The Hunt
"The Hunt. Despite what its name may imply, this is not a rite that is done with the intention to kill. This is merely a means of introducing Skögska children-- mainly the Solöska, or Bloodrats-- to blood that isn't ours. Before we are considered teens, we drink only each other's blood."
---A cultural account by Shaw, a Solöska influencer
History
In Skögska households-- but mostly the Solöska, or Bloodrats--, blood is routinely fed amongst the young to help bolster their immunities to pathogens that can compromise their relatively-weak immune systems. For the Bloodrats in particular, their young are incredibly fragile, and have a high infant mortality rate from this alone.
When Skögska reach a certain age, where they are decently protected from the germs and viruses outside their communities, they are told of The Hunt by their teachers. This event is a rite of passage-- not too dissimilar to that of Human adolescents and alcohol-- where they are able to consume something that could otherwise kill them.
Previously, The Hunt was more like a hunting adventure, where a group of older children-- supervised by adults-- would go out to Human civilizations and feast on the easier meals that they could catch. Most commonly, they would end up raiding large, open prisons: not only were there a large number of bodies tightly packed, but the prisons had attractive lights and tall fencing.
Nowadays, however, most opt to purchase blood from many of the sapient-friendly blood banks scattered across Primaria. This was a blessing, as previous means always had a risk of harm or death.Execution
The week before a Skögska's first Hunt, they would get briefed on Human societies, outlining in very basic terms the safest places to go, the words and phrases to say, and areas where it is safe to sleep, if they cannot make it back home before sunrise. Before this, they would know general knowledge about Human societies, but without any of the specifics.
Some days before The Hunt, each Skögska child will receive what many deem as a Ritual Focus: this is a necklace with a blood-stained gem, likely a mix of the clan leader's blood with a bit of crystallized Ziel. This necklace resembles the transformative abilities that they innately have, which may be seen as either a blessing or a curse depending on the race.
The day (through the night) of The Hunt, each Skögska child will be walked through the process of ordering non-Skögska (usually Human) blood from a sapient-friendly blood bank, including particulate phrasing. Previously, they would go out in groups of three minors to one adult, but this modern approach allows the adult to walk up to four more minors through the process.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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