Aarash Kheyr Shrine Ritual

(Order): You say, "Brethren, please gather in the centre of the orchard outside the monastery."

South of an arched stone bridge.
Snowflakes float down around you, colouring the world white. A deep whirlpool spins in the water, sucking helpless fish into its funnel. A wild paradise bird hops about from foot to foot.
You see exits leading NORTH and SOUTH.

You utter a prayer and smite a wild paradise bird with a solid platinum mace adorned with gold. The final blow proves too much for a wild paradise bird, who expires pitifully.
You have slain a wild paradise bird, retrieving the corpse.

You declare a pilgrimage, crossing the land in a single step.

Through rows of date palms.
Snowflakes float down around you, colouring the world white. A small white bowl engraved with silver glyphs has been left here. Sir Darroth Vallah is here. Sir Achilles, Templar Emeritus is here. He wields a shining steel longsword in his right hand. Sir Ariye Draekar Rian, Knight of the Aarash Kheyr is here. He wields a Logosian battleaxe in his right hand.
You see exits leading NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, and WEST.

You nod.

You say, "As we gather today, we pay homage to the Lightbringer, vanquisher of the Worldreaver, and we honour the new dawn that She brings."

You say, "To consecrate this ground in readiness to receive Her shrine, this paradise bird, symbol of fallen Shallam, do we offer as a representation of the purity and beauty of the Light."

The light snow continues, lightly coating you with snowflakes.

You have tmoted: Silas draws a ritual knife from the sleeve of his robes and slits the bird's throat, allowing its blood to drain into a pristine white bowl.

You say, "With its blood, we offer unto You its life, its growth, its potential, as a perfect being of Creation."

You have tmoted: After carefully wrapping the corpse, Silas rolls up his sleeve and draws the knife across his own wrist, allowing his blood to spill into the bowl.

You slit your wrist quickly and hold it over a pristine white bowl, filling it with fresh blood.

Your wounds close up before your eyes.

You say, "My Lady, I offer unto You my blood, a portion of my lifeforce, in recognition of the sacrifices You have made and will ever make for the glory of Your Light."

You say, "Brethren, if you would."

The blazing light of the sun passes briefly behind the triune rings of Achaea, speckling the sky first in obsidian, then silver, then pearly white.

Draekar steps forward and extends one arm over the bowl, his other positioning his axe against his wrist.

Draekar slits his wrist and holds it out, filling a pristine white bowl with fresh blood.

Sir Ariye Draekar Rian, Knight of the Aarash Kheyr says, "My Lady, I offer unto You my blood, a portion of my lifeforce, in recognition of the sacrifices You have made and will ever make for the glory of Your Light."

Achilles steps forward and extends his left arm over the bowl, his other positioning his longsword against his wrist.

Achilles slits his wrist and holds it out, filling a pristine white bowl with fresh blood.

The light snow continues, lightly coating you with snowflakes.

Sir Achilles, Templar Emeritus says, "My Lady, I offer You my blood, a pledge to carry the Truth of your teachings to others, to oversee the Good that must flourish for Creation to thrive."

Darroth retrieves a silver dagger from his person and walks forward until he stands over the blood spattered white bowl.

Darroth extends his forearm outwards and slits his wrist to allow the blood to flow into the bowl.

The light snow continues, lightly coating you with snowflakes.

Sir Darroth Vallah says, "My Lady, I offer You my blood, a pledge to carry the Truth of your teachings to others, to oversee the Good that must flourish for Creation to thrive."

You smile softly.

You say, "Lady Aurora, Goddess of Light, I pray that You will accept this, our sacrifice, and that through it You will make this ground holy and pure."

You pick up a pristine white bowl.

You pour out the contents of a pristine white bowl on the ground.

The blood, freely given, stains the pathway for a brief moment before it seeps into the ground and disappears without trace, accepted by the One who is Light.

The light snow continues, lightly coating you with snowflakes.

You say, "My Lady of Light, born of the Morning Star, I call on Your name as we erect this, the first of Your shrines in this glorious new era!"

Motes of golden light unite into a spiralling sphere, the radiant particles coalescing into the Lightbringer.

You say, "Kneel, Draekar, before the Lightbringer."

Draekar steps before Aurora.

Draekar drops to one knee.

You start to wield a Delosian bastard sword in your hands.

An ocean breeze ruffles the orchard trees, bringing with it the sombre tolling of the noon bell.

You raise your bastard sword over your head and begin to swing it in a wide circle, gaining speed as you go.

Sir Ariye Draekar Rian, Knight of the Aarash Kheyr says, "My Lady, I consign myself now, body and soul, into Your eternal service."

You begin to bear down on Draekar, preparing to destroy him.

A surge of elation rushes through you as you realise that Draekar's fate is sealed. With a roar of triumph, you whip your bastard sword at Draekar's neck, slicing his head from his shoulders in a veritable fountain of dark red blood.
You have slain Draekar.

Aurora, the Lightbringer says, "I accept your sacrifice, My Aarashi. Rise anew in My service."

The body of Sir Ariye Draekar Rian, Knight of the Aarash Kheyr shimmers briefly and returns to life.

Sir Ariye Draekar Rian, Knight of the Aarash Kheyr says to Achilles, "Kneel Achilles, before the Lightbringer."

Achilles inclines his head politely at Draekar.

Achilles drops to one knee before Aurora.

Draekar raises his battleaxe over his head and begins to swing it in a wide circle, gaining speed as he goes.

Sir Achilles, Templar Emeritus says, "My Lady, I consign myself now, body and soul, into Your eternal service."

Draekar begins to bear down on Achilles with his whirling battleaxe.

Draekar roars with triumph, and brings his whirling battleaxe speeding towards Achilles, to slice his head from his shoulders. Achilles's body collapses, fountaining blood.
Achilles has been slain by Draekar.

Aurora, the Lightbringer says, "I accept your sacrifice, My Aarashi. Rise anew in My service."

The body of Sir Achilles, Templar Emeritus shimmers briefly and returns to life.

Sir Achilles, Templar Emeritus says to Darroth, "Kneel Sir Darroth, before the Lightbringer."

Darroth drops to one knee before Aurora.

Achilles raises his longsword over his head and begins to swing it in a wide circle, gaining speed as he goes.

Sir Darroth Vallah says, "My Lady, I consign myself now, body and soul, into Your eternal service."

Achilles begins to bear down on Darroth with his whirling longsword.

Achilles roars with triumph, and brings his whirling longsword speeding towards Darroth, to slice his head from his shoulders. Darroth's body collapses, fountaining blood.
Darroth has been slain by Achilles.

Aurora, the Lightbringer says, "I accept your sacrifice, My Aarashi. Rise anew in My service."

The body of Sir Darroth Vallah shimmers briefly and returns to life.

Darroth begins to wield a shining steel longsword in his left hand.

Sir Darroth Vallah says to you, "Kneel Silas, before the Lightbringer."

You drop to one knee before Aurora.

Darroth raises his longsword over his head and begins to swing it in a wide circle, gaining speed as he goes.

You say, "My Lady, I consign myself now, body and soul, into Your eternal service."

Darroth begins to bear down on you with his whirling longsword.

A roar of triumph bursts from Darroth and with horrified realization, you watch as he brings his whirling longsword towards your neck, severing your head from your body. The last thing you see before death is your own crumpling body, neck spitting blood like a fountain.
You have been slain by Darroth.

Aurora, the Lightbringer says, "I accept your sacrifice, My Aarashi Rasul. Rise anew in My service."

By the divine might of Aurora, you are restored to life.

You allow your faith in Aurora to radiate from your heart and flood into your surroundings.

Silver sparks dance across the heavens as the dazzling orb of the sun rushes past Achaea's three rings, the second brilliantly coruscating at its passing.

The ground around you rumbles and shakes as the earth parts. A humble shrine of Aurora rises from the ground. Your faith has created a new shrine!

You make your offering, praying for the sanctification of this shrine to Aurora.
The shrine increases in power and size.

You make your offering, praying for the sanctification of this shrine to Aurora.

You make your offering, praying for the sanctification of this shrine to Aurora.
The shrine suddenly grows to huge proportions.

Through rows of date palms.
Snowflakes float down around you, colouring the world white. Resplendent rays of white and gold suffuse the smooth contours of a slender glass pillar, a fervent symbol of Light's resolve. Sir Ariye Draekar Rian, Knight of the Aarash Kheyr is here. He wields a Logosian battleaxe in his right hand. Sir Achilles, Templar Emeritus is here. He wields a shining steel longsword in his right hand. Sir Darroth Vallah is here. He wields a shining steel longsword in his left hand. Aurora, the Lightbringer is here, ivory motes weaving through Her resplendence. She wields the Sword of Dunamis in Her right hand.
You see exits leading NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, and WEST.

The light snow continues, lightly coating you with snowflakes.

Aurora, the Lightbringer says, "Let there be no doubt that Light gazes upon these realms once more."

You lower your head respectfully.

Achilles nods his head slowly at Aurora, looking very wise.

Darroth nods.

You see Aurora, the Lightbringer shout, "Mortals, hark My words. Once more do Light's beacons grace these lands, rallying the forces of Good under My banner. May the fetid stains of Darkness, Evil, and Chaos ever cower under My gaze."