Sarcophan Delves - Revision history

Matt: Text replacement - "[[Imperial Bourse" to "[[Bourse"

2026-01-15T13:28:33Z

Text replacement - "[[Imperial Bourse" to "[[Bourse"

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:28, 15 January 2026
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	The Sarcophan Delves occupy the mouth of a great river, on the northern shores of a continent that is largely unknown to Imperial explorers. The nations near Sarcophan seem to view the city, and the people who live there, as accursed. There have been several wars and skirmishes between the Sarcophan and their neighbours, often using mercenary troops. For the most part, the Sarcophan people are markedly outward-looking, seeking beyond their borders for any opportunity to turn a profit and increase their own fortunes, and the fortunes of their houses. Sarcophan explorers and merchants might be encountered in almost any part of the known world.		The Sarcophan Delves occupy the mouth of a great river, on the northern shores of a continent that is largely unknown to Imperial explorers. The nations near Sarcophan seem to view the city, and the people who live there, as accursed. There have been several wars and skirmishes between the Sarcophan and their neighbours, often using mercenary troops. For the most part, the Sarcophan people are markedly outward-looking, seeking beyond their borders for any opportunity to turn a profit and increase their own fortunes, and the fortunes of their houses. Sarcophan explorers and merchants might be encountered in almost any part of the known world.

	Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[~~Imperial~~ Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.		Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.

	In Summer 383YE a joint historical research project with some Sarcophan scholars confirmed that the [[origins of the Highborn]] lay in the city of Sarcophan.</onlyinclude>		In Summer 383YE a joint historical research project with some Sarcophan scholars confirmed that the [[origins of the Highborn]] lay in the city of Sarcophan.</onlyinclude>

Twiggy at 15:50, 14 August 2025

2025-08-14T15:50:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:50, 14 August 2025
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	Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.		Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.

	In Summer 383YE a joint historical research project with some Sarcophan scholars confirmed ~~tha~~ the [[origins of the Highborn]] lay in the city of Sarcophan.</onlyinclude>		In Summer 383YE a joint historical research project with some Sarcophan scholars confirmed that the [[origins of the Highborn]] lay in the city of Sarcophan.</onlyinclude>
	==Terrain==		==Terrain==
	Surrounded by marshes and swamps, the air is often filled with clouds of blood-sucking insects, and is ripe with the stench of marsh gas and rot. The great city of the Sarcophan Delves, occupies the remains of a much older city, a great urban ruin of stone monoliths and sunken plazas, partially reclaimed by the swamps on one side and the sea on the other. The palaces of the Beggar Kings, the great guild halls and the Sarcophan markets are all constructed amid the tombs of an earlier civilisation, one whose citizens vanished centuries ago.		Surrounded by marshes and swamps, the air is often filled with clouds of blood-sucking insects, and is ripe with the stench of marsh gas and rot. The great city of the Sarcophan Delves, occupies the remains of a much older city, a great urban ruin of stone monoliths and sunken plazas, partially reclaimed by the swamps on one side and the sea on the other. The palaces of the Beggar Kings, the great guild halls and the Sarcophan markets are all constructed amid the tombs of an earlier civilisation, one whose citizens vanished centuries ago.

Twiggy at 08:23, 13 August 2025

2025-08-13T08:23:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:23, 13 August 2025
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	==Look and Feel==		==Look and Feel==
	Sarcophan clothing tends to be sturdy and hard-wearing, and is often patched and mended; most Sarcophan would rather mend something than throw it away and buy something new. Colours tend to be muted and dark. The exception to this is that the wealthy, or those who wish to be perceived as wealthy, dress in white and pale ~~grays~~. This clothing is difficult to keep clean, and in the Delves is often an indication that someone enjoys the kind of status that allows them to avoid getting muddy.		Sarcophan clothing tends to be sturdy and hard-wearing, and is often patched and mended; most Sarcophan would rather mend something than throw it away and buy something new. Colours tend to be muted and dark. The exception to this is that the wealthy, or those who wish to be perceived as wealthy, dress in white and pale greys. This clothing is difficult to keep clean, and in the Delves is often an indication that someone enjoys the kind of status that allows them to avoid getting muddy.

	The Sarcophan love jewellery, and will wear as much of it as they can afford. Gifts of jewellery are common, and the most valuable jewels are those that have been handed down from the original tomb-raiders as part of the ''tomb banquet''.		The Sarcophan love jewellery, and will wear as much of it as they can afford. Gifts of jewellery are common, and the most valuable jewels are those that have been handed down from the original tomb-raiders as part of the ''tomb banquet''.

Rafferty at 10:17, 28 June 2025

2025-06-28T10:17:49Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:17, 28 June 2025
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	Archaeology is not something the Sarcophan do; it is possible that an Imperial citizen might have spent time there studying the ruins, but almost everything of interest has been stripped out of the tombs and buildings. While it is acceptable to have a few trinkets from the Sarcophan predecessors (especially if they are rumoured to be cursed), a background in which a character discovers some secret of the predecessor people is unlikely to be accepted.		Archaeology is not something the Sarcophan do; it is possible that an Imperial citizen might have spent time there studying the ruins, but almost everything of interest has been stripped out of the tombs and buildings. While it is acceptable to have a few trinkets from the Sarcophan predecessors (especially if they are rumoured to be cursed), a background in which a character discovers some secret of the predecessor people is unlikely to be accepted.
	~~==Further Reading==~~		{{Sarcophan Links}}
	* [[Founders of the Delves]] - 385YE Winter [[Historical research]] regarding the individuals and families that created the modern Delves		[[Highguard\|Highborn]]
	* [[Origins of the Highborn]] - 383YE Summer [[Historical research]] about the pre-Sarcophan history and origins of the [[Highguard\|Highborn]]
	[[Category:Foreign Nations]]		[[Category:Foreign Nations]]
	[[Category:The World]]		[[Category:The World]]
	~~[[Category:Sarcophan Delves]]~~

Rafferty at 14:34, 16 July 2024

2024-07-16T14:34:57Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:34, 16 July 2024
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	{{ForeignNationWarning}}		{{ForeignNationWarning}}
			<onlyinclude>
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	Far to the south of the Bay of Catazar, on the wide, winding delta of the Umshalla River lies the tottering ramshackle city of Sarcophan. More commonly referred to as the Delves, this great metropolis is said to be home to both the wealthiest, and the poorest, people in the world. The Bedelaar Huisbaas (usually rendered as 'beggar kings' in Imperial, or abbreviated to Bedelaar) of Sarcophan head great merchant families whose wealth is founded on the bounty they harvested from the tombs of their predecessors centuries ago. A relatively young nation, whose people see wealth as the highest aspirations, the Sarcophan have a not-entirely-undeserved reputation for ruthless pursuit of profit regardless of the cost.		Far to the south of the Bay of Catazar, on the wide, winding delta of the Umshalla River lies the tottering ramshackle city of Sarcophan. More commonly referred to as the Delves, this great metropolis is said to be home to both the wealthiest, and the poorest, people in the world. The Bedelaar Huisbaas (usually rendered as 'beggar kings' in Imperial, or abbreviated to Bedelaar) of Sarcophan head great merchant families whose wealth is founded on the bounty they harvested from the tombs of their predecessors centuries ago. A relatively young nation, whose people see wealth as the highest aspirations, the Sarcophan have a not-entirely-undeserved reputation for ruthless pursuit of profit regardless of the cost.
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	Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.		Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.

	In Summer 383YE a joint historical research project with some Sarcophan scholars confirmed tha the [[origins of the Highborn]] lay in the city of Sarcophan.		In Summer 383YE a joint historical research project with some Sarcophan scholars confirmed tha the [[origins of the Highborn]] lay in the city of Sarcophan.</onlyinclude>
	==Terrain==		==Terrain==
	Surrounded by marshes and swamps, the air is often filled with clouds of blood-sucking insects, and is ripe with the stench of marsh gas and rot. The great city of the Sarcophan Delves, occupies the remains of a much older city, a great urban ruin of stone monoliths and sunken plazas, partially reclaimed by the swamps on one side and the sea on the other. The palaces of the Beggar Kings, the great guild halls and the Sarcophan markets are all constructed amid the tombs of an earlier civilisation, one whose citizens vanished centuries ago.		Surrounded by marshes and swamps, the air is often filled with clouds of blood-sucking insects, and is ripe with the stench of marsh gas and rot. The great city of the Sarcophan Delves, occupies the remains of a much older city, a great urban ruin of stone monoliths and sunken plazas, partially reclaimed by the swamps on one side and the sea on the other. The palaces of the Beggar Kings, the great guild halls and the Sarcophan markets are all constructed amid the tombs of an earlier civilisation, one whose citizens vanished centuries ago.

Rafferty at 14:33, 16 July 2024

2024-07-16T14:33:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:33, 16 July 2024
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	[[Category:Foreign Nations]]		[[Category:Foreign Nations]]
	[[Category:The World]]		[[Category:The World]]
			[[Category:Sarcophan Delves]]

Dre at 21:44, 13 May 2024

2024-05-13T21:44:49Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:44, 13 May 2024
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	Competition between the great houses is very fierce. Several times a smaller association has managed to overcome and consume the status of a larger house, claiming their tomb-banquet (the wealth in their vaults) and taking their place at the 'great table'. Outsiders often claim that Sarcophan is "''one good meal away from anarchy''" but their society has existed in its current form for over two hundred years; while there have been occasional outbreaks of violence and rioting, the great houses have always managed to restore order.		Competition between the great houses is very fierce. Several times a smaller association has managed to overcome and consume the status of a larger house, claiming their tomb-banquet (the wealth in their vaults) and taking their place at the 'great table'. Outsiders often claim that Sarcophan is "''one good meal away from anarchy''" but their society has existed in its current form for over two hundred years; while there have been occasional outbreaks of violence and rioting, the great houses have always managed to restore order.

	The 'great banquet and those workings of government that the Sarcophan Delves possess are overseen by the ''Bloedzuiger'', the Sarcophan priests. Their role is largely ceremonial, and they are ~~lead~~ by the 'high priest' of Sarcophan, an allegedly immortal priest who ensures that the traditions of Sarcophan are kept alive and that no great house breaks the various unwritten rules of their society. According to some sources most of the Bloedzuiger suffer from disfiguring diseases, while others claim they endure a powerful curse placed by the former rulers of the land that is now Sarcophan.		The 'great banquet and those workings of government that the Sarcophan Delves possess are overseen by the ''Bloedzuiger'', the Sarcophan priests. Their role is largely ceremonial, and they are led by the 'high priest' of Sarcophan, an allegedly immortal priest who ensures that the traditions of Sarcophan are kept alive and that no great house breaks the various unwritten rules of their society. According to some sources most of the Bloedzuiger suffer from disfiguring diseases, while others claim they endure a powerful curse placed by the former rulers of the land that is now Sarcophan.

	During the Autumn Equinox 385YE, the [[Minister of Historical Research]] Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Founders_of_Sarcophan_Delves\|instructed]] [[Historical_research#Marko_Siwarsbairn\|Marko Siwarsbairn]] of the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research\|Department of Historical Research]] to look into the founders of the [[Sarcophan Delves]]. It involved a trip to the Delves, and numerous meetings with what amounts to the cream of Sarcophan historical scholarship. The findings were published and made available to Imperial scholars as ''[[Founders of the Delves]]''.		During the Autumn Equinox 385YE, the [[Minister of Historical Research]] Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Founders_of_Sarcophan_Delves\|instructed]] [[Historical_research#Marko_Siwarsbairn\|Marko Siwarsbairn]] of the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research\|Department of Historical Research]] to look into the founders of the [[Sarcophan Delves]]. It involved a trip to the Delves, and numerous meetings with what amounts to the cream of Sarcophan historical scholarship. The findings were published and made available to Imperial scholars as ''[[Founders of the Delves]]''.

Rafferty at 10:40, 7 May 2024

2024-05-07T10:40:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:40, 7 May 2024
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	Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.		Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.

			In Summer 383YE a joint historical research project with some Sarcophan scholars confirmed tha the [[origins of the Highborn]] lay in the city of Sarcophan.
	==Terrain==		==Terrain==
	Surrounded by marshes and swamps, the air is often filled with clouds of blood-sucking insects, and is ripe with the stench of marsh gas and rot. The great city of the Sarcophan Delves, occupies the remains of a much older city, a great urban ruin of stone monoliths and sunken plazas, partially reclaimed by the swamps on one side and the sea on the other. The palaces of the Beggar Kings, the great guild halls and the Sarcophan markets are all constructed amid the tombs of an earlier civilisation, one whose citizens vanished centuries ago.		Surrounded by marshes and swamps, the air is often filled with clouds of blood-sucking insects, and is ripe with the stench of marsh gas and rot. The great city of the Sarcophan Delves, occupies the remains of a much older city, a great urban ruin of stone monoliths and sunken plazas, partially reclaimed by the swamps on one side and the sea on the other. The palaces of the Beggar Kings, the great guild halls and the Sarcophan markets are all constructed amid the tombs of an earlier civilisation, one whose citizens vanished centuries ago.
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	==Further Reading==		==Further Reading==
	* [[Founders of the Delves]] - 385YE Winter [[Historical research]] regarding the individuals and families that created the modern Delves		* [[Founders of the Delves]] - 385YE Winter [[Historical research]] regarding the individuals and families that created the modern Delves
			* [[Origins of the Highborn]] - 383YE Summer [[Historical research]] about the pre-Sarcophan history and origins of the [[Highguard\|Highborn]]
	[[Category:Foreign Nations]]		[[Category:Foreign Nations]]
	[[Category:The World]]		[[Category:The World]]

Rafferty: History link

2024-05-07T10:27:45Z

History link

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:27, 7 May 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{ForeignNationWarning}}		{{ForeignNationWarning}}

	==Overview==		==Overview==
	Far to the south of the Bay of Catazar, on the wide, winding delta of the Umshalla River lies the tottering ramshackle city of Sarcophan. More commonly referred to as the Delves, this great metropolis is said to be home to both the wealthiest, and the poorest, people in the world. The Bedelaar Huisbaas (usually rendered as 'beggar kings' in Imperial, or abbreviated to Bedelaar) of Sarcophan head great merchant families whose wealth is founded on the bounty they harvested from the tombs of their predecessors centuries ago. A relatively young nation, whose people see wealth as the highest aspirations, the Sarcophan have a not-entirely-undeserved reputation for ruthless pursuit of profit regardless of the cost.		Far to the south of the Bay of Catazar, on the wide, winding delta of the Umshalla River lies the tottering ramshackle city of Sarcophan. More commonly referred to as the Delves, this great metropolis is said to be home to both the wealthiest, and the poorest, people in the world. The Bedelaar Huisbaas (usually rendered as 'beggar kings' in Imperial, or abbreviated to Bedelaar) of Sarcophan head great merchant families whose wealth is founded on the bounty they harvested from the tombs of their predecessors centuries ago. A relatively young nation, whose people see wealth as the highest aspirations, the Sarcophan have a not-entirely-undeserved reputation for ruthless pursuit of profit regardless of the cost.
Line 7:		Line 6:

	Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.		Of particular interest to Imperial citizens is the role Sarcophan plays as a [[Sarcophan Delves ports\|port]], open to trade with the Empire. The Sarcophan Delves are also the source of the [[ilium]] provided by the [[Steel Fist]] Seat on the [[Imperial Bourse]]. The swamps and marshes are said to have a number of very rich deposits of this rare material.

	==Terrain==		==Terrain==
	Surrounded by marshes and swamps, the air is often filled with clouds of blood-sucking insects, and is ripe with the stench of marsh gas and rot. The great city of the Sarcophan Delves, occupies the remains of a much older city, a great urban ruin of stone monoliths and sunken plazas, partially reclaimed by the swamps on one side and the sea on the other. The palaces of the Beggar Kings, the great guild halls and the Sarcophan markets are all constructed amid the tombs of an earlier civilisation, one whose citizens vanished centuries ago.		Surrounded by marshes and swamps, the air is often filled with clouds of blood-sucking insects, and is ripe with the stench of marsh gas and rot. The great city of the Sarcophan Delves, occupies the remains of a much older city, a great urban ruin of stone monoliths and sunken plazas, partially reclaimed by the swamps on one side and the sea on the other. The palaces of the Beggar Kings, the great guild halls and the Sarcophan markets are all constructed amid the tombs of an earlier civilisation, one whose citizens vanished centuries ago.
Line 34:		Line 32:

	The 'great banquet and those workings of government that the Sarcophan Delves possess are overseen by the ''Bloedzuiger'', the Sarcophan priests. Their role is largely ceremonial, and they are lead by the 'high priest' of Sarcophan, an allegedly immortal priest who ensures that the traditions of Sarcophan are kept alive and that no great house breaks the various unwritten rules of their society. According to some sources most of the Bloedzuiger suffer from disfiguring diseases, while others claim they endure a powerful curse placed by the former rulers of the land that is now Sarcophan.		The 'great banquet and those workings of government that the Sarcophan Delves possess are overseen by the ''Bloedzuiger'', the Sarcophan priests. Their role is largely ceremonial, and they are lead by the 'high priest' of Sarcophan, an allegedly immortal priest who ensures that the traditions of Sarcophan are kept alive and that no great house breaks the various unwritten rules of their society. According to some sources most of the Bloedzuiger suffer from disfiguring diseases, while others claim they endure a powerful curse placed by the former rulers of the land that is now Sarcophan.

			During the Autumn Equinox 385YE, the [[Minister of Historical Research]] Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Founders_of_Sarcophan_Delves\|instructed]] [[Historical_research#Marko_Siwarsbairn\|Marko Siwarsbairn]] of the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research\|Department of Historical Research]] to look into the founders of the [[Sarcophan Delves]]. It involved a trip to the Delves, and numerous meetings with what amounts to the cream of Sarcophan historical scholarship. The findings were published and made available to Imperial scholars as ''[[Founders of the Delves]]''.

	==Magic==		==Magic==
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	Archaeology is not something the Sarcophan do; it is possible that an Imperial citizen might have spent time there studying the ruins, but almost everything of interest has been stripped out of the tombs and buildings. While it is acceptable to have a few trinkets from the Sarcophan predecessors (especially if they are rumoured to be cursed), a background in which a character discovers some secret of the predecessor people is unlikely to be accepted.		Archaeology is not something the Sarcophan do; it is possible that an Imperial citizen might have spent time there studying the ruins, but almost everything of interest has been stripped out of the tombs and buildings. While it is acceptable to have a few trinkets from the Sarcophan predecessors (especially if they are rumoured to be cursed), a background in which a character discovers some secret of the predecessor people is unlikely to be accepted.
			==Further Reading==
			* [[Founders of the Delves]] - 385YE Winter [[Historical research]] regarding the individuals and families that created the modern Delves
	[[Category:Foreign Nations]]		[[Category:Foreign Nations]]
	[[Category:The World]]		[[Category:The World]]

Hailmur: /* Religion */

2024-03-24T11:36:02Z

Religion

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:36, 24 March 2024
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	==Religion==		==Religion==
	The Sarcophan are not a religious people Their 'faith' such as it is seems to be based around the idea that the wealth one amasses in life ensures one a place in a shadowy afterlife they call the ''houses of silence''. Most Sarcophans would be considered blasphemers by Imperial priests - they believe that only the poor and indolent reincarnate, because they have not amassed enough wealth in life to purchase a place in the afterlife. Efforts to communicate the Way to the Sarcophans have largely failed, although there are a few congregations who have embraced the teachings of [[ambition]] and [[prosperity]] they are very much in the minority.		The Sarcophan are not a religious people. Their 'faith' such as it is seems to be based around the idea that the wealth one amasses in life ensures one a place in a shadowy afterlife they call the ''houses of silence''. Most Sarcophans would be considered blasphemers by Imperial priests - they believe that only the poor and indolent reincarnate, because they have not amassed enough wealth in life to purchase a place in the afterlife. Efforts to communicate the Way to the Sarcophans have largely failed, although there are a few congregations who have embraced the teachings of [[ambition]] and [[prosperity]] they are very much in the minority.

	Sarcophan priests usually wear ornamented death-masks when they are performing their ceremonial roles, and their hooded vestments resemble burial shrouds. The priesthood concerns itself primarily with ceremonial functions, especially funerals and marriages, and with also fills a role similar to that of the Imperial civil service (although on a much smaller scale, and prone to a great deal of corruption). Most Sarcophan people give little thought to spiritual matters, considering the soul to have little relevance to the day-to-day struggle for survival against their inevitable mortality. "''Death claims everyone,''" is a common saying, usually accompanied by a shrug.		Sarcophan priests usually wear ornamented death-masks when they are performing their ceremonial roles, and their hooded vestments resemble burial shrouds. The priesthood concerns itself primarily with ceremonial functions, especially funerals and marriages, and with also fills a role similar to that of the Imperial civil service (although on a much smaller scale, and prone to a great deal of corruption). Most Sarcophan people give little thought to spiritual matters, considering the soul to have little relevance to the day-to-day struggle for survival against their inevitable mortality. "''Death claims everyone,''" is a common saying, usually accompanied by a shrug.

	Especially distasteful to many outsiders is the institutionalized practice of ritual cannibalism as part of funeral services. It is traditional for a dead body to be cooked and prepared, and consumed during the memorial service by the family and friends of the deceased. These cannibalistic wakes are usually accompanied by the finest food and drink the family can afford, and many rich Sarcophans in their declining years scour the known world for exotic consumables to accompany their funeral feast. The living remember the dead person, but they also strive to take some of their strength and character into themselves by eating their flesh. Dying in a way that does not leave a body behind - or worse, being forced to sell ones body to the ''zielenwever'' - is seen as a tragic circumstance by most Sarcophans.		Especially distasteful to many outsiders is the institutionalized practice of ritual cannibalism as part of funeral services. It is traditional for a dead body to be cooked and prepared, and consumed during the memorial service by the family and friends of the deceased. These cannibalistic wakes are usually accompanied by the finest food and drink the family can afford, and many rich Sarcophans in their declining years scour the known world for exotic consumables to accompany their funeral feast. The living remember the dead person, but they also strive to take some of their strength and character into themselves by eating their flesh. Dying in a way that does not leave a body behind - or worse, being forced to sell ones body to the ''zielenwever'' - is seen as a tragic circumstance by most Sarcophans.