Post by Aenwyn on Aug 7, 2024 15:36:19 GMT
UTARRIANS
The Children of Utarr are magical, but they are not inherently magical. At the age of 15, the children (actual children, not the religious group) of Krolis are expected to travel to the Cave with the Priest(ess). This excursion is done once a year, at the end of spring. Children that are not yet 15, but are turning 15 later that year, are not allowed to participate. They are expected to wait until the next year to join the excursion.
At the Cave, the Priest(ess) guides a meditation and prepares a bowl with crushed up berries from the shrubs and pulverised stone from the entrance of the Cave. This is then mixed into a paste, in which a knife is dipped. In a one-on-one meditation and conversation with the Priest(ess), the children bare their chest and the Priest(ess) carves a 'U' into their flesh. They then travel back to Krolis, and those who survive the trip home, are deemed worthy of Utarr's power, and become a Child of Utarr.
Every year, about 40% of the children don't survive. Either their wound gets infected and kills them, or the fatigue and a fever from travelling back home when their body is healing becomes too much for them. Over the span of the next days, the Child's blood will become magical. The paste that has seeped in through their wound makes their blood toxic.
They can use this toxicity to their advantage, but it also limits their lifespan. Children only become 35-40 on average.
When they 'offer' their body to Utarr by cutting their hand, they can use their blood in many ways to harm another individual. If they smear the blood on their lips and kiss someone, it is called a Utarrian Kiss, leaving the person who was kissed either paralysed or dead. They can mix their blood in drinks to achieve the same effect.
People from Newbridge have a 1/5 chance of smelling the toxins, allowing them to at least have a small defence against being poisoned. For now, if a Child tries to poison a citizen of Newbridge, you can decide yourself whether they smell it or not.
It should be noted that other Children of Utarr are immune to the toxic blood from other Children. It can only be used on non-Children.