Dira's Chapel Set within the city's outskirts lies the Temple of Dira, a lone, impressive structure set above the Catacombs. Cut from polished granite, the exterior is nigh impenetrable, bereft of any openings short of one, massive stone door that leads directly to the inner sanctuary. Two jackals flank the front entrance, themselves carved from the same material as the building, set back with their heads turned to observe all those that pass beyond the portal to the interior. Though rare, there are a sparse few that live within the temple's confines. Most of the structure is devoted as offering and worship to Dira, but secluded in the back are a series of small living quarters, just offset from the main chamber. Massive, and lit well enough for all to see, the sanctuary is constructed much like the rest of the interior, albeit at the head is a likeness of Dira carved of yet more granite; in her left hand she clutches a scythe and at her feet lays another jackal, its paws spread out above the entrance that leads down into the Catacomb. NPCS :
Born in Ahnatep, Nephthys has spent her entire life within the city and a large portion of it within Dira's Temple. She is the caretaker and a priestess of the goddess, bearing two marks of her Gnosis and often tending to the funerals and death-related ceremonies of the populace. Her past is shrouded in obscurity, but few tend to confront her - despite being a human - as no one wants question a servant of death. She is quiet and rarely strays from her duties, keeping her own council and never interfering in the politics of day-to-day life. It is a rare thing to even see the woman beyond the temple walls, as any appearance is often mired in tragedy and serves as an omen of ill tidings. He is known to the temple as the grave keeper. The wanderer of the catacombs, the man responsible for putting the dead to rest. Zuka is a strange man. Born blind, he has no concept of the physical world about him and is otherwise fearless. He has lived beneath the roof of Dira since before Nephthys, never questioning, and only speaking when absolutely necessary. Despite his peculiarities, Zuka serves as Spiritist for those in the city, quite skilled in the art and well practiced. Many believe he prefers the company of dead beyond the living with most of his time spent below, wandering the narrowed halls of death. The Catacombs A spiraling maze of underground tunnels, the Catacombs extend deep into the earth and well beyond the grounds of the temple above. There is little decoration once one passes beneath the statute of Dira. Instead, one is privy to a long, winding staircase that leads deep under the city to the initial graveyard. There is no light, no carved stonework, just miles of tombs, of dead, of bones and discarded bodies, twisting, turning caverns that lead to dead ends and caved-in hallways. Every section of wall has bunk-like indentations that house the bones of the deceased, sometimes - when it can be afforded - one is likely to come upon a coffin with minor riches, other times an entire sarcophagus for the well-to-do, but despite their luxuries in death, all here share the same, fitting end. Without a guide, the less familiar visitors will often times find themselves lost in the maze. Several unlit torches rest at the intersections as a mercy, but even with the aid of flame, it is not uncommon to find stranglers and random unfortunates screaming for fear of their lives, those that wandered too far, or perhaps were left at the mercy of unknown entrances to the depths. |
Courtesy of AS Entity
