Trials of the Mind

The Trials of the Mind are a magical ritual which is performed to allow a group to enter into the mind of an individual. In doing so, the group must face a trial that ends with the individual learning something that once seemed lost.

Effects

When cast, the spell takes a toll on both the witches casting the spell but also the group. Each person finds themselves magically exhausted until they are next able to rest. For many groups this alone deters them, but failure in the trials also has a severe consequence. Failure to complete a trial can result in a permanant state of unconciousness that would require further and more advanced magics to wake. Many of those who have entered this unconciousness either passed away as a result of external circumstances, or still remain in slumber, taken care of by their coven until they are able to be revived. Only one individual of the group is beset by this state of unconciousness.

Trials of the Mind

General Information

Type	Ritual
Deity	Granny Morigal
Components	At least four witches An artifact

Components

There are two main components that are required by the ritual. Each of these components are core to how the Trials work, if one is falsified or broken during the ritual, not only will it fail, but all those involve in the ritual risk damage, or worse death. Any other material components brought to the ritual aid the group entering the individual's mind, but also risk disturbing and influencing the ritual.

A Coven of Four Witches

A group of at least four witches must be involved in the original casting of the ritual. There are those who believe that there must be a representative of each of the four primary elements in the casting of the spell. Despite this, their connection doesn't need to present in their magic, just the ways in which they interact with the world. At one time a coven of a diviner, necromancer, apothecary, and a warder were allegedly able to complete a casting of the ritual, this helped to highlight that though a link to the four elements is asked for in the incantation, the links can be tangential.

An Artifact

The person whose mind the group are entering must bring an artifact of the time that they are trying to remember. This can take many forms but is the most vital part of the ritual itself as the link is what allows the witches to bind the souls of the group into the mind of the individual. The artifact is the most personal part of the ritual and as such can take many forms. From drawings from a love one whose lost, through to weapons carried in a long past war.

Incantation

One of the most important aspects of the Trails of the Mind is the incantation which is spoken by all involved. However, this incantation can also be sung to help add an additional surge into the magic. Its contents are written in a language that is only used by celestials and other divine beings, but when translated it describes a journey filled with trials of strength, speed, endurance, intellect, understanding, and charm. Some of the final words of the incantation refer to the three-formed nature of Granny Morigal and her ability to control the fate of other individuals. They call on her to show them the weave of the target's fate and unravel it, so the memories can be unlocked. Over the years, some of the covens that have attempted to invoke the trials have changed this to look forward at a person's future. In doing this, they made the trials multitudes more deadly.

History

The origins of the trials are unclear, with several different groups attesting to different origins. From Granny Morigal bestowing the ritual as a gift to a coven that were charged with unlocking memories. Some claim that the ritual was created to defy the Fateweaver and everything she stands for. Regardless, the Trials started as a story and an incantation before 104 AR and has, over the years, become a ritual that most members of a coven are taught about, but not shown the consequences. As a result, by 755 AR, the Trials are a legend that many people find themselves being enamoured by, particularly in its possibilities. Two covens have attempted the ritual since 700 AR, in this time, neither succeeded and all but one member of the covens have become ensnared by the powerful sleep of its failure. The one who managed to escape has not been seen since their ritual in 722 AR. Mother Eletha Crane was scarred by the Trials both mentally and physically, her entire persona changing and a creature from the Infernal Planes taking up the mental space that she had left open. As a result, she is filled with hatred and seeks out any attempts to perform the ritual of the Trials and drains the magic from those involved in an attempt to protect them. Often the witches that she finds performing the ritual are later found completely drained of all of their life force. The last successful ritual was cast in 594 AR by a coven of witches that were formed to help a former apprentice of the Veritas Convention regain the memories that had been stripped away during immense conditioning to have them transition to a member of the Saitodian. They were able to unlock these memories, but in doing so, they lost their mind, finding themselves in a state of madness that overcame most of their intellect and emotions.

Shattered through their own will...