The Darkest of Rituals

The Thun'Telaka

The Thun'Vaht of the Dark Coast practice one of the darkest rituals still known to the peoples of Atlantica. The Thun'Telaka is used to select a leader from the younger women of the tribe, bonding them to a K'thonim entity, and ensuring that the decisions of the tribe will always be influenced by the K'thonim.

Selection of the Candidate

Candidates are young women who have reached their majority, selected by the Witches of the tribe for their magical prowess or potential, and connection to nature, not their social station or affiliation. The leadership is well aware that the K'Thonim they bond with will correct any political delusions they may have. So they are not shy about selecting a young woman from the dissenters of the tribe. So long as the Candidate is not crippled, they know that intelligence is the most prized regardless of physical attributes like beauty, height, or athletic ability.

The Ritual

On a warm night of the new moon, candidates are taken to private sacred ritual clearings, groomed just for the purpose of the Thun'Telaka. These clearings are groomed in "creepy" places and designed to create a sense of unease for the candidates. The girls are not warned ahead of time, instead the witches arrive at the home of the family with guards, bearing gifts of fine foods, wealth, or livestock to placate the family. The girl is removed and taken to the nearest village communal room and fed a fine light meal. Then lead to the ritual area in the dark of the moon and bonded to the K'Thonum.
The candidate is tied to the ground across evil symbols of the K'thonim, and braziers are lit with ill smokes and eerie colors, all for the purpose of creating a horrifying experience. The candidate is garbed or equiped with certain items that the witches have determined will facilitate a connection with the K'thonim spirit they are targeting. The Thun'Tinina that they have been fed, along with the environment, makes the candidate eventually plead for help. Occasionally a suggestion is planted earlier in the ceremony by a seemingly friendly elder that calling out for help is not a sign of weakness.

The Thun'Tinina

It's the sweet dessert that is critical to the ritual. The Thun'tinina is made from a white flower known as the Datura, crushed and mixed in Maple syrup and poured over fruit. It's the sweet sauce that contains the key ingredient. The Datura itself is a psychoactive plant that induces hallucinations. The woman is then taken to the ritual space, which as mentioned above is groomed to be frightening and to facilitate a bad hallucinogenic experience.

The Bonding

It is in that plea for help that the K'Thonim spirit is called. This truly evil spirit then offers to help the girl if she "lets it in," using a sweet or helpful psychic voice. If she assents, the bonding commences and the girl becomes a Witch of Thun'Vaht. An animal nearby is chosen by the K'Thonim spirit as its animal, and this animal becomes its bonded conduit to the new Witch.

Observance

It is forbidden to observe the Thun'Telaka by any other than the participants or guards.

"Someone help me!" I called out blindly.

L̴̮̊͗ȅ̴͘͜ţ̵̓ ̵̱͙͘m̸̝͂e̵̩͠ ̴͍̓̃ì̴̭̠͛n̷̦̍,̴̛̪̯̈́ ̵͓͂̈Ḯ̶̧ ̵̮͒ả̸͍m̶̺͔̄̐ ̵̢̪̈́͝ḧ̴́̽͜e̸̛̠͘r̵͖͈̈́̀ę̸̙͑,̶͕̓͠ ̸̝̀̌͜I̵̫͆͠ ̶̢̨̾̈́c̸̤̙͒ā̵̪͝n̵̲̭͝ ̴̢͠h̷̨̓e̵͈̱̕͠l̶̲̋̚p̷̣̋
"Who is that?" I said, so very afraid.
İ̸͕̳ ̴͚̟̈͐a̴̬͐̊m̵̱͋̿ ̵̦͖͝t̴̯̦͗̐h̷̤̳̾̄ě̸͉̺̽ ̴͉̑o̸͚͒͋n̸͔̑̆e̷̫̕ ̴̨͉͒͝w̶̦͙̅̑h̴̹͍̿o̵̞̅ ̶͚̦̎c̵̣̗̋͛ã̶̮̦n̸͝ͅ ̷͚̣͊͝h̶̘̙̿e̶͚̔̒l̴̜̺̓p̸̣̎̀ ̸̧̦̅͑y̶̬͉͑ǫ̴̫̓̔u̸͎͛.̵̡̞̿̆ ̸͕̘̀̚ ̶̫͖̐͝Ȋ̷͈͓̂ ̶̦̃͒ạ̴̉̀m̵͋ͅ ̴̛͓̉s̴͎͠a̵̞̠͒f̶̡̚͝è̸̦.̶͉̅ ̵̗̔̂L̴͖̒e̵̬̖̽̒t̶̳̞̽͠ ̵̯̣̋̾ḿ̵̜ḙ̷̱̇ ̸̹͊i̵͖̞͗͘ṅ̴̲̊.̵͚͍͊͑
"Please!  Please, yes!" I begged. Suddenly I was filled with power.  Yes, perhaps it was a dark and cold power, but I was no longer helpless.  That is how I met the Master.

Primary Related Location

The Dark Coast

Related Organizations

• Thun’Vaht Nation

Disclaimer:
There are some folk who may trigger on the word witch in this article.  At no point am I referencing or intending to reference any real world religion.