Viam Mortis
The Viam Mortis, or the Path of Dead, was a big mourning ceremony done once every 7 years in Vintia and was considered the main and most important holiday in the Vintian Imperium. It's main purpose was to assist the souls of the dead that linger along the Wizards' Trail to find the Raven Queen and continue toward their rightful afterlives. Since the Ponderer's Escape and the closing of the The Infernal Storm the holiday was no longer nessasery, as the natural order of death was mostly restored to the affected areas.
History
The tradition of Viam Morthis is preformed in memory of The Wizards Trail and the events of both the first and second vintian crusades.
Execution
Once every 7 years, on the last day of Midwin, all the Mortalitasi in the Vintian Imperium began to journey towards Vintia, following the Wizards Trail. The journey the priests took was considered more prestigious the farther they traveled. Some priests began their journey as far back 3-2.5 years before the designated time, to ensure they cover as much distance as possible along the route and its forks.
On the last day of Erlspri, all priests who managed to arrive in Vintia would paint their face with black, spray ash on their scalps and tear their robes. They would walk through the city's main street, leading the other participants to the Marble Palace plaza, where the main convocation was held.
A sacrifice was be brought to the Raven Queen, usually a prominent and willing slave, holding the title of Tenebitur, in hopes she will find his soul interesting enough to allow all other souls to pass to their destinations safe and unscathed.
Components and tools
Tenebitur
During Erlspri of the year before the ceremony, all the slavemasters of the Imperium were allowed to present a single slave to the Queen of Vintia in the name of the noble house they served. Slaves who were to be chosen as Tenebitur for the Raven Queen had be willing and healthy both in body and mind in order to be presented. It was considered a great honor to be selected for sacrifice, a slave who is chosen to be Tenebitur was considered holy and their debt to their master or the crown were considered payed in full. If the Tenebitur had a close family, they would have been raised to nobility after their death. Once a slave had been chosen as the Tenebitur, they stayed in the palace and lived the rest of their lives there. They spent their entire time with the queen and accompanyed her wherever she went, sometimes even her own bed chamber. The Tenebitur was trusted to hold the queen's deepest secrets and confessions. Before the ceremony the Tenebitur was magically silenced and engulfed in protective spells against harmful or malicious magic, to prevent their secrets from being shared or stolen.Participants
The ceremony was held by the Queen of Vintia, assisted by a Mortalitasi that was currently present in the city and that was selected by her. Every follower of the dogma who lost a parent of offspring since the last ceremony was allowed to walk alongside the priests to guide their lost ones to their final destination.
Comments