Written by Armaxis Telexana.
Index:
I. Introduction.
II. Festivals, Lore, and Holidays.
III. Rituals.
IV. Prayers.
X. Issues.
I have penned this document in an attempt to enlighten those whom would like to learn more of the Serpent Lord. For many years have I delved into ancient texts, hoping to find references to Lord Luukos. I have found several, and many I believe to be ancient holidays of cultures long forgotten, or long dead. I certainly do not expect everyone whom claims allegiance to Lord Luukos to take part in these holidays, they are merely an opportunity to show your faith to the Serpent Lord, something we should all strive to do.
One should also know how I define the word 'faith' as I use it quite extensively throughout this document: It is the conviction that following the Lord of Death is the right and just path. Anything which He says is sacred. Anything which He dislikes is unholy. He is the end to all ends. He is your Lord. He controls your life, and He controls your death. Your faith is a manifestation of this knowledge, and it shall be unbreakable if you truly believe in His ideals. With that said, I give you the holidays:
II. Festivals, Lore, and Holidays:
In this section we shall take a look at some of the established holidays in Luukos worship, and also look at a few of the lesser known celebrations. Included with most is the history behind the day, or night of celebration.
20-25th of Eorgaen - The Feast of the Immortals.
Below is the tale I have found which inspires us to celebrate, along with a few notes of my own regarding the celebration itself.
Once long ago, there was a city of the most elegant
architecture, the grandest size, full of magic and lore. A haven of havens,
and so old that it's name has been lost to the winds of time, so we shall
simply call it the Grand City.
In this Grand City lived beings with reptilian features, of slitted
eyes, and of forked tongues. They had built the city ages ago, some say since
the dawn of time itself. The entire city was carved of a strange grey stone,
and towers made of an emerald so pure, that it glowed with a luminescence
of it's own at night. In this city of grey stone and magnificent emerald
towers, the Serpent People lived in peace at the edge of a swampy marshland.
At night, the mists of the bog would enshroud their city, concealing it from
view. Not much is known of what the Serpent People did before the humans
came.
At first, the humans merely wandered from place
to place, coming upon the bog by happenstance. They looked upon the city
in awe, and decided to build their huts there, for they could catch many
fish from the bog. The Serpent People watched from afar, curious of these
new creatures which lived on the banks of the bog.
In time, the Serpent People made their way to the
village of humans, where they taught them how to work with stone, and how
to live comfortably in the swamp. The years passed, and the humans prospered,
building their own city on the shores of the bog, certainly not as grand
as the Serpent People's city, but an admirable feat nonetheless. Travellers
came to the shores of the bog, trading goods as people often do, and they
looked upon the Grand City, shrouded in thick mists, it's emerald towers
piercing the sky, and spoke in hushed whispers of it. The city of humans
grew and grew, more travellers arriving every day, and more rumours being
spread of the Grand City.
The Serpent People never visited the humans anymore,
perhaps they were shy of the crowds. But only the very oldest humans in the
city could ever remember seeing them when they were but children. Rumours
spread far and wide of the Grand City, some saying a great evil lay there,
some saying a great good. But the night before the humans most elaborate
festival, they heard a hissing.
A low one at first, as if but a whisper in the night,
but soon it filled the ears of everyone within the city of humans. They looked
over toward the Grand City, and the mists of the bog had cleared, fully revealing
the city, which was bathed in an emerald glow. The clouds had parted, and
the moon of Lornon was shining, blood-red, down upon them. Across the bog
they could see the forms of the Serpent People, their hands raised high in
ritual as they hissed and shrieked in their strange tongue. Panic broke out
through the city of humans, most of them fleeing or hiding, praying that
the night would end.
And the night did indeed end, and when they looked upon
the Grand City once again, it looked as it had so many years before, shrouded
in mist, a quiet, but magnificent sight to behold. The humans plotted, and
schemed, they wished to berid themselves of the Serpent People and their
Grand City. An army was raised, and again when they heard the hissing sound
across the bog, they marched their army to the Grand City. By the time the
sun had risen, the Grand City was nothing but rubble.
Few warriors of the army returned from the battle, and
those that did had gone mad. No one knew what exactly transpired that fateful
night, but they did not care; the Serpent People and their city were gone,
and the priests of the city of humans rejoiced, for at last they could perform
their ceremonies without the strange rituals of the Serpent People being
heard. They threw grand festivals dedicated to Lorminstra and the other Lord's
and Lady's of Liabo, elaborate feasts and celebrations, drawing travellers
and people from miles around.
After many decades of their triumph over the Serpent
People, the priests decided to throw the most grand festival ever, one which
would have people talking for years. A most elaborate festival dedicated
to Lorminstra would be held. Merchants and people alike travelled from the
far corners of the world, providing exotic and rare foods as well as other
beautiful things. All within the city of humans were joyous, for within the
coming days they would celebrate. But, upon the day which is now named the
20th of Eorgaen, the first...body was found.
An acolyte within the sanctuary of the temple was found, his
blood staining the walls and his limbs decorating the altar within the chamber.
The priests become quite concerned over this, as they could not have people
become panicked and afraid before the festival -- there would be no riches
for them if all fled their great city! So, they disposed of the body, and
murmured prayers to Liabo.
Every day, a new body was found within the temple. Upon
the second day a priest was found, his throat gashed terribly and his limbs
completely missing. The third day shedding light upon the body of another
priest, his blood used to make strange symbols upon the altar near his body.
And the fourth day arrived, revealing merely the skeleton of a former priest,
it's bones fresh with blood. Each time, the priests disposed of the body,
and murmured prayers to Liabo, praying these tragedies would stop.
And upon the fifth day, a high priest was found before the
altar, but he was not dead. His skin was dead-white and his body was marred
with bloody etchings in the form of strange symbols. He stared blankly forward,
and did not move, nor speak. And upon the altar there lie a most curious
object -- an emerald statue in the form of a serpent, it's head raised as
if about to strike. The priests attempted to awaken their brother from his
trance, but nothing could be done. They showed the statue to him, and as
he laid his eyes upon it, a horrendous scream came from him, and he slumped
over...dead. The arch priest of the temple took this artifact into his care,
claiming it an object of evil, and that it should be looked after while the
festivities took place tonight.
So the arch priest took the emerald statue to the great tower
of the city, and kept it guarded there as the festivities were made. He could
hear the crowds of people outside, drinking, dancing, and making merriment.
He knew that the great rituals to the Lord's and Lady's of Liabo were about
to take place, and that the temple would make quite a large sum of money
for the blessings they gave this night, and he chuckled softly to himself.
To his surprise, a mirthless, hissing chuckle followed his own.
And just as the ritual was about to take place, a scream pierced
the air -- the scream of the arch priest. And the people looked up as he
fell from the window of the great tower, the sound of his body hitting the
ground reverberating throughout the city as an eerie silence fell over it.
The clouds began to part, revealing the blood-red moon of Lornon, shining
brightly down upon the city of humans. Thick mists began to creep in, tinted
red by the moon. Slowly the mists embraced the city, and a dread hissing
filled the air.
And the people looked toward the shores of the bog, they
looked upon the bog and what they saw filled their hearts with fear and their
minds with madness. For, rising up out of the blood red mists were the forms
of the ancient Serpent People, their hissings growing louder and louder as
they stormed into the city. The screams of the priests as well as the revellers
filled the night, and utter darkness fell upon the city of humans as the
Serpent People fed.
At long last, dawn came...the sunlight revealing only broken, barren
rocks upon the shores of the swamp. And no longer do mortals dare tread upon
those grounds again, for if they do, they will pay for their ancestor's ancient
folly, they will become...A Feast of the Immortals.
Notes:
It should be known that I do not claim this is the actual meaning
behind the Feast of the Immortals as it is celebrated in it's present day,
this is just another interpretation of it. As I've said, you find surprises
when you search through ancient texts. Whether the City of the Serpent People
actually exists, no one knows. The tale is far too old and obscure to tell.
But in any case, it gives those faithful to Lord Luukos a chance to show
their dedication to Him. Below is an outline of how the celebrations may
commence:
Many prayers should be said upon the days leading up to the
5th day, this is an opportunity for one to add their own personal touches
to the rituals performed. It is important that no sacrifice be offered until
the 5th day, opening your veins to Lord Luukos, however, is acceptable. The
4 days allow us to meditate upon the misfortunes, persecutions and atrocities
committed against us. The 5th day signifies the rise of the Serpent People,
and we celebrate the fact that if our faith remains unwavering in Lord Luukos,
that we shall be triumphant over all whom would oppose His will.
On the 5th day, one should pray before an altar of the Serpent
Lord, thanking Him for allowing you to be enlightened and faithful to Him.
Wounds should be inflicted upon your body, they signify the opposition you
have faced against your faith. Make the cuts deep enough to bleed profusely,
and pray to Lord Luukos as you bleed. The blood signifies your own unwavering
and endless faith to the Serpent Lord. The blood shall pour from you as you
pray, covering your body, which signifies that no matter what opposition
or atrocities we face, our faith shall always overcome those whom oppose
the Serpent Lord's will. Eventually, you shall fall before His altar as the
last of your life force dwindles out. Give thanks to Lord Luukos, pray that
He is pleased that you have sacrificed your own life to further your dedication
to Him. After this ritual has been completed, you have two choices -- you
may choose to have your body rot before the altar of the Serpent Lord, or
you may be brought back to life by a fellow follower of Lord Luukos.
12th-25th of Jastatos - The Crimson Festival.
Below is a translation of a journal found in an abandoned lair far to the south of Wehnimer's Landing. Its origin is not known. Some of the words did not translate well into common, and my own notes on these are in parantheses. After the account I have some guidelines for rituals to be performed on these sacred days.
Jastatos the 1st.
I continue my journies toward ( Unknown word, the closest word in common
is "Vrin'sii", yet there are no historical records of such a name ) mountains,
the travel is hard, and I have been off the road for many days. I fear that
the storms are arriving far too soon then I have anticipated. Alas, I cannot
go back, the ( Another unknown word, completely unable to be pronounced in
the common language, the word seems to signify an elder or leader ) have
bid me to find what I could, and that I must.
Jastatos the 3rd.
I have nearly reached the base of the mountain. A peculiar incident has gotten
me very nervous about this place however. Last night, as I tried to sleep,
I heard the most peculiar sound outside my tent -- whispers. Soft whisperings
so quiet that I could not quite catch their words, it almost sounded as if
it was one long, nearly silent hiss! I took my scimitar and opened the tent
flap, and the sound vanished, as if whoever was making it could see me. I
do not think I shall like to meet any of the local wildlife here.
Jastatos the 4th.
Another day of walking has lead me to the base of the mountain. It is quite
a wonderful site to behold! I have done some scouting of the area, and have
found a shelter of some sorts. There seems to be an extensive network of
caverns here, and I have set up camp within them. At least I'll be protected
if the storm I have been anticipating arrives.
Jastatos the 6th.
It seems that the mountain will be perfect for the ( Unknown word, I can
only speculate on it's meaning, perhaps a specific profession in this man's
culture, or something similar. ) The storms have not begun to build yet,
I can barely make out the clouds in the far distance, so I have had more
time to explore these caverns. It seems I am not the first to live here.
There are strange markings on the walls, perhaps a very ancient race once
lived here. I shall have to look into this further.
Jastatos the 7th.
I have found something remarkable! A very large boulder blocks my entry into
this wonder, but from some of the gaps in the entrance I could see a most
magnificent sight! I could not see the entire room, but from what I saw it
looks as if the previous inhabitants are very civilized, sconces and smoothed
walls, and I spotted the very edge of a finely made tapestry on the wall.
I only wish I could move the boulder! I will continue to look for another
way inside.
Jastatos the 10th.
I have not had any luck finding another entrance into the cavernous room,
and the boulder refuses to move. I am beginning to become troubled,
the strange whispers haunt me again. But they do not come from outside, they
come from within! I cannot leave the shelter of the cave, I can feel the
bitter cold in the wind already. How I wish I could be back home...
Jastatos the 14th.
I have not had much time to write here, for the events of late have been
troubling. 2 days ago, a band of travellers arrived, and are camped very
close to this cave. I am fearful of them, and I am very glad that the entrance
to the cave is well-camouflaged. I can see them, they seem to be celebrating
something. They have banners all around their camp, each pictures a green
serpent, and a few picture a purple serpent with two heads. I continue to
watch them, I hope the storm comes and drives them all off.
Jastatos the 17th.
More bands arrive each day. They are preparing for something, many come with
food and many crowd around men garbed in robes to hear them speak. I cannot
see them all clearly, they are too far away to distinguish any features,
but they are normal in appearance, not brutish as an orc or troll. Every
night as the sun sets they dance and make revelry, and laugh, and sing. At
times, I wish I could join them, for it reminds me of the ( Unknown word,
perhaps a festival in the man's native home ) But I cannot, for something
deep inside me tells me that I should avoid them. Thankfully, the whispers
have stopped.
Jastatos the 20th.
Words cannot describe the full horror of what I have seen...the...festival
that they have celebrated took on a most horrible turn tonight. I watched,
frozen by fear, as each of them danced frantically, partaking in the same
revelry they had so many nights before. But nearly all suddenly inflicted
the most painful wounds on themselves! They danced still, and in the firelight
I could see the blood glistening on their bodies as they chanted! All of
the dancers collapsed with the setting of the sun, and I could see no more,
for the fire was put out. I fear for my life, and pray that they know not
of the caves here.
Jastatos the 21st.
I have moved deeper into the caves, fearful of being seen by those...monsters
outside. I am very shaken, but I have found a way into the room that I mentioned
so fancifully a few days ago. It was very peculiar...I awoke from sleep,
and found myself lying on some sort of slab...I felt very comfortable there,
almost as if I was meant to be there. Eventually, I stirred myself from my
resting place, and feeling around a bit, I discovered a very small hole in
one of the walls. It is much too narrow for me to fit a torch in, but the
room is completely dark for now, I cannot see much.
Jastatos the 22nd.
( The writing begins to be more garbled and sketchy here )
Every night. Every night. Every night those people chant as they bleed! I
can hear the screams of the dying, but the chanting drowns it out! The chanting
drowns everything out! I must get away from here!
Jastatos the 23rd.
( The writing appears to be very garbled and seems to have been hastily written
)
They found the cave. I ran, cannot do anything but write to keep sanity.
In room now, so dark. So dark. Can hear the whispers. Not whispers, hissing!
Rustlings, rustlings from the boulder. They can't get inside, they can't.
I'm safe. Light, green light in the sconces! Tapestries on walls, tapestries
just like the ones outside the camp! Boulder is moving! They are coming through
the ent --
Notes:
There have been numerous references to this festival in several tales
that I have read. This is the most complete I have found to date, however.
The author seems to have unfortunately stumbled into a sacred ground to the
Serpent Lord, and from his descriptions of the tapestries, it would seem
that Lord Amasalen also is celebrated in this festival. From the 12th to
the 20th festivities may be planned, or you may merely give thanks to the
Serpent Lord. It is a time for celebration, the celebration of your service
to Him. Indulge yourself, make merriment.
The 20th to the 23rd are the closing days of the festival, in which
we reflect and meditate upon the gifts the Serpent Lord has bestowed us for
our unwavering service. Festivities still commence, but it is much more focused
upon pleasing Lord Luukos and Lord Amasalen, self-sacrifices, group bloodletting
and other sacrifices are acceptable and encouraged during this time.
As the sun sets in the last day, if you are gathered with a group of followers,
a circle will be formed, preferably on sacred ground, and you shall give
thanks to the Serpent Lord, knowing that He grants you enlightenment, and
that you are thankful to celebrate His ideals. This holiday is very flexible
in terms of ritual requirements, all you must do is give thanks to the Lord
Luukos and Lord Amasalen, and celebrate your service in the best way you
see fit.
5th of Fashanos - The Battle of M'giir.
A most intriguing tale, the original paper was found in a very small, ancient
encampment far to the south of Wehnimer's Landing. The encampment was in
a very large state of decay. The battle is not noted in many history books,
but it is is important to those who have faith in our Lord's power because
of His visible presence. The tale in full is below.
I, Sage Trelius Y'rulli, have penned this paper, which
gives a small account of what happened to a band of our men. A sad thing
has happened...insanity befell one of our war parties. The only surviving
member, Grilteg M'giir, has been charged with treason and murder. Several
quotations are written down here from Grilteg, as I could not hope to interpret
what he means, the battle seems to have had some horrible effects on his
mind.
The party had been scouting the borders, when they ran
across quite a many foes, they fought valiantly and bravely, and had felled
them all, only losing three of their own men. As custom dictates, they staked
each body to the ground with sharpened sticks of wood, and made camp there
that night. Grilteg's quotes on that night:
"The...the night was going okay, we were all proud! Then
we heard this awful sound! Like crickets at first, peaceful little crickets!
Then it got louder! It was a hissing, and when we went outside our tent,
we saw snakes, many snakes! Slithering over the corpses and we could hear
them laughing! It was horrible! We killed every one of them...I remember
my brother, Tirktik, slew the biggest one...it was huge and green! He...he
cooked it, and...ate it, oh I wish he didn't..." Grilteg then started to
sob and I could not get any more information out of him.
It would seem after the strange encounter with the serpents,
that Grilteg's war party started the trek back home, I estimate it would've
took nearly a week for them to return. Grilteg accounts is as follows.
"Yeah, we...we started to come home. We were all shook up...we,
we never saw anything like that before! But Tirktik, he was acting so...so
happy! He marched through the woods with a grin on his face, it...it was
like he was a boy again. He got all our spirits up...we couldn't be sad or
worried with him being so, so happy..." Another bout of sobbing after this,
but I managed to coax more out of him, "That night...we heard sounds. I...I
don't know how to describe them...they were horrible, some were moans...some,
some were like...flesh teari..." He again broke down sobbing, and he was
clearly not able to recount any further that day.
It seems as though the war party was being followed, to them,
perhaps. This seems clearly a delusion of battle to me, as you will see,
Grilteg's accounts become very far-fetched and he is clearly a madman. But
for history's sake, I shall record what happened from his point of view.
"After the first night, we...we got up and started walking again.
Tirktik was so happy...he didn't even seem unsettled by those horrible sounds
last night! But then we could hear them again, so far off in the distance,
but they were there...like a whisper in our ear. It was a slow walk that
day, many men kept looking over their shoulders. Then night came...it was
worse than the other night...I...I remember I was our tent, Tirktik's cot
was next to mine...and I could feel something on my back, like...like a bony
hand! I...I turned around and I saw the...the eyes. So...so piercing...so..."
Another breakdown of sobbing, but he did indicate that the 'eyes' disappeared
shortly afterwards.
The third night seems to be the most horrible night, and Grilteg's
account is below.
"No...no one talked after the second night, we ran instead of
walked. Tirktik was still so cheerful, he was laughing and running with the
rest of us. We wanted to get back before the night fell again, we...we didn't
want to hear the sounds again. We...we didn't make it that night, and we
set up camp...oh no..." Grilteg seems to have been reliving the incident
in his mind, he screamed and kicked and had to be taken to his cell again.
I managed to get some more out of him that evening.
"They...they set up some guards outside the tent. I...I remember laying on my cot...I slept a little...but I woke up and I could hear someone laughing, Tirktik was gone...I could smell something...something so awful! Like the stench of a battlefield after years of rotting away! I...I got up and looked outside the tent flap...oh gods, the sight...no, I should have never seen! Tirktik...he was...tied to a slab. So many things around him! Horrible things, living corpses all circled around him! The mist...it rose...and...so huge! Serpent..green...it...it looked right at me! I could see it turn toward Tirktik...it, it spoke!" Grilteg seemed to get a glazed look in his eye, and said these words, I copy them exactly as they were said,
"Flesssh for flesssh, mortal...flesssh for flesssh!"
Grilteg seemed to recover from this seizure, he kept repeating those
words over and over...he didn't seem to realize he had said it, and he continued
with his account:
"It...it stared at him with those eyes! His...his skin...it...fell off, it melted! Blackened like it was burned! Rotted away at the gaze of the...of the serpent! He...got up from the altar...his cheeks...so hollow...no eyes! He pointed towards me...looked right at me with those...dead eyes!" Grilteg once again had one of his seizures, he flailed about and had to be restrained as he repeated the following words:
"The flesssh of mortalsss, my children! Feed, feed!"
Soon, he recovered. He seems to indicate that he ran, ran as fast
as he could back to this village. He was covered in blood, and he was very
frantic when he first arrived.
He is to be executed tomorrow, and I am glad that I have
had the time to interview him. I find my stay here very inviting, though
I really should be on my way, or request a new tent be set up for me...the
crickets seem to be very loud as of late.
Notes:
This is cause for celebration, as it documents a triumph
over the heathenous ways of people whom go against the Serpent Lord's ideals.
The preceding two days before the actual holiday may be spent praying to
Lord Luukos, furthering your dedication and conviction that He is all powerful
and everpresent in our lives. The night of Fashanos the 5th is a time for
one thing -- sacrifice. Whoever is to be sacrificed is the sole decision
of whoever is leading the ritual. They signify the heathens we must deal
with as we walk the true path and worship Lord Luukos.
The sacrifice is to be killed over a prolonged period,
they must be made to suffer for the crimes of heathens. Wounds should be
inflicted upon the sacrifice, and they should be made to bleed for several
minutes before the next wound is made. When it is deemed that they have
sufficiently suffered enough, it will be time to actually kill them. A
lightning-quick strike is needed, to kill them instantanaeously. I personally
prefer a strike to the heart with a dagger.
It should be known that the best choice of sacrifice for this celebration
is one who has committed atrocities to Lord Luukos' ideals in the past,
however...you may sacrifice those whom are faithful to Lord Luukos, and it
should be considered a great honor to be sacrificed in this manner. If you
are not with a group of those dedicated to Lord Luukos, a self-sacrifice
is acceptable.
A vital component to any ritual performed to Lord Luukos is that you be on His holy ground, preferably with an altar dedicated to Him nearby. With that said, I give you some basic rituals.
Blood sacrifice.
Blood sacrifice is often referred to as opening your veins to Lord Luukos,
and is a very common practice. The reasoning for performing it is that you
are offering your life force to Him. You are strengthening your dedication
to the Serpent Lord by offering up your own blood to a higher purpose.
The one who is to bleed should draw a circle around theirself, thereby
focusing all energy upon themselves. Prayers should be murmured as you prepare
to open your veins, the method as to how you open your veins is irrelevant
-- be it with a magical spell or a blade. Once your veins are open, you may
chant, pray, or meditate as you bleed. It is a time when you are able to
take pride knowing that you seek to further your dedication to Lord Luukos.
When you stop praying and tend to your wounds, is up to you. You may also
bleed to death, thus making a self-sacrifice, which I shall soon elaborate
on.
Sacrifice.
Sacrifice is also a way of strengthening one's faith,
be it by offering up their own lives to the Serpent Lord, or another's. There
are many purposes and reasons to perform a sacrifice, and know that simply
slaying someone in Lord Luukos' name is not a 'sacrifice.' It is an act of
barbarism, and makes you look like a fool and is a disgrace to your own name
and Lord Luukos'. Sacrifices are to be held as a sacred rite, a holy ritual
-- not something a common ruffian would do.
A circle is to be drawn around the sacrifice. The
purpose of the sacrifice is then stated. In the case of a fellow follower
offering their lives to the Serpent Lord, they would kneel in the circle,
and would not speak unless told to do so. Those whom would sacrifice the
said follower, would recite prayers and do what they feel is necessary for
the situation, this is the time to add your own personal touch to the ritual.
After the prayers are said, the person inside the circle is to be sacrificed.
Choose carefully the method of execution, at times a certain spell, or a
certain wound inflicted upon the body would fit with the mood of the ritual
itself.
For sacrifices that only involve yourself, I would suggest
using the spell of bloodburst, or something similar. Often self-sacrifices
are a long, drawn out process, in which you pray to the Serpent Lord until
your life force is finally exhausted. It is a perfect time to add your personal
prayers and the like to the ritual.
In the case of a sacrifice being performed on a person
who is not of the faith, and is a heretic and one whom would seek to harm
or disrupt Lord Luukos' ideals, the ritual is a bit different. There are
only a few basics to follow, and you may, as with any ritual, add your own
personal touches to it. The sacrifice is once again to be placed in
a circle, usually those whom have committed heresy are not willing to kneel,
lying down is an acceptable position in such a situation. The purpose for
sacrifice shall be stated, as well as the crime they committed against the
faith. Those gathered will then pray to the Serpent Lord, and the sacrifice
may have their soul cleansed through pain. Magical spells or a blade can
work to achieve this, the choice is up to whoever is performing the sacrifice.
When you feel that the sacrifice has experienced enough pain, then you may
deal the final blow.
A final note on sacrifice...there is much debate upon
the issue of clerics whom follow Lord Luukos raising the dead. While I shall
not elaborate my views on this subject, I will say that it is rather acceptable
to most everyone for clerics to raise a follower whom has sacrificed themselves
if they so desire to be raised, as it is for ritual purposes.
[OOC Note: These descriptions on sacrifice are in no way condoning unwarranted PvP. You should always make sure that you have the player of the character's consent to kill their character.]
Others.
There is no truly set ritual. Many occasions arise in which you must create
a mix of certain elements. The two I have listed above are the most common,
and are also the most simple. They are able to be intermixed with more complex
rites and rituals, ones suited to your purpose. If I had listed every ritual
I have ever performed, be assured that this section would be far too long.
Prayers are, in my opinion, a very personal thing. I believe the best prayer is one that you devise yourself, suited to a situation or a ritual. But for those of you who wish a bit of guidance, I have listed a few short prayers you may wish to use during a ritual. Actions which you perform are in parentheses. These few prayers are very short, do feel free to modify them to your needs.
Blood sacrifice prayer:
I venture to sacred ground to open my veins to the Lord of Serpents, the Lord of my Soul, the Lord of my Life, and the Lord of Death Everlasting, the Lord Luukos.
( Your head should be bowed low, now. )
I pray that He is pleased by my offering, for only He can grant me fufillment and enlightenment.
( The circle should be drawn now, and you should kneel inside it. )
I am as nothing to the might of the Serpent Lord, and I may only hope that He is satisfied with my service. I open my veins to you, Lord Luukos.
( Now you should make the incision on yourself, or cast the necessary spells. Close your eyes and focus as you repeat the next phrase. )
My blood for thee, Lord Luukos.
My life for thee, Lord Luukos.
My soul for thee, Lord Luukos.
Do with them as you please, for only the Serpent's infinite wisdom may guide
me and make me complete.
( Place your hand to your wound, keep it there...feel the beating of your heart. Feel the warmth as the blood flows over your hand. Concentrate on it; think only of your blood. Know that it belongs not to you, but to a higher power -- Lord Luukos. )
I pray to the Serpent Lord, so He may know that I remain steadfast in my devotion. I am His, and I shall forever remain His.
( Bow your head to the ground, and place your hand before the altar. It is important not to touch the altar itself, just place your hand as close as you can to it. )
I hope the Serpent Lord has found my offering satisfactory, I leave His sacred ground now, in hopes that I have appeased my Master.
( You may rise now, clear the circle away, and depart, the prayer is finished. )
Sacrifice prayers:
Included below are two prayers to be used during the two different types
of sacrifices I had outlined above:
1. The Sacrifice of another follower.
We travel onto the Serpent Lord's most holy grounds this day, in hopes to appease Him.
( Draw a circle, and stand behind it. )
We offer to Him another member of the faith, to assure Him that we are forever faithful and forever seeking to please the Serpent Lord.
( The sacrifice is then told to step into the circle )
You, ( insert the sacrifice's name here ) are to show true dedication this night. You shall be sacrificed in His name.
( The sacrifice is then made to kneel, they may pray quietly if they wish. )
Lord of Serpents, Lord of Might
We bring to you sacrifice this night.
We come to serve and please our Master
The Eater of Souls, the Lord of Disaster.
( I would highly suggest offering your own personal prayers after reciting this chant, else you shall be performing a rather short ritual. )
We now offer ( the name of the sacrifice is to be said ), faithful follower of the Lord Luukos. May their death appease you, my Lord and Master.
( The sacrifice is now killed, in whatever manner you deem fit. )
Our work here is done. We pray that the Lord of Serpents has been appeased by our demonstration of loyalty and faith.
( You may depart now, if the sacrifice wishes to rot on Lord Luukos' holy ground, leave it untouched inside the circle. If, however, they wish a ritual raising, the guidelines for this are included below. )
For a ritual raising of a fellow follower, this may be used as a guideline for one:
I call upon the power of His Lordship Luukos, I call upon His infinite wisdom, and His infinite power, to restore to life one of His faithful followers. If He deems them worthy of life, then let them arise, now!
( The spell is then cast upon the dead follower, if they have arisen, then they were worthy. )
2. The Sacrifice of a heathen.
( Take the heathen to the sacred grounds of Lord Luukos, make them kneel inside a circle. If they are unable to kneel, then laying face-down on the ground is fine. )
We have here a heathen, a fool who dares to oppose the might and true way of the Lord of Death. For your crimes ( say the heathen's name ), we sentence you to die in His name, so that He may be pleased by your death.
( The sacrifice is then blindfolded. If you are with a group of followers, they shall all have daggers, and stand outside the circle which the sacrifice is in. They are to say this phrase together: )
Do you see? Do you see?
The Lord of Death, He comes for thee.
Heathenous villain, dirt in our sight.
Feel now the Serpent's fangs, feel now His might!
( Immediately following the recitation of this phrase the daggers are to be brought down upon the sacrfice's legs and arms, dig the wounds deep, even stake the daggers through the flesh and into the ground if you prefer. )
You shall forever bear His mark upon you, most vile heathen, all whom oppose the Serpent Lord shall feel His wrath, and there shall be no exceptions! It is by our hand that the mark is upon you, now. May the Serpent's embrace come to you swiftly and without mercy!
( Draw a symbol representing a serpent upon the sacrifice's forehead. You may then add any personal touches to the ritual, or kill them following this recitation in whatever manner you prefer. After the heathen is made a corpse, you may recite the following. )
Our work is done, a heathen dead and a sacrifice to our most just and true Lord. We pray that one day, ( heathen's name ) that you may be enlightened and turn from your vile ways, until then, you must live with what you have done, and know that the Serpent Lord shall deal with you when He deems fit.
( You may then transport the body outside the shrine, or leave it to rot.
)
Thus concludes the section on basic prayers, these prayers will hopefully give you ideas as to creating your own.
There shall always be several issues with those of the
faith, and I shall attempt to give a non-biased view upon these subjects.
The first issue of debate is the ethics of raising
the dead as a follower of Luukos, I personally believe that raising a dead
follower is acceptable, or using the spell for ritual purposes only. Others
have differing opinions, and mine is certainly not fact. Lord Luukos has
not stated His view on this, though if you serve the Lord of Death, one must
think you should not seek to help keep the population alive.
The other main issue of debate is that of the Undead.
I have written an extensive paper on this subject, stating my viewpoint on
the power of Undeath and Lord Luukos' influence in it, but I shall not include
this paper in here. Suffice it to say that some followers of Lord Luukos
believe that killing the Undead is wrong in all forms, and others believe
it is not. The facts that we do know about the Undead are thus: Not all Undead
beings are created by Lord Luukos. Not all Undead beings serve Lord Luukos.
You may draw your own conclusions from these facts.