Sands of Life

### Afterlife

is non-existent, people's energy is used in making a new universe once the hourglass runs out

## General Info

The Universe is an unending clock, each moment a grain of sand drifting through an eternal hourglass. It was not always this way though. Eons ago, all reality was askew. Time and reality as we knew it simply were not real. All existed at once, in a flowing sea of sand, endless and eternal. It was watched over by two entities, one who helped the sand move together creating an endless stream of moments and events and one who would fuse the sand together, keeping it in a place so that it may not change at all. The being who fused the sand was known as, The Stillness. It did not wish to witness moments or events, it only wanted the peace of eternal quite. As The Stillness grew its dominance over the sand, the other entity known only as Moment tried to protect the sand from it. It forged a way to keep the sand free of the stillness, while allowing events to still happen. Sacrificing its powers, it formed itself into an eternal hourglass, that created a singular flow of time. The sand would still flow, only on a lesser scale, but it would be safe from The Stillness.

But The Stillness will not surrender. Even though it has consumed all outside the glass in its silence, it always seeks ways to break through the glass and consume all that remains of the sand.

Origin Race: Ekios

Unique Arcana: Earth

Common Arcana: Divination, Fate, Air

Disallowed Races: None

## Role in Society

Priests of The Sand can be easy to spot in society, wearing muted greyer colors, in respect of their gods sacrifice and inability to indulge in the entertaining and vibrant parts of life. While they still are considered very lively and active to outsiders of Ekios society, they are looked upon by other Ekios as being very stoic and reserved in comparison.

In Ekios cities, Priests and Priestess both do the same roles. This includes the leading of prayers, running hospices and ceremonies as well as seeing to marriages and funerals both.

All carry some form of Jewelry, commonly a necklace but other types vary, embroidered with the Hourglass of Life, the body of their god who carries creation within itself.

One can become an ordained member of their church by seeking approval of the most elder of members within their city or region.

## Traditions(?)

Type: polytheism (egaltarian)
Direction: inwards
Focus: Luck altering/control of events

Ruling Deities: The Moment
Important Deities: The Stillness

Supernatural: benevolent nature spirits, mischievous spirits

Clergy: both genders
Function: helpers to the poor, ceremonial leaders
Lifestyle: monastic
Family: rare
Chosen: appointed by secular leader(s)
Distinguished By: Jewelry depicting sand glasses, muted grey cloaks/robes

Passed Down: via one holy book
Creation Myth Type: endless universes
Mortals' Origin: made from sand
Major Myth/Symbol(s): The Hourglass

Associated Artform: Games/gambling/dancing

Coming of Age: 20 years old
Coming of Age Rite: involves personal meditation
Marriage: is completely an affair of the heart
Marriage Rites: involve many unique symbolic rituals
Death Rites: last up to a week

Major Taboo: Slavery,

Prevalence: believed by many
Outsiders: are treated fairly, although seen as not "Living for The Moment"