Conferring the Standards Ceremony

Purpose

The Conferring of the Standards is a special ceremony put on by the Order of the Bearers. This award is part of an overall organizational set of awards called the Standards. The Standards were established by treaty historically... back during the early days of the Physic Coalition in the Americas. Then the CEREBRUM Organization adopted it as a part of merit recognition within its organization. These are rewarded to those that showed excellent leadership qualities and/or did that organization a great service. 

Order of the Bearers History

According to historical files and documents, the Standard Bearer was conceptualized based on the political set up of psychic communities that made up some of the American Psychic Coalitions stretching down most of the western halves of the Americas, mainly the ones in North America as the Europeans had the most influence the Eastern parts of those areas. The areas pseudo adopted similar titles in order to allow for smoother communications. As governments and politics changed over the centuries and coalition as well as The Colonies entrenched their holds on their territories, the pseudo adopted titles became semi permanent.

There needed to be a some form of a governmental structure in place to represent the coalitions when dealing with other governments as trading and globalization started to becoming an increasingly necessary way of life. However, across all the different groups, tribes, outposts and communes of the coalitions, It was hard to settle on just one form as groups had different ideas that they agreed on. So, representatives from many of the groups in the area of North America and even some of Central America got together and decided that they would pick representatives with good virtues that they could all agree on. After several days of debates, six virtues or standards were chosen: Intelligence, Altruism, Valor, Leadership, Knowledge of Tactics, and Protectiveness. Then the groups or city-states put up one representative from their communities that matched the virtues. Thus these people became the standard Bearers for their communities. This loose coalition of representatives became known as the Order of the Bearers.

The History of the Ceremony

No one is sure when the first ceremony itself was performed, but the first written account of the formal structure that lead to what is used today was penned in 1801. The author remains unknown as they used a Order pseudonym. Order Pseudonyms are  still in use but in modern times, there are better records. The ceremony has become a bit more elaborate nowadays but it still retains the elements that represents the journey that the first Bearers and their support took back in the late 17th century. 

The ceremony is designed to mimic the leaving of the Bearers to discuss the treaty of Accords. The witnesses and support following them and various discovers and encounters they had along the way as went to the conference and when they returned. 

The Ceremony Logisitics

Observance

The Conferring of the Title Ceremony is currently observed on New Year's Day in the present time as a part of the annual Phin'az traditions that take place from the winter soltice to the the twilight hours of the Phin'karah. The ceremony is usually held during the early morning hours of Phin'karah before the rest of the festivities take place that evening.

It has been held on this date since 1830 when the practice was official recognized by the CEREBRUM Organization. It's processes and uses have been structured around this date for maximum efficiency. The locations are still the same every year as well with the Gala festivities being held in the Bear's Lair. 

Important Locations

The Tarnished Forest

The Tarnished Forest is located within Kaawa, a rare meta-dimensional pocket known as a peleterra. This forest is home to unique people, animals, and plants that that have been thriving under heavy amounts of psi radiation for hundreds of years.

Deep inside it,  you can find: Bearer's Bastion and the Glistening Grotto among other curiosities.  The forest gets its name from the Weeping Chalk Trees. These trees produce a thin tar like substance that covers the trees branches, trunk, and even leaves. So, the white trees look "tarnished". However, the tar-like substance repels psychic radiation., which keep the trees healthy and it is often used as coating on clothing and homes to keep out the excess radiation of the area. 

Bearer's Bastion

The Bearer's Bastion was an old outpost settlement that the Bearers of the Northwestern part of the Americas had used as a battle advance and headquarters for a long time. It is still used used as the ceremonial compound for the Order of the Bears as well as a field command center of the Nature Preservation arm of the CEREBRUM Organization. This is where the Gala and Order ceremonies are usually held.  Bear's Bastion has since grown into an actual community. There are farms and families, many rare goods are produced there.   

The Ivory Grove

A grove of White Chalk trees that did not evolve the same defense mechanism as their tarnished brothers, developing a special bark that looks almost metallic. They absorb the energy and the Mentulpas that are in symbiosis with them help create their special bark. They cover the entrance to the Glistening Grotto.

The Glistening Grotto

This location is a well tended garden used for meditation and well as important rituals. All the elements being represented is said to maintain a balanced ritual space as well as some imagery related to other faiths. There is a scared ritual space on the grounds that is used as a a ritual chamber during certain rites and ceremonies. When not in use for ceremony it is often used as a religious space for those that stay in the compound.

Crystal Cavern
A cave covered in different psi gems, it has been fashioned into a makeshift ritual area. It also houses a small lake underground. This is the ritual space used for Rites and Ceremonies for the Order. 

Participants

The participants are split into four groups: the presenters, the Order, the community, and the honorees. All community participants should be dressed in semi causal clothing. The more personal, traditional, or ritual the better. Witnesses should wear old clothing that they do not mind parting with and will be given woven sashes to wear about their waists. They must remain on the entire time they are part of the ceremony. Order members will wear the regalia of their given rank. The nominees are asked to wear as much white as possible and a piece of personal clothing, something that they will not mind losing.

Presenters

The presenters are those that participate in the ceremony on behalf of the Order of the Bearers. These people act as the guides to the ceremony. One will be The Herald, The Challenger, another The Steward, The Attendant, and another The Smith.

Roles

Steward This person is the leader of the ceremony and will maintain the pace for the ceremony. They do this by transitioning the ceremony from section to section. They will be one to swear in the witnesses as well.

Herald This person basically initiates the ceremony and calls it to order. Then as each individual or group is reached they will call them to the stage and report what the deed was that got them recognized. Then turns it over to the Steward to continue the ceremony. Then once the ritual is complete for the rank or class, or title, they will usher the next section of the ceremony in. They act as the Steward's Attendant in a sense.

Challenger They will initiate each step after the Herald's introduction by issuing a "challenge" to the honorees. The honorees will either repeat the oath or affirm their willingness to accept the challenge. Presenter will issue their challenge first. Then after they will call the Order members to challenge the honorees to uphold the Orders Oath and Mission. Then once that is done they will turn to the community and then challenge them to beseech the bearer for their leadership protection, etc.

The Attendant Once the challenges have been passed, then comes forward to bestow the title and their "Standard" upon the honoree and their Title. Then they will take a final vote for the Order to confirm and accept the title. He will then call the Smith to bestow a pin and armaments on the honorees.

The Smith This person presents the pin and armements that the order wears. It acts as a sort passing of the torch gesture. Then once they place the armements on the recipients they wish them well and hands the proceeding back to the Herald for the process to start again.

Order

The Order will be represented by the Order members in attendance. They issue the oath and welcome their new bearers into their ranks with a ritual greeting.

The Honorees

Those that were nominated for a title and agreed to receive one. They are those being bestowed a title.

Community

When the first impromptu ceremony took place, the records claimed that there had been a sizable crowd that was there that day. They gave the Bearers their well wishes and reminded the Bearers of their duties to them.

The Community is meant to represent the psychic communities and recreate that first ceremony. At the ceremony, all tiers of community are represented. This means that people from all walks of life are in attendance or has a representative there; from dignitaries to parents to agents to school teachers and others; are part of the Ceremonial Guests. Foreign dignitaries, if they so desire, can issue the call to community during their part of the ceremony.

This tradition has not been broken once in the inception of the Order. A certain number of the Community will be made up of all these types of people, usually the number is determined by how many spaces are left after all the witnesses for the nominees are accounted for. Usually a community crowd can range from 50-200 depending on the number of new bearers that are been titled.

Witnesses

These are specially chosen people of the Honoree's personal network that agree to act as witnesses for them during their ceremony. They can have up to 3 witnesses but a minimum of one is required. One must be one of the witnesses that signed off on the Recommendation of the nominee. The other two usually come from family, friends, or mentor/colleague groups.

Standards and Tools

The ceremony is more vocal than object based but they are both are present.

Psychical Components

The only physical components that are needed are:

The Witness Sashes

These silvery white sashes are made from gem silkworms that live in the ______ trees. They are psi enhanced and nigh indestructible. They have the order crest painted on it on one end.

The Standards Motifs

Each corresponds to the Standard that they are associated with.
The Crown: A woven tiara made of ____. With a ___ stone in the center.

The Cloak: A simple woolen Cloak with a hood that bears the arms of the Order burned into it.

The Horn: A Horn made from the horn and a strap made of leather from the ____ Sheep and embossed with arms of the Order.

The Staff: A Staff made from the ______ tree, just like the Crown, with a small carving of the arms of the Order.

The Sword: A sword made from psi enhanced Damacus steel with a ____ handle and guard that has the arms of the Order etched into it.

The Shield: A shield made from psi enhanced Damacus steel with a ____ stone in the center of the top of the shield and the arms of the Order etched into it's face.

The Armements

The Armements encompasses the Order's Regalia. The regailia is dependent on the rank of the Order Member as more is added as they rise in rank. The major colors are silver, purple and white. They are all colors associated with power, psychics, and goodness.

The Basic Regalia consists of:

The Standards: whichever Standard(s) the person received. Silken Tunic: Made of the same material as the sashes the witnesses receive, the tunics have the motto of the Order embroidered in the collar in purple thread made from the same silk. Silken Pants: lightweight pants made of the same material as the tunic. They are made this way for moment purposes. Order Sash: Same material, made into thick sash that is worn around the body and over the shoulder. It is dyed purple except for a square on either end. These squares have the crest embroidered on it in purple thread. Order Bracers: These are also usually made of psi enhanced Damascus metal and leather and wool from the _______ sheep. Alternate Regalia for Squire and Honorary Title Holders: The squire attire is the same as far as the basic clothing and standard. However, their sashes and bracers are different. Squire bracers are made of only the leather and wool, they still sport the stones in the center. The leather is dyed purple and the crest is burned into it. This is because children are still growing and need the flexibility of the leather. In the case of their sashes, they are exactly like the ones for witnesses , except for the crest on the end. Instead of only one end having the crest, both ends have it. And like the full title bearers, their crests are embroidered with purple thread rather than painted on. The honorary title holders have similar attire to the squires except they are not awarded bracers, but woven leather bracelets, the leather is also dyed purple like the leather on the Squire Bracers. They also lack the stones.

: Rhomberries Small vine fruit with rough purple skin and fleshy orange fruit. It used to complete the Challenge of the Order portion of the ceremony.

The Verbal Components

Below are listed the various litaninies that will be read, recited, or responded to during the various parts of the ceremony.

The Imparative

: This is read by the Herald as the opening to the ceremony. It gives the reason for the occasion and prepares people for what is to come.

The Origin Scroll

: This is read by the Herald. It is a brief history of the Order.

The Record of Deeds

: This is also read by the Herald. It is read by the Herald to call and venerate the nominees

The Witnesses Oath

: This is recited by the Steward to the Witnesses and Witnesses must respond

The Rites of Challenge

: The Steward will officiate the first, the Challenger will issue the last two of the rites.

Challenge of the Witnesses : This is a challenge to those witnessing to be there and support the bearer during the ceremony and after

Challenge of the Community: The Challenger and the Community will challenge the nominee to serve the world's psychic communities.

Challenge of the Order: The Challenger will call forth the Order's Challenge and dares the nominees to rise to it.

.

The Welcome of the Order:

The official words of welcome to the Order

The Oath of the Order:

The official Oath of the Order

Execution of the Ceremony

The ceremony itself always takes place first, in the wee hours of the morning, before the official Gala Itinerary starts.

Itinerary

March to the Bastion

All of the Ceremonial guests are carefully marched group by group through a natural teleporter ring into the Forest of Tarnished Trees. Then they are guided along a psi gem laden path to the Bearer's Bastion Outpost. They are then lead to a large Amphitheatre made of white stone? and positioned to stand around half of the Circle. Then the first part of the ceremony starts once the Herald is in place.

Initiation

The Herald will open the ceremony with an invocation of dedication. Then he will give a short introduction to the order and the history behind it. They will reveal the order of the Bearer Titles: Crown, Cloak, Horn, Staff, Sword and Shield. Then they will call each Bearer group and their witnesses up one at a time to complete the Hailing ceremony and the first of the Triad of Challenges. Once that is done and the group is escorted to the next area, the cycle repeats with each group of bearers .

Then once that is completed then once that is finished, Ushers (usually Senior Agents), will escort the Community to the Memorial Hall for stories and drink until the morning Banquet once the Bearers and their Witnesses return. Meanwhile, the Order will go to further into the White Forest with their chosen 3 witnesses

Hailing of the Nominees

Then Herald will call the nominees forward one by one and announce their name and the deed that won them a nomination to the Community.

Then the Steward will come forward to initiate the challenge of the Community as a start to the Triad of Challenges.

Triad of Challenges

Challenge of the Community. During the March the Community members are handed an litany that can be summarized as a call to action from the community to the new Bearers. It encourages them to be strong and live up to their virtues and talents. It reminds them of their commitment to the communities around them. The Bearers will then be lead in a reply that essentially acknowledges the call to action and that they will take that call to heart.

Challenge of the Witnesses

The Herald will then call for those who agree to support the nominees to step forward and face the audience.

The challenge of the witnesses is carried out by the Steward. They will challenge the Witnesses on their belief in the nominee and that their actions and manner deserve recognition. They by tradition usually all agree.

They will face the audience as they reaffirm their faith in the nominees. Then they will ask each witness one by one if they are willing to travel with the nominee and guide them on their journey as a possible Order member. They give the affirmative and The Attendant comes and ties the Witness Sash around their waist. Then once that is done, they are allowed to stand behind the nominee. This is done until all the witnesses are accounted for.

Once a group is finished, they are then escorted off the platform by guides as they continue towards the White Forest. Leaving the community behind.

This symbolically represents the first Bearers leaving their communities behind to face the unknown. The witnesses following behind them represented those that chose to accompany the bearers on their journey as support.

Then once all the bearer groups have completed that portion of the rite, Ushers (usually Senior Agents) will escort the Community to the Memorial Hall for stories and drink until the morning Banquet that happens once the Bearers and their Witnesses return. Meanwhile, the Order and the now Initiates will go to further into the White Forest with their chosen 3 witnesses.

Challenge of the Order

At last, the Challenger confronts the bearers at the entrance to the Glistening Grotto. With the group of other guides behind them, they challenge the new bearers to take up the charge of the Order. The guides say the Order oath and the motto and have the bearers repeat both. There is a second version for the Squires and possibly honorary Title Holders.

Once the Initiates have recited the Oaths and mottos, they will be guided through a small waterfall that overs the entrance to the grotto cave. The witnesses are instructed to help steady each other if they can. No psychic ability use is allowed. The once they enter the cave, they are greeted by a mix of the Order, various ages and genders and such. There is a final person there, the head of the Order at the time. They are dressed in the head regalia and a white cloak. They are standing in front of a large door.


The door leads to a hallway that is paved with heated stones and gems that radiate pyrokinetic energy. The group makes their way through the hall way and by the time they get to the next chamber, they are mostly dry. The final chamber contains a table built of the (white) tree. And on the table are Rhomberries. They are given to each of the new bearers and then they are asked to open and share them. The shell like skin can be removed with some effort.

Once they are opened they are to share with their witnesses and then as many order members as possible until there is none left. The skin is the seed of the vine. They are then lead out of the cavern and into a large green house area that has vines growing all around. They are instructed to find a cleared patch and plant the skins from their fruit.

Conferring of Standard

Once this is done, the bearers and witnesses are cleaned in a bathing area in the back of the cave and are then presented with their Basic Regalia, except for their Standard motif and their bracers. They put on the regalia, while their witnesses are dressed in simple woven pants and tunics. They then return from the forest via another Meta path that leads back to the Amphitheatre.

This time the Order Members are waiting. In the middle of the of the stage area is an anvil. The bearers and their witnesses are called up one by one. The Smith is waiting behind the anvil to give the motif its spark. There is a table covered in the necessary motifs and bracers. The Attendant will hand the implements (correct motif and bracers) over to the Smith who will place them on the anvil and strike the anvil with a special hammer which will cause it to glow and imbue the items with energy.

The Attendant will then pick up the items with special gloves, first strapping the bracers onto their forearms. Then handing them their Standard, and the means to store them if necessary. Usually, the person and implements will glow for a brief period as their is a connection made between the motif and their wielder.

Acknowledgement and Welcome

Once the glowing stops, the Herald will call out their new title. The Order acknowledges the new member with a call of their title. Once all are properly outfitted, the Order, newly titled included all reaffirm their oath to the communities and the Order.

Closing of the Ceremony

The Herald acknowledges the witnesses and names them Friends of the Order. Then the old clothes of the Bearers and Witnesses are burned in with pyrokinesis from the Smith, symbolizing that their old selves are gone and they are now moving forward to something new.

After this step, the group is marched to the Banquet Hall for the breakfast feast and to celebrate with their other community members and family.

Modern Thought on the Ceremony

In the current era, the ceremony as well as the titles themselves are seen more as status enhancers than a cultural hallmark or honor by most. So, it maintains some importance in psychic cultures, particularly among those that are social climbers and the upper crusts of the psychic world. But the difference is not just by class but regions as well. Those groups, settlements, and cities closer to the borders of the non-psychics also see it as more of a status marker as well. However, in areas that are more rural and even more so, spiritual-- the ceremony as well as the titles are still not only politically relevant but are also considered religiously relevant.

Their beliefs are often dismissed as outdated, but according to some emerging research regarding Mentulpa behavior and abilities within some of its species, there is some evidence being found that belief can have an impact on them. Mentulpas are a phylum of extraterrestrial species that are scientifically known as Astragrades, that have been responsible for the development of psy reactivity which lead to the evolution of psychic individuals on Earth. This new evidence is being studied under many contexts, including cultural behaviors and the effects they can have on the population.

Many of the scientists and historians are starting to hypothesize that oaths and ceremonies like this one could be forming bonds or even directives within people that partake in them.

Superstitions around the Ceremony

According to a literature review done by the historian of the Order of the Bearers, there are have been many unexplained deaths over the centuries that this particular Order and Titles have existed. Something that he notes as odd is the ages and deaths of the Bearers. Particularly, he noted that those that obtained a Title but broke their oath, died young, and if they did not, suffered grave misfortune. Either accidents, unexplained health issues, bad luck, and other malaise befell them. But those that upheld their oath, with the exception of those bearers that earned their titles through self sacrifice, lived long and often fruitful lives. They also note that even the older members of the Order still alive are not only in great shape but sharp of mind as well, despite their age.

The reception to the review was mixed, as some claimed situational bias on the count that those deaths were sensationalized due to either the misfortunate endings or the exceptional long lives lived. But there were others that came forward to mention seeing similar patterns within other community groups that had maintained offshoots of this practice. Not only that with the scanning improvements and knowledge improvements that have been made regarding Mentulpas and how the psychic ecosystem works, there has been evidence of bonds being formed through promises and oaths outside of this context.

More research is needed, so it has not been settled yet as a debate, but in regards to the Conferring of the Standard ceremony it and its derivatives are definitely a centerpiece among it.