This update is taking more time and effort than I had originally planned. In order to make the rituals rewarding, I am having to come up with ideas for rewards that alchemy has not already done. One of the most fun answers I have come up with is specialty weapons. Unlike the "mood" weapons, these cannot be crafted at the experimental weapons lab (they can still be created by moods, but this is very, very, very, very rare, and I don't anticipate it ever causing a conflict). These weapons use special materials to obtain some unusual or otherwise unique properties. While this is producing some great results, it also means that each of these materials needs to be tested (ugh).
Right now, I have finished about a quarter of the raws for tier one. I have decided on a generic "sacrificial altar" for the main tier one building. On this altar, you will be able to make two kinds of sacrifices to three (or possibly four, depending on how well the water thing works out) causes - shelter, power, wealth, and (possibly) sustenance. In addition to these six to eight sacrifices, there will be another workshop for creating components of the tier two buildings (I haven't even started these yet, but I have some ideas written down).
The "shelter" rituals are currently completed and functional - at least, I think. The error log is blank and they seem to load up fine, but I have decided to put off formally testing them until I have most of the other ones done to save on development time a bit.
--
"Lesser Ritual of Shelter"
This ritual consumes five of any plant. It can produce low quality shields or small amounts of wood. It has a small probability of evoking disfavor of the gods, resulting in chastisement (severe pain for a short duration) of the performer of the ritual and *possibly* the torching of anything left on the altar. Performing this ritual in close proximity to grass or a wood stockpile is generally considered a bad idea, but the direct risk level to dwarven lives is very low.
"Greater Ritual of Shelter"
A more extravagant version of the ritual, this consumes fifteen plants of any kind. In addition to the possible rewards from the lesser version (whose rates have been increased substantially), this ritual is capable of drawing a stronger response from the divine powers. You may find a shield or weapon of a unique material and/or design (comparable in strength to iron). This allows a dwarven civilization to potentially arm itself before it finds metal, though the quantity of these weapons is, of course, limited by probability. However, being a more evocative reaction, the chances of drawing disfavor are also slightly higher.
These rituals will be mildly useful for some dwarven civilizations, but extraordinarily useful for those in harsher environments, where metal or wood (or both) are scarce. Though they are not the most interesting concepts ever to surface here, note that these are base level reactions which do not require anything other than the construction of an altar from a few common building materials. The more exciting rewards and consequences will come later on, as the potential for risk and reward is expanded in the next version of DF.