Mysteries of the Raven

The Mysteries of the Raven is an ancient faith, said to have been first formulated almost two millennia ago; the legendary figure of Screech of Iron-Against-Iron is often said to have been the founder of the sect. Its secrets and ceremonies are never committed to writing, but are passed down orally from initiator to aspirant. It is a faith that is practiced exclusively by the Kenku, and the majority of its teachings specifically relate to the unusual metaphysical condition of the kenku; it is held by its priests to be entirely compatible with the worship of other deities.

Teachings

The core teachings - that would be known to an aspirant of the fourth degree - are formulated as follows:

For our sin, we were cast down and forced to walk among the Tribes of Earth.
For our sin, we were bound in silence and permitted to speak only the words of others.
For our sin, we were stripped of the divine spark and reduced to mere shadows.
And yet, our sin was righteous and justified.

Initiation

The Mysteries of the Raven have nine degrees of initiation, each of which holds its own secrets. The first three degrees represent the “outer” mysteries, which correspond to the three curses laid upon the Kenku. Many Kenku, even those who are not initiates of the Mysteries, are passingly familiar with these and they are not considered especially secret. Typically any Kenku who wishes to undergo the initiations will be permitted to do so - though none of the ordeals are easy.
A serious aspirant will typically seek to take the “inner” mysteries, at least to the fourth degree, which permits full participation in the rites of the Raven. The fifth and sixth are, in effect, the ranks of the priesthood, and the point where the practical mysteries and rites are taught - these initiations can only be granted by an initiate of the seventh degree or higher, who will typically take on the aspirant as an apprentice for a period of time.

I: Initiate of the Stolen Flight:

The initiation involves being bound in heavy ropes and chains, and made to walk a substantial distance or until they can walk no further.
The mystery that is taught: “For our sin, we were cast down and forced to walk among the tribes of earth”

II: Initiate of the Stolen Speech

The initiation involves spending nine hours enclosed in a space enchanted to be held in absolute silence. This ritual is notoriously taxing on both the aspirant and the initiator (who must typically cast the ritual form of the silence spell fifty-four times consecutively; for this reason it is considered preferable to have multiple initiators conducting the ceremony).
The mystery that is taught: “For our sin, we were bound in silence and permitted to speak only the words of others.”

III: Initiate of the Stolen Spark

The initiation involves the ritualised destruction of works of art and artifice purchased or created by the aspirant, along with objects with which they have a strong emotional attachment.
The mystery that is taught: “For our sin, we were stripped of the divine spark and reduced to mere shadows”

IV: Adept of the Mystery of Justification

This initiation takes the form of a ritualised dialogue that seeks to establish that the aspirant has understood the meaning of those mysteries so-far revealed to them. During the ritual, the Unutterable Word is delivered to the aspirant, along with strict instructions that the word is never to be spoken outside of the correct ritual context.
The mystery that is taught: “And yet, our sin was righteous and justified”

Higher Initiations

Little is widely known about the higher degrees of initiation into the Mysteries of the Raven; the fifth degree is said to be that of the "Adept of the Mystery of Remembrance", and the sixth that of the "Adept of the Mystery of Return", but what these may involve is obscure. Beyond this are said to be three “transcendent” mysteries - the nature of which cannot be disclosed to adepts below the sixth degree.

The Rites of the Raven

The rituals of the Mysteries of the Raven can be divided into the lesser and greater rites. The lesser rites are performed openly, and any Kenku who wishes to is permitted to attend. These rites take many forms, varying from coming of age ceremonies to funerals, and all things in-between. The rituals are often raucous affairs, though this should not be taken to imply that they are not meant extremely seriously; the common thread woven through all these rituals is that they are equal parts mournful and joyful - grieving for what has been lost, and celebrating that which remains.
The greater rites are restricted to the Ghost Crows, and are said to draw their power from the Unutterable Word. These rites often involve the consumption of narcotic drugs to induce visions, frenetic dancing to the point of exhaustion, ritualised combat, or dangerous and painful ordeals. The purposes of these rites vary - some bring about ominous visions and prophecies; others allow contact with the spirits of the dead; some are even said to allow the Ghost Crows to step into the Periphery and roam the world as spirits for a time.
There are a handful of greater rites which are somewhat infamous outside of the faith - though their purpose and nature are almost inevitably misunderstood by non-initiates. These include a class of ceremonies which involve ritual cannibalism - the consumption of the eyes of the dead in order to learn the last thing that they saw; the consumption of the brain to transfer the memories of the dead; and, oft alleged but rarely performed - the execution of those who betray the Unutterable Word through devouring them alive...

Founding Date

Approx. 656 years pre-AK

Type

Religious, Cult

Alternative Names

Kith of the Ghost Crow

Demonym

Ghost Crows