Temple of Veils

The correct way to deal with this tragedy is to let it flow through you like water over the falls, and leave their souls with the Sentinel. I am sure they will judge your loved ones kindly.

— Priestess of the Veil to a grieving young woman

The Temple of Veils is a religious organisation which venerates the Veiled Sentinel. Though branches of this religion can be found in every Laslin City, the primary church and mortal head of the group is based in Albathania, which is where the religion is said to have first emerged.

History

It is commonly held that the Temple began with the preaching of Koss Oktru, a Lizardfolk who had been forced to relocate to the city of Albathania when her home toppled over the World's Edge around 1510. As she re-established her life alongside her community, Oktru began to talk at length about the waterfall, and of the nature of the divinities who must control it. With time, her ideas on the topic crystalised into the figure of the Veiled Sentinel, and she told any and all who would listen about the Sentinel's authority and judgement of mortalkind.
With the aid of a small handful of her followers, Oktru purchased a decent sized property in the city's central region, and began to preach from there regularly. Soon, her message about the watchful eyes in the mist and the "true" way to avoid the Sentinel's judgement spread, first in Albathania, and eventually to the other Laslin cities of the time.
The Temple of Veils has retained a strong core of followers since this early stage. Their ranks have been regularly bolstered by the survivors of lands lost to the World's Edge, and in large amounts by the survivors of fallen Laslin cities, such as those of Gotri and Cideci.

Tenets of Faith

Above all, those in the Temple of Veils prize 'goodness', believing it to be the quality that determines which people are judged by the Veiled Sentinel. The exact features of goodness vary by individual temples, but there are general trends;

Respect those who have come before

Keep a clean life and home

Give to others what they need

Leave the judgement to the Sentinel

Veilers are also well known for their 'minimalist' lifestyles, as they believe that keeping an item 'past its time' will affect the judgement of their deity. As such, they keep little, and regularly replace that which they have. This extends to how they respect the dead as well, as they only publicly do so for a week after death, and very rarely thereafter.

Mythology

According to Koss Oktru and those who have been prominent in the Temple since her time, the Veiled Sentinel is a being from time immemorial, who had been tasked by the universe itself to pass judgement on mortals. Where their judgement was favourable, the mortal would be granted a good and honest death - where not, they would be given torment.
During this early and uncertain time, the Sentinel was far kinder and more generous, even 'rejudging' a handful of souls on the pleas of their loved ones. However, this kindness was taken advantage of by those who were greedy and cruel, resulting in an upswell of evil and agony throughout the land.
In response to this, the Sentinel rent the world in two, creating the World's Edge in the process. This colossal tear is under their exclusive jurisdiction, and ensures that all mortals are eventually brought to nothingness - a process delayed only by a mortal's own goodness.
The Veiled Sentinel's watchful eyes remain on the world, and especially on the Laslin cities - the irregular collapse of which are caused by the Sentinel passing judgement and deciding they had exhausted their time or used it only for ill.

Founding Date

Approximately 1510

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Demonym

(The) Veiled, Veilers

Leader

Vhexis

Deities

• Veiled Sentinel

Location

Albathania

Placeholder by Isaac Thompson & Luke Stackpoole

Oblivion

During times of mass tragedy, such as when Laslin cities collapse into the ocean, the Temple grows in number. It also grows in its "oddness", according to non-adherents, who find their behaviour after such events to be highly disrespectful and downright bizarre.
Since the collapse of Taufa only 29 years ago, the Temple has been in one such odd state. Among some of its more militant and devoted members, such chaos is a result of the Sentinel's rage at their defiance of the natural order. That any of the Laslin cities remain standing is only by their grace, not their approval.
Some of these extreme members suggest that it might be time to ensure the natural order themselves, and hasten the destruction of the remaining cities, believing such an act will place them in the Veiled Sentinel's favour. The number of members captured or arrested in preparation for violence has risen sharply since Taufa's collapse, and some fear that this time they may find success.

Previous cities were too far from the edge, too hard to get. But Balkehir's in spitting distance of that blasted mist. All it would take is a nudge. I'm saying we boot that damnable temple from the city now, before it's too late.

— Wurun Ullari