Daoine Teague Feer

Daoine Teague Feer also called The Star Enchantment was an ancient ritual performed by the forest elves of Shilmista in the Snowflake Mountains.

History
The ritual was usually attended only by elves. Cadderly and Danica were offered the honor of attendance by Elbereth, the forest elven prince, after helping defeat a group of marauding goblins in the forest of Shilmista. Cadderly followed his love of knowledge, watching and recording the ritual rather than participating in it himself. Elbereth later included Cadderly in the ceremony.

Procedure
The ritual took place at night, preferably under a full moon. It could only be performed by an elf of the ruling line, for example, by Galladel the king or Elbereth the prince of the forest elves.

All elves attending the ritual dressed in their ceremonial robes and gathered in an open spot in the forest with a clear view of the starlit sky. They formed a circle and began the song of Shilmista. The song started as a spoken chant with the elves walking in a circle and lifting bowls towards the sky. Later, the walk became a dance and the chant a melodic song. Cadderly described the song as "sad and sweet at the same time and edged by the experience of centuries long past". The ceremony went on for more than an hour and ended gently, again becoming a chant and a walk and finally fading away.

The ceremonial leader then moved to the first elf. He took his bowl and quietly chanted to the heavens and the millions of stars. Then he reached into the bowl and threw its contents skyward. A glitter of stardust then descended over the standing elf.

Effects on elves
The Star Enchantment was an ancient ritual of rejuvenation—it caused a cleansing of body and soul. When the stardust settled on the elf it seemed to make his or her eyes sparkle more and their hair shine more brightly, and it left the elf glowing from inner contentment. The stardust cleaned the body from dirt and blood and even healed wounds. From inside the shower, one saw a million stars reflected a million times. The stars themselves seemed to be reaching out and communicating a sense of universal harmony, a rightness of nature.

Effects on humans
The ritual did not seem to have as strong an effect on humans as it did on elves. After receiving the ritual, it allows one to see the world as an elf did, if only for a short time. The enchantment lifted the spirits of humans as well and formed a strong bond of friendship with the elves and their forest.

To have the opportunity to attend, the Daoine Teague Feer was said to be "offering elven experience more fully than any book ever could."

Appearances

 * Novels
 * In Sylvan Shadows