The Temple of Ereshkigal

== Temple Overview ==
While there are several known and practiced religions within Thrae, those who worship Ereshkigal are few and far in-between. While she was once a well-known and renowned Goddess of the Underworld, her popularity has shifted over the last several hundred years; leaving behind a sparse following divided between two locations that are still upheld and maintained. Despite these temples worshiping the same Goddess, they seem to hold very differing view points on how to service Ereshkigal's desires. The Western Temple, also called The Forest Temple, embraces a more altruistic approach while those within the Eastern Temple, commonly referred to as The Desert Temple, are known for their more aggressive nature. 
== Ereshkigal, the Goddess of the Dead ==
Erishkegal was once the Goddess of Grain; she became the Queen of the Netherworld because none of the other Sumerian deities wanted it. With only clay to eat and dirty water to drink, she took the souls of the dead into herself by swallowing them. It was a dark and dismal place to the original followers, who described it as being without light, full of dust and clay, and “without exit for him who enters therein.” The dead wore feathers and would “moan like doves”, and they would eat the living if they managed to escape. 
Ereshkigal is always represented in prayers and rituals as a formidable goddess of great power but often in stories as one who forgives an injustice or a wrong in the interests of the greater good. In this role, she encouraged piety in the people who should follow her example in their own lives. If Ereshkigal could suffer injustice and continue to perform her tasks in accordance with the will of the gods, then human beings should do no less.
Her further significance was as the ruler of the underworld by which she was understood to reward the good and punish the evil, of course, but more importantly to keep the dead in the realm where they belonged. The seven gates of the underworld were not constructed to keep anyone out but rather to keep everyone who belonged there in. A cult of the dead grew up around Ereshkigal to honor those who had passed into her realm and continue to remember and care for them. Since the dead had nothing but muddy water to drink and dust to eat, food was placed and fresh water poured on tombs, which was thought to trickle down to the mouth of the departed.
== The Desert Temple ==
Located on the outskirts of ----
== The Forest Temple ==
Located east of Garnir, just within the trees of Porthy Forest ---Category:Locations