Anathem

First Appearance and Context

Within the maths, distinct bell patterns announce different rites. On one such occasion, changes that did not match the familiar cadence of Eliger led to concern that the call might be Anathem. The gathering that followed was noisy with conversation, which helped rule it out; had it been Anathem, the assembled Avout would not have been talking so freely. The rite that did occur was Voco.

Roles/Actions and Affiliations

Anathem denotes the formal rite in which a member is expelled from the mathic community—being Thrown Back. It is identified by its own bell-change pattern and is regarded as a moment of communal sobriety rather than celebration or debate.

Relationships

• Contrasted rites: Eliger is a vow-taking selection rite, while Voco is a formal calling-out by external authority; Anathem is the expulsion rite that removes a member from the community.
• Not the hymn: Not to be confused with the liturgical song known as the Hylaean Anathem, which is performed during Provener and is unrelated to expulsion.

Descriptions/Characteristics

• Bell signal: Recognized by a specific pattern of changes distinct from other calls.
• Atmosphere: Observers expect a hushed, solemn mood; a chatty crowd is taken as evidence that the call is not Anathem.

Current Status/Location

Anathem is referenced as an active, recognized rite; in the instance observed, it was feared but did not occur, as the bells proved to herald Voco instead.