Death Rites

In the Shattered Sea there exists a variety of burial rituals. These traditions vary from place to place, but the most well-known and popular Rites are as follows. Depending where you are in the Sea multiple of the rites may be present, or perhaps only one. Burial in the Spheres. Locals: All Interning bodies inside the spheres in graveyards or crypts has been the longest standing tradition for most all peoples in the Shattered Sea, although in the last 200 years other practices have become more common. Burial in the Spheres is now most commonly done by commoners, who cannot afford other methods, and nobles who wish to keep the remains of their previous rulers. For example, the remains of all previous Rigsteadic rulers are held in Grandfall in the Great Mausoleum.

Return to the Sea. Locals: All but Hallow

Returning to the Sea is the most universal method throughout the world powers, with the exception of Hallow. To Return to the Sea, one's remains are sealed inside small pods and ejected from a bathysphere or submersible in a ceremony. Some people take remains of loved ones to specific areas of the sea to Return them; perhaps a favorite travel destination or the site of a great battle. These pods are most often made of metal to preserve the corpse, but some people choose pods made of decomposable material to avoid pollution, or pods of plant material that attract the attention of aquatic creatures, leading them to devour the pod and contents whole effectively transferring the life of the deceased to another.
This is the most common method of burial in Rust, but lacking the decorum or ceremony most of the time. Those living in Hallow refuses to Return to the Sea due to the close proximity of the Trench.

Return to the Flame. Locals: Hallow and Rigstead

Return to the Flame is the official method of burial in Hallow and much of Rigstead. It is a method to return the energy, the life given by the Bright King and his scions back to the gods. One’s corpse is placed in a wooden box and cremated to a fine ash. These ashes are either kept in ceremonial jars, or most of the time, scattered from a sphere or submersible out into the Sea. In times when a great many people die, such as wars, plagues or famines, the ash scattered from spheres forms great gray currents called “Ashfalls”. When the ash falls in drove, it is a sure sign of great suffering.

Return to the Green. Locals, The Summerset Collective:

Returning to the Green is the most common method of burial in the Summerset Collective, although some argue that Returning the Sea exhibits similar traits. To Return to the Green, ones remains are placed within a small enclosure and used as fertilizer for the growth of plants. These plants are rarely for agricultural purposes and instead graveyards in the Collective are filled with beautiful flowering, ornamental trees instead of the gray headstones of Rigstead.

Return to the Mountain: Locals, Principia:

In Principia the culture around life and death revolves around the heat and energy gained from the volcano Iota Draconis. With little natural warmth in Principia save for Iota Draconis, its geothermal energy plays a major part in sustaining the population; and in exchange they give back to the mountain. When one dies in Principia and choses the Way of the Mountain their remains are escorted to the great Magma Rift at the base of Iota Draconis. There, their remains are sent down into the lava filled crevasse to be re-absorbed back into the lifeblood of the mountain far below the sea’s floor.

Return to Form: Locals, The Umber Reaches:

The burial rites in the Reaches may seem similar to the Return to the Flame of Rigstead and Hallow, but it is similar in the beginning of the process only. As in Hallow and Rigstead, the Return to Form starts with the cremation of the deceased remains. As opposed to the Flame Return, these ashes are not scattered to the seas or kept in dusty jars, Instead they are compressed and heated to form diamonds and other gems. These jewels are displayed in homes or worn as jewelry by those close to the departed. These gems are called “Life Jewels” and are prized by smugglers and scoundrels of the other countries for their rarity.