Temple of The River Triad

The River Triad

Isis, Osiris, and Sobek are worshiped together as The River Triad and venerated as patrons of agriculture who ensure prosperous harvests, clean and plentiful water, and the preservation of the few wild-places that exist within the great ark.

Isis

Isis, wife of Osiris, is the goddess of fertility and among the most popularly worshiped gods in the city. As a goddess of fertility, she is prayed to for bountiful harvests and her blessing sought during marriages. She is also thought to offer aid in the transition to the afterlife to those she favors, and though the priests of the Death Triad do their best to suppress such thinking, it remains undeniably widespread among the farmers and laborers who adore her.

Osiris

Husband to the Goddess Isis, Osiris is a god of nature, agriculture and plants. His blessings rest upon those who labor day to day in the agricultural pillars as well as those who seek refuge and bounty in the wild-places of the city. Like Isis, he is often revered for his influence over the afterlife. One of the most common mythic tales of the gods tells of his journey into the Desert of Night after being killed by his brother Set, and his ultimate resurrection, accomplished with the help of Isis. 

Sobek

Sobek is the god of Water and crocodiles and it is said that rituals in his honor maintain the Dams, filtration systems, the great winding Nile River which flows through all layers of the city and makes life possible. Those who make their living by water, like river-ship captains and dam workers, offer special prayers to Sobek.

Role Within City

The River Triad temple has the largest base of worshipers in the region, with nearly all members of the Laborer caste seeing it as their spiritual home and place in the Ma'at. The temple is responsible for the oversight and maintenance of the agricultural pillars: Great towers powered by magic within which nearly all farming is done as well as the water supply. 

Rites and Rituals


Weekly worship is a major part of the social life of the the majority of Ankh-hotep's Residents, who gather in large halls to sing communally, give thanks for their many blessing, venerate the heroic dead, and receive moral guidance on the value of hard work, and the many benefits that await them after death. 
Even those who are not Devotees of the River Triad will find themselves in their hallowed halls at least a few times in life, as the Temple of the River Triad officiate and blesses all marriages in the city. 
On the 240th day of the year, the city celebrates Good Harvest, a family-centric feasting holiday which includes a short ceremony of gratitude during which a portion of the harvest is offered to the gods, followed by a day of feasting, and water-sports. Being on the team that wins the annual race down the Nile is considered a great honor and comes with a hefty prize.

Structure and Organization

All members of the laboring caste are considered members of the temple, regardless of actual devotion. They receive their education through the temple, get assigned their jobs by the temple, and many of their social engagements will occur at temple-sponsored celebrations. All laborers, from the simple picker of dates to the most beloved captain of a river barge are equal in the eyes of the temple.
Above the most basic members of the temple are the clergy who do not simply perform rituals, but oversee the operation of this entire strata of society in an almost governmental manner. Groups of clergy are lead by Archpriests and archpriests are among the few groups in Ankh-hotep who receive formal magical training.
The archpreists are themselves overseen by a council of 3 pontiffs, one for each God. 

Common Followers

The vast majority of Laborers are not simply members, but devotees of the River Triad. While all races are welcome, humans are especially well represented in the temple. Thanks to the large number of devotees, and frequent social engagements the temple organizes, many from other casts have a fondness for the temple and will offer occasional tribute.

Type

Religious, Temple