Forest Temple Stone
Forest Temple's Founding Stone
by our curious hero,Lorgan the Mystic
In this Research Document:
- forest background by
- luisvilanova Envato Elements
- rock and rock's text by
- Shade Melodique
Forest Temple Stone
Deep within the deepest part of the darkest forest upon the continent of Talis, a simple stone sits among the ages-old leaf litter to the side of an ancient thoroughfare. It leans to the left, knocked from position by an ancient blow, and none have righted it.
Upon the top of the stone rests the crude carving of a tree, worn to near extinction by the elements. Below it, a faded line denotes the ground, and roots inch down, to curve to the side and surround text in a language so ancient, none recognize it. The words glow a subtle purple, and unlike the tree, appear newly carved.
There are two copies considered original translations, one in the Wisdom of the Sun Temple, the other in the Forest Temple. Each is written in nearly forgotten ancient languages, which have then been translated into progressively modern tongues. They, more or less, say the same thing.
The choice of these two temples is not happenstance; Wisdom of the Sun is arguably the oldest Sun temple on Talis, and the Forest Temple is the only known Death temple. So they are both ancient in origin.
Wisdom of the Sun is to the north, which religious scholars have traditionally seen as the direction of open thoughts, and the Forest Temple to the south, the direction of secrets. This represents the stone; all can see it, but the text is of such ancient origin, few can read it, so the contents are secret.
And, apparently, Death likes it that way. No modern signage sits near the stone.
Inscription
Here lies the border of Death's Domain.
Do not cross, living soul,
for this forest and its temple are not for you.
Death claims these woods, its trees, gullies, soil.
Mark the rise of fog;
continue, and you will become as insubstantial as the mist
and the wind shall blow you away.
Do not cross, living soul,
for this forest and its temple are not for you.
Death claims these woods, its trees, gullies, soil.
Mark the rise of fog;
continue, and you will become as insubstantial as the mist
and the wind shall blow you away.
Lorgan's Thoughts
Most other temples to syimlin have long, almost poetic, documents listing who purchased the land and for which deity, from whom, and the size. Many are kept in glass cases and revered by adherents.
This stone is the only known documentation we have for the founding of the Forest Temple, the residence of Death. When that long-ago Death claimed the forest, we don't know; it has no date. Our oldest records reference both the Forest Temple and the stone, so they existed before scribes wrote about them.
It's interesting, that only a Sun temple and the Forest temple have official translations. This link stresses the importance that Sun sees in Death, and that Death sees in the Sun, to maintain the circular cycle of life and death. It's also interesting, the words remain easy to read while the image wears away. This seems on purpose; the previous Deaths could cast a preservation spell. Why have they not?
A mystery, one mortals do not seem privy to, as both Sun and Death acolytes and priests argue over it but have no conclusive answer.
I, of course, have theories.
There are more poetic ways to describe the cycle of life, but the most ancient of faelareign cultures believed stone was the symbol of the circuity of life, all wrapped in one object. Stone did not breathe (so was 'dead') but somehow still existed, in more or less the same form, far beyond a mortal lifespan.
Taking this into account, I believe choosing stone for the declaration has religious significance beyond what's written on it. I also believe a message lies in the fact that the tree, a plant that often represents life, wears into nothing while the words of Death remain without blemish.
Of note: the wind is one's breath, the final one of which blows the soul to Death's domain. Whoever wrote the words was serious about keeping the forest free of living visitors.
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