Ritual of the Blood & the Soil
For all the Root gives us, we must all return to the root.
The majority of werewolf clans practice a form of ancestor worship (with a handful of clans practicing more conventional human faiths, such as Christianity and Asatru). Most follow the Faith of the Root & the Veil for its practicality and the connection it keeps with the ancestors of their clans and earlier tribes. Worshipers of the Root believe that it is their responsibility to "give back" to the Root that sustains them. While Tenders of the Veil maintain the relationship between the living and those who have passed on before, Rootwalkers (not to be confused with Silas Rootwalker) bear the responsibility for maintaining the clan's relationship with the Root.
In simple terms, the Rootwalkers are often elders of their clan who are practiced in knowing when to cut ties with the living and who are trained to maintain the subtle but important balance between what the clan takes from the earth and what the clan gives back.
Where the Ritual is Practiced?
The Ritual of the Blood and the Root is practiced in agricultural areas such as Illinois, as well as in the Appalachian Territories of West Virginia and the Smoky Mountains. While most clans worship the Root and the Veil, hunter/gatherer societies demand less of the earth and, through their own practices, offer much back to the root for what is taken. Those who work the land with agricultural intention, or the occasional pastoral farming clan, demand more of the earth, taking much and giving less back.
It is worth noting that even the Christian Clans of the Illinois Territory often practice this blood-letting ritual as a way of connecting with their ancestors and the land. They may consider this sacrifice a sacrifice made before God, and they may not sacrifice their own blood but instead their first fruits, but the intention is the same: To give back in thanks for what one has taken to feed one's clan throughout the year.
When is the Ritual Performed?
The ritual of the Blood & the Soil is performed following the Autumn harvest and is often combined with another ritual, the Harvest Calling. Once the harvest has been called in by the Veiltenders, the Rootwalkers step forward to perform their ritual sacrifice. Because Rootwalkers are often the elders of their clan, the blood of new wolves is often used to perform this ritual. Placental remains preserved from births in the past month are offered, as well as the blood of any wolves who have become adults during the previous year.
Blood must be offered willingly, and those who make this sacrifice are considered brave, but also generous and worthy of their pack. Outsiders of these traditions often find it surprising how willing Omega wolves are to sacrifice their blood for their clan, but this is common among the clans who worship the Root & the Veil.
Who Performs the Ritual?
The ritual is always performed by a Rootwalker. If there is none available, the ritual cannot be completed. Since most clans believe this puts them at a high risk for withering (due to a lack of understanding of what the Withering is), elders are highly prized and though not required to join the role of Rootwalker, they are encouraged to take up its mantle in service to the clan.
More often than not, Omegas who have grown out of their previous service roles step up into this position. It gives them a sense of purpose and empowerment, and most clan leaders are happy to see the Omegas take up this role. Each clan has up to four Rootwalkers in the majority of cases. Some larger clans, or those depending a great deal on agriculture, may have more than four Rootwalkers. Some smaller clans, or those relying much less on agriculture for subsistence, may have only two or three.
What does the Ritual Look Like?
Before the ritual begins, the Rootwalkers clear a space near their clan's Heartstone (where offerings of food and drink are often made throughout the year by the packs or kin). They create a small hole, usually dug by hand and claw. This act by itself often releases some of their own blood, as they are not using spades to turn the earth, but their own claws. When evening falls, the clan's leadership, elders, and those intending to offer their blood or placenta gather around the hole with those making the sacrifice at the center ring.
One by one, those making the offering either place their placenta into the hole or they open a cut on their hand and allow several drops of their blood to drip into the hole in the earth. No werewolf is ever killed for the purpose of the ritual, as that would result in Rootlessness for the elders who demanded such a sacrifice.
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