March of the Witch-Goddess

Gray Witchkiller, part 3

It was Ray's lucky day. Today would be the day of the March of the Witch-Goddess, the day when she would be leaving the sanctuary of one of the temples and leaving for another one. He wouldn't need to ask around and check many temples to find out where Witch-Goddess is staying right now. Instead, he could simply follow the crowd. And so he did.

In the city-state of Sacra Magica, the official faith is that of the Goddess-Witch. Every once in a while, the Goddess-Witch decides to change her place of stay between one of the few bigger temples and the Grand Temple of the city. On the days she does so, there is a great procession surrounded by celebrating people who hope to catch even a glimpse of the one they worship.

Course of the event

Morning

Even before the main event, people will start to gather before the temple the Goddess-Witch already resides in. The Hands of the Divine serve anyone who needs help, by sharing food, aiding anyone medically, and by collecting donations that will be used to help others in need. At the same time, Choirs of the Divine provide entertainment with their dances, music, and performances. The merchants prepare their stalls where one can buy anything and everything related to Witch-Goddess.

Procession

The procession always starts in the afternoon after the Witch-Goddess finally decides to wake up prepares herself, both in body and mind to switch to another place she will rest in. Once her servants manage to make her look presentable dress her in ceremonial clothes, the procession can start. The Witch-Goddess boards her palanquin that will be carried by the 8 of her strongest servants, so that she may not feel even a bump when they carry her. Following the protocols, the palanquin is surrounded by Golden Shields, the elite guards of Goddess-Witch. Once sure she will be completely safe during the procession, the group is then surrounded by Choirs of the Divine who continue their performances. One of the more famous ones of theirs is to perform plays that are either related to Witch-Goddess or liked by her. It is now their chance to shine in her eyes or be condemned as mediocre, boring, or worse. The procession doesn't hurry, and even the shorter routes can take a few hours. This all depends on how much Witch-Goddess is having fun, but the longer marches are considered to bring more luck and prosperity to the city and its citizens.

Primary Related Location

Sacra Magica

Related Ethnicities

• Choirs of the Divine

Press here to reveal a secret

So, why does the so-called Witch-Goddess change her place of stay so much?
The short answer is boredom. Each of the temples is equipped with different structures that provide entertainment for our Witch in different ways. A temple of purifying waters? Bathhouse and pools. Temple of knowledge? Library. Temple of the gifts of nature? A buffet with any meals and desserts she could ever want. Once she gets bored of one place, she changes it for another.