Bemuchem

“What is but a piece of fabric thrown to the flame? It is the difference between a comfortable life in the halls of Zaab and being ênkhyêwà. If that is too much for you to do, what wife or daughter, or sister are you?”

Funerals in the Ugane Empire do not carry the fanfair of weddings or other rituals, but when someone is thrown upon the funeral pyre a multitude of objects are burnt with them. In the funerals of men, the Bemuchem is thrown with them. These elaboraretly weaved tapestries are a testement to all the good deeds in their life so that Vayashe is kind. After all, the dead cannot tell their own tales.
Women do have something like Bemuchem but these are smaller and while practially the same, do not get the name Bemuchem tapestires or the fanfair that comes with their male counterparts. As, after all, it is quite clear, at least to the people of the empire, a woman cannot weave once she is dead.

Appearance

Even if they are burnt upon the day of the funeral, much is put into the appearance of a Bemuchem fabirc.

Size

The tapestry is 12 inch by 12 inch but they come smaller or larger depeding on the time there is to weave the peice, wealth or amount of people weaving. They can be in whatever colour, though the colours yellow and blue (ever centeral to the faith of Niuua) are prefered by the priest.

Language

As the gods only speak the Amtaric language, it is expected that Amtaric is used on the tapestry rather than Uganic, Louti or whatever. But most common people, especially women, do not speak the lanuage of the Gods so a priest will serve as translator for the deeds that shall be put upon it.

Imagery & Style

Despite being called tapestries, it is often preffered for these to be void of detailed images, the priests (especially of the Law-giver Kastav) caution to use shilloutes or patterns. It is also more efficent so most heed that advice, especially the newly-made proffession.

Exaggerations, Lies & Events

To the great judger of the departed, the daughters and wife of Pa Agchu wish to speak for the humble father and butcher. A man who has laid many offerings unto you these years for he was born frail and struggled into this world by your grace. He was a man of many virtues and married a humble wife who matched his humble tempremeant. From this union bore 10 children, though you wished to take 6 of them away before they bloomed. For 50 years he fed the people of his area of Luze, taking no aclaim even if gifted to him.

— An extract of an unburnt traslation.

The events put onto the Bemuchem vary from preference to preference of the weaver. Lies are discouraged, making the House of Zaab less acessible for the newly-deceased spirit. However, exaggerations are often woven into the fabric by the whim of some more liberal priests.
A priest should transcribe the name, the family of the invidual as detailed as possible (with as many references to the important who grace those halls). The divine herritage is also important - many trace liniage to a God, such as Empire's monarchy to Henezu and Faskato. Occupation is also important as the Bemuchem should give an outline to whom a person was, even if slightly more flattering.

Who weaves?

Traditionally, it is the wife of a man who weaves the Bemuchem. In cases where the wife passed before him, it is up to his daughters and if there are no daughters to weave it, the priest of Kastav, who handles the Death Reccord is expected to look for the closest female relative. However, as with wedding dresses and other rituals where weaving and sewing is involved there has become a new proffession of people who will proffessionally weave the Bemuchem. At the moment, only the wealthy and the immigrant population uses these services due to the scorn that comes from not personally weaving the fabric that goes to the flame. Also, they are not used by the common populace because of the cost charged to weave.

Failure to weave a Bemuchem or if a person produces a poor quality/uflattering Bemuchem causes the deceased person to become an ênkhyêwà, or wandering spirit, unable to enter the House of Zaab. Some say they haunt the weavers, or those who are meant to weave the thing.

The Gossips' Opinions

Despite being young, Mino Ikshi is also a widow due to her husband dying while serving on the empire's frontiers. Mino was expected to weave it and even if she is a woman of means, she is not wealthy and she is superstious. Ilza Zhat often asks her of the process but gets little answer from her friend due to her not yet processing the grief and lonliness of losing her childhood sweetheart.