Mating ritual
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There is one important ritual for Shiji-Long who found their special someone. This ritual is not only a symbolic one to show their love and affinity, but rather establishes a real bond. It is rare, but there can be more than just a pair of soulmates. In rare cases a bond can be formed with three or even four individuals. Bonds face no limitations of gender or sex. The partners need to collect a few items to appease an elder dragon, which are depending on which blessing they want to receive. One of the three 'gods' will perform the ceremony and bless the bond partners with either fortune, wisdom, or courage. |
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The partners enter the lair of the gods together, placing their offerings on the altar and waiting for the god to approve. They then step into the sacred spring, holding onto one another. The chosen god will touch the water and bless them for the rest of their lives. The indirect touch of the elder forms a telepathic bond between the soulmates and binds them for eternity. |
At last, the soulmates exchange at least one of their scales, which will tick to their body and merge with their own scales over time. These scales will stay on them even after a reincarnation.
Funeral Rituals
Even though Shiji-Long can't die of natural causes like old age. Some unfortuanately still perish due to illness or injury. Especially after the elder war, it became necessary to bury and honour the fallen ones.
The different regions of Shengdao developed different forms of funerals and rites to honour their dead. The central regions usually stick to physical funerals, burying either the body or an urn with ash, with it being more of a quiet occurrence. The northern regions in the mountains usually tend to burn their dead, but keep the urns as a memorial either at home or at designated places.
The tropical regions do it a bit differently. While incineration is usually performed, the ash is scattered in the ocean and the Shiji-Long rather celebrate the life of the deceased instead of mourning their death.
While the rites differ from region to region, there are two things that are universal all over Shengdao. The dead are treated with the utmost respect. Since magic is flowing through everything, Shiji-Long believe that the essence of a deceased being goes back to the world to live on as another part of it. No matter how it is done, Shiji-Long always offer funerary goods of all kinds, believing they will aid the deceased in the after life.
Some think that a Shiji can reincarnate into a new, stronger form, if they would just accumulate enough magic within them, but there is no known knowledge of this.