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| lakira_shime [2024/12/01 06:06] – [Human conjectures about the "voices of the gods] admin | lakira_shime [2025/04/13 04:39] (current) – [Exohuman Conjectures About the “Voices of the Gods”] admin |
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| ====== LAKIRA SHIME CEREMONY ====== | ====== LAKIRA SHIME CEREMONY ====== |
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| The Lakira Shime ceremony is an integral part of the [[the_natives_tribes_of_voi_700_d|Native Tribes]] culture on [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]. As part of the ceremony, once a year the spiritual leaders of the great six tribes gather at Starry Mirror, in the [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]] on the [[dark_side|Dark Side]] for two days to connect deeply with the spiritual world and receive answers from the gods. | ===== Overview ===== |
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| The ceremony is a sensory experience steeped in mysticism, combining visual, auditory and gustatory elements. At the heart of the Lakira Shime ceremony is the preparation of a psychoactive soup. The ingredients for this unique concoction are carefully chosen, with each component playing a significant role. Most notable among these is the bioluminescent cap of the [[luminofera|Luminofera dualis]]. | * **Type:** Annual Spiritual Ceremony |
| | * **Location:** [[Starry Mirror|Starry Mirror]], [[bilu_oruzi_mountains|Bilu Oruzi Mountains]], [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]], [[dark_side|Dark Side]] of [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]] |
| | * **Duration:** Two days (March 17 in the human calendar) |
| | * **Participants:** Spiritual leaders of the six great [[the_natives_tribes_of_voi_700_d|Native Tribes]] |
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| Luminofera dualis, commonly referred to by natives as "Shika Me La", is a species of mushroom native to both the Dark Side and the Habitual Belt of VOI 700 D. Recognized by its unique bioluminescence, the mushroom's caps illuminate the night in an ethereal glow, lending an otherworldly feel to the environment. When ingested as part of the Lakira Shime soup, the Shika Me La cap produces profound psychoactive effects. | The Lakira Shime ceremony is a cornerstone of Native Tribes' culture on VOI 700 D, symbolizing their spiritual connection to the planet and its energies. Held annually at Starry Mirror, an icy expanse in the Dark Side’s Ralar Region, this mystical gathering brings together the spiritual leaders of the six great tribes for a profound communion with the gods. |
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| ===== The myth behind the ceremony ===== | At the heart of the ceremony is the preparation and consumption of a psychoactive soup made from the bioluminescent caps of [[luminofera|Luminofera dualis (Shika Me La)]]. This sacred ritual blends sensory elements—visual, auditory, and gustatory—into an immersive experience that guides participants toward enlightenment and collective goals for the coming year. |
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| Among the Natives, there is a legend that after the Tidal Lock at Starry Mirror, a spiritual leader heard the voices of the gods, who instructed her exactly what the Natives needed to do to free the planet from its "captivity" again. | |
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| ===== The Ritual ===== | |
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| On the day of Lakira (March 17 in the human calendar), the spiritual leaders of the great six tribes gather at a separate ritual site at Starry Mirror. It is tradition for each leader to bring a piece of firewood, which plays a central role in the ceremony. | ===== The Myth Behind the Ceremony ===== |
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| For after all the leaders have arrived and gathered in a circle around the fireplace (where everyone has previously placed their firewood), the master of ceremonies - called "Landa" - begins preparing the Shika Me La soup. | According to Native legend, after the Tidal Lock transformed VOI 700 D into its current state, a spiritual leader at Starry Mirror heard the voices of the gods. These celestial beings provided guidance on how the tribes could navigate the planet's new reality and free it from its "captivity." The Lakira Shime ceremony commemorates this moment, continuing the tradition of seeking divine wisdom to ensure balance and survival. |
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| | ===== The Ritual ===== |
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| Once the soup is ready, it is divided among the participants in handmade bowls by the Landa, with each individual enjoying the unique flavors of the Shika Me La. | **Preparation** |
| | * **Firewood Tradition:** Each tribe leader brings a piece of firewood to the ceremony, symbolizing their contribution to the collective. These are placed in a central fireplace at the ritual site. |
| | * **Master of Ceremonies:** The Landa, a highly revered figure, leads the event. Their role includes preparing the Shika Me La soup, ensuring each ingredient is handled with care and reverence. |
| | **The Soup** |
| | * **Key Ingredient:** The bioluminescent caps of Shika Me La mushrooms, harvested from the Dark Side or the [[habitual_belt|Habitual Belt]], are known for their psychoactive properties. |
| | * **Ceremonial Sharing:** Once the soup is ready, it is served in handmade bowls, with each leader partaking in the sacred meal. |
| | **The Experience** |
| | * **Psychoactive Effects:** As the soup takes effect, participants experience vivid hallucinations, kaleidoscopic visions, and synesthetic sensations. |
| | * **Meditative Journey:** Guided by the Landa, the leaders chant or recite mantras to pose three key questions to the gods: Where are we? Where are we going? What must we pay attention to? The responses—perceived as divine revelations—help shape the tribes' collective goals and strategies for the year ahead. |
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| As the psychoactive effects take hold, participants experience vivid visions and a heightened sense of connection to the spiritual world. At this stage, the Landa begins to take the participants on a kind of meditative journey, asking the gods the same questions each year: | ===== Cultural and Ecological Reverence ===== |
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| * Where are we? | The Lakira Shime ceremony underscores the Native Tribes’ profound respect for VOI 700 D’s natural balance. By consuming Shika Me La as a sacred sacrament, they reinforce their connection to the environment and their role as caretakers of its ecosystems. This ritual is not only a spiritual journey but also a celebration of their unity, resilience, and shared heritage. |
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| * Where are we going? | ===== Misuse of Shika Me La Soup ===== |
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| * What do we need to pay attention to? | The sacred Shika Me La soup, central to the Lakira Shime ceremony, has been desecrated and exploited by criminal elements, primarily the [[jane_bold_gang|Jane Mendoza Gang]]. By distilling the psychoactive compounds into a potent drug known as [[shika|Shika]], the gang has transformed a spiritual sacrament into a black-market commodity. This illicit trade desecrates the Native Tribes’ traditions, further deepening tensions between the Natives and Exohumans. Shika’s misuse has also fueled addiction and social decay, particularly in [[Firetown|Firetown]], where it is sold covertly in bars and backrooms, tarnishing the mushroom’s sacred legacy. |
| | ===== Exohuman Conjectures About the “Voices of the Gods” ===== |
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| The questions are repeated in the ceremony like a mantra and are sometimes chanted, sometimes spoken in a hypnotic way. Until at some point the participants hear the voices of the gods and draw conclusions for the most important goals of the coming months until the next Lakira Shime ceremony. | Before the [[great_war|Great War]] and the travel-restrictions of the [[peace_treaty|Peace Treaty,]] after the [[the_humans|exohuman]] surrender, one exploration teams of the [[free_state_of_settlers|Free State of Settlers]] has investigated Starry Mirror and its surroundings, uncovering intriguing anomalies: |
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| ===== Human conjectures about the "voices of the gods ===== | * **Evidence of Advanced Technology:** Remnants of what appears to be a spacecraft landing site and a hidden corridor leading to an artificially constructed chamber beneath the ice. |
| | * **Biological Antennas:** Studies during the [[great_war|Great War]] revealed that some Natives possess biological "receivers," enabling them to convert electromagnetic waves (such as radio signals) into neural impulses. |
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| Human reconnaissance teams, which have also already examined the ritual site and its surroundings - outside the ceremony - have come across traces that there must have been a landing site for spacecraft in the vicinity of the fire site. In addition, a corridor was discovered that led to an empty, but artificially created space under the ice cover of the Starry Mirror. | This unique adaptation may explain their perception of “voices of the gods.” |
| | While no definitive answers have emerged, these findings suggest a fascinating interplay between ancient Native spirituality and potentially extraterrestrial influences. |
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| There is no explanation for this so far. | ===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters ===== |
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| However, there is a hypothesis that the Natives at the fireplace may have actually once heard voices that could have been radio traffic from another life form. Because in the context of the [[great_war|Great War]] responsible persons of the [[volunteer_army_of_man|Volunteer Army of Man]] had already determined once that the Natives have special biological "antennas" or "receivers", which are able to absorb electromagnetic waves (e.g. radio traffic( and to convert into nerve impulses, similarly as our ears convert sound waves into nerve impulses. | The Lakira Shime ceremony offers Dungeon Masters a rich narrative tool to immerse players in the cultural and spiritual dynamics of VOI 700 D. Consider the following tactics: |
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| | * **Cultural Encounters:** Introduce the ceremony as an opportunity for players to witness or even participate in Native rituals, offering insights into the spiritual significance of Shika Me La. |
| | * **Conflict and Choices:** Create moral dilemmas where players must decide whether to protect the sanctity of the ceremony or exploit it for personal or factional gain. |
| | * **Mystery and Exploration:** Leverage the myths surrounding Starry Mirror and the “voices of the gods” to deepen the mystery of VOI 700 D’s history. Players could uncover ancient technologies or encounter remnants of extraterrestrial activity. |
| | * **Drug Trafficking Connection:** Tie the sacred soup to Shika’s black-market trade. Players might be tasked with disrupting the Jane Mendoza Gang’s operations or navigating tensions between Natives and Exohumans. |
| | * **Environmental Challenges:** Use the icy and treacherous terrain of Starry Mirror to create obstacles during the ceremony, adding urgency and danger to the experience. |
| ===== Related Pages and Further Information ===== | ===== Related Pages and Further Information ===== |
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| * [[shika|Shika]] | * [[shika|Shika]] |
| * [[the_zark|Zark Tribe]] | * [[the_zark|Zark Tribe]] |
| | * [[dark_side|Dark Side]] |
| | * [[ralar_region|Ralar Region]] |
| | * [[bilu_oruzi_mountains|Bilu Oruzi Mountains]] |