Book of the After

A collection of prayers addressed to the dead.

As life was gifted to us mortal creatures, so it must be returned. Our body will return to the soil that birthed us, our blood will reunite with he who has birthed us, but our breath will live on in the After.

— Sermon by a priest of Kirïal.

Book of the After

by Annie Spratt

As life goes on for the living, it is important they do not forget the dead. Books of the After contain a wide variety of prayers and rites those who still walk the Material Realm can address to those who have passed into the afterlife.

The prayers within the books are most often recited either in the temple of the necropolis, or at the grave itself. Offerings, typically consisting of bread, wine, fresh fruits and incense, are brought for both the Gods and the deceased and burned in a fire while reciting the prayer.

Wealthier people tend to have their own Books of the After, but poorer people may often borrow one from the necropolis temple. Illiterate people can also ask for volunteer priests to read the prayers for them, so that they may still send their blessings.

Prayers to the Dead

Prayers typically begin with the invocation of one or several deities, either major or minor, that are relevant to the deceased or the content of the prayer. The one praying makes a lists of several flattering epithets of each invoked god, then proceeds to ask for their favours, usually the protection of the breath of the deceased.

Following the invocation of the gods, the prayer will then announce who the deceased was, listing their names, the names of their families and friends, and who they were in life. They then address the rest of the prayer directly to the deceased, often times making some offerings for them as they speak. It is common to speak aloud what one brings as an offering.

The prayer ends with expressing gratitude to the deceased, and to the gods who protect their breath. Final offerings are made to the invoked deities, once more stating aloud what is being gifted.

Death

The passing of a loved one is never an easy affair. The sudden absence leaves a void that cannot be filled, a ache that cannot be soothed. Yet, for the Saohri death is not the end, for they shall be united once more in Ayshabiu, by the grace of the gods. So while mourning is at the heart of funerals, they are also celebrations of the one who left, wishing them luck on their next journey.

Gods of the Dead

The Saohri Temple counts two major Gods associated with death, Kirïal the Silent and Aher the Throneless King. They are known as the Divine Lovers, the only among the major Saohri gods to be wedded to one another.

Aher the Green is the cycle of life and death, the inevitable passage of time. All that rises will fall, all that lives will die, and all that dies will live again. Death, old age, diseases and rot are all the consequences of Aher's existence- but so are spring and rebirth, change and second chances.

Kirïal the Silent is the one who welcomes the breath of the dead. He records their biographies for his archive, and promises that he shall remember their lives forever. The god then either guides the breath of the dead to the Sea of Dusk, or lets them go and be swallowed by Alh Margaqs'n.

Read the Document

Book of the After

Prayer of Kayan Sattar, in the necropolis of Fleury, addressed to Abelard Sattar.

Oh Kirïal, the Shepherd, the Archivist, the one-who-walks-the-horizon, mighty and beautiful. I salute your strength, I bow to your power, I pray at your temple to show my devotion. I ask that you protect the Ruwah of my beloved, and send him your blessings in Ayshabiu. May he eat fresh fruit every day, and drink fresh water every evening.

His name was Abelard Sattar, the name of his wife is Kayan Sattar, the name of his children are Dahmal, Zira, and Touya. The name of his parents is unknown to me. He was a valiant explorer and a generous teacher, loved by all who knew him. He has seen far sights, he has learned to bend the Weave to his will with no one to teach him. He fought to save his family and students, and died to save his town.

To him, I bring some bread, some wine, fresh peaches and oranges, cow meat and chicken meat, and incense brought from the distant lands of Koush. I pray that you rest peacefully, my love, and that you are enjoying the breeze of the sea and the warmth of the sun in the Sea of Dusk. Our children miss you terribly, and our students even more so, but the school is strong and we are rebuilding the city.

They are building a statue of you, you know. To honour you for saving them. They've asked me to help them design it, and to come to inauguration. I accepted, of course, but I do not know if I will have the strength. I miss you so much- I... I lost you too soon. I love you.

There is a pause.

I thank you for the love you gave me, and the time we shared together. They were the most beautiful days of my life. I thank Kirïal the Silent for letting me speak to you, and to him I bring incense and silk, fresh fruits and wine. May my prayers reach you, and may my love for you warm your heart.

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Funeral Rites

Following death, the body is washed and clothed in their finest garb. They are brought to the nearest temple, where priests will recite prayers of protection as the dead is prepared for the burial.

Traditionally, people will have their own death garbs readied in preparation for their passing. However, temples will provide deceased with simple clothes if they could not afford to save any, or have no one to care for them.

Once the body is prepared and has gone through the blessings for their travel in the After, close friends and family will gather to mourn their loss, pray for the deceased safe travel, and tell stories of the life of the departed to commemorate them.

by Ke

The dead is then buried in a necropolis. The size of their tomb varies greatly on their wealth and prestige, and can range from a simple pit to a wide and ornate funerary complex. They are laid to rest with with a selection of meaningful earthly possessions.

Funerals tend to happen within two to three days following the death of an individual, so that they may rest as soon as possible. As such, any constructions for their tomb must be finalised or close to finalisations before their passing.

Kirïal the Silent by Edmund Dulac