Shrine to the Humanar

Sitting at the entrance to the village cemetery is a building not quite like any of the others in Spirit Lake, set apart at first by its unique thatched roof. The square, two-story building is the oldest structure in the village, but that is not the reason for its odd roof -- it derives from the fact that this is a house of worship dedicated to the Humanar deities and maintained by one of the organized Humanar religions. The thatching is an acknowledgement of the teachings of Saint Ancelin, and this building is the Shrine to the Humanar and the local home of the Reformed Church of the Humanar.

Maintained by Parson Rachel Clarell, who also tends to the spiritual needs of the humans and halflings of the village, the building is the site of all formal rites and ceremonies: namings, weddings, funerals, and special holy day services that the faith dictates. Folk of other ancestries are not kept away, though, and the structure even contains small niche altars dedicated to Alevar, Duagnar, and even Goblinar deities as well -- a common practice in the frontier where there are simply not large enough congregations to dedicate temples and churches to every deity of every faith.

The Shrine also serves as the gateway to the cemetery beyond - the Garden of the Gods; villagers passing through the shrine on the way to visit passed-on loved ones often leave minor offerings at one of the altars that line the walls of the building. The main floor of the structure is wide open; most ceremonies are celebrated with all attendees standing. The upper floor is the living quarters for the parson and churchwarden stationed in the village.