Kumranti (koom-ron-tea)
"Whether or not you choose to remember us and our teachings, we are grateful to have had the opportunity to watch you become a true Shimo. We can't wait to meet you afterwards."
The drinking of Kumranti, also known as Mind Walk Tea, is the climax of a Shimo's child journey into adulthood. It is when they decide once and for all their path in life, who they will be. It may seem like a daunting task to decide ones path so early in life but for the Shimo it is one of the most important decisions they will ever make.
Drinking Kumranti causes an euphoric high that plunges one into the depths of their mind. It is here where the Shimo craft who they are as memories of their life are flashed before them. However, unlike the flash of life that happens near ones death, the inbiber is able to walk among their memories and observe them for as long or little as they want. It is during this walk down memory lane that one may choose to forget a memory completely. Some may choose to forget traumatic moments in their life while others may choose to simply forget the memories that don't fit them. There have been Shimo who have forgotten the likes of their given name or assumed gender in order to replace it with one they have probably thought about for a while. It is rare but some may choose to completely start over forgetting all their memories.
Kumranti is disgusting and highly magical but the long term effects of its drinking have yet to fully manifest, but it is an honored tradition among the Shimo, one they are happy discuss to anyone who would listen.
History
The drinking of Kumaranti during ones rite of passage into adulthood is a fairly new tradition established in the last 100 years. It all started when a man exiled from his home, down on his luck fell into a pool of Styx. All of his memories were taken from him except the fondness of his childhood being raised among the people. He returned home and was met with anomosity and was shunned. For days he plead to come home, he didn't know what he did wrong. A Shimo elder felt pity for the man who geniunely seemed to not have any recollection of the past events. This elder asked the man where did he come from and following him back to the pool of Styx, the realization dawn on the elder.
The elder returned with the man smiling and spreading the word of how the man was no longer who he was. It took time but people started to see it, the man was cared for by the elder and in return the man took care of others, there was a complete transformation. Soon the man was accepted back into the Shimo and people started taking sips of the Styx to cleanse themselves of bad memories.
Sipping from the Styx is a risky endevour and many did not recieve the results they were looking for, if they could even remember what they were hoping to accomplish. The elders worked together to find a way to dull the effects of the Styx. They found it in a unlikely material, Demon Blood.
Components and tools
Kumranti is a tea of multiple parts, water from the Styx, Demon Blood, and an assortment of herbs and spices. The herbs and spices are for taste, the Styx water is for the memory induction, and the demon blood is a counter-agent that prevents total uncontrolled loss of memory.
It is unsure if any demon blood will accomplish the intended effect but the Shimo, prideful in their shared ancestry, only use demon blood from actual demons. They believe it being from real demons strengthens their bonds and protection, the Kumranti will not work otherwise for that same reason.
Participants
The drinking of Kumranti is a ceremony attended by all Shimo save for those unable to. The ritual taker is the one to obtain the Styx water and Demon Blood a few days before in a hunt that could be but rarely is deadly. The Kumranti is prepared by an elder, the same one for all the Shimo until they pass away.
The family and friends of the celebrant are in attendance but are in the general audience with no special part to play. It is only after the celebrant has returned from their memory walk, declared their name original or new, and has requested any remembered love ones to join them that anyone requested can approach to embrace and celebrate. Sometimes people aren't requested to celebrate but all must respect the decision of the celebrant.
Observance
Kumranti is drank as the second to last part of a young Shimo's journey into adulthood. It is only after they have fetched water from the pools of Styx, hunted a true demon and obtained their blood, and returned home with both that the partaking of Kumranti while all observe is done. Afterwards a small intimate celebration follows, then a larger celebration community wide happens in which the celebrant is considered an adult and now they have responsibilities.
It gives new meaning to "walk down the memory lane" :)
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