The Order of Nald'thal
"It may not be too much to say that getting on with the thaumaturges is the secret to success here in Ul'dah, such is their influence. You'd do well to remember that.â€
-Lettice
Of the Order and Its Beliefs
Milvaneth Sacrarium and the Worship of Nald
Arrzaneth Ossuary and the Worship of Thal
Funerary Rites of the Southrons
The Church of Saint Adama Landama
"It may not be too much to say that getting on with the thaumaturges is the secret to success here in Ul'dah, such is their influence. You'd do well to remember that.â€
-Lettice
Of the Order and Its Beliefs
1.0 Lodestone Wrote:So wealthy is Ul'dah that coin has become not only the city’s primary means of social stratification, but how disagreements are settled and even, in many instances, the guiding principle of its ethics. No vice is barred to those who can afford them; in fact, they’re no vice at all once paid for. Drinking, gambling, and whoring are all perfectly acceptable to anyone who can afford to indulge — in fact, even encouraged by the Order of Nald'thal. After all, what moves coin drives commerce. Even crimes can be overlooked for a substantial enough fee, provided they don’t inhibit trade: Ul'dah’s only unforgivable sin.
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Nald'thal, overseer of the underworld and god of commerce, is the guardian deity of Ul'dah. While many believe that He is possessed of a dual nature, Ul'dahns see Him as twins, and worship Nald and Thal separately. Since times of eld, the Order of Nald'thal has devoted itself to this task, and encourages the devout to donate their coin - for virtue in this life, and happiness in Thal's realm.
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:The Order of Nald’thal has a long history of carrying out the rites and rituals of the Traders. Through the ages, they have become wise not only in religion, but also in history, the arcane, and reading the stars and skies. The most learned amongst the Order have consulted the royal lines of Ul’dah, and aided the Divan with penning the city-state’s elaborate codes of law. They have amended sections of these codes to meet the demands of the Syndicate following the rise of the Monetarists. Regardless of these ties, the Order maintains an appearance of neutrality in public, and seeks a position one step removed from power struggles.
Yayake Wrote:Only by embracing death can one honor life. Greetings, wanderer, and welcome to Arrzaneth Ossuary. What brings you to us? Do you wish to gain mastery over this realm of Nald, and thence cast your gaze across to the realm of Thal? Do you wish to know the limits of this mortal coil? Then enter your name here in the Traders' ledger. Swear your flesh and blood to our Order─and your soul to our cause. It is done. I hereby proclaim you, Sounsyy Mirke, daughter of Arrzaneth Ossuary, servant and disciple of the Order of Nald'thal. Fear not, for no more are you lost. As one of us, you will not want for guidance in this plane. You must first know our ways. And to do that, you must read our scripture. I sense... reluctance in you. Falter not in your resolve, as many lesser adventurers have. To read is to grow!
Yayake Wrote:Beyond life's horizons, beyond the realm of Nald and the waking, lies the realm of Thal, and death. At breath's end, Thal awaits all with his scales, yet unto his realm permits only those whose virtue is judged ample. Your virtue is a measure of your very existence─your birth and station, childhood and manhood, knowledge and wisdom, power and wealth. The pious man uses knowledge and wisdom to guide power, and with that power gains wealth, and greater power still. It is in this way that the soul becomes virtuous.
Do not think wealth to be limited to the monetary. Wealth, to the Order, consists of all things a soul leaves behind when it departs this realm. Arrzaneth Ossuary guides its followers that they might leave as much in their wake as possible. And so shall we guide you, that you might make your fortune as well.
Yayake Wrote:Duality lies at the essence of all things. The sun rises in the east, only to fall in the west. Just as life rises in birth, only to fall in death. Your own death draws nearer with every breath you take—this is known. But you must live right to die well. Let us help you, friend, to cross whole and full to the realm of Thal.
Momodi Wrote:The Thaumaturges? Aye, I know a bit of their ways. Theirs is the Order of Nald'thal. Split into two sects here in Ul'dah, it is. And each with its own temple—Milvaneth Sacrarium and Arrzaneth Ossuary. The Sacrarium's notorious for turnin' away visitors and novices. But the thaumaturges of the Ossuary welcome even lay adventurers into their halls to train. What with war seemin' more inevitable by the day, I'd imagine the Order's recruitin' anything' with a pulse to bolster Ul'dah's strength. That bein' so, it might be worth payin' Arrzaneth Ossuary a visit.
Sinette Wrote:They are called the twins, Nald and Thal. Or at times, the Traders. All of reality is governed by their two aspects, and they hold a ceaseless vigil to ensure order is maintained. Long ago, our city itself was split into two great sections, to mirror this truth. As a great teacher of mine once said, microcosm recapitulates macrocosm. We have since merged, and prospered for it. Perhaps the gods will someday mirror us.
Sinette Wrote:The hierarchy of our Order is reflected in our vestments. The most gifted and powerful among us, the exarchs, are those with hoods of gold. It is said they can hear the voices of nine souls at once.
Lettice Wrote:It is the thaumaturges of the Order of Nald'thal who write Ul'dah's laws. You had best not breach them, or you may see the "other side" they preach of sooner than you wish. Guard your tongue at all times, lest you mean to be chased out of the city as the sylphs once were. And be especially wary when speaking of the Garleans or the beast tribes. These are both sensitive subjects to the thaumaturges. It may not be too much to say that getting on with the thaumaturges is the secret to success here in Ul'dah, such is their influence. You'd do well to remember that.
An Offer We Can’t Refuse Wrote:Every so often, we make an offering of a thaumaturge's staff to the Order of Nald'thal. If trade is good, it sure stands to reason that the gods of trade are the ones to thank. If not? Why, were you born yesterday? If we're the only ones who don't rub the cowry, how's that going to look?
F’lhaminn Wrote:The dark arts must never be used upon the young! Even those outside the Order know this. I will not allow it.
Yayake Wrote:What aspect of our art intrigued you, if I may ask? Resurrection of the dead!? That which has been given over to Thal shall not be taken back! Where did you hear of such madness? The topic of which you spoke is taboo within the Order. None are to speak of it, thaumaturge or otherwise. Your words will not be without repercussions.
Mumuepo Wrote:Now, now. There is no reason to admonish our adventurer friend. He is simply curious. Remember that our ways are unknown to the majority. We must be grateful for any genuine interest.
Mumuepo Wrote:As we were discussing previously, the thaumaturgical arts possess no means of corresponding with the dead. Such rumors proliferate due to the ignorance of those outside the Order. For they know naught other than that we hold a firm belief in a realm beyond this living one. Naturally, the study of said realm has preoccupied the Order for generations, and, as you might expect, we have frequently attempted to call forth and commune with the souls of the deceased. However, without exception, our efforts have always ended in failure. And so it is with a heavy heart that I must dissuade you from persisting in this folly any further. You are free, of course, to take the Order’s vows and make of yourself a thaumaturge. Thereafter…who knows? You may well discover the method yourself. Our doors are always open to those who are eager to learn. Think on it. You need only speak to the attendants should you decide to join us.
Momodi Wrote:So what did you blather on about over at Arrzaneth Ossuary? A thaumaturge came by askin' about you not long after that. Told him you were harmless enough, but you can be damn sure the Order's eye's fixed on you now. You'd better bloody watch yourself, alright? Piss off the wrong person around here and you'll be exiled before you can say necromancy—again. But enough of that.
Yayake Wrote:Nald'thal, also known as the Traders, is the arbiter of the afterlife and commerce. He is the single manifestation of the twins Nald and Thal. Each oversees a separate but significant aspect of existence. Nald oversees the financial fortunes of the living, whereas Thal weighs the worth of the departed. Our order is devoted to the worship of the Traders. Here we share our wisdom with the faithful and teach them means to attain virtue in this life so they may find peace in the next.
Like the Traders, the Order of Nald'thal is possessed of two aspects. Milvaneth Sacrarium is the temple of Nald, and Arrzaneth Ossuary is the temple of Thal. Here at the Ossuary, we receive those who seek to secure their place at Thal's side. The virtuous are interred in Erralig's Burial Chamber, to ensure their safe passage into the realm of the dead. Men measure virtue in many ways, but Thal's scales weigh wealth most favorably. If you worry that you are yet wanting, you may make a donation at any time.
Totono Wrote:Perhaps you have come to know that there are two sects within the Order. There is a reason for this - our god is not Ul'dah's alone. Wherever man is, life and death are as well. This is providence, and known by all. But what awaits beyond death is known by none.
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Milvaneth Sacrarium and the Worship of Nald
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:A woman of the Dunesfolk, Dewlala Dewla is the head of the Order of Nald'thal and prioress of Milvaneth Sacrarium. She walks a narrow path between the Monetarists and the Royalists who support the sultanate, and has largely remained above the Syndicate's infighting. However, as heir to a history of counseling the Royal House, her foremost concern as a leader is the welfare of the nation. Thus, when the Syndicate's enmity grows too great, she has been known to act as a mediator.
In the plot to assassinate the sultana, for example, she covertly cooperated with the Scions of the Seventh Dawn to secure Raubahn's release from his gaol. It was also Dewlala Dewla who persuaded Lord Lolorito to come to the negotiation table. Incidentally, she numbers amongst the most qualified of thaumaturges. At the age of fifty-two, Dewlala has ample experience to negotiate her tenuous position. Nevertheless, she doubtless feels the weight of her responsibilities, and has taken to embroidery to ease her stress.
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:A sacred temple of Nald, in the recent past, Milvaneth Sacrarium was visited by many devout followers, the majority of whom were merchants praying for wealth in this life, and success in their endeavors. Now, only a chosen few may enter its halls at will, as the temple undergoes repair from the Calamity.
Totono Wrote:East of here lies Milvaneth Sacrarium. Within its halls, the exaltations and praises of life are sung. The aspect of Nald governs this side of existence─passions and possessions. Many who worship there are the wealthy and privileged─those most grateful for what they have. In contrast, the aspect of Thal governs the realm which begins where life ends. There, comfort is to be had for those who believe that the mortal coils holds no joy. These dark times find such souls ever more common.
Zuzumeda Wrote:The fellow's name is Wystan, and he is a very, very ambitious young man. Not only does he intend to secure exclusive excavation rights, but they say his master plan is to use his new fortune to curry favor with the Sacrarium. Of course, the thaumaturges only consider the opinions of the most wealthy when drafting the laws of Ul'dah. If you would have your voice heard, you must be prepared to pay a sultan's ransom.
One voice which is invariably heard belongs to Lord Lolorito. He has long lavished gil upon the thaumaturges, and some claim that he devises new laws with the express intention of ruining his competitors while protecting his own interests. Suffice it to say, if Wystan thinks he can compete with the likes of the Syndicate, he's in for a rude awakening.
Hahayo Wrote:Those who worship the word of Nald value achievement over all else. Pray to him, and be rewarded in the here and now. Through him, salvation lies in the affirmation of life, friend.
Brother Peneli Zuneli Wrote:An Ul'dahn airship was shot down by the Garleans no more than a few days past. It seems the imperial gauntlet has been thrown down. Terror is spreading amongst the smallfolk─and justifiably so. Many of our own devotees frequently use the airships on their travels, and all now fear for their safety. To those generous enough to make particularly sizable donations, we present a Milvaneth talisman─a talisman imbued with the power to ward off calamity and disaster.
Rorojaru Wrote:It is for just such unexpected acts of kindness that I continue to give selflessly to the Order of Nald'thal. I recently purchased for them an elaborate statue of Nald for some ten billion gil or so, I don't recall the exact figure. No doubt such a gift moved Nald to imbue this talisman with his complete graces.
Singleton Wrote:What's this, then? A talisman from the Milvaneth thaumaturges, is it? Well, I sure as hells haven't given so much as a bloody gil to the Sacrarium. Suppose that means it's meant for Master. Gods know he's always sending those charlatans more coin than most Ul'dahns see in their lifetime.
Anthoinette Wrote:You have come to the Milvaneth Sacrarium. Here is the temple of Nald, Imbuer of Life. Do you care to make a donation to the faith? With the lesser moon looming nigh, more and more people are forsaking Nald, resigned to the belief that their lives will soon be lost to them. But so long as there is life, there is cause to hope. Being an adventurer, I trust you appreciate this sentiment.
Sightseeing Vista #58 Nald’s Reflection Wrote:Overseer of wealth and commerce upon the corporeal plane, it is believed that through fervent worship of the Trader Nald, one will reap immeasurable fortune in one's living years. Prince and pauper alike once made pilgrimages to this remote place of prayer in search of prosperity... until, that is, the Milvaneth Sacrarium opened a new (toll-based) temple within Ul'dah.
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Arrzaneth Ossuary and the Worship of Thal
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:One of many temples under the care of the Order of Nald’thal, Arrzaneth Ossuary is devoted to the worship of Thal, the divine arbiter of the afterlife. Two kinds of people visit its halls: the destitute praying for fortune in the realm of the dead, and the moneyed seeking extravagant funerary rites.
Mamane Wrote:Arrzaneth Ossuary is a sacred structure where mortals may seek the favor of Thal, arbiter of the afterlife... for in death, we must all abide by Thal's final evaluation of our existence. Those deemed to have led lives of richer virtue are rewarded... with greater comfort for their eternal souls. I urge you to consider making a donation and enhancing your virtue, thus ensuring a golden paradise for your time in the realm beyond...
Fyrilsunn Wrote:Arrzaneth Ossuary is the Temple of Thal. His respect is that of death and darkness, that which we shall all come to know in time. Many of the poor and destitute worship here. For it is they who seek a better place in death than they know in life.
Kyokyozo Wrote:Pilgrim, merchant, adventurer... Thal judges you not by who you are or where you hail from. Open your heart to His blessing, and you will find respite in His halls.
Gogofu Wrote:The realm of Thal is a paradise of Man - unplagued by decay and disease, free of pain and the pangs of hunger, unmatched and eternal in its beauties. In recent moons, even they who ordinarily pay their dues to Nald have come to give offering to Thal. That is well, that is well.
All Booked Up Wrote:The Order of Nald'thal has been making copies of its library, in preparation for the worst. The thought of Arrzaneth Ossuary falling into the enemy is a sobering idea. The most valuable tomes are being copied in miniature so they may be secreted away; the thaumaturges seek spectacles for this reason.
This Is Why You Can't Have Nice Things Wrote:Here's something for you, friend─a call for amateur's breeches from the Order of Nald'thal. “Ascetic,†they ask for. That means it's for initiates; the Order keeps them on cabbage, chicken feet and hempen raiments, claims it teaches them the value of gil. They know their business, right enough.
Kamlito Halito Wrote:Capital is as vital to the Ossuary as any of the other guilds, if not more so. You must know the path it travels. Wealth is formed at Eshtaime's Lapidaries and Sunsilk Tapestries, won and lost on the bloodsands of the Coliseum, gambled and guarded at the Platinum Mirage. It falls to our Order to cleanse said wealth of the residues of sin acquired durings its journey.
Prelate I’llofii Wrote:Do you honestly believe you have the makings of a true thaumaturge? Your veins must course with feverish hot blood that burns a deep crimson. You must experience many a death to become master over it. Whether or not you return from your journeys to the other realm is decided by the potency and vigor of your lifeblood. Many and more far greater than you have had their blood stained black as pitch by the trials they have undergone within these halls. This is what it means to be a thaumaturge. To suffer great burdens that would crush ordinary men, and toil on. I ask again, do you truly have what it takes to become one of us? And if so, is that truly what you desire? Forgive me, I do not mean to deter you or give you cause to falter. I mean only to harden your resolve. Come, let us begin your training.
This document is a last will and testament. It belonged to a man of the Merchants Ward who, by the age of one and fifty, had established himself as a reputable trader. Yet the gods have their plans, and his life was taken one day by a raging beast. Though many outside these walls would deem this fate tragic, the clouds of grief are not long upon us here, for we know that his soul's true journey has just begun. As he was a loyal devotee of the Ossuary, it is our charge to execute his last will and testament. This is to be your training, Sounsyy.
"My last will and testament... I hereby leave one third of my total estate to the Order of Nald'thal of the Arrzaneth Ossuary. In return for this consideration, I humbly request that my death be avenged should my days be cut short by unnatural causes." Vengeance will be had for those whose breath is taken from them.
I’llofii Wrote:Vengeance will be had for those whose breath is taken from them. You must spill its lifeblood─as only life can pay for life. Now that the deed is done, surely this merchant's soul will find peace in Thal's realm, for you have taken its burden of hatred upon yourself. Your own sins have grown in the doing, but so has your virtue with them.
I should tell you, vengeance orders cannot be placed against one of our own. Now that you have taken up the thaumaturge's path, you need not fear being marked for death by the Order.
I’llofii Wrote:We bear sin that we might recognize the seeds of evil harbored within us all. And with that knowing, we might then come to know ourselves. That we are who we are both because of them and despite them. You have committed the most unthinkable of acts. And you have stained your blood black in the doing. Such blood has no place in our Order. There is a reason we do not seek vengeance on our own kind. It is because one who preaches the laws of the Ossuary must live to be judged by them. When you know our justice, you will have wished for a quick death here. Return now to our halls, Sounsyy. Her fate will have been decided by the time you arrive. The Order does not dally in such matters.
Keeper Yayake Wrote:A vengeance will is no trifling matter. The costs incurred tend to be quite large - exorbitant, even by the standards of many. The Ossuary waives a portion of the fee when a vengeance order forms part of a last will and testament lodged with the Ossuary. Accordingly, there are many who make use of this service in such a fashion. Once you have dealt what vengeance the will and testament demands, there is no need for further slaughter. You are to travel back at once and speak to Prelate I'llofii.
Totono Wrote:Last will and testaments are but one of the many services Arrzaneth Ossuary offers the people of Eorzea. There is near no act we would deny for them as has coin.
Nyunoeya Wrote:To practice thaumaturgy is to walk the barrier between life and death. Take up the arms of our guild, and you too can share in our wisdom. Our magic can be focused upon any in our sight. We assail our foes by absorbing their strengths, and aid our allies by enhancing theirs. The weaving of spells taxes the mind. We have our own techniques for refreshing ourselves, and aetheryte is available to us as well, but you must know your mind's limitations.
Yayake Wrote:Today, the work of Thal needs be done in a faraway place. You will venture forth from Ul'dah, and head in the direction of the setting sun. You will cross the seas, and beyond them come to the ports of Limsa Lominsa - city of pirates. There they worship the Twelve, as do we on the mainland. Yet they know little and less of life and death, and of crossing from one to the other. Your charge is to spread word of our teachings - to enlighten our Lominsan brothers as to what awaits us all beyond death.
And, for the good of their eternal souls, you are to invite them to be interred here at the Ossuary when they shuffle off this mortal coil. To put it in layman's terms, you will be selling graves. Few acts are deemed more virtuous than this in the eyes of the Order. It is a first and fundamental step in a thaumaturge's training. You will agree to undertake this sacred mission, I trust?
Fyrilsunn Wrote:Set no store by verbal contracts. The services you offer concern a person's most cherished belongings. In such matters, the Order will recognize nothing less than a contract sealed with blood.
Tutubuki Wrote:If you wish to sell graves, you must carefully outline the many benefits of interment here at Arrzaneth Ossuary. Vengeance orders, seeing to the needs of the bereaved, execution of the will and testament, and so on. The Order may be relied upon to handle virtually all of one's posthumous affairs. But you would do well to leave out the…finer details. Time is money, is wealth, is virtue. Squander it not.
Sinette Wrote:The Ossuary offers a number of special contracts - in addition to the standard ones. The extra options serve to give the soul…greater peace. To give these contracts a sense of exclusivity, thy are offered to very few of our patrons. They are so costly, that no smallfolk could possibly hope to afford them.
Sightseeing Vista #57 Thal’s Respite Wrote:Overseer of wealth in the afterlife, proper obeisance to the Trader, Thal is required for those who wish to take belongings accumulated in this world to the hereafter. Thal's Respite is oft used by stout devotees of the Order of Nald'thal as a place of fasting and prayer, but its distance from Ul'dah prevents all but the most affluent from making the journey.
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Funerary Rites of the Southrons
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Built within the remains of ancient ruins dating far before Ul’dah’s foundation, Erralig’s Burial Chamber is a crypt open to all Ul’dahns - provided they make donations to the temple. The prestigious lowest levels of the Chamber are reserved for those who have given very generously. Small contributions merit entombment in the top levels, while a pittance reportedly lands corpses in the wilds where monsters roam.
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:That the study of magic should bloom in Ul’dah is no surprise, given that the city-state’s forebears were Mhachi magi. The priests of the Order of Nald’thal have cultivated and passed on much knowledge of the arcane, particularly those who work at Arrzaneth Ossuary. There, they have perfected techniques related to funerary rites - freezing blizzards to halt corruption, raging fires to cleanse the corpse, and bolts of lightning to expel the sins of mortal life. As they have discovered that these magicks have a great effect on the living, the Ossuary has come to serve as the Thaumaturges’ Guild, where magi are trained and new arcane arts are born.
Yayaroku Wrote:The virtuous are interred in Erralig's Burial Chamber, to ensure their safe passage into the realm of the dead. Men measure virtue in many ways, but Thal's scales weigh wealth most favorably. If you worry that you are yet wanting, you may make a donation at any time.
Overweening Thaumaturge Wrote:Limsa is famous for its distrust of the Order. They claim the special benefits and rites promised with our burials are rarely carried out. And why might that be, you ask? I imagine it is because there are no dead to fill the graves, frankly. It is a city of sailors, and many and more die at sea. Without a corpse, what proper burial can there be?
Bouchard Wrote:Off to Gridania, are you? I can't say I've any love for that place in these old bones. The folks there don't even believe in the realm of Thal, you know. Bloody barbarians! And just what the hells do they think happens when you die!?
Thancred Wrote:I oft wondered what form the funereal rites of the southrons took. Given the weather here, I assumed cremation rather than burial.
Ailing Roegadyn Wrote:Damielliot of the Phrontistery hired me to attend as a mourner. I need do no more than cry. It is an easy way to make gil, should you ever find yourself in financial difficulty.
Sinette Wrote:It is rare to see so many mourners at so humble a funeral. How much coin are you getting to cry, friend?
Swollen-eyed Strumpet Wrote:You're going to have to conjure up a few more tears if you expect to be paid in full.
Faustigeant Wrote:What would you like done with the remains? He was not a citizen of Ul'dah. You will have to appeal to Arrzaneth Ossuary to make arrangements. I should think medical expenses and internment costs will come to upward of one and a half million gil. ...Then take his corpse out of here yourself. Leave it beyond the city walls, if you must. I'm sure the crows and the beetles will be happy to save you the cost of a burial. But whatever you do, do it quickly.
Damielliot Wrote:The cost of not burying the deceased is far greater than the cost of burying them. Those not properly returned to Hydaelyn are damned to spend an eternity wandering the wastes!
Corguevais Wrote:I am aware of what the scriptures teach, it's just... There is no money.â€
Better Shroud Than Sorry Wrote:It is said that burying the dead in a merchant's kurta ensures a better bargain in the hall of judgment. While none admit to this belief, more kurtas are sold than worn in the streets, for when it comes to the departed, it is those who love them best who nurse the most doubts about their virtue.
The Walk of Death Wrote:To prepare the dead and dying for their journey into the afterlife, the Arrzaneth Ossuary provides each of its followers with a pair of new sandals, so that they might not defile the sacred realm of Thal with their soiled feet. The Seventy-seven Caravans has been petitioned by the sect to provide them with a shipment of the footwear each turn of the moon. To meet this turn's order, Caravan Stockist Claroise Auberle is seeking skilled carpenters to assist in the crafting of the sandals.
Trader Eel Wrote:This freshwater eel native to the rivers and lakes of Thanalan will often display the unique trait of swapping its mate with other nearby eels when spawning. Because of this characteristic, the wavekin is oft used in religious ceremonies involving Nald'thal.
Bibiroku Wrote:The heat... Gods, woman, the heat... I suppose I have myself to blame for this post. The Order teaches us it is our virtues in this life that determine our lot. I must make efforts to deceive more people, amass more wealth.
Fyrilsunn Wrote:None is more forsaken in the eyes of gods and men than the graverobber. If such a fiend were found in Ul'dah, their end would be an excruciatingly slow and painful one.
Fyrilsunn Wrote:When I first heard the rumors of graves being robbed, I thought it for bones. But are you saying it was for a piece of jewelry? To be buried with such a trinket is surely the far greater sin. Nald weights all creation in this realm, and his wares are forbidden in the realm of Thal. This is known!
Restless Be the Damned Wrote:Upon their passing, many of the city's dead are bound to the corporeal realm, their souls unable to make the journey to the realm of Thal and damned to walk the desert for all of eternity. Each day, these "zombies" rise from the desert to lament their imprisonment and torment the living─the task of silencing them falling to the Brass Blades and the sellswords they hire. Those interested in aiding the Blades are to report fully-equipped to Halatali for further instructions.
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The Church of Saint Adama Landama
Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:The Church of Saint Adama Landama is named for a wealthy man who, through unequalled philanthropy, achieved sainthood in the eyes of Nald’thal. Indeed, the tale of how he saved his town using naught but his wits and his wealth is told realm-wide in the legend of Saint Adama Landama’s Creel. The chapel itself was commissioned by the merchants of Ul’dah to put those souls who perished in the Calamity to rest, yet many still come, even after five years, to commission a final resting place for their loved ones.
Airell Wrote:Welcome to the Church of Saint Adama Landama. Our patron saint was a wealthy man in life, and so many merchants used to come calling to pray for his favor. But that all changed after the Calamity. Our small lichyard grew and grew as we took on the dead, and now we receive more mourners than merchants.
Airell Wrote:In days gone by, the lichyard was a small, humble plot. But that all changed after the Calamity fell five years ago. The dead grew in number, and so the yard grew with them. It is still simple, despite its size. Of course, it's that selfsame simplicity that keeps it from becoming more of a priority for the Order. We can ill afford to assign adequate numbers to its keeping, just as we cannot charge the poor to bury or be buried. Yet that does not stop the many who come calling to see their dead put to rest here.
Death With Indignity Wrote:The lichyard of the Church of Saint Adama Landama is the final resting place for those who do not have the means to see their bodies interred in the sultanate's great stone mausoleums. We provide salvation in death for those who could not find the same in life. We ask no coin of those who seek our aid, and conduct our work solely with the alms provided us by the city-state's few philanthropists. Charity, however, is a rare virtue in Ul'dah, and our "visitors" are forced to forgo many of the luxuries, such as a proper headstone or an embalming, that the wealthy are granted upon their passing. This inequity can kindle flames of wrath which can ultimately prevent a soul from completing its journey to the realm of Thal. These souls must needs be cleansed of their anger so that they may find peace, and we at the lichyard seek adventurers to aid us in doing so.
Esmour Wrote:As an adventureer, you are familiar with guildleves, yes? If so, you have likely seen our Saint Adama Landama, for his wealth and munificence were such that some guildleves now bear his likeness. A strange state of affairs, though, that a church bearing the name of a rich saint should now be overrun with the poor who come to bury their dead.
Raulin Wrote:'Tis a peaceful place for the most part. A lot of folk as perished in the Calamity are interred here - no room left in the city, ye see - and their loved ones come to pay their respects. Of course, people also come bearin' the bodies of the recently deceased, so the church always has its hands full attendin' to everyone's needs.
Bad to the Bone Wrote:It is said that the rich may atone for a lifetime of avidity by being buried in the lichyard of Saint Adama Landama, among the poor. The worse the conscience the finer the grave goods, for by law the objects belong to the poor once the body has turned to dust.
