On the night of the ceremony, the shamans from each of the tribes of the Oumai take vessels known as tear urns, vases filled with the tears of every member of their tribe who has lost a family member since the last ceremony, and pour their contents into the lake as Zisha's Eye passes overhead. During this time, the other members of the tribes are on the shores, singing dedicated hymns and offering dedicated prayers, while taking care not to shed tears. The Oumai believe that this is necessary to show their remorse and sorrow to the goddess Zisha as penance for their past of violence against each other, failing to show remorse at killing their Oumai brothers and sisters. The Oumai believe that Zisha takes away an amount of water from the lake equal to the amount of tears that were poured in and that when the lake is filled purely with their tears that they as a people will be forgiven and ascend to the heavens.

Components and tools

The tear urn is a ceramic vessel used to house the tears of all members of the tribe who have lost a family member since the last Offering of Tears ceremony. The urns are

Participants

The ceremony involves every able-bodied member of the Oumai tribes as all tribes are to gather at Biim Lake for the night of the ceremony. In practice, the leading shamans of each of the tribes is responsible for carrying their tribe's tear urn into the shallows of the lake and dumping in their contents as the lesser shamans lead the tribes in songs and prayers.

Observance

The ceremony takes place roughly every 23 years, in accordance with the appearance of Zisha's Eye over the lake.

Primary Related Location

Biim Lake

Related Ethnicities

• Oumai (plains elves)