Nari's Rest
Requies Nari, or Nari's Rest, is a shrine located within the Melorian Catacombs that is dedicated to the ancient seer and mystic, Ghan'a Nari. It is located at the place of her death near the center of the first level of the catacombs, about 200 yards from the Rotunda of the Portae Domus. It is one of the most visited sites within the catacombs, and is the single most visited shrine in the entire Archonate of Melorian.
The site was originally a simple alcove off of a rather insignificant passage moving away from the hall that would late be known as the Rotunda of the Portae Domus, but over the course of the intervening millennia, the site has been expanded and modified to accommodate the tens of thousands of pilgrims that visit the shrine every year.
Visitors today typically leave offerings of pumpkins and/or candles and either sing a quiet song or stand in silent contemplation before the gated grotto where Nari's body lays entombed beneath the polished marble floor. No image or likeness of Nari is found within the shrine, but a large statue stands at the center of the Rotunda to commemorate the seer's memory and legacy.
No one is quite sure why pumpkins are so associated with Nari's memory, but it is known that they have been a popular item to leave within the shrine for nearly all of the last 1,000 years.
Purpose / Function
The final resting place of Ghan'a Nari and a popular pilgrimage site for thousands of Elves from all over the region.
Design
In its current form, the shrine is a rectangular room some 70' deep and 50' across with an arched and gated grotto at the end opposite the entrance. The hall has many finely carved columns and a vaulted ceiling while the floor is usually covered with lit candles, melted wax and dozens of pumpkins left as offerings for Ghan'a Nari.
The grotto is a much smaller room accessed via an intricately wrought iron gate and is lit by a single oil lamp that is constantly lighting the small room's ornate and highly decorated marble floor that shows where Nari's body rests beneath. Only the caretakers of the shrine are allowed to enter the grotto to clean the area daily and refill the constantly burning lamp within.
Contents & Furnishings
The shrine is undecorated and unfurnished. The floor of the hall is usually covered with lit or melted candles left by pilgrims and devotees and is cleaned regularly by the shrine's caretakers. The only other contents of the shrine are the pumpkins left as tokens and offerings to Nari by her visitors.
Alterations
Originally a small alcove off of a passage within the underground ruins beneath the Melorian Mountains, the shrine is now a columned hall leading to a gated grotto with the tomb of Ghan'a Nari located beneath a marble floor.
