All the towns citizens were within the square where a large runic tower was erected before them. Normally, this tower was off limits to the citizens, yet for the next three days it is the center of attention.
This five leveled runic tower is dark silver with a large groove running vertically up the base of the structure.
The towers is two sided with a vertical groove running up each section. The runes on each side of the tower test for two different things.
On one side it tested a candidates spiritual root quality, the tower would shoot a light from the base all the way to the top of the tower depending on the results.
If the child's roots were of inferior quality it would go up only one level, moderate it would go up two and so on.
To test this, a kid would place his hand on the tower which would syphon the worlds mana from stones within and attempt to pour it into the child.
If the kids body reacted, it would absorb a little of the worlds mana causing him to become what is known as squire. The lowest level of cultivator.
Depending on the rate in which the mana was absorbed, it would determine his root quality.
If one was found to absorb the mana, the next step would begin. The test taker would rotate around to the opposite side of the large tower where five more levels were visible.
At this stage the Justiciar would come to the test taker, take a knife and cut his hand over the stone bowl which was dyed red after so many tests. The bowl would collect the blood and the tower would shoot a light up from the base of the tower.
Bloodlines were a bit tricky to determine, and the exact bloodline couldn't be revealed without a more in depth test which weren't given to every town.
However, the quality could be determined. Bloodlines were separated into different levels starting from the lowest at Common, to Rare, Legendary, Mythic, and Divine. Yet no one was sure whether this was truly the highest tier.
Cultivation on this planet was still in its adolescence and many mysteries were still to be discovered.
For the next few days all the children of the town would be tested, thousands of kids would have their futures determined. Everyone in the town dressed their children in their fanciest of clothes. Which for most, were just clean rags that they didn't spend wear while working.
Some of the wealthier kids wore beast skins and different trinkets, only the town leaders son wore fine silks which were purchased by the caravan which just arrived. The grant test was set over a three day period since there were so many in attendance, the first day the oldest of them would be tested.
Those who were at 15, these next generation children had only a year or so left before they were drafted into a local lords army, join the hunters guild, or started to work the field like their parents.
Many of the kids were excited, who wouldn't be?
One 30 second test could tell you whether you could become something greater. If found to be a cultivator, instantly your status, and that of your family's would rise within the town.
Parents were almost more excited than the kids, after working so hard for so long, they yearned for status and the comforts that came with it.
Cultivator families were able to earn much more money and have more access to goods than the mortal townspeople. They could apply to become guards on caravan's, instantly leading a troop of mortal warriors.
They could be scouted by the local lord, gifted land and taken into their service. This was the dream for a lot of mortals, who didn't want to become one of the nobility?
A few years of good service and they could be given a town of their own, if they have exploits on the battlefield they could be given a rank within the peerage. Anything was possible.
Outside of the noble families were the sects, these groups lived outside the influence of local lords. Only dukes and above had enough cultivators to challenge their might.
These sects pursued the great Dao and didn't trouble themselves with worldly mortal matters. Yet they couldn't get away from having to come around mortals to find disciples. These sects lived within the large mountain ranges across the continent, looking down on the mortal world.
They simply cultivated within their mountains and competed against other cultivators around the world. They traditionally left the mortals alone, this was more for the mortals safety than that of the cultivator.
Nearby the town of Varun, was the righteous Jade Serpent Sect who was attending the Grand Testing. Sects generally leaned one of two ways, Righteous and Demonic.
Only righteous sects were allowed to live within the borders of the Thrackan Empire, this is because they lived their lives to uphold justice within the world.
Demonic cultivators were deemed evil due to their aggressive nature and unnatural practices. Some demonic cultivators manipulate blood as a weapon, some can create corpse soldiers from the dead, and some even turn themselves into ghosts to gain everlasting life!
There are endless roads one can take to cultivate, but some more extreme methods are shunned by the vast majority.
Yet it is all about perception, a righteous sect could wipe out another simply because they had a dispute. Power is power.
All the nearby powers came and attended the great grand testing that was now beginning, a large bell rung in the central towers three times to signal the beginning of the grand event.
Near the runic tower, a small man in silk robes accompanied by armored guards walked onto a small stand. Ahead of him was a small stone with a runic symbol engraved on it. As he spoke, his voice was louder and reached everyone in attendance.
"Welcome all! It is this year, the year of the dragon, 3892 on the Thrakan calendar which we hold the town of Varun's first official testing."
Cheers erupted from the crowd, this was a big deal for their town. Not only were they officially being recognized as a cultivator town, but over the next couple days new dragons and tigers could emerge.
The small man cleared his through,
"On this day we will hopefully welcome more cultivator warriors into our ranks, to defend the town, and to strengthen the empire!"
The crowd cheered once again.
The town was close to the southern border, but also the Orc infested forest to the northeast. There were occurrences of townsfolk disappearing with the smell of orc left behind.
More warriors meant more protection, yet this statement by the Justiciar also held deeper meaning. He stated his clear intention to take the found cultivators into the service of the count within the empire.
This caused a few of the local sects, mercenaries, and the town leader's faces to become stiff. Yet all hope wasn't lost. In the end, it was up to the child to chose his path, strength is the determining factor in the world. No count had the the power to overshadow great sects and large mercenary groups.
The children lined up one by one, and the testing began. Local started to play music and performers started to dance and sing on nearby roads. While most were attending the Grand Test, it simply was impossible for all to see. If something truly important happened, the bell would ring an they could come quickly to see the news.
Valkir, wasn't interested in the ceremony on this day, and would only attend on the third. When the child Tristan would find out his fate.
Valkir decided to take the child he purchased for many gold coins to the blacksmith. They were bound for the frozen south and the rage which Tristan called clothes wouldn't suffice.
They walked into the store where a small burly man no taller than four feet greeted them in a deep voice, "Welcome to Darnek's Forge, what can we do for you today?"
Tristan walked in behind Valkir nervously holding his small black fox closely,
Valkir set an even bigger bag of gold than he used to purchase Tristan and winked at the dwarf,
"Master Dwarf, we're going to need clothes, armor, and a weapon of the child choosing. Go on Tristan, look around."
Tristan's eyes glowed with excitement, as he started running around the store to find a weapon that called to him. Every warrior had to make this choice, a weapon is a lifeline for a warrior. Tristan being a cultivator, couldn't avoid this.
Is was then that he saw it.