Lyran Funeral Traditions

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The Here and After

Main article: Truth of the After

"What do you mean by ‘Here’? What do you mean by ‘After’?"

These are the questions members of House Lyra have to answer more than any other. Many Lyran  figures of speech revolve around these two concepts and therefore the questions are fundamental to Lyran philosophy.

The surface level answer to these questions are easily given, yet hard to understand for most outsiders. Philosophically speaking the ‘Here’ is everything that is around us in every moment. The body, the mind and the whole universe at one moment in time. Being ‘Here’ is being alive.

The ‘After’ is what lies beyond the veil of death. There are many different concepts of  what the ‘After’ is actually like and one or none of them might be true. Most members of House Lyra think of it as a place where the soul goes to live and journey on. A whole new state of being, that can only be achieved by dying and only by those who lived their lives to the fullest whilst creating a lasting legacy.

Reaching the ‘After’ is the destination, the ‘Here’ is the current step on the journey.

Burial Practices

House Lyra believe that there is only truly meaning in death, in a souls ascension to the After. In order to truly reach the After, a body must be preserved and a soul must be remembered. In reaching the After, a soul must be first honoured in the Here, before it’s long journey to the After. Those of House Lyra know that they make their own mark Here, that they impact the now. Through creation, through art, through connection. The expression of their art and their passion, is what changes the Here and connects the noble members of House Lyra to the After. Leaving a permanent mark Here and a forever After.

The Living Memory: Ripples of Here

In order to be granted a peaceful After, there must be the memory of their acts Here. As House Lyra is the house of art and passion, the works created in life by the person are displayed and recounted at their Wake. A wake, for House Lyra, is the gathering of people who had connection to the departed Here. They offer their art in connection with the departed, this helps demonstrate their ripples in the Here. They tell their stories of the deceased, they make certain a departed’s works are displayed, their emotions made physical Here, connecting them Here to the After that they have now entered. Ripples from Here, create a more plentiful After. Certain members of the House will mark their bodies - temporarily or permanently-  with the ashes of the departed as a representation of the ripple.

The Separation of Flesh and Soul

The separation of Flesh and soul is the ritual performed by the Neshmet of House Lyra. The process of removing the organs from the vessel. By removing the centres of creative thought and passionate emotion the soul is freed from the flesh thus able to truly journey from Here to After.  After the removal of organs, which are stored and preserved, before being reduced to ash, the body is then embalmed using vector fluid, that has been perfected by Neshmet over the years. The embalming process of the separation of flesh and soul frees the soul to continue its journey to the After, the preserved body entombed within the catacombs of House Lyra.

Final Rites of Here

After the Separation of Flesh and Soul, it is time for the departed’s final rites, these are words spoken by a Neshmet, they remind the departed of their connection in the Here, the passion and self-expression that was expended. These words are unique to each Neshmet. Each Neshmet learns their words near the end of their training, this is truly when they become shepherds of souls to the After. Final Rites are key as they set a soul free from Here and allow to be free within the After.  

Ash Tattoos

Ash tattoos are one such option available to those who requests for it during their funeral rites. It is a sacred tradition and an art it’s very own. A Meret on this path must train for it in academia. The training is held to perhaps the strictest of standards, for it concerns The After and those the departed has left behind. A fresh wound, tender and swollen. To be attended to with great care and delicacy. And if tasked and the Meret performs admirably they may take pride in having a hand in healing such a wound at the very least by a fraction that day. But providing continued solace for a lifetime.

The Ink

The exact composition of this special ink is a closely guarded secret. While in practice much more benign than those related to the Hekate the truths here are no less more severe if brought to light. Hence the intense curriculum and strict scoring of the would-be students of this craft. For it is not simply a judge of skill but a judge of character that one is permitted right to this ceremony.

For in truth, other than the obvious ingredient of its title, the Ash Ink harbours many mysterious ingredients. This includes ash, lighting reacted black snow, crystallized crawler secretion, and a collection of Orpheo molds. Ground by mortar and pestle on site and mixed with solution turning it into a dark ink that fades into a deep vibrant purple along its edges. If ingested or injected this concoction is lethal with death from asphyxia is sudden and without symptoms after 24 hours.

The Tea

At the same time the ink is being prepared on-site the Meret’s assistants begin to prepare the Tea for the ash ink. It is to be brewed in strict accordance to tradition. Not only must the right measurements of the ingredients be made exact it must also follow (much like the rest of this ceremony) precise form and procedure.

The Procedure

The Meret, with help from their assistants will set up the ceremony on the ground. The selected area is to be draped with a suitable sheet and the equipment laid in perfect order around where the Meret is to be seated. During the process the Meret is to wear neither mask nor sleeve. This is to represent the purity of the ceremony. If the Meret wears a mask the mask is to be placed to their left. If the Meret dons sleeves they are to be folded and draped across their lap. The Meret, after making the ink will pour the ink from the mortar with their left hand into the bowl (placed not lifted) held in the right hand. The ink is free poured at a distance of no more than 5cm. And the Meret must hold but under no circumstances shake the mortar. Once poured the meret will use their right pinky to skim the rim of the mortar and must ingest the ink. The assistants will then pour the tea into a bowl and hand it to the Meret using both hands. The Meret will then pass on the bowl to the recipient, who will then drink deeply from the bowl. Then they hand the bowl over to the assistants when they are finished. After doing so The Meret will begin their work on the tattoo.

The tattoo is to be applied in the old ways. Not with electronic assistance but needles aligned like a brush pushed repeatedly against the flesh. The pain of such a process meant to be therapeutic. Alleviating the pain potentially locked within those who grieve. A reminder that there it is only the living who suffer; those who go on to The After feel no pain. After the work is finished the meret will be handed a smaller cup of the tea given the same way and now it is the Meret’s turn to drink and the cup handed back to the assistants again. The Meret remains seated and will bow deeply, express their condolences and so conclude their work.

The Effects

Though deadly when handled without due care when the ink is let into the body the intoxication often makes one feel as if they are in the ephemeral presence of the one who whose journey has begun. Not as strong as a vision or a trance state. But subtle like a breeze. Some kind of sense you can swear is not of this world but not jarring yet fragile enough that you know that any bit of sudden movement will cast away the feeling. Though subtle it is noted that the strong emotional feelings brought forth is enough to keep those whom might wince at the pain of the tattooing process still and unwavering. Due to the amount ingested the Meret themselves feel a much muted if not interceptable version of this effect. Though ultimately deadly all the same if untreated.

Role in funerals around empire

For main article, see Imperial Funeral Traditions

One of house Lyras most important task in the empire is handling of all funerals. Serfs and other non nobles are usally cremated but each noble house have their own tradions developed in cooperation with house Lyra.