The most somber of the seasonal rites, the Darkest Night of Winter is a ritual dedicated to endurance and perseverance rather than zeal, strength or wisdom. This rite is a scanty meal shared between predators, a reminder of lean times and an exhortation to endure and thrive despite the lean times to come.
As the title suggests, this rite is typically performed on the winter solstice. Other popular dates include New Year’s Eve, or the new moon closest to the end of December.
Performing the Rite
The rite is always performed when the sky is at its blackest; attempting a spiritual reinforcement of endurance requires adverse conditions. The presence of moonlight at the rite is considered an affirmation of weakness, as if the People were unable to endure poor conditions without the presence of their mother.
The participants meet under the open sky, and traditionally wear very little in order to defy the elements. Mountaintops and rooftops are particularly valued gathering places. The ritemaster opens with a ritual greeting and invocation to the spirits, and sets some form of food in the center. The food is traditionally meager for all the werewolves concerned: a single deer carcass for a gathering of multiple packs, or a solitary skinny rabbit for a pack. The rite then moves to an invocation of those who died during the past year. Each participant repeats the names of those Forsaken lost to the packs gathered, and offers some memory, however, short, of the deceased. The ritemaster then divides the food among the werewolves present, stating that even on this meager fare and under this hostile sky, the People will endure.
Unlike the other seasonal rites, the Darkest Night of Winter does not typically end with the assembled werewolves rushing off to hunt. It has become something of a tradition, particularly in Europe, for the participants to then retire to a bar, pub or restaurant for a peaceful bout of drinking, something of a respectful wake for the fallen. Even the most bitter of rivals are expected to get along with one another on this night. It doesn’t always work out that way, but the ideal is still valued.
