A Cervitas Ceremony - Magnitude 10 - The Masses
Performing the Ceremony
Performing this ceremony takes at least two minutes of roleplaying. This ceremony targets a character who must be present throughout. The target character must be aware that the ceremony is being used on them. Although they need not be willing - this often results in them being restrained in some way. The target may be willing, taking the brand as a sacrificial act.
This ceremony is a curse, and therefore interacts with anything that would remove or affect curses.
Effects
This ceremony marks a character with a magical brand on the shape of the Iron Valley rune for Oathbreaker (below). This brand will appear on the forearm or the cheek (determined by the target). While the curse is in effect the brand cannot be removed; if the skin of that area is removed or damaged, the brand appears somewhere else.
During the ceremony, the lead priest announces a single action that the target took that requires punishment. This is the reason for the brand and must be clear to the target. It should be a single sentence.
When deciding the reason for the brand it is usually best to be clear and succinct. “I killed Gallus Anton” or “I fled the field of battle against the Zekartaal” or “I betrayed the Concordian Church” are easy to remember and provide when asked. The target does not need to use exact wording, so ambiguously phrased reasons may provide a loophole.
During the duration of the curse the target experiences the following roleplay effect:
If anyone asks you whether you have been branded by Halig’s Brand you feel excruciating pain if you do not answer them in the affirmative. Likewise, if they ask why you were branded the brand restricts as if chains are crushing you unless you provide the reason the priests gave when they cast the curse.
It does not matter if you believe you are guilty of performing the action the priests named; the ceremony does not compel you to say you are guilty, or that you did it, only to give the reason given by the priests.
These effects last four summits (including the Summit where the ceremony was completed).
Description
The Paragon Halig of Alfwens Wall was well known for his observance of oaths and his dedication to their enforcement. Following his exaltation to Paragon, priests of Cervitas dedicated themselves anew ensuring that Oaths are not taken lightly within The Concord.
The Valleyfolk rune for Oathbreaker has its own foreboding weight, but with the reinforcement of divine magics, it becomes a powerful punishment. Halig’s Brands are obvious and by their nature, difficult to conceal. Once it becomes common knowledge that a Brand exists, life can easily become a living torment as people who consider themselves clever or funny force the target to repeat the details of their punishment.
Art by Emlyn Covell