The Festival of Life and Death was a religious celebration to honor the Goa'uld goddess Selket and served as a training exercise for new Ashrak.[1]
Overview[]
The festivals took place on the planet Lira-ke, five times a year and with each festival lasting five days. During the festival, acolytes of Selket would set assassination targets for each other in order to see who could accumulate the most silent, untraceable abductions that are brought to Selket's palace unharmed before the end of the festival. On the last day of each festival, the victims would them be ritually sacrificed. Which were the only days of the year when Selket's presence on the planet was guaranteed.[1]
Certain portions of the population were designated off-limits. It included those families who had already lost members to the festivals or who provided vital functions in Selket's regime. Goa'uld were immune from attack during four of the five ceremonies, and most would be off-world during the fifth, the year-ending Festival of Darkness and Stars. The rest of the population was fair game. A kill count of five subjects per Ashrak were at minimum expected.[1]
Participation in the festivals was mandatory. All subjects were given bracelets that had to be worn at all times during the festival and couldn't be removed without a priest's electronic key. These bracelets came in either gold, silver or copper and designated those under the protection of Selket (whether for loss of family members or for their need in skills in ship building), those who were under a death sentence for treason or heresy, those who couldn't be captured until the last day, and those who were viable targets for the ashrak.[2]
Methods of tracking in an urban environment were utilized included; computerized monitoring of public venues, the use of disguises in the crowds that celebrated, teaming up to herd prey into a trap, and kidnapping from secured locations.[1]
The families of the victims received compensation for their loss.[1] (RPG: "First Steps: The Stargate Unexplored Worlds Roleplaying Sourcebook")
References[]
[]
| Individuals | Aquinas • Jessine |
| Planets | Lira-ke |
| Terms | Festival of Darkness and Stars • Festival of Life and Death |