#worldbuilding: grynvyr

[crowandmoonwriting]

Happy WBW, Crow! 

We’re observing All Hallows’ Day here, which inspired my question: what do funerary rites look like in your setting(s)? Are there any additional traditions related to mourning?

Happy All Hallows' and Feliz Dia de Muertos!

So I'm doing some fresh worldbuidling for a D&D campaign I'm doing (for writeblr D&D, if you want to be added to the discord just ask!), so I'll be doing this for one of the countries therein.

Grynvyr is an icy, inhospitable country, and death comes swiftly to the unwary. Digging into the hard permafrost is not ideal, so burials go one of two ways: in seaside towns, bodies are lain in simple boats dowsed with accelerant and pushed out to sea before being ignited by a flaming arrow. In landlocked towns, they are still lain in boats, but these are placed on top of pyres and then burned. A common Grynvyrian belief holds that the ocean and the wind hold paths to the underworld, and when you pass, you either sail or swim to your final rest. It is considered a courtesy to release the soul by burning the body, and give the soul a boat to ease their journey. However the body is burned, the family or friends gather what ashes remain and cast them into the sea. Even landlocked families will travel hundreds of miles to reach the sea to do so. This is believed to release all remaining contact with the material plane, so that the dead can truly rest in peace.

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