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Lucky Dreamer
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After great consideration you decide to risk an attempt at the ritual described upon the shrine.
Now, strictly speaking, for a ritual like this you'd normally want to bring at least four other priests, a handful of tastefully arranged torches or candles and a reasonably complex understanding of who and what you're trying to evoke. As it stands you'll have to improvise. You'd also like to be wearing something a bit more formal, maybe something with a few more skulls, but at least skins are never out of style. At the very least you have a proper ceremonial knife, even if it's not nearly as sharp or as clean as you'd like. Frankly, you just hope that this shrine still holds some power.
Gods and Spirits are greedy - your father taught you that - but they're also proud. Most would bend over backwards for even the smallest of offerings, but the presentation is important. Most won't be seen to fight over scraps or respond to the summons of those that are not making an effort. To make the spirits smile upon you, you must make them feel special. That is why sacrifice is so potent. It shows them that you value them more than the world and the worldly things which you give up. Often the sacrifice is symbolic, of course, but metaphysical beings tend to appreciate a good metaphor. And of course, it's hard to find a better metaphor than blood.
The ritual begins. You sink to your knees and begin to call upon the spirits of this place. Slowly, you draw them to you, inviting them closer with promises of ritual, prayer and blood. You supplicate yourself before them, a vessel of devoted will, a conduit of mortal worship. The stars above seem to brighten. The troll seems confused by your actions and has gone silent.
This is normally where you'd begin to exorcise the mournful dead from the room, to keep them from interfering, but you don't see any sign of them so you skip ahead a bit.
Your voice descends into melody as your litanies merge into song. You rise from your knees and take the knife in hand, brandishing it dramatically as you wave it about. Rhythmically, you begin to sway, moving with grace and purpose, ad-libing a vague gestural dance. You've heard your dancing described as sultry by some of the slaves, but that too is a part of the metaphor, you are flirting with gods. Your pace quickens as the complexity of your dance increases. You move faster and more recklessly, losing yourself in the moment. Your performance is a tribute to those you now pray, a show born of the moment, a beauty witnessed only once - a symbol of your living youthful purity, a teasing promise of the offering to come.
Finally, your voice reaches its crescendo. You hold your arm above the altar, and, with an overly-dramatic gesture, you cut into your wrist. The pain is lost in the adrenalin of the moment, but you gasp out a cry anyway. Warm blood surges forth, rolling down your arm and dripping down into the waiting cup below. Blood falls among the stars.
You hold your position until you're satisfied enough blood has spilled. Virgin blood is rare, and yours is especially potent as a result of your lineage, but Gods and Spirits are greedy, and you only have so much to give. Soon you are spent.
Slowly, you take the cup in your hand. It's surprisingly heavy, as though it does indeed contain the whole weight of the night sky. It savors the moment as you bring it to your lips. You inhale deeply the smell of blood and brine, then gulp down the contents of the cup.
The taste is foul, and you struggle, but you succeed. Reverently, you place it back down upon the altar before allowing yourself the dignity of collapsing back down on your knees.
You feel a sense of great spiritual satisfaction wash over you. A good omen, but it may simply be the light-headedness that comes from bloodloss. You stare up at the dark sky above. You feel a sense of oneness with it. As though you too were a part of the night. You know, deep down, that the sky is pleased. So long as the night sky remains in your belly, no star's light will betray you.
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