Initiation

Initiation is the process of becoming an Initiate, a user of Dark. This is typically done by imbibing a Dark Cordial, sometimes one purpose made to guide them to a certain path, sometimes following a ritual. People who do so typically black out for a few minutes and experience what is often referred to as the First Dream. The First Dream is usually unsettling and vivid. It often contains clues for understanding what first Paths an Initiate has awoken to.

Once a person Initiates, they become able to telepathically communicate (so long as they and their target are in the aura of Dark), sense Dark and otherwise detect Workings and the telepathic communications of others, and to reach out and mentally 'touch' the Dark.

The first few weeks to years (depending on personal skill and age of Initiate) are referred to as the Actualization period. During this time an Initiate can not learn now Spells, they can learn only the ones they got from the Initiation. They can receive help from someone else in figuring out how to use those spells, but this requires knowledge of what spells they awoke with.

Medically speaking, Initiation rewires your brain. Some skeptics have said that a person who Initiates cannot rightly be said to be the same person they were before, and there's some truth to that. Simply put their brains permanently work different - there and controls there that other people don't have, and it's not unheard of for someone to undergo changes in personality and disposition post Initiation. Most also continue to experience their strange dreams. A Darkmare, as some call them, is notable because they are never in color - they are always gray scale. The imagery within the dreams tends to reflect the paths and personal experiences of the dreamer, and sometimes there are other people there with them.

Mechanics
Mechanically speaking, Initiation allows a character who didn't at character creation to gain a Vigor stat. The exact effects of this can be altered somewhat (see Dark Cordial).

Conventions
The exact details around how Initiation works is highly variable and depends mostly on culture.

In the US side of the AEC, it's largely up to the individual, with most people having a sort of small get together or party before Initiating. The conventions in the USA are similar to those of modern day baptism - it's a cause for celebration. For more scholarly-inclined people they usually have a doctor present, while those part of one of the Dark cults (most Americans) tend to have a religious leader. Usually this is a leader from within The Way of Onyx. Sometimes a psychologist or doctor is also present. There are also some rare places in America, typically in poorer more rural areas, that Dark use is looked down upon in. It's a rare perspective and their numbers shrink every year, but they are an incredibly vocal minority.

Traditions are similar in South America, though the celebrations are typically a little larger - usually with more family members present. In central America the even itself is MC'd by the head of the family. In Brazil it's typically an excuse to go drinking and partying - they believe there that the partying and good vibes are likely to prevent someone from Initiating into the Path of Death or Path of Decay. There has been some correlation between partying and the Path of Fire, though in Brazil the Path of Fire isn't viewed as a curse, but rather as a sign of a soldier or defender of people.

Throughout most of Europe, people tend to consider Initiation as an incredibly personal thing. It's more common to simply Initiate and then to talk to your local priest/member of the Order of St. Cyprian if things go poorly. For this reason, Europeans are statistically somewhat more likely to end up on the Path of Death or Decay, though most who do simply learn to master their Dark use enough to being walking a second Path.

Africa is all over the place. The abilitiy to Initiate with a proper cordial is generally seen as cause for celebration, though there are small communities in Africa where people are generally against Dark use at all. Generally places that were early adopters of Christianity/subjects of mission trips. Unlike the American communities, these don't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. This is fueled in part by the fact that while parts of Africa are not very rich mega cities, this has largely fueled the disparity to make the poorer parts even poorer. In this places it's not uncommon to initiated with a False Cordial, often resulting in botched Initiations