The Rite of the Athame
The purpose of this Rite is to create the ritual knife required for the final Rite. Obtain thy bodies weight (to the nearest drachm) in unadulterated silver. This must then be refined and smelted using Lassiners Method for the Production of Virgin Silver. When completed, enchant the raw metal with two pawns and a rook of the Arts True Power, before forging into a fine Athame, according to Ricard of Verdi’s specifications for Ritual Foci. The sacred knife must then be inscribed with the words “Macto ipse ad me”. The Athame must be wrapped in leather of violet hue, and Immersed in the Alchemical Essence of True Silver until required for the Rite of Passage. It must not be touched until then.
The Rite of the Sigil
The prime ingredient for this Rite is the Heart of an Earth Elemental. Follow Rallards instructions for obtaining this, but ensure that the Gnome is of correct power – it must have a might no less than the pre-Liches magnitude of Years. As thou doubtless are aware, the material essence of a Rock Spirit can only be forged over a salamanders heat. Before the forging can commence however, the brand there to be made must be given form.
The design is of the utmost import, and it must be of personal significance. My suggested design is thus: Four Circular Quadrains, and five Pentameters between.
Quadrains to the North and South must take the form of the Verditius Runes of Corpus and Vim respectively. The Eastern quadrain should be inscribed with three lines from the Kitab al-Azif, fourth chapter and verse, pertaining to the task at hand. These three lines are to be written in three different scripts. The last quadrain should take the form of Umbofrices Sigil, although instead of the mark of thy parens place the Alpha-and-Omega – these are thy master now, and in place of thine Arts, inscribe the symbol of Longevity.
The Umbilical pentameter should bear the Seal of Solomon, Sign of True Magicks. The other pentameters should bear spell-marks as ye sees fit.
The Rite of the Sigil begins as the forging starts, and ends as the brand, still blazing from the salamanders fire, is applied to the left side of thy bare chest, above the heart.
The Rite of Gathering
In this Rite, the Magus recalls all parts of his being that he has given away or lost throughout his years of pursuing the Ars Magica.
Every Invested item created by Ye must be located and brought together. All materials created via Magic that have not been consumed or destroyed, along with any created entities such as homunculi and automata must also be collected into one place. Using appropriate magics, all existant Arcane Connections must be summoned to the Pile. Finally, the collection of the Gathered must be surmounted by thy familiar, should thee have one. A spell must then be cast that simultaneously negates magicks, destroys matter and withers life. The resulting dust should be placed within a Rosewood box, for the Rite of Blood.
Note that only the Athame is immune to this Rite. Thy books that ye have penned even are subject to this Rite, and form part of the Gathered.
The Rite of Cleansing
At this stage on the Path to Lichdom it is necessary to Purify oneself, removing the corporeal body from all sources of contamination outside that from ones own soul. Ones Sanctum must be forsaken and ye must dwell in a place where no force of supernature holds sway.
All contact with those that serve a Power or draw power from a Realm must be denied. Ward spells that keep out numerous beasts and minions of the Realms must be cast daily to prevent interference. Whilst these Wards essentially prevent physical contact or close proximity, the preferred distance of isolation is four stadia. This limit may be breached by the unmundane no more than seven times before the completion of the Path.
It is therefore recommended that all materials required for the next three Rites are gathered together at this ritual site. I spoke earlier of a time limit within which the Rites must be accomplished. There is a further stricture – The Seven Rites must also be separated by a minimum of seven days.
The Rite commences when the Magus establishes the Wards at his ritual spot. All the time that Ye are not occupied with the further Rites must be spent contemplating and cleansing thy soul. The Kabbalic rite of Holding the Ten Breathes was utilized by me, although any similar sacred contemplation should suffice.
The Rite of Isolation
This Rite involves the renounciation of all ties and bonds. The Four Powers of the Divinity, the Infernus, Arcadia and Reason must be denounced and have any pacts declared Void.
By means of four spells, prepared in advance, all ties are denied. Each must have been created in an area rich in the power in opposition to that which the spell is designed to denounce (Faerie and Reason can be said to be most immicable to each other), and must be of at least fifth magnitude.
In addition, with the completion of this Rite; all pacts, whether Arcane or Mundane, between friends or between enemies, are reneged and declared Void. The presumptive lich must have no ties linking him to any power bar himself when he attempts to breach the Gate between life and death.
The Rite of Blood
This Rite is perhaps the most important of the Ascent to Lichdom, as it involves the manufacture of the elixer that will run in thine veins and sustain thy life. The vital Ichor contains many rare and divers ingredients.
Forming the base is 20 ounces of thy personal potion of Longevity that has sustained thine life ere now. This must be placed within a bowl of finest beaten gold, the specifications of which will be found within Ricard of Verdi’s most erudite tome. The bowl should be suspended over a fire of century old holly wood and two hundred year old yew wood. These woods should be in equal proportions, the first taken from a tree near a birth site, the second cut from a grave-tree. The two woods must be seasoned for seventy-seven days.
Once the liquid is simmering gently, the following ingredients must be carefully blended in, one grain at a time, in order, until all are absorbed. At no time must the fluid within the bowl boil. The ingredients are:
3 scruples of Powdered roots from the Oldest living Oak tree
8 drachms of Powdered bones of a stillborn lamb
8 drachms of Dust derived from the Rite of Gathering
10 ounces of Blood from a True and Ancient Dragon
1 pint of Alchemists Aqua Vitae
Seven hours must the Ichor simmer. Every time the level of the liquid within the bowl drops below 3 pints, the difference must be made up with thrice distilled mead wine of the finest quality. After the required time, the elixer is prepared. The bowl should be sealed by stretching a piece of virgin calf vellum taut over the bowl and marking it with the Seal of Solomon in violet ink until the Ultimate Rite.
The ending commences in the finality of the foundation.
The Rite of Passage
This Rite is the simplest of all. After focussing thy mind on the task ahead by the Composition of an Invocation – perhaps to the Powers-that-Be, or to thyself, requesting for Life Eternal, it is to be recited whilst cutting the veins that carry thy Lifes Blood with the prepared Athame whilst simultaneously drinking the Elixer of Life. At this point ye will either live forever, or die immediately.