Night of Suffering
A Freeheart ceremony that marks their entry into adulthood.
History
The ceremony originated in Yutin, the ancestral home of the Freehearts. Even before the years of darkness the land was dangerous with many poisonous creatures roaming the sands and waterways. Having learned that a resistance to poison could be developed through repeated exposure to small doses the freehearts took to introducing their children to various poisons from the age of 10. By the age of 15 the young samdlings were expected to be voluntarily taking the poison doses themselves. When the children came of age they were given a large dose of assorted poisons that would be enough to kill anyone who hadn't built up a tolerance. Even with a tolerance, there was extreme discomfort and the ceremony became known as the Night of Suffering. While a few groups allowed those who didn't have sufficent resistance to die, most would call on a cleric to save those who wouldn't otherwise survive. However, those that required clerical assistance would be cast out and forced to make their own way in the world.
The tradition remained mostly unchanged for centuries, though as the Freehearts spread to other areas of the world they substituted the types of poisons for whatever was most common in the local area. The tradition almost died out during the first years of darkness as the dwarven caves where the Freehearts took shelter did not have a supply of suitable poisons, but was brought back by those who tried to reclaim Yutin during the third age.
This tradition continued to be practiced through the second years of darkness as the Freehearts were better able to prepare for life in the shelters. The tradition is still maintained during the fourth age as the Freehearts continue to view it as a key part of their cultural heritage.
Execution
A feast is typically held at midday on the day of the new adult's twentieth birthday. Depending on how the local population celebrate birthdays it may be just one or multiple people participating on the same day. While the feast is going on the community's healer or elder will prepare the mixture of poisons that are to be administered. In some cases this will be draught for the participants to drink, but at other times it will need to be a solution that can be injected.
At around 6 in the evening the particpants nearest adult relative is expected to give the participant the dose of poison. Refusing to give the poison is seen as a lack of confidence in the child and can lead to them being cast out of the community. Once the dose is administered the child is taken away to lie down under the watch of the community's healer. If the child survives the night without aid then they will be presented to the community as a full adult at another midday gathering.
Components and tools
The key component of the ritual is the poison to be administered. This will always be of the same forms that the child has spent years dosing themselves with. The dose of poison is carefully prepared to ensure it will kill someone who isn't prepared but not so strong that it would kill even a well prepared adult.
Related Ethnicities
Comments