The Observance of the Burn

How long, O God, wilt thou be angry with our indiscretions? Will thy wrath forever burn like fire? Will thou not help us seek appeasement from your rage?

— The Observance of the Burn Prayer 13:4

The Adherent Observers

As the Burn slowly consumes the galaxy. There is a growing belief that the Burn is the avatar of a sentient god come to demand penance for the sins of the Olaxis inhabitants. It is further believed, therefore, that this god can be appeased with appropriate penance, worship, and sacrifice. The individuals who believe this have come to call themselves The Adherents.

The Ritual

While the Burn is actively consuming a planet, the Adherents travel to the planet, getting as close to the event's edge as possible. Once there, they place offerings and sacrificial animals in the path of the Burn for its consumption. If the Burn advances and consumes their offering, they believe they have, even if only slighly, appeased the god. If their offerings are rejected, they enter into The Penance, which is a period of prayer and introspection such that they might understand why their god rejected their offering. It often includes fasting and self-flaggelation for those who come to beleive that there offering was rejected because it wasn't "personal" enough of a sacrifice.
In addition, many attempt to commune with the Burn through the use of drugs and/or technology capable of placing the Adherent in an altered mental and/or physical state. Many say that while in this state, they feel a resonance with the Burn. As a result, many believe that communication is possible with the avatar, once they reach a higher level of spiritualism.

The Danger

Many Adherents die while observing this ritual. Either the Burn consumes them directly or the planet kills them while it is being consumed or changed. As a result, government, cultural, and religious organizations around the galaxy condemn its practice.