Taryn walked to the fire in the center, the shamans tending it backed off, and the flames died down some. Flickering light illuminated the Ar-Righ as she held her arms out to her side and turned her head up toward the night sky. This is the religious, most ceremonial part of the Moot.
"We have gathered in this sacred place of Gaia, having called our brothers and sisters of Gaia, and we now call our brothers and sisters of Luna."
Taryn turned to the east. "East Wind! Bringer of the dawn of clear air! East Wind! You who showed us the mirror side, the other side of the Velvet Curtain, come to us! We thank you for your clear thought and bright light."
As she spoke those words, a cat beastman wearing a mask of the East Wind steps from that side as starts to dance about the bonfire. Taryn then turns to the south. "South Wind! Bringer of the eternal fire! South Wind! You who gave us the fire of rage within, that we may strike swiftly against our enemies, come to us! We thank you for your fiery anger and your guardian protection!"
Jumping out from behind the Ar-Righ's rock, a lizard beastman wearing a mask of the South Wind appears with a ferocious hiss and joins the other dancing about the bonfire. Taryn then turned to the west. "West Wind! Bringer of the rain! West Wind! You who gave us the Changing Ways, come to us! We thank you for the many shapes you've shared with us!"
Dropping down from the trees at the western edge of the clearing was a hawk beastman wearing the mask of the West Wind. He spread his wings out and bowed to the Ar-Righ in a flourish then joined the other two in dancing about the fire. Turning the to the north, Taryn continued.
"North Wind! Bringer of cold from the mountain! North Wind! You who brought us the Gifts and the Sacred Ways, come to us! We thank you for your great wisdom and great strength!" And with those words, from the northern part of the clearing came a white wolf beastman wearing a mask of the North Wind. With an icy howl, he, too, joins in the dancing.
Taryn then raised her hands above her and looked up to the sky. "Inner Wind! Bringer of blessings from Gaia, from within us! You who hold our Mother's power within us, come to us all! We thank you for your spirit, and your inner peace."
All four dancers stopped then at their respective cardinal point as all present felt a swelling of power, of a connection to the land around them. They could feel the hum of the earth beneath their feet, the whistle of the wind in their ears, and if any present had never felt like the land itself was alive... there was a first for everything.
"Now is the time to offer your own personal prayers to Gaia. Perhaps she will answer, but know we are never alone. Take a few moments to speak from your heart with her. And then I will hear matters of business as we crack the bone."
The bonfire roared back to full life as the shamans returned to tending it. The silence of the drums and flutes would remain for now. All four beastmen wearing the masks were in deep prayer until the Inner Sky was over, then they would put the masks away.
[ooc: Anyone who wishes to offer prayers or question them during this time may. Any gods that wish to stop by may. Any visitors that want to talk to each other over the strangeness of the Awen Moot can do so. Taryn will be available to talk as needed.]
Inner Sky
"We have gathered in this sacred place of Gaia, having called our brothers and sisters of Gaia, and we now call our brothers and sisters of Luna."
Taryn turned to the east. "East Wind! Bringer of the dawn of clear air! East Wind! You who showed us the mirror side, the other side of the Velvet Curtain, come to us! We thank you for your clear thought and bright light."
As she spoke those words, a cat beastman wearing a mask of the East Wind steps from that side as starts to dance about the bonfire. Taryn then turns to the south. "South Wind! Bringer of the eternal fire! South Wind! You who gave us the fire of rage within, that we may strike swiftly against our enemies, come to us! We thank you for your fiery anger and your guardian protection!"
Jumping out from behind the Ar-Righ's rock, a lizard beastman wearing a mask of the South Wind appears with a ferocious hiss and joins the other dancing about the bonfire. Taryn then turned to the west. "West Wind! Bringer of the rain! West Wind! You who gave us the Changing Ways, come to us! We thank you for the many shapes you've shared with us!"
Dropping down from the trees at the western edge of the clearing was a hawk beastman wearing the mask of the West Wind. He spread his wings out and bowed to the Ar-Righ in a flourish then joined the other two in dancing about the fire. Turning the to the north, Taryn continued.
"North Wind! Bringer of cold from the mountain! North Wind! You who brought us the Gifts and the Sacred Ways, come to us! We thank you for your great wisdom and great strength!" And with those words, from the northern part of the clearing came a white wolf beastman wearing a mask of the North Wind. With an icy howl, he, too, joins in the dancing.
Taryn then raised her hands above her and looked up to the sky. "Inner Wind! Bringer of blessings from Gaia, from within us! You who hold our Mother's power within us, come to us all! We thank you for your spirit, and your inner peace."
All four dancers stopped then at their respective cardinal point as all present felt a swelling of power, of a connection to the land around them. They could feel the hum of the earth beneath their feet, the whistle of the wind in their ears, and if any present had never felt like the land itself was alive... there was a first for everything.
"Now is the time to offer your own personal prayers to Gaia. Perhaps she will answer, but know we are never alone. Take a few moments to speak from your heart with her. And then I will hear matters of business as we crack the bone."
The bonfire roared back to full life as the shamans returned to tending it. The silence of the drums and flutes would remain for now. All four beastmen wearing the masks were in deep prayer until the Inner Sky was over, then they would put the masks away.
[ooc: Anyone who wishes to offer prayers or question them during this time may. Any gods that wish to stop by may. Any visitors that want to talk to each other over the strangeness of the Awen Moot can do so. Taryn will be available to talk as needed.]