The Holy Pilgrimage

The Shrine of Gavin - The Road to the Stone Tower of Alos

The Stone Tower of Alos - The Journey to the City of Keth - The Holy Tree

The Highway of Lost Names - The Shrine of Tama - The Rainbow Bridge

Chazona - Bechira - Neviah and the Granting of the Name

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History

The Tomb of High King Gavin Toril is in the city of Kach where he was born. He was laid to rest there as his final request. It is said that he received a vision that his tomb should be made of black marble and smoky granite. As his final request, he outlined what his tomb should look like and where it should be located.

The Architecture

The Shrine of Gavin is built from black marble and smoky granite. The shrine is built in two parts, an inner building and an outer building. The inner building is where the Tomb and Gavin lay. The inner building has ten sides, each of the sides has a statue of a person holding a sword. The swords are all pointed to the center of the ceiling where a clear, ten pointed star of crystal is placed. Beneath this star, rests the sarcophagus of Gavin. On the floor, the star is mirrored in black and gold tiles, the star's points extending to the base of each statue.

The outer building is much simpler. It has four even sides that enclose the inner building. In front of the solid walls of the outer build, ten black marble pillars hold up the lip of the ceiling on each side of the building. The doors are located on the north side of the building and are made from stone. The doors open on their own, propelled by a combination of magic and machination. Inside the Outer building, the floors are tiled with murals of Gavin's accomplishments as the Second God-Blessed Warrior. The ceiling is twice as high as the inner building which sits in the center of the outer building. In the center of the ceiling of the outer building is a glass done, aligned perfectly with the star upon the roof of the inner building.

The Holy Pilgrimage

The Shrine of Gavin is the starting point of the Pilgrimage of Truth. It is tradition to enter the outer building and walk around the inner building twelve times. Most people enjoy the murals on the ground as they do this, others others pray as they make the twelve circuits around the inner building. Once the twelfth circle is complete, the pilgrim enters the inner shrine.

Once inside the inner shrine, they move to the statue they feel the most affinity with and kneel facing it, offering a strand of their hair. Then they stand and face the tomb of Gavin and kneel once more. It is said that some pilgrims receive vigor and strength by kneeling to Gavin- this strength will aid them in the pilgrimage, allowing them to complete it.

The first step into of the inner building of the Shrine is considered the first step of the pilgrimage. In general, no one except the care takers and pilgrims go inside the inner building, but many travelers visit the outer building to look at the tiled mosaic floors. 

As seen in the image above, the journey between the first and second stop of the pilgrimage takes you first through the farmlands of Kach and then over Kach Ridge.

On average, the journey takes about 10 days due to the switchbacks and mountainous terrain. The journey can be done in as little as six days, but this requires the pilgrims to be in excellent shape and double time it through the farmlands and keep normal flat terrain pace through the mountains.

Kach Ridge is home to many beasts including rockflyer dragons. The rockflyers are very territorial and their territory forces many pilgrims to simply go around the long way rather than go through it. There are also tribes of Tobash that live in the Ridge.

Pepel Grass and Cadé bushes are common flora in the ridge. Low trees also grace some of the mountain peaks. For the most part, the rocky terrain is unsuited for plant life. Aside from Dragons and Tobash, small lizards, birds and mammals live in the mountains, keeping to the grass and bushes for cover and food.

Rock slides are common on the Kach Ridge, the majority of the rock is Igneous the outer ridge tends to be granite rocks and some people mine the tin in them. The inner Ridge is mostly gabbros and known for the platinum. The Ridge was formed by now inactive volcanoes. The Volcano collapsed to form the caldera that is now the ridge between Kach and Keth.

In the low spot of the caldera is the Stone Tower of Alos.

The Stone Tower of Alos

One of the many wonders in Arascon, the Stone Tower of Alos was built during the reign of Addington Toril. He built it on finding the notes of his Mother Tama. The Stone Tower is built in Kach Ridge and spires nearly 500 feet above the peak of the highest mountain within the Ridge. It is considered to be the pinnacle of the world. It is dedicated to the God Alos, the God of protection. The tower only has one room at the very top of the building. The room is circular and open with many windows so visitors can see in a complete circle around them. To get to the top of the tower, a visitor can take either the Magic Lift or the stairs. (Most people take the Lift.)

The Magic Lift is nearly as remarkable as the tower itself. It has never broken and it magically transports people to the top of the tower. Some people taking the Pilgrimage think it is a sign of your virtue and commitment to take the stairs, but most simply don't want to hike the entire way up. Taking the stairs to the top of the tower can take about half a day as the tower is so tall and the stairs wind in a corkscrew through the middle of the tower.

The sides of the tower are carved with ornate scenes of the God Alos bringing in the storms, clashed in battle and protecting the people. The artwork is fading with age, but it is still quite remarkable. It is said that the scenes were at one time painted with gold and silver paint, but time has worn away the color.

From the Tower to Keth

The road from the Stone Tower of Alos to the city of Keth leads through the Kach Ridge going through switchbacks. The road is steeply inclined through this area, but easier to traverse that going in the direction of Kach. On the Keth side of the Stone tower there are few predatory beasts, making the journey less hazardous.

At the base of the Ridge is the City of Keth. It lays on between the Ridge and the Hermit wood. People from the city have made their homes in both the mountains leading to the city. Because there are more people on the Keth side of the Ridge, there are more bandits as well as more Red Dawn Patrols.

The Holy Tree

The Holy Tree is located in the Hermit wood just outside of Keth. Legend has it that the Holy tree is the source of all trees in the Hermit wood; the single oak acting as progenitor of the entire forest. The tree is massive, even for an Elder Oak. It is also incredibly Ancient for an Oak. No one is really certain how long it has been there.

The tree is so massive that it can be seen all the way from the Ridge, standing above the rest of the Hermit Wood. If ten people linked hands, they would not be able to encircle the tree between them.

The lower branches of the tree are covered in white threads from where pilgrims have tied them. It is tradition for pilgrims to tie a single white thread to the highest branch they can reach with both feet flat on the ground. If it was a normal Oak tree, most like people would not be able to reach any branch, however, this oak is full, its branches reaching toward the ground without breaking.

As the Pilgrim ties the thread to the branch, they cast a wish. It is said in times of great need that the wish will be granted by Vermi. This wish is sacred and must be asked from the heart. It is a wish of last resort and not everyone is granted.

From the Keth to Amberlin

Pilgrims take the long highway from Keth to Amberlin, taking the Lost Names Highway. it is so named because it winds around the coast of the Cove of Lost names. During this portion of the journey (which is pusically the longest), pilgrims usually walk or take a cart along the coastal highway, camping along the way. This part of the journey is one of reflection on people whose names have been lost through out time. it is also a time to reflect upon your own life and see what it is in your life that would make people forget your name.

This stage of the journey usually takes about 20 days. it is relatively safe as it is on one of the main highways in Amero. There are small villages all along the coast where travelers can buy food and get a warm meal. The important thing about this walk is simply the walk. Traveling the distance while looking out over the Cove of Lost names.

The Shrine of Tama

The Tomb of the first High Queen, Tama Toril is located on the Amberlin side of the Rainbow Bridge. The Shrine is made from pure white marble. Twelve Pillars line each side of the open tomb holding up the roof. Each of the twelve pillars is carved into the visage of a different woman whose arms carry the weight of the roof. Colored stone has been set into each woman's eyes, making it appear as if they look out in all directions, protecting the tomb of Tama.

Unlike Gavin's tomb, there is no inner and outer building, rather just one large open pace, in the center of which is Tama's coffin. The inside of the ceiling is painted into a large mural of Tama's life works, glorifying her as a warrior, mother and Queen. Aside from this mural, the rest of the shrine is pure white.

It is tradition on the pilgrimage to leave a white rose or the feather of a black dove atop the stone and metal coffin. To get a Token of Tama, which grants a pilgrim free travel to the Holy Isles, a pilgrim must retrieve one from one of the keepers of the Shrine. Usually, the tokens are given to the pilgrim if they correctly answer a test of wit.

The Rainbow Bridge

The Rainbow Bridge that connects the two halves of Amberlin-Pastine is about three quarters of a mile long and nearly a quarter mile wide. It is raised over the ocean by huge stone pillars and reinforced by old magic. The Rainbow Bridge is considered one of the finest achievements of man in all the world and people travel from far and wide to take the Twelve Night Pilgrimage, part of which travels over the bridge. The bridge hovers over the Amber-Past straights. It is high enough that every boat in the Arascon Navy can pass beneath it with ease. The Bridge is large enough that many merchants sell their wares on the bridge. Many of these merchants have taken up residence upon the bridge as well, their home located above their shop. The buildings on the bridge are made of the same stone as the bridge itself. The buildings line the edges of the bridge, making it seem simply like a long road in a city.

The Bridge was commissioned by the High Queen Tama Toril. She was the first Queen of Arascon, ruling after a long line of male predecessors. She built the bridge in an attempt to prove her power, majesty and strength to the world. Legend says that the reason the bridge is so strong and stable is because Queen Tama gave one of her fingers to support each of the eight mighty pillars that support the bridge across the straights. It is unknown if this is actually true or not, but it makes for a good story. Queen Tama is considered the 3rd God-Blessed Warrior to live in Arascon.

On the pilgrimage, people walk across the bridge through the merchants. This part of the journey is the shortest and the easiest. The purpose of crossing the bridge is simply to get to the ports on the other side. At the ports, one gives their Token of Tama to the captain of any ship and that ship is obligated to take you to the Holy Isles on a twelve day journey. Usually, there are ships that are dedicated to running pilgrims to the Isles and it is considered polite to use one of those ships rather than a merchant ship.

Chazona

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Bechira

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Neviah and the Granting of the Name

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