Ulis

The god of death, rebirth, dreams, and the moon.

A place of worship dedicated to Ulis is called an Ulistheileian. Many are in caves, especially the older ones. There is a very old tradition in which one must earn the honor of worshiping Ulis in a sacred space. The chapels are carved from stone and difficult to reach; the one in the Amalomeire to which one must descend a long, dark natural chimney made into a ladder by handholds and footholds carved out of the rock. “There were still ascetics who spent their devotional hours in desolate places, carving ladders in rock, providing such chapels for those who felt they had to go even farther out of their way before Ulis would listen to them.”

Prelates of Ulis wear black robes, as well as moon masks or, during a funeral, black veils. Ulineise novices shave their heads. While all clerics take a vow of poverty, prelates of Ulis are “notoriously poor,” as are clerical Witnesses. They are expected to maintain “a suitable [drab] palette” in their wardrobe. One of their duties is mourning for the dead, which includes tracing their final steps as clearly as possible during an investigation. There is a special prayer said for prelates of Ulis who have died. Many of their rites and practices are not well-known by laypeople.

There is a shrine to Ulis in the catacombs of Amalo that is thousands of years old. It is an empty plinth with worn carvings of the four phases of the moon. Nobody knows what it once supported. It is used for very private meetings.

The Amalomeire’ s Ulineise chapel has no altar, as its space is considered inherently sacred. It is lit by tall lanterns carved elaborately with night creatures like bats and cougars. A junior canon must climb down daily at sunset to refill them and trim their wicks. “In theory, they never went out, but sometimes the canon might have to make the climb by the light of only one lantern. Very occasionally, they might get halfway down and discover that there was no light at all in the chapel. That was not considered an excuse to turn back and was why the job was given to a canon rather than a novice.”

Ulineise mazes are underground.

A donation to the local Ulistheileian is considered restitution when once has wronged the god, as with murder (separate from any legal penalties).

One cult of Ulis believes that “Ulis” is not the god’s true name, which is never spoken except during initiations. Its daily ritual includes the Devotion of Folded Hands, which requires seven candles; when blowing them out, the petitioner accepts, or tries to accept, that the past cannot be changed. Thara Celehar was inducted into this cult at the age of thirteen by his maternal grandparents.

Devotion of Fours: Ulineise funerary ritual that many prelates of Ulis are apparently unfamiliar with these days.

Devotion of the Moon: Ulineise ritual appropriate to any nighttime undertaking.

Mazeise canons of Ulis have a black stripe on their robes to signify their patron god.

Ulineisei
Othala Thara Celehar

Othala Anora Chanavar

Othalo Velhiro Tomasaran.

Dach’othala Vernezar

Othalo Ediro Zanarin

Othalo Vidrezhen, an elven prelate from Zhaö reporting to Anora Chanavar. She previously served in a wealthy benefice in Cairado but prefers her current assignment. She works nights, and buries Tura Olora after his suicide.

Othala Daibrohar, an elven prelate from Zhaö reporting to Anora Chanavar; in his first prelacy.

Othala Erlenar, a half-goblin prelate from Choharo reporting to Anora Chanavar; in his first prelacy.

Othala Bonshenar, prelate of the ulimeire at Aishan’s Grove, “a tired-looking middle-aged elven man.”

Othalo Bershanaran, prelate of a collective cemetery, “an intense young elven woman.”

Mer Bershanar, husband to Othalo Bershanaran, sexton of the same cemetery, who “wore his hair in a braided club as the manufactory workers did in Lohaiso.”

Othalo Prevenin, at the Ulimeire of East Chemchelarna. Very young mousey elven woman; not very honest.

Othas’ala Delemar, at the Ulimeire of East Chemchelarna. Elven, at least 74 years old, a little stooped but still vigorous, with sharp pale-blue eyes. Wears a strand of crystal beads in his plait, which is “unorthodox, but not forbidden.” Rude and hostile toward Thara; unsympathetic to the foundling girls.

Othala Veltanezh, prelate of the Ulmanovee Cemetery of Paravi. Part-goblin, middle-aged, a friend of Anora Chanavar’s.

Satha, part-goblin sexton of the Ulmanovee Cemetery of Paravi.

Kivora, part-goblin sexton of the Ulmanovee Cemetery of Paravi.

Othala Umenar, prelate at the municipal cemetary of Ulvoranee. A middle-aged elven man with a sour face. “The sort of man who caused trouble just to prove he could.”

Othala Kelberened, prelate of the Ulstaranee municipal cemetery. “He was from Barizhan, tall and black-skinned, with thick black hair and orange eyes and a perpetual scowl.” Deep-voiced. Homophobic toward Minnoi Selezhen and Brenhazin. Implied to be hostile to Thara as well, although this seems to be more political than homophobic.

Othala Veshibar, former prelate of the Ulstaranee municipal cemetery, who died when Min Brenhazin was four.