Ousa's Pyramid
Ousa’s Pyramid looms like a spectral sentinel over the southern plateaus of Har’Akir, a towering monument of white limestone that gleams coldly beneath the relentless sun. Revered as the spirit home of Ousa, consort of Ese and god of the afterlife, the pyramid is both a place of sacred pilgrimage and a gateway to mysteries beyond mortal reckoning.
Ousa’s Pyramid stands as a towering testament to death’s inevitability and the hope of passage beyond. In the Domain of Dread Har’Akir, it is both sanctuary and sentinel—a place where the living confront the mysteries of the afterlife and where the restless dead find their final home.
Purpose / Function
Rising sharply from the barren earth, the pyramid’s smooth, gleaming surfaces reflect the desert light with an almost unearthly brilliance. It stands isolated, surrounded by cracked earth and scattered bones, its apex crowned with a great sculpted image of Ousa: a serene figure cloaked in white robes, eyes closed in eternal vigilance, hands open as if welcoming the souls of the dead.
- The pyramid’s base is encircled by a broad plaza of polished alabaster, etched with intricate bas-reliefs depicting the journey of the soul—from mortal life through judgment to eternal rest.
- Carved niches along the pyramid’s four faces house statues of jackal-headed guardians, poised eternally to escort spirits safely into the beyond.
- A massive gateway of black obsidian on the eastern side serves as the sole entrance, said to shimmer with faint blue flames visible only at twilight.
Architecture
The interior is a labyrinth of shadowed chambers, winding staircases, and echoing halls. The air is cool and dry, scented faintly with myrrh and ancient incense. Walls are covered with hieroglyphs and murals telling stories of Ousa’s role as psychopomp, guiding souls to rest and protecting them from corruption.
- The Hall of Judgment is a vast chamber where the souls’ deeds are weighed, symbolized by a great scale held by a carved figure of Ousa himself.
- The Chamber of Whispers holds sacred texts and relics, where priests meditate and communicate with spirits.
- The Silent Crypts lie deep beneath, resting places for priests and noble devotees who sought to be near Ousa in death.
History
- It is said that Ousa’s Pyramid is never truly silent—faint voices and mournful sighs can be heard by those who linger after dark.
- Some claim the pyramid is a gateway not only for the dead but for entities far older and darker, imprisoned or wandering between planes.
- Rumors whisper of secret cults who perform forbidden rites within the Silent Crypts, attempting to harness or defy the power of death itself.
Tourism
Pilgrims and priests from Muhar and beyond journey here to seek Ousa’s blessing, to honor the dead, and to beg for safe passage through the trials of the afterlife. Rituals include:
- Night Vigils where torchbearers circle the pyramid, chanting prayers that echo against the limestone walls.
- Offerings of Scarabs and Lotus Flowers, symbols of rebirth and purity, left at the obsidian gateway.
- The Festival of Passing, held annually, when spirits are believed to draw near and the boundary between worlds thins.
Comments