The Dosiv: Darkness's Blessing Stone

stone background by Pilat666, Envato Elements

The dosiv is an ancient artifact Veer Tul gifted to the Nevemere who revered Darkness.

Research:
The Dosiv

by our inquisitive hero, Lorgan the curious

In this Research Document:

all images by Shanda Nelson
unless otherwise stated

The Dosiv

The dosiv is a black sphere about the size of one's head. Riddling the surface are golden veins, which are said to glow when touched during ceremonies (I have the suspicion those veins are Light-touched, since Darkness and Light walk hand and hand through the Evenacht).
While basic in appearance, it has an important function: it delivers the Blessing of Darkness to the Nevemere during their shincoursa, or coming-of-age ceremony.

Dosiv comes from Selsevelene, an ancient Talis language. It simply means "blessing". I do wonder why Darkness named it with a Talis moniker rather than a Nevemere one, but who am I, to question a deity?

The Gift of Darkness

The Nevemere are odd for an Evenacht living people, in that they revere a syimlin. Most of the living have their own deities, localized but for a few (like the Evenacht's native Death, Levassa). The research I previously conducted for the Snake's Head Peninsula, and Snake's Den in particular, indicated that around 7220 years previous, a vi-van named Cleso, following a dream of Darkness, led the Nevemere back to Black Temple to avoid the rampages of the Beast.
Now, after the emblematic collapse, Katta told the new naro vi-van, Memmi, that he gifted the dosvi to Wevenril, an outcast filanra (basically, of the unclean caste). He said the modern dor-carous descended from her and her partner.

What about Cleso? Did Wevenril claim a different name, when blessed by Darkness? Cleso means "divinely beloved", so it could be the same person. It would make sense that the Nevemere would try to erase that unfavorable part of her history, too.
In any event, Katta said he gifted Wevenril with the dosiv (acting as avatar of Darkness). The dosiv became the means by which the Nevemere accepted the Blessing of Darkness.
The vessel, to accept the Blessing, only needs to touch the surface of the dosiv. Through the connection, the sphere places the Blessing. The pomp and circumstance that accompany this Blessing is far overdone, compared to the actual event itself.

The Shincoursa

The shincoursa is a group ceremony, since children of the appropriate age come from all across the Snake's Den to Black temple's temple, whether landed or nomadic, to accept the Darkness Blessing. This blessing occurs whenever the parents decide it's time, but usually around ten to twelve years of age.
The children don a buttersilk shift and wear enough beaded jewelry to weigh down a horse (borrowed from Black Temple for the Blessing). Black charcoal smudges decorate their foreheads, cheeks and chin. They are barefoot, and their hair undone.
The naro vi-van conducts the ceremony. She gives a speech about clan duties and loyalty to their family and Darkness, then the children line up, based on lineage. She speaks a ritualistic prayer over each child, at the end of which they touch the dosive.
After all the children present have received the Blessing, they, their families, and invited guests, participate in a celebratory feast. The dor-carous often pays a visit, congratulating the accomplishment in person.
The dosiv is then returned to its altar inside the temple, where it rests in seclusion until the next shincoursa ceremony.

No child is left out of the shincoursa ceremony, no matter how poor. Black Temple keeps a fund to bring all children to the temple for the ceremony. This is an ancient stricture of Darkness, and even the most snobby of naro vi-van will not violate it.

What, exactly, does the Blessing do?
I have asked Kenosera and Tagra about it, considering a violation of that Blessing by Rezenarza caused so much death and destruction. Basically, it's a personal link to Darkness. It has no purpose other than this. No luck charm, no betterment in battle or the arts. The link, though, is how Nevemere know they are Nevemere, and in this, it is supremely important.
I wonder what Memmi is going to do about the shincoursa. While she has the dosiv, there really isn't a proper place to conduct the ceremony since Black Temple is no more. Re-linking the Nevemere to Veer Tul, so as to keep Rezenarza's influence at bay, is important. No one wants a repeat of berserk beings knifing everything in sight.