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Ritual of Awakening (Tanixalthas Awakens!)

For those who couldn't attend the ritual, here is the log. I've removed most of the defup and ambient noise and added a few notes marked in brackets.

Location and room description plus whomever was there at the end of the ritual.

Lakeside hilltop.
Shadows swath the area in utter blackness. The sun beats down oppressively upon the land, banishing any moisture beneath its rays. You stand atop a great green shouldered hill, whose steep sides are perennially coated in a thick mountain due. The air is somewhat rarified, such is the height of the hill which is little less than a mount, but slightly superseded by one of its three brethren some hundred feet higher almost majestic like its mightier kindred to the west, the Vashnar mountain range. The summit of the hill is craggy and sparsely swathed in grass, many shards of sharp stone protrude from its tip, black tines which emulate the hue of the dark mounts. Below however the hill is transformed as its slopes dramatically plunge into the depths of an elevated lake whose glass smooth waters ripple listlessly in the shallow air currents. The ominous silhouettes of three dark menhirs stake out a bloodied offering ground here, sanctified to the Sun Drinker. A squat wooden totem bearing a draconic sneer leers at its surroundings. An toad of fairly a large size sits quietly here. A camel awaits its rider here, snorting irritably. Ominiously silent, a vicious warhound stands here, teeth bared. A clump of vein-like yarrow root has been uprooted and discarded here. The bark of a willow has peeled away from the trunk here in wispy shavings. There are 2 reishis in a stack here. An uneven dowel lies on the ground here. The broken husk of a dominating frostbound eld lies in a frigid puddle here. The core of a crystalline opal eld rests here like a perfectly spherical pearl. Ace is here, kneeling on the ground. Tina is here, hidden. She is riding on a phoenix of corruption. She wields a reinforced tower shield in her right hand. Kelliara is here. Kodaza is here. She wields a black voidstaff in her left hand. Zenobia is here, inclining her head politely to those around her. She is riding on a flaming stallion. She wields a blackened wood pole with kalsu engravings in her left hand. Istela is here, shrouded. She wields a heavy ilmenite fishing rod in her right hand. Moody is here. He wields a tower shield in his left hand and a menacing flail in his right. Zarni is here. He wields a throwing axe in his left hand and a throwing axe in his right. Fezzix is here, hidden. Zhukov is here. He is protected by a reflection of himself. He wields a celestial voidstaff in his left hand and a reinforced tower shield in his right. Tanixalthas, the Sun Drinker, broods here, filling the entire area with Her colossal, star-gilded bulk. Empress Lleminara D'baen stands with the crowd, hands clasped behind the back as she observes. Alathesia is here, shrouded. She is riding on an antlered reindeer. Rurthina is here. A massive sandstorm threatens to choke out the life in this area.
You see a single exit leading south.


I left out the big gathering and started the log where Rahlyeh speaks.

Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer stands with her hands clasped in front of her, leathery wings falling around her like a cloak. She turns her gaze to you, inclining her head. "As our host, we wait for your signal to begin."

On quiet feet, Lleminara wanders in from the south, soon weaving her way towards the crows and moving over to where the gathering of people is. She looks around those present, a few of whom she'll recognize given a nod of the head, but the woman soon stretches up and focuses on Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer.

A priestess of the Sun Drinker practically buzzes with excitement, her eyes wide and hands wringing together at the honor she is about to partake in.

(People do a bunch of random premotes, someone phase pulls someone, Fezzix sigils them back.)

Vyxsis turns to the crowd. "Respect, please. She Who we honor is owed it."

Satisfied all present are simmering down, Vyxsis faces a shrine of Tanixalthas and waits.

Leana draws forth a single candle from within herself and sets it alight. Calmly, she steps from the gathering crowd and over to the shrine before her. Waiting for a moment of silence, she raises her free hand to beckon Vyxsis, the Lucid Dreamer, and another priestess of the Sun Drinker forward, gesturing a slender finger to three spots within the gathering masses.

A figure hidden by flames inclines her head politely to those around her.

Moody gives the world a smart salute.

Moody says, "Oo I know a lot of people here."

Bowing her head, a priestess of the Sun Drinker moves to the spot indicated, standing at one point of the triangle around the shrine.

Vyxsis glances to Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer and a priestess of the Sun Drinker, then swiftly but calmly takes a position just north of the shrine.

Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer strides forward with utmost confidence, maintaining perfect silence as she sweeps through the crowd to take her spot at a vertice around the shrine. She is somber, honoring this moment with all the gravitas she can muster, exulting in the ritual.

"Welcome," Leana speaks, her voice sharp and precise, "You who recognize the excellence of One greater than them, greater than all that was, is, or will ever be." She punctuates her words with a sibilant rasp, her focus solely onto the shrine in front.

Silently, Vyxsis begins to stride toward the point southwest of her, trailing a thick line of ash as she walks. She halts upon reaching the corner and waits.

Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer begins to walk around the triangle formed by herself and her paramours, leaving a trail of ash in her wake as she takes a new place in the triangle.

Moving counter clockwise with the others, a priestess of the Sun Drinker clenches a clump of ash in her hands and begins to let it pour onto the ground, creating a thick line between points.

"Bear witness now:" Leana's voice rising in strength as she yells out, "Sky Dreaming has awakened!"

Vyxsis musters as loud a voice as she can, mimicking the Dragon-Goddess's roar to the best of her ability: "WE ARE BLESSED BY HER SHADOW!"

"We are blessed by Her shadow!" a priestess of the Sun Drinker cries as she begins moving counterclockwise again, this time pouring a line of water over the ash from the bowl in her opposing hand.

Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer raises her voice to speak the words of praise, "We are blessed by Her shadow!" As she speaks it, she begins to move around the triangle again, this time leaving a trail of water atop the trail of ash.

Tilting her head to the side a little in curiosity as you procures a candle and the others are summoned closer to the shrine, Lleminara shifts her weight over on the other leg. Her face adopts thoughtful expressions as they are then spoken to, patience in carnate. She then blinks her eyes a few times, gaze sent skywards a little as if expecting a sudden shadow to herald the waking of the Sun Drinker herself.

Vyxsis resumes her perambulation and pours water along the line of ash until she reaches the second point.

"She Who Hungers has awakened," Leana says clear amongst the silence, "And Her shadow swallows the land!" Her hand pale around the candle, "We are but morsels to Her, yet She calls us to Her hoard!"

"We are blessed by Her shadow!" Calling out thus once more, Vyxsis quickly slices deep into her left palm with a sinuously curved, jade dagger. She walks toward the northern point of the triangle once again, squeezing her hand hard to leave a trail of blood to mix with ash and water.

Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer slices her palm with the claw of a lion as she calls, "We are blessed by Her shadow!" The lion is a predator, a powerful one, but no match for a Dragon. She allows her blood to leak freely, laying atop the ash and water as she moves back to her original point in the triangle, smoke rising from her mask. She kneels, turning to face you in the process, and folds her hands over one another, allowing blood to drip from her palms and form a puddle beneath her.

Slicing a pointed nail across her own palm, a priestess of the Sun Drinker clenches her fist as she moves again, mixing blood, water and ash which are left in her wake, "We are blessed by Her shadow!"

Upon arriving, Vyxsis kneels facing you, hands folded, blood trickling steadily down - drip, drip - forming a small puddle at her knees.

(Akara arrives with a group of about seven people)

"May Her shadow cover us all!" Leana's voice a roar of emotions as her gaze turns to the order members, her eyes cold and focused, yet she allows herself a faint curl of the lips in appreciation to their sacrifice, "Look now -" her head tilts back, "See the sun fleeing! It has heard! Her rousing calls and shrinks before Her!"

The earth groans in protest as a mighty Dragon lands somewhere in the distance, then, Tanixalthas is upon you, Her stomping making your teeth chatter and your bones tremble. Slowly, the hulking beast unfurls Her wings to cast a shadow over all of you, blocking out the light with scales that drink up the rays of the sun.

With hand still bleeding, a priestess of the Sun Drinker throws the pair skyward only to shout, "We are blessed by Her shadow! We are blessed to be devoured!"

After a polite bow, Kodaza then slips formally onto her knees. Briefly, she prostrates, hands extended before her as her forehead touches the ground, before she rises, back straight as she sits up and remains on her knees.

Alathesia lays buffalo down before Tanixalthas as offering. "Though there might be better options around." she say glancing towards Akara.

Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer calls out once more, her cry one of worship. "We are blessed by Her shadow! We are blessed to be devoured!" She throws herself to the ground right after, slamming her bloody palms to the ground with a loud, wet slap.

A priestess of the Sun Drinker's body sweeps down towards the ground and she flings herself onto the earth, striking at the gravel with wet palms, creating a sound akin to thunder - albeit quieter.

Vyxsis ignores the new arrivals and slams herself upon the ground toward Tanixalthas, crying, "We are blessed by Her shadow! We are blessed to be devoured!" She lies limply for a breaths, then stands again with hands and wings raised skyward.

She either has a stiff and sore knee, or simply hasn't thought about dropping down on either one - all Lleminara offers to the presence of the Dragon Herself a polite, deep bow of the head. Her hands remains clasped behind the small of her back, her gaze focused solely on Tanixalthas now that Her shadows indeed bless those present.

Oblivious to such off-handed remarks, Akara sweeps her eyes across the gathering, drops to her haunches, cocks her head to one side and then withdraws.

Tanixalthas lifts Her mighty head to peer down at everyone through silvered eyes, a low rumble churning within Her chest as She watches over the proceedings. Over the ritual dedicated to Her. A large exhale leaves Her lungs, drenching you in the smell of rancid, rotting flesh.

Lleminara whispers an ancient mantra as her breathing slows.

"We pray to You, Dragon-Goddess, oh magnificent Tanixalthas!" Leana shrieks aloud, her lips peels back along her jagged teeth, "See our offerings! The lands, the waters, and our very blood -" each word punctuated by sharp gesture of her hands, the wax spilling beneath her as the candle burns, "We return it to You Who first gave it!"

As a priestess of the Sun Drinker rises to her feet, again her hands are thrown skyward and she shouts alongside Rahlyeh and Vyxsis, "We return it to You!"

"Indeed!" Leana roars from her small place beneath the mighty Dragon-Goddess, "We return it to You!"

Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer lifts her hands to the sky, blood still running from her palm, shouting, "We return it to You!" A shiver wracks her body, one of ecstasy at the very sight of the Dragon Goddess before her.

As the wind begins to churn and crackle, whipping around the four within and on the triangle, the smell of a fresh storm begins to become apparent. Harder still, the air churns, the lines around the shrine remaining undisturbed as the tribute to the Sun Drinker nears its completion.

Hands held high, Vyxsis replies, "We return it to You!" She glances at Tanixalthas once more as she turns to face the ringed audience.

"Bear witness:" Leana's roar barely carries, fighting over the winds as she fights them to remain standing. At the point where it seems her body will buckle, the candle is extinguished. "The darkness that waits beyond the candle is awake!"

Rahlyeh, the Lucid Dreamer shouts once more, her voice growing hoarse with the force with which she praises her Goddess. "We are blessed by Her shadow!" Her attention is wholely on Tanixalthas now, anticipation in her voice.

Vyxsis struggles visibly as she tries to maintain her posture amidst the roaring winds. She shouts one last time: "We are blessed by Her shadow!" Her voice is calm and clear, moving with the air as though part of it.

As the next words are shouted, lightning forks from the sky, its light blinding as it first strikes Rahlyeh to the core; from there it chains to strike Vyxsis and the Priestess, arcing between them violently.

Leana's voice is hoarse, her words choke themselves in the back of her throat, "Bear witness!" She gestures forward with white knuckles that clutch the extinguished candle.

After glaring around momentarily, Tanixalthas rears Her head back and, with a mighty roar, unleashes a storm of lightning into the sky. The air grows heavy with energy as static sparks begin to appear around Vyxsis. A hole opens in the sky far above, then a cascade of lightning rains down upon her, charring the ground and obliterating her, leaving nothing but ash.

(The Sun Drinker priestess, Vyxsis, and Rahlyeh are slain at once.)

Not losing her footing, but certainly having some issues trying to keep straight and tall, Lleminara grits her fangs together in struggle against the winds. Just as she's properly regained her ground, claiming it with upright stance, lightning shoots down from the sky. Seeing nothing but white for half a second, the Kelki tilts her head over to the left some and, soon as vision returns to her, shifts her gaze over those whom just got thunderstruck.

Yet, as quickly as it came, the lightning fades, leaving you in the darkness of the mighty Dragon's shadow. You turn your attention to where the tributes were and see only smoldering corpses. Their bodies sacrificed in tribute to the mighty Dragon.

Leana slowly gathers the smoldering corpses, solemnly placing them amongst the bones and other offerings to the Sun Drinker. With her work complete, she turns from them and moves to her place by the shrine, "There are some things you can only learn in a storm," she begins, addressing the crowd for the first time, "She is among us now, the Star of Midwinter Who blackens the sky! May She accept us all into Her hoard!" With that said, she drops the candle into the offering ground, and departs to the south - the ritual is complete.


VyxsisHammarRazmaelKelliaraXeniaKyna
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