Online:Reverence for the Dead

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Book Information
Reverence for the Dead
ID 1487
See Also Lore version
Collection Lore and Culture
Locations
Found in the following locations:
Tu'whacca and Burial Rites in Contemporary Redguard Culture
A brief essay on Redguard burial traditions and Tu'whacca's Throne

The Redguards revere their departed ancestors so fervidly that it rivals the devotion many other races have for their gods. While a Breton may place a casket in ornately arched consecrated ground, or a Nord may place a wind-dried body on a shelf in a burial vault, the Redguards design and erect vast funerary structures for their dead that are as awe-inspiring as they are extensive. The thread of honor that binds the Redguards from before birth to beyond death is strong. These soaring and massive mausoleums are the purest representations of the undiluted Yokudan architecture, built to propel spirits to a meeting with their putative gods.

Perhaps the finest example of this type of burial site is Tu'whacca's Throne, set atop a vast plateau in the Alik'r Desert of Hammerfell. This huge temple is dedicated to the Tricky God, the Shepherd of Souls, and the Caretaker of the Far Shores. After ascending from the desert grazing fields, up the stone stairs carved into the plateau's side, one is first struck by the incredible views from atop this flat expanse of rock and sand. After passing the Throne Keepers, who are ever vigilant and maintain Tu'whacca's Throne, the eyes meet the true majesty of this sacred place.

This necropolis is both a sprawling burial ground and a sacred ruin. Aside from Tu'whacca's presence watching from dark corners of this sanctuary, the temple also serves as a monument to the untold number of Yokudans who perished when the continent sank beneath the waves. Pilgrims travel across the stinging sands to pay their respects to these victims and to the historical Redguard kings who are also interred in this labyrinthine necropolis.