Funeral Rites Tradition / Ritual in Arratha | World Anvil

Funeral Rites

Funeral rites are an important part of many civilizations, and each class has their own general (and preferred) way of doing this.   The views on what happens to you or your soul when you die differ from region to region, and even person to person. Many funeral rites are influenced by that region's beliefs. Some people feel so strongly about their own ideas about what will happen to them after death that they carry with them instructions for how to carry out funeral rites on them, so they may happily exist in the afterlife. Most people, though, are content to observe the rites of whoever is there to perform them.  

Rangers and Druids

The Rangers of Elsewood and the Druids of Wolfstone generally believe that the energies of the person who died is given back to the earth, providing for generations to come. So, they want to make that transition as easy as possible.  
Druids
Druids (and some rangers, who have the capability to do so) encase the corpse inside of a tree to bury them. The tree is typically one that has significance to the person, if possible. If not, it is a tree that is rather old, as the process seems to give the plant life around it new strength, allowing these trees to live even longer than they typically would.   Druids also mourn death, moreso than celebrate life. Funerals for druids are a somber affair, and sometimes the entire group is silent for the entire day, with the exception of what it takes to cast the spell to entomb the body. However, they also understand that everyone handles death differently, so outsiders are encouraged to remain silent with them, but they do not judge them for reacting in a different way.  
Rangers
Rangers have an affinity to nature, much like Druids, but their skills are far outmatched by their counterparts. As such, Rangers have several spots throughout the fief which serve as a graveyard for their fallen comrades. They perform a simple burial of the body.   Centuries ago, the tradition was to bury people with their weapons, as a way to give back to the earth some of what was taken from it. However, because of the necessity of weapons during wartime, that tradition was replaced. Now, a piece of wood is carved into a version of their favored weapon in life, and a simple enchantment is placed on it, which accelerates the decomposition of the body, making it easier for the person's body to give their energy back into the earth.   The clearings which are used for the funerals are covered in moss, flowers, and other helpful plants, which many Rangers use to refuel themselves on long journeys through the woods.   While the funeral itself is generally a somber affair, Rangers spend the wake celebrating the life of the individual, rather than mourn their death. If the deceased was a member of the Corps, then their superiors will often take turns laughing about the foolish things they did while in training, before fondly reminding each other of the achievements they had made throughout their time in the Corps. These celebrations last well into the night, and often carry on throughout some of the morning, depending on how many people have stories of the deceased they want to share.  

Wizards

  Wizards generally don't partake in funerals. Typically, a small group of the deceased closest friends and family get together to either celebrate their life or drown their sorrows in their death, depending on the circumstances.   Most Wizards leave some instructions for what to do with their body and possessions when they die. Some even donate their body to be the subject of Arcane experiments, though very few do so. These instructinos could range anything from "let my body float in the sea" to "mummify and preserve my body" to "ressurect me so I can continue my work." The most common request, however, is what Wizards generally do with the deceased anyway: give their energy to the Arcane Network.   Wizards agree with Druids and Rangers that a body will provide energy when it dies, though they have differing opinions on what should be done with that energy. Wizards generally think it a waste to simply let the earth do whatever it wants with the energy it would get, so they turn a corpse into pure arcane energy and send it into the Arcane Network, which is a series of Mana Crystals set up throughout the city that power various public service items, and energy can also be bought to be used in Arcane Experiments.   Because of the quiet nature of Wizard funerals, Wizards sometimes are dead for weeks or even months before everyone in the town or city even knows.  

Martials, Paladins, and Clerics

These classes value sending off the deceased respectfully. They do so typically with a funeral pyre. This ensures that the body cannot be used for necromantic purposes, and, when the body has fully turned to ash, the bonfire is used to cook a feast for all those in attendance.   Alternatively, coastal areas will often construct the pyre in a wooden boat or raft, setting the burning mass into the sea, allowing it to drift with the current until it all crumbles away.   The wake for a funeral in these areas generally consists of a feast. Depending on the people there, it could be a raucous affair, similar to the Rangers. However, these are most often somber affairs. Good stories are told of the deceased, but people come closer to the frailty of life, and most people will take the time to reflect on their own lives, considering how they can best use the days they have to do the best they can.  

Barbarians

Barbarians value valor, and death in battle. Most clans do not find shame in dying outside of battle, but if a Barbarian dies in battle, it is considered a glorious death, especially if they died to uphold the tennants of that particular clan. Because of this emphasis on battle, Barbarians generally leave bodies where they fall, allowing the deceased's body to bask in the glory of their death. The "wake" will generally consist of either avenging the death of the fallen, or celebrating their victories in life in incredibly loud and emphatic fashion.  

Bards

Bards are chameleons. Most either find a home within another culture, or wander the land, partaking in the customs of whatever area they happen to find themselves in in any given moment. As such, Bards don't have their own traditions for funeral rites. Whenever given the chance, though, Bards will play a song, or tell a story, or do a performance of some kind, that aligns with the values of the culture.   When travelling with a clan of Barbarians, Bards might write a song praising the combat prowess of the fallen comrade. If a Bard finds themselves in the company of Druids, they might play some somber, but hopeful music or, to show their solidarity with the group, they might not say a word (a rare task for a Bard).

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