Esotericist Funeral

In Rostran Esotericism, birth and death represent the process of spirits crossing the boundarie to and from the material realms from and to the spiritual demenses of The Curved Time. The great spirit-lady of the sea, Ixaumosana, presides over the whole life of seafarers, with Ixaumaika shepherding the young sailors to be into the world and Ixutabmut reuniting the deceased with the bosom of nature at the end of their watch in this world.

by BCGR_Wurth

For their part, the faithful are expected to give honor to the spirits of the departed while propitiating the spirits guiding them through the cycle of life and death. To this end, an Esotericist funeral is equal parts a time to mourn, a celebration of what once was, and an endeavor to rest the spirit of the dead in state - for to do otherwise would be to anger Ixaumosana and, perhaps, give rise to the dreaded Ixulova Tun.

Components and tools

Oar-markers are prepared for the deceased as part of the funerary rite. If the deceased was a sailor or martial artist, their fighting oar should be used if possible; if not, such as when a body is never recovered, a new one may be carved with motifs and colored with pigments to represent the fallen's best attributes vis a vis the rules of ritual sigil construction. The oar marker is to be placed in a specially-prepared patch of land as a monument, with the patch chosen based on proximity to the deceased person's family or the monuments of those who were close to them in life (i.e. a crew).
Seal stick sigils executed in lieu of a permanent oar-marker are considered only temporary respite for the spirit of the deceased, as these sigils are far less permanent than oar-markers. In times of war, the chaplains in military units may intentionally leave such sigils incomplete as a sign to all who see them that, until the present hostilities have abated, the vengeful spirit of the fallen preside with, and inflame the spirits of, their still-living comrades.
Armos Nonengu are common implements at Esotericist funerals. Kindling for the fire is gathered in the basket of the instrument alongside any important ritual sigil focii, such as spices. Later, when the family and clergy gather to sing their prayers to the departing spirit, the armos may be used as an instrument to serenade the greater spirits into guiding the departed into the next realm.

Participants

The deceased themselves may be memorialized in absentia if no body could be recovered (i.e. due to loss at sea). A new funeral may be conducted should the body later be recovered. Traditionally, the body is cremated atop a pyre at the waterside or atop a floating raft, the ashes then being buried or disposed of at sea in accordance with the deceased person's profession in life.
Hierophants and their acolytes preside over Esotericist funerals, guiding prayers, inscribing ritual sigils, and supervising the crafting, decoration, and placement of oar markers. The knowledge and dilligence of the clergy is of utmost important during funerals, as it is believed that failing to execute a funerary rite correctly risks the possibility of hauntings or the accidental creation of various mythological undead creatures, including the dreaded ixulova tun. For this reason, the presiding religious scholar and the family of the deceased may both array themselves with fighting oars and armos to confront any angry spirits that may arrise should the funeral meet an unexpected end in this way.

Rostran Esotericism by BCGR_Wurth

Related Organizations

• Epicyclism
• Rostran Esotericism

Related Ethnicities

• Cobalt Rostran
• High Rostran
• Low Rostran