Stonesteps: Difference between revisions

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{{~~District~~ Infobox

{{Districts of Kar-Thal Infobox

|Name=Stonesteps

|Image=[[File:Terasil - Kar-Thal-Stonesteps 01.jpg|center|frameless]]

|City=[[Kar-Thal]]

|Realm=[[Terasil]]

|Function=Initiation Spiral and Ritual Trial Site

}}

{{~~District~~ Sections

{{Districts of Kar-Thal Sections

|Introduction=The Stonesteps are a sacred and perilous spiral stair carved along the inner face of a vast vertical chasm within Kar-Thal. Formed entirely from obsidian-glass, the structure descends deep into the city’s lower strata, and is used exclusively for trials of endurance~~, spiritual [[attunement]],~~ and ~~civic~~ initiation. The Stonesteps are among the most revered—and feared—rites of passage in [[~~Orasian~~]] society.

|Introduction=The Stonesteps are a sacred and perilous spiral stair carved along the inner face of a vast vertical chasm within [[Kar-Thal]]. Formed entirely from obsidian-glass, the structure descends deep into the city’s lower strata and is used exclusively for trials of endurance and initiation. The Stonesteps are among the most revered—and feared—rites of passage in [[Duranthi]] society.

|Function=~~Only~~ those seeking ~~to join~~ the ranks of [[~~Rite-Keepers]], [[~~Stonewardens]], ~~or resonance-bound civic orders are permitted to ascend or descend the Stonesteps. Each trial involves not only physical endurance but harmonic stillness~~, ~~balance of breath~~, and ~~mental clarity under spiritual pressure. The stair’s resonant surface amplifies internal dissonance, making emotional or tonal instability a danger to the supplicant~~.

|Function=The Stonesteps serve as the official path of initiation for those seeking entry into the ranks of the [[Stonewarden|Stonewardens]]. The journey along the spiral is a test of balance, memory, silence, and resolve.

Rite-Keepers ~~refer to~~ the ~~path as “the descending question,”~~ and initiates must complete the ~~passage without breaking~~ silence ~~or stumbling tone~~.

Each step is deliberately uneven and lightless, forcing initiates to maintain presence of mind and inward focus while exposed to vertiginous depth.

|History=Believed to have been carved by Orasians during the late [[Era of Isolation]], the Stonesteps were shaped by sustained heat-channeling and pressure-guided scoring techniques, likely guided by the earliest Duranthi stone-keepers. Legends speak of aspirants who faltered during descent—now remembered as cautionary figures within memorial carvings lining the chasm's upper rim.

The structure became a formalized initiation path following the first concord rites and remains a threshold of personal transformation in Duranthi tradition.

|Notable Locations=* '''The Descent Gate''' – A sealed entry chamber guarded by the Rite-Keepers, where aspirants undergo ritual stilling and ancestral preparation before the trial begins.

* '''The Midline Alcove''' – A narrow landing halfway down the spiral used for rest and silent reflection. Some initiates carve brief ancestral marks here before continuing.

* '''The Final Step''' – A smooth platform at the base of the chasm. No movement or sound is permitted here; only the weight of presence is held before return.

|Cultural Practices=Initiates enter the Stonesteps alone and unarmed. They are forbidden from speaking or leaving marks during the trial itself. Descent and ascent must be completed in a single attempt—pausing is allowed, but withdrawal is considered failure.

Those who complete the Stonesteps wear a narrow obsidian band on their left arm—a symbol of endured silence and memory.

}}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{District Infobox
+{{Districts of Kar-Thal Infobox
 |Name=Stonesteps
+|Image=[[File:Terasil - Kar-Thal-Stonesteps 01.jpg|center|frameless]]
 |City=[[Kar-Thal]]
 |Realm=[[Terasil]]
 |Function=Initiation Spiral and Ritual Trial Site
 }}
-{{District Sections
+{{Districts of Kar-Thal Sections
-|Introduction=The Stonesteps are a sacred and perilous spiral stair carved along the inner face of a vast vertical chasm within Kar-Thal. Formed entirely from obsidian-glass, the structure descends deep into the city’s lower strata, and is used exclusively for trials of endurance, spiritual [[attunement]], and civic initiation. The Stonesteps are among the most revered—and feared—rites of passage in [[Orasian]] society.
+|Introduction=The Stonesteps are a sacred and perilous spiral stair carved along the inner face of a vast vertical chasm within [[Kar-Thal]]. Formed entirely from obsidian-glass, the structure descends deep into the city’s lower strata and is used exclusively for trials of endurance and initiation. The Stonesteps are among the most revered—and feared—rites of passage in [[Duranthi]] society.
-|Function=Only those seeking to join the ranks of [[Rite-Keepers]], [[Stonewardens]], or resonance-bound civic orders are permitted to ascend or descend the Stonesteps. Each trial involves not only physical endurance but harmonic stillness, balance of breath, and mental clarity under spiritual pressure. The stair’s resonant surface amplifies internal dissonance, making emotional or tonal instability a danger to the supplicant.
+|Function=The Stonesteps serve as the official path of initiation for those seeking entry into the ranks of the [[Stonewarden|Stonewardens]]. The journey along the spiral is a test of balance, memory, silence, and resolve.
-Rite-Keepers refer to the path as “the descending question,” and initiates must complete the passage without breaking silence or stumbling tone.
+Each step is deliberately uneven and lightless, forcing initiates to maintain presence of mind and inward focus while exposed to vertiginous depth.
+|History=Believed to have been carved by Orasians during the late [[Era of Isolation]], the Stonesteps were shaped by sustained heat-channeling and pressure-guided scoring techniques, likely guided by the earliest Duranthi stone-keepers. Legends speak of aspirants who faltered during descent—now remembered as cautionary figures within memorial carvings lining the chasm's upper rim.
+The structure became a formalized initiation path following the first concord rites and remains a threshold of personal transformation in Duranthi tradition.
+|Notable Locations=* '''The Descent Gate''' – A sealed entry chamber guarded by the Rite-Keepers, where aspirants undergo ritual stilling and ancestral preparation before the trial begins.
+* '''The Midline Alcove''' – A narrow landing halfway down the spiral used for rest and silent reflection. Some initiates carve brief ancestral marks here before continuing.
+* '''The Final Step''' – A smooth platform at the base of the chasm. No movement or sound is permitted here; only the weight of presence is held before return.
+|Cultural Practices=Initiates enter the Stonesteps alone and unarmed. They are forbidden from speaking or leaving marks during the trial itself. Descent and ascent must be completed in a single attempt—pausing is allowed, but withdrawal is considered failure.
+Those who complete the Stonesteps wear a narrow obsidian band on their left arm—a symbol of endured silence and memory.
 }}