Rite Ascension
Unlike other cities, Atemdo has a coming of age ceremony later in a person's life. Their ceremony is for those who reach the age of 70.
At the age of 70, they are given the title of elders and are given the responsibility to guard the younger generation. The ceremony worships all seven gods. Atemdo plays no favoritism to a single god and all pray and ceremonies reflect that.
The week after a person's 70th birthday they spend the week in isolation, dedicating each day to pray to the gods. They pray in different orders based on which ones they believe have helped them the most in their life. Starting from the one who has helped the least, they work up to the one who has helped the most. They never tell anyone the order they pray, but unbeknownst to everyone, all elders end with the Red Dragon, the king of the gods.
During the seven days, the city prepares a large feast in which the entire city will participate in (this ceremony doesn't happen often since reaching 70 is a difficult task). The Duke of Atemdo takes the time to prepare a table of objects that be used to determine the person's title. It is a tradition that all elders have a symbol and title. All of which is based on the god that chooses them which is determined with a ritual on the eighth night after a person's birthday.
After the person leaves isolation, the city sits them in the seat of honor and feeds them all day and children perform dances to represent the history of the gods.
At the beginning of the sunset, the food is cleared and all children leave the streets. Adults can stay to watch, but children cannot. At the highest point of the city, the Duke and the newest elder bow seven times, and then the Duke will blindfold the newest elder.
After this point, the Duke will hold various objects representing the gods in front of the elder and when an object calls to them, they will reach out and grab it. If they do not reach for the object in the right place, the object is not correct and the pattern continues until the elder grabs the object first try.
Once the object is chosen and while the elder is still blindfolded, they will speak with their chosen god and make a silent promise to how they will serve the city until they die. Once that is complete, the ceremony is over and the food is brought back and children can return. Usually, the festivities last the entire night was the Elder greets people and a symbol is made for them.
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