Tragoidia

The Tragoidia is a celebration of death and life among the Satyr Changelings.

Overview

A part of the life cycle, death comes to everyone eventually. Satyrs know and accept this yet their greatest fear is to become decrepit. With old age comes the weakening of the body: strength dissipates, desire lessens, abilities wane, and the Mists swallow the soul.

Satyrs live hard and fast. Ever since they took on the Changeling Way after the Shattering, they have had to learn to live with death. Many grump satyrs, teetering on the edge of the Mists, prefer to take charge of their own destiny. They don't want to slip away into darkness by gradually forgetting friends and memories. They choose instead to end their changeling existence among loved ones and with their faculties still intact. They want everyone to remember them as they were: in their prime, and not as a has-been.

Changelings keep the Mists back with pure determination and willpower. By refusing to release their connection to the wondrous, they hold tight to the Dreaming. When a satyr determines the time has come for their tragoidia, they lose their will to live and let themselves slip into the Mists, but only after having the most raucous party of their life.

When their Banality reaches a critical mass, they may request the Calephetos. This wordless dirge carries in its notes all the sorrow ever known by the satyr kith. It demands a choice from the grump to be made then and there. The mere sound of this song draws tears from all who hear it. One satyr starts it, and all the others join in gradually with their own instruments until the celebrating grump's own chords are added. The notes come instinctually, born from the very depths of the satyr soul. As each satyr takes a turn in the spotlight, they reaffirm their dedication to life until, finally, the grump takes their turn and must chose between living and dying. Often, by the time the grump has called for the song, they have already decided; but if they choose life they bleat their joy and renewed commitment. If not, they chant their fondest memories in rhyme. The party begins.

The Party

The tragoidia bears weighty significance to satyrs; after all, it marks the end of a life. At a tragoidia, satyrs celebrate their own lives, remember and toast the dying one, and reaffirm their loyalty to the Dreaming. Usually held outdoors after dark, in a forest or field, these clamorous events begin with a torchlit procession into the festival clearing. Everyone dresses in layered silks and leathers that cover their bodies from neck to hoof. The dying satyr ends the procession. As he or she enters the clearing, the other satyrs decorate their hair with flowers and put a string of nuts around their neck; symbols of life and physical pleasure. The others draw designs on his or her face with berry-juice dyes and put clover rings on their fingers. Once they have been adorned, all the other satyrs crowd around them to offer congratulations on a long, wonderful life. They kiss and embrace the celebrant, cheering the whole time, pat him or her on the pack and slap them on the bottom. During this merrymaking, the music begins and all attending break into dance or song.

Everyone puts on their brightest face for the event, despite the tragic occasion. They play and sing the Calephetos, or "Dance of Death," a song traditional to the tragoidia. Its many movements last the entire night and eventually build the mood into a frenzy. Soon clothing starts to fall away and the dances become more erotic. Before too long, the silken garments cover the ground with a rainbow of color. The satyrs step on them or pick them up to swirl them and wrap one another as they dance. Mortals with a Banality of 5 or lower who are within a few miles may sense the primal energies, and find themselves aroused to dancing, sex, or love without realizing why.

Laughter and words of love punctuate the music as the evening unfolds. Fine satyr-brews quench thirsts and feeds the flames of passion. Childlings run and play, dance and laugh. Wilders flirt and grope, dance and tease. Grumps mostly share tales from the guest of honor's life, taste the many beverages offered, and exchange witticisms among themselves.

During the event, the guest of honor will find themselves presented with every indulgence they could possibly want. They may take advantage of any or all of them. Beautiful satyrs, both male and female, tease them with caresses, nips, and whispered words. Praise runs high for them, and no one may criticize the dying one. The others focus their attention on getting them to the peak of arousal and keeping them there. The grump may choose someone or several someones for a more intimate dance, which they perform in the middle of the clearing. The event then becomes an uninhibited orgy in honor of life and the satyr way of living it.

Sunrise

As the sun rises over the horizon, its light hits the sleeping bodies of the satyrs where they have collapsed from real or pretended exhaustion. From among the tangled limbs, the dying one emerges. They look over their sleeping comrades, many of whom only feign sleep as tradition dictates, then they turn and walk eastward into the rising sun. They never return. In this way, the grump can leave their life with one last memory of its glory and passion.

References

1. CTD. Kithbook: Satyrs, pp. 33-34.