Altarian Cloaking and Pre-Crowning Ceremony
History
The Altarians have connected the crowning ceremony to their cloaking ceremony. Ealdrid, the first royal among the Altari, did not do the cloaking ceremony as she was crowned, due to her already having the powers. Some among the Altari had already cloaked before their crowning, but it is unusual.
Execution
If the current ruler is still alive, the next in line is pre-crowned and cloaked some years before their "calculated" takeover is set to take place. This to first of all make sure the kingdom has an alive ruler (in case the cloaking ceremony ends badly). Secondly, a ruler of the Altari should have the ability to cloak. Thirdly, if the ruler next in line has the cloaking abilitets and is primed and ready, the people in the kingdom and outside it will see them as more capable and strong.
The ceremony itself consists of a big gathering of royalty, nobles, the council and other important figures in the throne room. The Raven feather is taken out by its conservator and handed over to the one about to be crowned. Someone holds a speech and recites some of the lines that the Raven God said to Taiel. The gathering follows the to-be cloaker onto the main balcony, overlooking the city and the horizon. The cloaker says some words to their family, the raven god and then to the masses out on the streets. After this they jump. They jump off the balcony down to the plateu in front of the big castle doors. This moment is always the most tense of the ceremony; it is here it could go badly. But mostly the cloaker is transformed into a dire raven, their big wings flapping over the masses' heads. The now cloaked person returns to the balcony to receive the people's cheers.
They then transform back to their normal self, and kneel down in front of their parents. They both hold the crown and together lower it onto their child's head. One member of the council welcome the ruler-to-be and give them some well chosen words.
Components and tools
Without the Raven feather, there can be no cloaking. It is only taken out and touched by the conservator and the person to be cloaked. The feather is about 50 cm in length and black as the darkest of nights. It it kept clean and shiny by the conservator in its guarded treasure room.
After the cloaking the pre-crown is taken out. It is in between the king/queen crown and the crown for their children in size. A thin band of silver with tips evenly distributed all around, decorated in dark blue and black gems. In the front is a bigger tip with an oval, black gem, surrounded by details depicting outstretched feathers or beams of light.
Participants
The ceremonies are big and anyone who wants can and should participate. Outside, to easily view the sky birth, the people of the city gather anywhere they can; on the streets, on their balconies, some even climbing atop the roofs and chimneys to have the best view.
With the one being crowned are their family, the feather conservator, nobles, council members and other important figures. They are gathered in the throne room adjacent to the main balcony; the royal family gathered around the ruler-to-be, and all the others as audience in the benches.
Primary Related Location
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Nice article! I liked the details about the items involved, and that it started with an exception that is certainly a piece of a story.
Thank you so much! I hope the wordings didn't feel messy, I was in a bit of a hurry to finish it on time ':)