Western Therianthrope's Ascension
Taking place on their 15th birthday, celebrating this birthday and their passing into adulthood, a young Therianthrope will undertake an Other Walk to find their animal form and receive the ability to shapeshift into this form at will.
This is a highly important part of being a Therianthrope and even those who are not practising Druids celebrate their 15th birthday in this manner and attend the Ascensions of their Clan.
History
This ritual used to only take place in sacred sites, like at Stonehenge or Castlerigg, with large groups of young Therianthropes undertaking their rituals together, until the historic sites became overcrowded with tourists, forcing the Therianthropes to choose between having their rites observed by outsiders or leaving their sacred grounds. Eventually, privacy won out and the Therianthropes began to perform the Ascension rites anywhere with an abundance of magic and nature.
Execution
Arrival - the family journeys with the young Therianthrope to the ritual site, normally driving to stay near the chosen site the night before. The morning of the ritual, with the rising sun, the family will walk with the Therianthrope into the ritual site.
Blessing - the Therianthrope is Blessed by a Druidic Elder as the family celebrates their life and asks the Deities and ancestors to keep them safe on their journey. The Blessing includes sacred symbols being drawn on their mostly-naked body with specially-made paint.
The Preparation - the Elder will assist the Therianthrope in drinking the Spirit Potion from the skull of an ancient Therianthrope. The Elder will then watch over the 15-year-old, keeping their body safe in the Mortal Realm.
The Walk - having drunk the Potion, the young Therianthrope will embark on their Other Walk, their mind and spirit fleeing the Mortal Plane and entering the Spirit Realm with help from the ancestors. They will journey through the Spirit Realm and undergo a series of unique tasks, often involving various animals. This can sometimes last for hours, though it will often be finished by midday, the record is a total of 21 hours spent in the Other Walk.
The Waking - the Therianthrope will wake from their Other Walk and immediately begin to experience their first shift into their animal form, the form which they were gifted by the Deities during their Walk. Typically, the Elder allows the Therianthrope to complete their shift, simply waiting for the newly-adult Therianthrope to calm down and change back into their human form. However, occasionally, the Elder will prevent the young Therianthrope from shifting completely through the use of spells or a potion, due to requests made by the family/subject or due to time constraints. Sometimes, the Therianthrope can repress the urge to fully shift until the final celebrations.
The Tattoo - the Elder will tattoo the Therianthrope with Druidic Ink, using a symbol or simple drawing to represent the Therianthrope's new animal form. The location of the tattoo varies from Clan to Clan but is often on the Therianthrope's arms or chest.
The Celebration - the adults of the family will join the 15-year-old in exploring the world in their animal form, each member shifting so they can run and frolic in nature. Those with a predatory form may take the chance to hunt something non-sapient, while the herbivores might sample the various plants in the area. This group shift is important in cementing Clan bonds and coming together as a family.
Components and tools
A secret potion must be brewed by a Druid Elder, specifically for the ritual. A specific kind of body paint is made and used for this ritual, made from yarrow, silver branch, and a variety of other plants with key magical properties.
Participants
The Therianthrope who is turning 15 years old will be accompanied by their family to the site of the ritual. Here, they will be met with a Druidic Elder, a respected Therianthrope trained in the rituals and magic of their people. The family will stay to observe and take part in the first stage of the ritual, celebrating the Therianthrope's life, their journey toward adulthood, and asking their ancestors to help guide the 15-year-old on their Walk. Once this is complete, the family will wait outside of the ritual's site, while the Druid Elder will assist the young Therianthrope on their Other Walk and ensure that their body is safe within the Mortal Realm.
Observance
The ritual takes place on a Therianthrope's 15th birthday.
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