The Burning of Innocence

She reminded him of the sun. She moved as if her body was in tune with everything around her, and she listened as if the fire was telling her secrets. There was nothing unnatural about this girl, and yet it felt wrong for her to be inside these caves. Away from the sun, of which she reminded him so.

Book of Will

Burning is an age-related ritual of initiation to maturity. There are five Burning rituals in total, which take place at ages 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21. They are designed to anchor children to reality as they grow to learn important life-lessons. Burning of Innocence is the first step to maturity, and it is when the child is given their Oculus.

Donum Concaves: The home of the Fledglings where they are taught to find, extract, and polish precious stones, making them into Oculi for the children of higher descent.

Fledgling: Osculist child of lower descent. Fledgelings do not grow to become apprentices of Wise Ones or Hopefuls, and their Oculi never actually activate.

High Courts: Headquarters of the Olden Circle members and apprentices. Something like the Queen’s Buckingham Palace.

Hopeful: One of two types of members of the Olden circle. The other one is Wise One. Hopefuls acquire their status, while Wise Ones inherit it. In Osculum, Hopefuls are perceived as the the ‘lesser sages’.

Magica Wydoma: The Wisdom of Magic. The craft which the Olden Circle and their apprentices use to read dreams and charge them into Occuli.

Medley: A genetic mixture of two tribes. There are three tribes in total: Somnium, Osculum, and Virum. The Osculum tribe had been the middle-man between Somnists and Virists for many years before it was almost obliterated by its fellow tribes.

Oculus: A talisman charged with one or multiple dreams. It activates if one is chosen to become the apprentice of a member of the Olden circle.

Olden circleA group of Elders who attend Burning rituals and give their blessings to the children. There are two groups of Elders: Wise Ones and Hopefuls. Only Wise Ones have access to the Book of Will.

Sing-alongs: Twelve beldams singing in high pitch.