Elder Confirmation Ceremony

The Elder Confirmation Ceremony happens when a new member joins the Elder Council. It is the same ceremony for all Council Elder seats, including the High Council Elder position.
Upon the death of an Elder or the announcement that one is stepping down, the information is dispensed throughout Eldahi and those who wish to attend the ceremonies will travel into Eldavi. The Confirmation Ceremony often draws a large crowd of Eldahi People. Some will stay with family or generous hosts, lodging will be entirely booked, and many will camp just outside the city just to attend.

It doesn't happen often, and the way the community comes together, it's something every Eldahi should experience at least once.

— Citizen of Eldahi

The ceremony generally occurs one week after the death of an Elder or one week after an Elder has declared they are stepping down. In the first case, the seat simply remains vacant for the week. In the second case, the retiring Elder is expected to maintain the position and their duties until passing the responsibilty on to their successor at the Confirmation Ceremony.

Step 1: Honoring the Ancestors

by krissybdesigns from Pixabay

The Ceremony begins early in the morning. The Council Elders, the successor, their immediate family members, and a few other high-ranking officials and designated witnesses will meet on the steps of the Ancestral Hall. The group will then proceed in a solemn procession to the cemetary, where they will pay their respects to the ancestors and to their own departed family members.

At this point, some people may gather to watch the procession or even follow behind. However, no one else is allowed into the cemetary until after this portion of the ceremony is complete and the group has left.

Nervous, excited, scared, sad, proud-- he should have felt something. Instead, Silas felt numb, empty, and barely aware as he moved through the motions, following those in front of him. People stared as the procession made its way to the cemetary, but it did not matter. Silas barely saw them.

Step 2: Vows of Office

The group will then return to the steps of the Ancestral Hall. By this point, a large crowd will have gathered just below the steps. Various Elders will make speeches, addressing the crowd and attesting to the monumentous occassion.
Finally, the High Elder (if present) or the most senior Council Elder will deliver the oaths of office, after which the ascending Council member will give a brief speech as to their hopes and goals for their tenure in office.

Primary Related Location

Eldavi

Important Locations

• Ancestral Hall

Related Organizations

• Elder Council

Related Ethnicities

• Eldahi People

Rush to Prepare

The Ceremony is a major disruption for businesses and families in Eldavi. People will start pouring into the city quickly after the announcement, and shops, inns, vendors, and others rush to gather resources to accomodate the influx as well as prepare for the day of the ceremony and the celebrations thereafter.
Some shops will postpone orders until after the ceremony, instead taking time to prepare for operating street booths and tents for the evening celebrations.

People need to eat, drink, and make merry. We will provide that for them and make money in the process.

— Eldavi restaurant owner

Magi-Bites

Magi-bites are a traditional way to celebrate the Elder Confirmation Ceremony

Thousands! Thousands upon thousands of these in just a few days. Every baker in the city is as frantic as I am right now!

— Baker with covered in flour days before the ceremony

"Do you, Silas Silvane, son of High Elder Wendell Silvane and Mina Lowell, Chosen Successor to the Elder Council, vow to uphold the responsibilities of the High Council Elder position? Do you vow to act in the best interest of the Eldahi people, to protect these lands, and to adhere to the will of the Ancestors?"
"I will represent the best interests of my people and the will of our Ancestors to the best of my abilities, or shall the Ancestors remove me from my responsibilities."

The Elders, family members, other high officials, and select witnesses will then retire to the interior of the Ancestral Hall and the crowds will disperse for the afternoon to eat, rest, and prepare for the festivities of the evening. The Elders will move into the Council Chamber where the newest member will sign various documents.
During this afternoon break, it is customary for the Eldahi people to visit the cemetary and offer their own respects to the Ancestors and their own family resting there. Most everyone partakes of this as most Eldahi strongly revere their Ancestors.

Step 3: Celebration

By late afternoon, most street vendors are typically set up and ready to sell food, clothing, jewelry, potion-making items, baubles, and more. Troubadours play, and people stroll what is essentially a street fair. The streets of Eldavi become busier as the afternoon and early evening wear on.
At dusk, the Council Elders make another appearance in front of the Ancestral Hall. The newest Elder gives another short speech (voice magically amplified to be heard throughout the city) and sends a burst of magical light into the darkening sky. All throughout the city, anyone who is capable of producing the lights (no pyrotechnics!!!) join in the display, lighting up the night sky with a variety of color.
The Elders retreat to a more exclusive party, complete with magi-bites, while everyone else continues to enjoy the evening, music, food, and dancing beneath the stars.

It's amazing how quickly our people are able to put this all together, to celebrate this change in such a grand fashion, despite limited prep time.

— Council Elder