Resurrection

A Resurrection is seen as a personal rite of passage for those in Terra Eclipsis whom wish to cast aside their prior identity. Considered to be a cleansing ritual by the Elves, Resurrections are often done in the Circuit Of The Paladin or Of The Summoner to celebrate their transformation from their old life into a new one. Although partaking in this ritual can be done for any number of reasons, the most common one tends to involve Transgender individuals symbolically washing away their old identity.

Execution

Scenic View of Lake in Forest by Pixabay

A Resurrection begins with a particular body of water being picked out by the person who's partaking in the ritual. The most common bodies of water where these rituals are done are the Holy Sea or the Starry Gulf, though many will often pick even the ponds that are located in their very backyards or in the woods near where they live.

When a spot is picked, several flowers are gathered for use in the ritual. These flowers can range from those that hold a particular importance to the person doing the ritual, to simply being their favorite flowers. Whichever the case, it's up to the person doing the ritual how many of them they wish to collect.

Once they're ready, they'll go to the body of water and spread the flowers out across it, before submerging themselves within the water. They'll lay where the water is low, enough that they won't get swept underneath it.

And then, they'll sleep.

Tomorrow, when they wake up, they'll rise from the pool of water they were in, no longer feeling the same weight as they did before with their old life. They'll feel rejuvenated, freed from who they were beforehand and feeling a new sense of purpose.

A few people have done a Resurrection within the bath tubs in their homes, though this has always brought about arguments about whether this counts as doing the ritual right. Although many would say it doesn't matter, others would argue that it goes against the spirit of the ritual due to not doing it close to nature. Support for doing it within bath tubs grew heavily after The Withering however, so for a majority of people, this point has become moot for the most part.

Observance

Although a Resurrection is oftentimes done alone, it's not been unheard of for people to have others with them when partaking in it; whether it's fellow Elves that wish to move on from their past, or family members & friends asked to accompany them. In recent times thanks to The Withering, whether it's because of the resurgence of Dragons or the chaotic weather composed of Purple Hazes and such, Elves have often asked for others to be with them to protect them from the elements if they so chose to do their Resurrection outdoors, making use of protective magic such as Invisibility or Barriers to keep them safe.

A couple of Elves, particularly those from The Kingdom, are of the belief that Resurrections are of no importance and that anyone who partakes in them are foolish, with The Kingdom going so far as to outlaw it. Their opinion on the wishes and celebrations held by the Elves who do this ritual are considered to be cold-hearted, with much ire being drawn towards The Kingdom for wanting to interfere with their lives.

???

I think people misunderstand why folks still do this ritual, even as the world's fallen apart around us. It's because to us, being able to celebrate in some fashion our ability to grow past our old identities, means a lot to us. It's a form of joy I don't think many would ever understand. It is a joy that cannot be taken away.

Primary Related Location

Terra Eclipsis

Important Locations

• Holy Sea
• Starry Gulf

Namesake

Celeste OST: Resurrections ~ Lena Raine