Dewberry Steps

The Dewberry Steps is a confirmation ritual of the religion of Thassaism, of which the key componant is Dewberries.
This ritual is conducted on the 16th birthday of children from most practising family groups of the Roachim Nomads.

Execution

"Naked I entered the desert sands, and naked I stand in the eyes of my gods"

At dusk on the eve of the child's 16th birthday, the child is ritually stripped to their underwear by their parents. The child is rubbed with first pink, then green, then blue sand. For the first tinme, they are left alone by the camp fires to guard agaisnt the night creatures of the desert. Although this is considered a dangerous task, in fact most creatures of the Glittering Wastes are savvy enough not to come near the fires of a Roachim camp, unless rabid, maddened or starving.

At dawn, I see the world with new eyes

At dawn, the child is relieved of duty, having been up all night probably for the first time. At this moment, they are given Dewberries and led on the Dewberry path - the seven steps are particular to each family and map out the history of their own ancestors. These steps are usually enacted as a ritual dance leading out into the sands, through which the stories of past victories and achievements are enacted. Parents, older sibiling, cousins and other trusted members of the family play out the parts, whilst the child is the watcher and the reactor. Common stories include the slaying of a great, fierce creature, the creation of a work of untold beauty, or the brave self-sacrifice of a person for others. Best of all are considered the stories of the Wanderers, and the deeds that they do on behalf of the gods. Gradually, as the hallucinagenic properties of the dewberries take hold, these deeds become more vivid and terrifying to the initiant.

At midday, under the brightest sun, I hear the song of my ancestors; I learn the will of my gods

By midday, when the sun is high, the Seven steps are over. Now is the time to leave the initiant alone in the desert, naked, under the midday sun. Now is the moment that they hear the voices of their ancestors as the deserts noonday hum and, through that, the plan that the gods have for them...