Twilight Monastery Initiation Ritual
The Twilight Monastery Initiation Ritual is the twice yearly event where trainees of the Twilight Monastery can earn their place as full members.
History
The origins of the Initiation Ritual trace back to the monastery's founding, when the various rooms were magically enchanted to allow for the alterations required for the ritual.
In Uktar of 1496, the Heroes of Saltmarsh, with help from the Mask, used the disguises provided by the Initiaiton Ritual to break into the Twilight Monastery for the purposes of robbing it and uncovering the monastery's connection to the Banesmark. The Heroes managed to pass the Initiation Ritual and fought their way to the quarters of the Grand Shade, where they fought and killed her, though at the cost of Lyra's life.
Execution
During the Initiation, all members of the monastery are instructed to wear identical, form-hiding robes. The task given to the initiates is to steal a golden token from the person of one of the monastery's Shades and then to present that token to the Chief among Shades on the third floor. Initiates are allowed to work in small teams, and there are no rules given for whether a token needs to be stolen without notice, won in a fight, or even taken from other initiates.
During the ritual, the various rooms of the monastery's first and second floor are all magically enchanted as well to become dangerous and may mentally compell those that enter to remain. The rooms are all follow similar themes.
Reflection rooms exploit the flaws, loves, losses, and so on of those that enter. Concentration rooms focus on tests of skill, whether that be simple games of chess or dangerous tests of precision and balance. Peace rooms are relaxing, and occupants may be magically compelled to not leave. Energy rooms focus around boosting adreneline, such as fighting pits, dance rooms, or large feast halls, and occupants may become consumed with a desire to participate in that room's activity. Finally, Serenity rooms are neutral spaces, often the hallways between rooms, and do not change as a result of the Initiation.
Additionally there are two Void rooms that are permenant fixtures and are not altered as a result of the Initiation Ritual. One is the monastery's prison and the other is the final part of the ceremony: a teleportation room that takes an occupant to whereever their heart views as "home." It is used at the very end to ensure that any full member of the Twilight Monastery views the monastery as their true home.
Participants
The various Shades are given full discretion as to how they choose to treat the challenge, though most do so according to their strengths. For instance, the Shade of Combat may choose to openly boast who they are in a fighting pit, daring initiates to take their token by force, while other Shades may choose to try and blend into the faceless crowds.
For the other members of the monastery, the Initiation Ritual is one of the most looked forward to events of the year. As their only requirement is to hide their identity, many members use the night of the ritual to let loose, engorging on delicious food, relaxing in magically-created bathhouses, watching matches in a fighting arena, or simply reading in the library. Because there are no stakes, most members choose not to fight against the emotion-altering effects of the various rooms, choosing to use the opprotunity instead to enjoy the night to its fullest.
However, apprentices of the monastery who have not become full members and are not undergoing the ritual themselves are excluded from participation, and members of the monastery that talk about the events of the night to apprentices are harshly punished.
Below: the floor plan as was altered for the Uktar 1496 Initiation Ritual
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