Worldbuilding Prompt #610 - Hazing in The House of Morgrave

This post was inspired by a writing prompt in the Worldbuilding community - Worldbuilding Prompt #610 - Cult Rituals.

It's a little snippet from my Confluence setting, a Dungeons & Dragons world where the four elemental planes collide.

Image created by AI in Nightcafe Studio

"Pour the bloodwine from your chalices into the font, my brethren," the scarlet-clad leader intoned solemnly.

Pushing back similarly-coloured scarlet hoods to reveal the grey-white faces of the dead, the circle of his companions stepped forward and one after the other poured red liquid from their golden chalices. Outside, hailstones clattered against the leaded roof of the Great Hall.

As the last of the vampires finished pouring, the leader continued his sermon. "Let us give thanks for this wonderful, bounteous new world we have found. Let us be glad that the House of Morgrave is the first and only vampire clan in Confluence. Let us be especially thankful for a world where there is no sun to blight and constrain us."

The vampires nodded and murmured their responses to his litany. The final phrase elicited an especially enthusiastic response. Confluence had no sun to illuminate it; light was provided by the white-hot and orange flames of the Elemental Plane of Fire, and the pale blues of the Elemental Plane of Air. Somehow, these made the crops grow, although no-one could explain how. With no sun, vampires would have free rein to hunt when they wanted.

"Now let us depart to our duties, thinking of Brother Mazius who cannot be with us this day."

Brother Mazius had an essential job; to monitor events in the capital (and Confluence's one and only city), Sharrow's Hold, and ensure that any other vampires who came through the Tower Gate were either swiftly inducted into the House of Morgrave, or just as swiftly disposed of.

As the assembled vampires started to disperse, the leader touched one on the arm. "Brother Eddaric, there is one more ritual you, and you alone must perform."

Brother Eddaric stopped in his tracks, a look of fear briefly crossing his face. "Y.. yes, My Lord Morgrave ?"

Lord Morgrave continued in an even tone. "You are the newest of us. You have been among the ranks of the undead for how long now ?"

"Six weeks, my Lord," Eddaric responded, an increasingly worried tone in his voice. He was clearly afraid he had done something wrong and would be punished. Lord Morgrave's punishments were legendary.

But Lord Morgrave made no hint that this was the case. "Brother Eddaric, I noticed certain.... noises.... during the ceremony. Being lucky enough to be among the ranks of the undead for a mere six weeks, I know your body is still adapting. Certain processes are continuing for a while after death."

He reached inside his cape and proffered a small brass tube.

"The bacteria in your intestines are carrying on with the process of digesting the last of the food you ate when you were alive. I am glad that a sense of smell is not something we vampires are gifted with. But the noises you were emitting were... distracting. This must not be repeated. Take this tube and insert it where no sun shines, so that the gases you emit pass smoothly and no longer raucously interrupt the solemnity of our ritual."

And with that, Lord Morgrave turned and glided silently away. Brother Eddaric thus did not see the huge grin on his face.