„You are more coureageous than most“, the priest remarked. „Many would have cowered in fear rather than risking their life. Now come.“ He gestured for Dovinya to follow him. As the two left the central room, the man that was praying on the other side of the pool briefly looked up and watched them, and then he went back to his worship.
The priest pushed one of the curtains that separated the room from the rest of the temple aside, and then they were in a long hallway, one of countless hallways in the temple. Shelves lined the walls, shelves upon shelves in wich dead bodies rested. They were wrapped in precious silk, in white and gold and intense jewel tones so that they were almost unrecognizeable. There was nothing that told Dovinya who they were, no signs that were attached to the shelves. Their relatives knew them, and that was all that mattered. Nobody was ever truly forgotten in Kalinor.
The temple didn’t smell the way one commonly expected a building full of corpses to smell. It didn’t smell disgusting. It didn’t make him sick. On the contrary, it smelled almost pleasant. The entire temple was filled with the smell of herbs that were used to keep the decay under control. If Dovinya ever were to unwrap one of the bodies, he would find that they seemed relatively untouched by the passing of time.
Occasionally they passed other Symenestra on their walk through the temple. They were quietly meditating and praying or visiting their dead relatives. Finally the priest pushed another curtain aside and let Dovinya take a look into the room behind. Dovinya could see several tables in it. The body of an old woman – Dovinya would recognize her as a member of the Ivy Web who had once owned a stall in the market – was lying on of them. She was dressed in her finest clothes.
A young man stood in front of her. As he noticed the priest and his companion, he bowed slightly. „This is where the dead are brought before they find their final resting place“, Daratur explained. „If you ever wish to familiarize yourself with that aspect of our faith, you only need to le me know. There are not many who would touch a dead body.“ The young man who had been preparing the dead woman smiled slightly as he heard this. „I don’t mind. It’s important work. There are more disgusting things than a dead body.“
„Are you going to serve here as well?“ he wanted to know. „Did Daratur already show you that small chamber with the altar? Most people just pray in front of the pool, but I personally prefer to do my worship in complete solitude. They say the altar and the statue were created by a former priest of Viratas after he had first met the god.“
The priest pushed one of the curtains that separated the room from the rest of the temple aside, and then they were in a long hallway, one of countless hallways in the temple. Shelves lined the walls, shelves upon shelves in wich dead bodies rested. They were wrapped in precious silk, in white and gold and intense jewel tones so that they were almost unrecognizeable. There was nothing that told Dovinya who they were, no signs that were attached to the shelves. Their relatives knew them, and that was all that mattered. Nobody was ever truly forgotten in Kalinor.
The temple didn’t smell the way one commonly expected a building full of corpses to smell. It didn’t smell disgusting. It didn’t make him sick. On the contrary, it smelled almost pleasant. The entire temple was filled with the smell of herbs that were used to keep the decay under control. If Dovinya ever were to unwrap one of the bodies, he would find that they seemed relatively untouched by the passing of time.
Occasionally they passed other Symenestra on their walk through the temple. They were quietly meditating and praying or visiting their dead relatives. Finally the priest pushed another curtain aside and let Dovinya take a look into the room behind. Dovinya could see several tables in it. The body of an old woman – Dovinya would recognize her as a member of the Ivy Web who had once owned a stall in the market – was lying on of them. She was dressed in her finest clothes.
A young man stood in front of her. As he noticed the priest and his companion, he bowed slightly. „This is where the dead are brought before they find their final resting place“, Daratur explained. „If you ever wish to familiarize yourself with that aspect of our faith, you only need to le me know. There are not many who would touch a dead body.“ The young man who had been preparing the dead woman smiled slightly as he heard this. „I don’t mind. It’s important work. There are more disgusting things than a dead body.“
„Are you going to serve here as well?“ he wanted to know. „Did Daratur already show you that small chamber with the altar? Most people just pray in front of the pool, but I personally prefer to do my worship in complete solitude. They say the altar and the statue were created by a former priest of Viratas after he had first met the god.“
