Ceremonial rituals

Ceremonial Rituals (of a religion) Social Apprentice 400 hours

Every religion has its own rituals, practices, and ceremonies. You are skilled in their practice, and are able to perform them. Each separate faith has its own version of this skill. Sects, splinter groups, and regional variants may differ as well. Smaller cults may not have this skill at all, or may only have simpler rituals up to the journeyman level. The validity of any given ritual is determined by its connected religion. Some faiths have very strict requirements as to who is allowed to perform a given ceremony, and who can receive it. Others are more open and allow lay members to use any ritual. As a general rule, only clergy are allowed to perform, and most rituals are designed for the followers of that faith.

Apprentice practitioners have a basic understanding of their religion's ceremonies. They know common specific dos-and-don'ts, and have a broad overview. Apprentices are assistants, ushers, candle snuffers, chanters, altar boys, and other helpers. The journeyman level brings the bulk of the faith's rituals into use. Some more common ones include: baptism or other dedication ceremonies; formal vows (of poverty, obedience, knighthood, pacifism, questing, celibacy, et al.) blessings, birth or coming of age, marriages, confessions, funerals, holiday celebrations, cleansing and consecration of altars and artefacts, and investiture rituals for those beginning their training in the priesthood. The master level of this skill allows for practice of the larger and more restricted ceremonies: ordination into the priesthood for new clergy, hallowing of ground and temple dedication, atonement for great sins against the church, beatification or canonisation, and excommunication. Each religion may have many different additions and variants of these rituals. They range in length and formality greatly, but tend toward the upper ends of both.