Ascetic Star of Atun

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. This ritual targets a character, who must be present throughout.

The ritual fails if you or the target are hit, or attack another character.

Effects

This ritual removes the venom condition from the target.

The ritual will not treat more powerful poisons, but the target receives a feeling of clarity and well-being that may also help alleviate roleplaying effects that cause nausea or fever. (such as that which may come from some traumatic wounds).

Additional Targets

This ritual can affect additional characters. The magnitude increases by one for every two additional targets. All targets must be present throughout, and the ritual fails if any of the targets are hit, or attack another character.

Description

The Navigator Atun is a Paragon of Wisdom, and most stories that speak of her describe her a Highborn ascetic; reserved, calm and distant. Some legends say that she lived almost entirely on bread and water for philosophical reasons, eschewing meat entirely, and treating alcohol and narcotics alike as poisons that had no place in her body. Some of her followers believed that her disdain for many worldly affairs freed her mind to allow her to refine her already powerful intellect, and to maintain a clear and rational sense of what was important at all times. Through her discipline, she attained mastery over her physical desires, and by mastering them, transcended them.

Not all historians or theologians agree with these stories, but nonetheless this ritual is intended to emulate her ascetic mastery over her own body. Through the power of the Realm of Day, individuals can master their own bodies and drive out dangerous impurities,

Ascetic Star of Atun restores the victims of venom from such sources as a venom spell or the use of a Barbed Spear. While the purify spell is more versatile, this ritual is very effective at alleviating this condition from a number of people such as the victims of rituals such as Fetid Breath of Teeming Plague or The Grave's Treacherous Edge, or those who have been fighting deadly creatures such as plaguewulfs or hyrda. A single competent ritualist can restore nearly a dozen injured or dying people with a handful of mana crystals; a coven can restore a small army.

The ritual is also useful when a group of explorers encounter a source of venom unexpectedly. Any circle of Day ritualists can spontaneously perform Ascetic Star of Atun, and while this may be expensive for them to do so it can preserve the life of a number of people who might otherwise risk death with every battle.

Common Elements

Lights, open flames and and mirrors are both common elements in this ritual, as are fresh water and meditation. Focusing the mind to overcome the body is an important feature, as are invocations that drive out evil or corruption. Bleeding is also a common element. A Navarr or Varushkan ritualist in particular is likely to inflict a small cut on the target, drawing the poison in their body out with their blood. For the Navarr this has obvious resonance, while for the Varushkan ritualist the small wound is often left to intentionally scar as a reminder to avoid being poisoned again.

Even on a battlefield, it is common for the ritualists to try and create a feeling of tranquillity and calm. The targets may be instructed to focus their attentions on some stationary point (which is where lights, mirrors and open flames come in useful); their bodies may be cleansed with fresh water or their thirsts quenched. It is also common to include slow, measured rhythms such as the ringing of a bell or gong, or the beating of a drum to help the targets focus their minds.

In The League this ritual is often associated with the character of The Doctor or The Bishop, and the use of The Chalice; in Dawn, some cabal of weavers make use of a favour that is used to draw out the poison from the target and symbolically burnt at the completion of the ritual.

The Cavul rune is an obvious symbol evoked in this ritual, but some ritualists prefer the rune of wisdom or rune of mastery; the constellations of The Fountain or The Key are another common element, as is the firebird which heals itself through supernatural immolation.