Consecration
Overview
The ceremony of consecration teaches a priest how to use their liao to evoke an aura to create a place of spiritual contemplation. It is perhaps most commonly used in shrines to aid pilgrims in their meditations upon one of the Seven Paths. By consecrating an area, the priest creates a potent location aura drawn from their virtue. The standard location aura provided by a consecration provide two significant benefits. They produce a roleplaying effect which will influence the way characters in the location will act, and they also provide a source of spiritual strength to overcome a malign roleplaying effect.
A location may only have one location aura in place at once, so creating a new aura automatically replaces any existing standard aura. A durable aura is more difficult to remove. Characters with the same virtue can cooperate to perform a consecration to create a durable aura or to remove or replace an existing one.
Consecration is not the only way that a person may experience a powerful aura. A location aura can occur spontaneously as a result of actions taken there and some curses and dangerous spirits have the ability to create a location aura. Some magic rituals such as The Chamber of Delights or The Solace of Chimes also create location auras, but without any true spiritual underpinnings.
A Synod priest who is in a consecrated area can choose to grant sanctuary to any Imperial citizen who asks for it.
| Auras by virtue |
|---|
| Ambition |
| Courage |
| Loyalty |
| Pride |
| Prosperity |
| Vigilance |
| Wisdom |
Performance
- Requires a dose of liao and at least ten seconds appropriate roleplaying
- Requires the presence and assistance of a referee
Performing a consecration requires a dose of liao and at least ten seconds of appropriate roleplaying. You must be physically inside the area you wish to consecrate throughout the ceremony.
You must have a referee to perform a consecration. The referee will take your liao, and bring an A5 laminated card to mark the entrances to the consecrated space. If you let a referee know ahead of time that you are planning to perform a consecration, then they will have the aura cards ready if possible.
Consecration is most effective when used on a tent or room, where the location aura automatically expands to fill the interior space. If a consecration is performed in an open area, then the space must be clearly defined and no more than 40' across at most. It must be absolutely clear to anyone whether they are inside a consecrated area or not. If for any reason the boundaries of a consecrated area shift or move significantly, then the consecration collapses.
Effects
- Consecration creates a location aura on the area
- Provides a source of spiritual strength to overcome other roleplaying effects while in the location
- Anyone in the area can determine the presence and strength of a consecration
- The effect lasts until the start of the next Profound Decisions Empire event
Unlike anointing and hallow, there is one specific consecration location aura for each virtue. You create the consecration aura that matches the virtue you are dedicated to. A character who is not dedicated to a virtue (a priest of the Way) can use the consecration ceremony and a dose of liao to attempt to remove an aura created with the consecration skill.
The strength of the consecration ceremony determines how hard it is to remove or replace the consecration. A new consecration must be of at least equal strength to replace an existing consecration.
As with any aura, a location can only be under the effect of one aura at once. Consecrating a location that is already under the effects of a standard aura will automatically replace that aura. Consecrations cannot be overlapped; if an area contains a location aura then the new aura either replaces the existing aura or the ceremony fails.
Removal
- Consecration lasts for a season or until removed or supplanted.
Any character with the consecration skill may opt to remove an existing location aura rather than replacing it. In the case of a durable consecration, the ceremony must still have a strength at least equal to that of the existing aura.
The consecration skill can also be used to remove location auras arising from other sources, including those created by some magical enchantments such as The Solace of Chimes.
True Liao
- True liao can be used in place of liao to perform the consecration ceremony.
You can use true liao in place of normal liao to perform an consecration ceremony. This will create a true aura, the aura is permanent - it will last at least as long as the enclosure is intact, and perhaps even longer than that.
Further Reading
- Ceremonial Skills
- Additional Information