Guineveraeum at Zidonia

The **Guineveraeum at Zidonia** is a hidden Guineveraeum used for secret meetings by those considered heretical by the Justainian Church. It is located beneath a wine merchants cellar in Zidonia, Fleur.

## Description

The Guineveraeum was built within a hidden cellar beneath the newer cellar of a wine shop in Zidonia. Zidonia had been devastated in the Sisters' War, leaving most of the once bustling city in ruins. The new township was built on top of the rubble of the previous city, leading to many hidden chambers, passages, and ruins under ground. The Guineveraeum was built in one of these, the entrance hidden within a massive win barrel, behind three false panels.

The Guineveraeum consists of two rooms: the central chamber and the font chamber. The central chamber is relatively small, a long hall with benches on each side, an alter at one end, and a door on the left side into the font chamber. The alter features a mural of Queen Guinevere Wilem of Flowers as a cephalophoric saint, four armed so as to make the blessing signs while also holding her head. Her halo is placed above her head neck where her head would be, as a radial type. She is attended to by Sovakas at her feet, who catch the blood from her head into their open mouths. On her left side is an angel with a sword, lifting up the weapon of her execution to be housed in Heaven. Behind the angel is Isgerdia and a blood red sky. On her right side is lily on fire, from her crest. Before the mural is a simple alter of wood, painted orange.

The vaulted chamber's ceilings are painted orange with the support pillars being red. The walls are wallpapered in a simply patterned royal blue. Housed besides the altar on the left side is the Ossein Rose, one of the supposed relics of the dead Queen. It was created by her holy blood transforming a rose into bone after it pricked the queen's finger. It is housed in a glass dome. On the right side is a bloodied cloth also housed within a glass dome, supposedly being soaked with the blood spilled at the execution of Guinevere. It is claimed to be able to miraculously cure those who lick it.

The chamber of the font is accessed through a door on the left side of the central chamber. The room is small, built after the Guineveraeum had been finished so as to house a font for the performing of the Sanguinarium. The font is relatively simple, made of a solid stone with the bowl carved into it. The walls are painted white and an image of Justain hangs above the font.

## History

After Queen Guinevere Wilem of Flowers' execution in 116 ME, a cult dedicated to her quickly sprung up, much to the hatred of the Arimanians. Those who called for her canonization were deemed heretics and inquisitor priests roamed the North to stomp outside such heresies. Forced underground, the cult began to practice in secret. Several Guineveraeums were built throughout the North in secret locations. The Guineveraeum at Zidonia was finished in 117 AE. It serves as the leading Guineveraeum in the Region of Wilemette. Many pilgrims make treks to the town to visit it. Currently, the Guineveraeum remains a secret to the authorities, as pilgrims cover their journeys by claiming they are visiting the Cathedral of Saint Taurinja.

Later, in the mid 260s CE, the abandoned Guineveraeum would be converted into a speakeasy by the Carrel Family.