The Offering
Coming of Age Celebration
Know as the Offering or Reveal, Children of The Dancer practice a coming of age ritual to welcome young children to the faith. Performed to every ten-year-old in the full moon during the month of their birthday, the ritual is meant to present the child to the community, and most importantly to their goddess. Event is kin to a baptizing ritual. Both believers in the Underdark as well as the surface celebrate the milestone in similar ways, but for children in Underdark, the practice tends to have more meaning.
Due to the harsh nature of their Underdark home, it is quite common that life of less than 10-year old is quite restrictive, and the Offering is for many their door to the wider world around them. It is commonplace especially among noble houses that children under 10 rarely if ever leave their home, only been introduced to the most trusted friends and allies of the family. This is done to their own protection, though this luxury isn't shared by the poorest. After the Offering, however, this often changes, as the child takes first steps towards the independence in the light of the Dark Dancer.
History
The exact origin of the ritual is hard to pinpoint, but the common consensus is that the tradition was most likely born out of rituals that early believers held to those who entered the Faith. As time went on and the generations started to be born to the faith, nature of the ritual turned more into protective one, about asking Eilistraee's blessings to guard the young.
Execution
The big day of a 10-year-old of the Faith starts with celebratory breakfast and intensive grooming, to make sure that the child is well-fed and presentable. Children might wear family heirlooms, their hair gets braided and cleaned, they are dressed to their best, sometimes in the finest Spider Silk clothing that might have been passed in the family for generations.
The family will gather to a temple, to hear the word of the priestesses. Weeks before the big day, the child has started to practice for their big moment; performance they will offer to the Goddess. For girls, it is part of the sacred dances performed by the priestesses, and for boys, as they are not allowed to take part in those dances, they have learned a song for Goddess' glory. Children of nobility will perform in temples, in front of their people, to be the first time presented to their community, while those lower born will gather after the service in their local communities to do the same.
As the child has performed their Offering, a priestess or a family member will perform the first Bleeding ritual to the child, by carefully making a cut to his or her arms just enough to draw blood, but not to cause any real damage. The child is expected to take this quietly and bravely, to show the goddess the bravery in their hearts.
After the cuts, the child has offered their soul to their Goddess' light, and thus a full-fledged member of the Faith. Celebrations will continue with singing a prayer, having a feast and dancing, as well as giving the child gifts and lucky charms.
I love that the ritual has several different purposes, particularly as children rarely leave their home. It feels like an introduction to their community as well as to their Faith. The description of the grooming and the dressing of children in family heirlooms is particularly evocative.
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