The Strength Glade

[Volatilus]

On the far corners of the Diamond Garden you notice plants of a twisted and prickly nature growing in great abundance and density making travel more tedious, until a row of massive bulky trees stops progress all together. They seem to devour what natural light exists leaving a tight dark barrier beyond. maneuvering around the wall seems to be impossible as encircling the barrier just simply leaves you where you started. A tight squeeze through the densely growing trees reveals mist shrouded forest, lush with all matter of plants and insects, massive and deadly. An uphill climb up murky muddy banks will reward the traveler with an opening to the overhanging trees and a serene tall grass glade. Wildflowers grow sparsely in the peaceful setting, and the sound of scuttling paws amidst the 3 foot high cover is apparent. The grass proves to thicken and put up a resistance the further you press. A closer inspection reveals the grounds are littered with bones, bleached white, some fresh, some well into decay. The very top of the hill reveals a massive burrow that seems to sink 100's of feet into the earth.

Volatilus sits atop of a mound of earth near this hole, a savage looking man clad in loin cloth, brandishing a Boar spear. He seems covered in scars of battle and raven hair dangling from his head and chin. In an instant morphing to a dire wolf with fur just as dark and eyes of blazing fire.

[Volatilus]

5 Torches sit in a pattern in the heart of the glade although only 4 are blazing . A sizable circle of nutrient rich earth reveals a carefully tended spiral of blood. The overhanging trees though parted still overhang the circle removing the light but daring not drop a single leaf. A narrow pathway opens up leading to the circle as the chorus of beasts ring throughout the glade, almost organized, almost in chant. Volatilus lazily sits atop an alter of well crafted bones of massive beasts, adorned with the tusks of super mammoths all bleached as white as the moon. In the form of a hunter he holds a glowing boar spear and focuses on the path expecting visitors...

[Yerkan of Elish]

I walk solemnly up the path, altered by the power of the trilobite at my belt into some strange, almost beastly form. I approach and bow deeply towards Volatilus and then take my place in the ritual, hiding away the trilobite and returning to my normal form: that of an unassuming, slim scholar marked with lines of gray adamant beneath his skin and pulsing veins of quicksilver.

[Great Thrash]

I stride regally in giant form, taking the ritual path in three great strides. I give the nod equals give to another who is in a position of authority. I smile benevolently, taking in my wise packmates.

[Steepest Durin]

I come stumpin' in. I've got a woven basket full of ceremonial weapons we ken all use. I'm wearin' my finest robe an' belt, which always flow long behind I.

[Volatilus]

Volatilus sits up and folds his legs, still atop of the alter he nods to every arrival with equal parts respect divided. His eyes fall back to the pathway piercing the darkness with his eyes of flame.

One more yet remains. I'm content to wait until he arrives, but can the council afford it? Volatilus shakes his gaze from deep thought to sweep it across the three present.
In the meantime I welcome you brothers to my humble glade. I sure hope the ceremony location is acceptable on your terms. I assume it is as you all have arrived quickly without complaint. Now as I've said before, this is the easiest as well as the most difficult trial. For the first two, although important show merely if they can join the pack. The third will show if they can stay in it. Any member can run alongside Volatilus in a hunt, but it takes a very special amount of trust for Volatilus to bend his back to accept a launching foot instead of a crooked dagger.

This ritual will make us pack brothers by blood and grant us the knowing that when one of us is in danger, all of us will be in danger with that pack-mate, no matter the size of the den they had awoken. I find this ritual the perfect focal point to finalize the council's true birth, and perhaps a way of introducing new members in the future. Since you are all new to the customs of Alwilda I will explain the ritual as best as I can.

The ritual exists the same way the roots of a tree penetrate the earth. The further you go with the ritual the deeper the bond. It is not uncommon for native mortals of my world to accidentally slay one another in ritual showing their undying loyalty for one another.. by dying. I wouldn't expect half of such a foolish notion for us of course. The level of bond must be chosen by all who attend and the one who chooses the shallowest level will be where it is set for all. In large scale blood-oath this is a dangerous time, and those who choose too low are often challenged for reasoning by those who choose high and the result is often deadly. Again an observation that I couldn't imagine occurring here. Now the levels are set by the extreme of the sacrifice or bonding nature.
Some examples include:
-Shaving heads -Sharing of blood -sacrifice of a personal treasure -Sharing of home -Sharing of kin and loved ones -Sharing of weaknesses -Insignias burned into flesh -Donning of a piece of jewelry or ring. The list goes on.

I myself have witnessed blood oaths as strange as a reverse hunt where the oath takers rouse a predator and run from it's wrath, clad in only in their skin.
We are free to discuss which oath's are stronger than others and which are on the level of a council pack, but must hold our tongues on the one we have decided personally until ceremony warrants it. Once the oath is decided, it is immediately carried out by all who attend or face removal from the ceremony. The Blood Oath, done correctly carries a magic of it's own. The more serious the oath the more brotherly benefits can occur. A weak oath can get an itch in the back of your mind if a brother is in trouble, while a stronger one could tell a mirror's vision of the dangers they are facing. Along with this, the stronger the oath, the even stronger they will have to be to overpower the Oath and betray a pack mate. You might sooner fall on your own blade before planting one in a pack-mates back.

All an all that is what is needed to be known. Now Volatilus will pause for breath and listen.

[Steepest Durin]

I begin a great work of craftmanship, right there in th' glade, in imitation of th' spiral of rich, bloody earth. All that we contribute taday will be echoed in th' disc I am makin'. It will serve as a portal, th' door ta th' Council's Wave. It can be used as a defense and a filter, as a mobilizer. Th' transporter function is simply coded into an intermesh matrix with th' filter-by-component function. Thrash will contribute th' earthpower, Volatilus th' strength of blood, Morbus th' endurance of health, Yerkan th' cunning of detailed calculation, and I's self the crafting and DM Favor. When this ritual is complete I will hang it as th' door ta th' glassy Wave.

[Volatilus]

Volatilus hops off the alter surveying the marvel.
Most excellent, a real benefit to the construction of our council.
Since nobody else has moved to suggestion, I shall propose an act of branding our council into our flesh... literally as per our sacrifice. I'm more than sure Thrash could muster the heat to cook up some irons crafted by Durin and designed by Yerkan. Simple, effective, and the sacrifice of white hot pain and brandishing of an insignia should suffice for the level of blood oath. What say you?

[Yerkan of Elish]

The sign of our council shall shine in many worlds.

I am in agreement; this is acceptable to me.

[Great Thrash]

Someone should cook up a neat logo for the Council.

I'll open a temporary crevasse full of magma around us, leaving only one bridge for escape. We will all face the other way for the ritual - anyone is free to retreat without shame.

I'll also provide the iron for Durin's forging.