Pythons Presence

Performing the Ceremony

Performing this Ceremony takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. This Ceremony targets two characters from the same Band, who must be present throughout, but need not be one of the priests performing the Ceremony.

This Ceremony is an Enchantment. A target may only be under one Enchantment effect at a time.

Effects

Until the end of the event, twice per day the two characters in the same Band gain the ability to call Shackle for no cost, when landing a melee strike that would deal damage.

If both characters recover all their energy from an effect within the same minute, it also recovers the uses of this ability for both of them.

As long as they are enchanted the targets experience a roleplaying effect: You are closely bound to the other character joined to you with this ritual - you seek to go everywhere together, do everything together, and get along. Their harm is your harm, and you cannot enter fights without them at your side.

The roleplaying and mechanical effect lasts until the end of the event.

Description

The sinister hiss of an unseen snake, the feeling of powerful muscles squeezing tight around one’s legs - these are the feelings induced by those struck by the Python’s Presence. This Ceremony has no physical effect on the target, but its mental influence is so absolute that it might as well have physically wrapped the target’s legs in chains. The mind of those affected is paralyzed by a fear that instantly triggers not their fight or flight response, but their freeze response, rooting them to the ground no matter what other dangers might be present. They can still defend themselves, flailing wildly around them in a brief abject terror stemming straight from the subconscious, but the concept of moving is entirely beyond them.

The paired nature of this Ceremony ties two individuals together, entwined like a ball of snakes - difficult (and even dangerous) to attempt to separate from one another once the Ceremony is complete. Tied tight together, these twin threats each benefit off the power of the other, able to strike hard and fast in coordination at targets that the other has immobilized, and drag them down by overwhelming their stranded foe. Such teams have been the terrors of ritual group combat, and the bond that is forged between them can sometimes transcend even the ritual itself, and become a lifelong forging of friends and companions.

Performing the Ceremony

Drawn from The Thunderbolt, particularly through its aspect of The Striking Serpent, this Ceremony is all quiet and patient building before an explosive end, whatever that might represent. Some priests will have some unexpected (but planned) distraction or intrusion from outside the circle, some just suddenly raise their voices mid-sentence to finish the Ceremony as a shout - whatever it is, it is a surprise to those who are waiting for it, even if they know a surprise is coming.

The ceremony binds two people together as close as if they were the closest of friends or companions, which can on occasion be a somewhat interesting prospect. Such a bond can, with the echoes of Grace that remain after the Ceremony, end up permanently affecting relationships and interactions with others - usually in a positive way, but sometimes for ill. It is important that the priests understand the people they are binding together so that they can be there to support them if they need it, either during or after the connection has ended.