Thespian Death rites
To ease the journey of a soul into the underworld, the Thespian people follow an ancient tradition. If the soon to be dead can still travel, they are being brought to the local Temple of Szanaru (see Deities of Mindosza) and before the Council of Three. The council consists of three clerics (two men and one woman), each with a defined set of tasks they have to perform before, during and after the soul is passed into the underworld.
The first one is called the archivist. It is his task to hear the soul’s confessions and to record the story of the deceasing. If he deems the soul worthy, he will help prepare it to face the judges of the dead to pass through the barrior to the Astral Plane. The second one is called the escort. His purpose is to help prepare the soul for its journey across the Astral Plane to Szanaru, which includes procuring the payment for the ferryman and easing the eventual pain of dying. The third one is called the succor. It is her task to prepare the body of the deceased. She washes it, anoint it and adorns it with a wreath. She will also be the one, that helps the dependents in their time of need.
After the Council of Three have done their duties, they will hand over the body to the head cleric of the Temple, who then will perform the actual funeral. As it is not always possible to get the dying person to the temple in time, the clerics in the temple have some capabilities to delay the passing of the soul into the underworld before the rites are completed. And even if everything is to late and the soul already passed on, some members of the temple have enough power to retroactively intervene and help the soul on its way through the astral plane.
The first one is called the archivist. It is his task to hear the soul’s confessions and to record the story of the deceasing. If he deems the soul worthy, he will help prepare it to face the judges of the dead to pass through the barrior to the Astral Plane. The second one is called the escort. His purpose is to help prepare the soul for its journey across the Astral Plane to Szanaru, which includes procuring the payment for the ferryman and easing the eventual pain of dying. The third one is called the succor. It is her task to prepare the body of the deceased. She washes it, anoint it and adorns it with a wreath. She will also be the one, that helps the dependents in their time of need.
After the Council of Three have done their duties, they will hand over the body to the head cleric of the Temple, who then will perform the actual funeral. As it is not always possible to get the dying person to the temple in time, the clerics in the temple have some capabilities to delay the passing of the soul into the underworld before the rites are completed. And even if everything is to late and the soul already passed on, some members of the temple have enough power to retroactively intervene and help the soul on its way through the astral plane.
Type
Religious, Other