Litany of the Labyrinth
Description
This reliquary often takes the form of something which names can be recorded in or on. A large book is a common choice, or a stone tablet onto which names can be inscribed. It is normal for such a tome to be reforged, ensuring that the names of historical members of the sect are not lost. Another possibility, popular in Wintermark, the Brass Coast, and among the Navarr, is a large bowl in which tokens bearing the names of sect members past and present are kept. Regardless of the precise form, the Litany of the Labyrinth offers a subtle reassurance to every member of the sect that when they die their souls will pass safely beyond this life and ultimately be reborn.
In Urizen, these items often take the form of a crystal or glass box, often shaped like a lantern, and commonly illuminated by a carefully shaped lightstone. When they join the sect, a new member places a small chip of lightstone or tempest jade into the container. Traditionalist Urizen sects sometimes refer to such a reliquary as a Psychopomp's Lantern, referencing a largely discounted belief in "wise spirits" that gather the souls of the dead and carry them into the Labyrinth to begin the path to reincarnation. While the belief in psychopomps is not heretical per se, it has very much fallen out of fashion among modern adherents of the Way. That said, it is a belief that is by no means restricted to Urizen - there are stories in Varushka of virtuous animals who lead a dead person out of the mortal world, for example, and the idea that birds may serve a role similar to that of a psychopomp is common in some parts of Wintermark (albeit traditionally in the opposite direction, as it were).
Some citizens who have made use of the Litany have reported an additional effect. Members of a sect who have the dedicate skill have claimed that touching the item when one of their sect mates has died recently sometimes brings an emphatic sense of loss - a conscious awareness of the loss and the identity of the person who has died. This power is poorly understood and does not always appear to function.
Rules
- Form: Reliquary. Takes the form of a ceremonial reliquary.
- Effect: A member of the sect will never become a ghost, herald, eternal, or conscious unliving creature. If they are the target of Whispers through the Black Gate or a similar effect, they will appear calm and aware that they are dead.
- Roleplaying Effect: When any member of the sect is terminal or dying, they may roleplay stoic acceptance rather than roleplaying being in pain.
- Materials: Crafting a Litany of the Labyrinth requires no special materials. It takes 2 months to make one of these items.
If a member of your sect has died recently in game then they are welcome to let you know out-of-character that they have died so that you may choose to become aware of the death the next time you touch the item. The only thing your character can learn in this way is that your friend has died; you cannot learn any of the details involved with the death or the manner in which they died.
The player of a character who died while part of a sect bonded to a Litany of the Labyrinth will receive a slightly different briefing when playing their ghost. It is important that you make sure the person delivering the briefing to them knows this special circumstance exists.