Editing Forest Ribbon Trail (section)

== Preparation ==
To prepare, the Finder will capture a prey animal without using any tools, and bind it indoors with ribbons in the middle of a diagram. Then a ritual will be performed to bring the Finder into the Trail.<ref name=":2">As preparation, Finders (with Family assistance) will capture a wild prey animal (with restrictions on the nature of prey animal and manner of treatment [ask if you want more details on specificity]) without use of drug or tool, carry it to an indoor space, and bind it to the furnishings with ribbon, securely covering its eyes, before finishing the preparations by surrounding it with a diagram.  The ritual will then be conducted to take the practitioner to the start of the trail.  This creates the escape clause for the Forest Ribbon Trail; the prey animal will appear regularly during the journey, with a set form; it could be of the prey animal itself, of a different prey animal, or a human of an age respective to the animal’s, with clothes or garb that references the animal it once was.  It will be a companion, helping to point out items and landmarks.  It may be nonverbal, cryptic, or unwilling to offer direct help, limiting itself to hints or suggestions.<br><br>The true use of this part of the ritual is that the practitioner, should they find themselves in dire straits or unable to return home, can make a simple request to have the prey animal meet the practitioner’s fate instead.  The practitioner will be returned to the room the ritual was conducted.  The ability and relative ease of doing this is a large part of why the Forest Ribbon Trail is often a beginner ritual for Finders. - [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ti2MftECN9PloDlHdjTGlMbwXPxf0GGOyNl-c4OYKCs/edit FINDER] document, The First Finding: The Forest Ribbon Trail</ref>

Around the animal is a simple circle, along with an inscription written around it in an unbroken line, such as<blockquote>Across bloodless stone and boneless thorn, twixt unspeaking tree and ribbons unseeing.  Hand in paw, we walk the forest ribbon trail.</blockquote>The exact wording of the inscription can vary and will influence the Path's form.<ref>Draw an empty circle beneath the beast.  Around the perimeter, in unbroken cursive, write:

Across bloodless stone and boneless thorn, twixt unspeaking tree and ribbons unseeing.  Hand in paw, we walk the forest ribbon trail.

Attempt to write it so the words are even in size and the ending meets the beginning.  There should be no break between words nor sentences.

The words above are not important for the ritual itself, and there may indeed be better ones, but they should help serve as a lens through which to clarify the path.  You may add your own words if there is a type of place you’re most comfortable, or a place you’re unesay traveling through.  By default, the motif will feature trees with a ribbon tied to every branch.  Ask me if you would like suggestions for wording.

- [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/06/18/2-3-spoilers-spell-notes-2/ 2.3 Bonus: Spell Notes #3]</ref> After wrapping themselves in ribbon, the Practitioner calls out to the Wolf, asking it to bring them to the Trail so that it "might" eat them. The wording of this incantation can vary and helps determine the Wolf's form.<ref>To actually carry out the ritual, kneel within the circle, and wrap yourself in ribbon.  Feet first, then neck, then eyes, then hands.  Cinch the ribbon tight with your teeth and without letting go of it, ask the wolf to bring you to the Forest Ribbon Trail so that it might eat you. Be careful to use ‘might’.

Again, wording matters.  If there is a ‘wolf’ you are not comfortable facing, or a particular ‘wolf’ you would rather face, you could change the phrasing. ‘He’, ‘the old bitch’, ‘the beast’, etc. - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/06/18/2-3-spoilers-spell-notes-2/ 2.3 Bonus: Spell Notes #3]</ref>

After walking the Trail for the first time, it can be used as a pathway to reach distant or guarded places; by including a destination in the diagram, they will awaken there instead of in the place they performed the ritual on completing the Trail.<ref name=":6">Finally, on visits after the first, the Forest Ribbon Trail can be walked as a way to get from one place to another.  The destination is indicated as part of the drawing of the diagram, and on waking, the practitioner will be at their destination.  In addition to being a way to travel long distances, one can pass through barriers and effects without being restricted by them.  While this serves as a way to access demesnes or secured areas, one should be cautioned that the Finder will be unconscious and very frequently be in less than optimal shape on arrival. - [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ti2MftECN9PloDlHdjTGlMbwXPxf0GGOyNl-c4OYKCs/edit FINDER] document, The First Finding: The Forest Ribbon Trail</ref>