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Why does Athkalta have a graveyard?

XerxesVXerxesV Member Posts: 187
If I lived in a fantasy world populated with undead monsters and necrotic magics I would institute a law saying all bodies must be cremated outside city limits. Seriously, every friggin tomb in that graveyard is occupied by the walking damned.

The city government cares so much about people casting haste or sleeping in the streets, but they don't realize the bastion of doom in the center of the city? The only thing in this game that isn't fiction is the incompetence of the elected officials, amirite?
AristilliusTJ_HookerFredjoKidCarnivaljhneohDeltaslayerbooinyoureyesturtlellini
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Comments

  • MathsorcererMathsorcerer Member Posts: 3,037
    The graveyard might have been outside the city limits in the earlier days of Athkatla when the city was smaller and eventually the city spread around the graveyard. Or...one of the liches paid the city council for the privilege of having its own personal playground.
    elminsterEudaemoniumKidCarnivalDeltaslayer
  • KoyoteKoyote Member Posts: 89
    There once was a strict cremation policy, but that was one of the first things to go when the government adopted austerity.
    elminsterEudaemoniumDeltaslayer
  • melakonmelakon Member Posts: 26
    XerxesV said:

    The only thing in this game that isn't fiction is the incompetence of the elected officials, amirite?

    The Council of Six isn't elected. :p

  • WorgWorg Member Posts: 170
    edited November 2013
    If I were a rich nobleman and my wife died I would pay for some undead protectors of her tomb so that "commoners" would not DARE to rob her tomb. No mercy for grave robbers.
    SethDavisbooinyoureyes
  • FinneousPJFinneousPJ Member Posts: 6,455
    I think a better question is why do graveyards exist in the first place.
    blue
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    edited November 2013
    I put it down to "People are lazy".

    The location of the cemetery itself is merely a function of people wanting to 'Visit' their relatives (with as messed up as that may or may not be) but don't want to walk a LONG distance to do it. Remember, you can't just jump in your car to drive out to the grave site.

    As for the cremation policy, while that sounds good in paper, the Deities themselves (or the church and clergy) may forbid this from happening. After all, not only is this a world of the walking dead, but it is also a world of resurrection. Plus, there has to be a realm for gods of the dead to rule over. Also, there is a reason why IRL, we don't cremate every body. it is painful (in certain societies) to watch your loved ones go up in flames.

    As a side note, the original concept of 'The dead rising' comes in part from the medical profession not understanding about comas. It was an actual fact of life that people who were merely in a coma were thought to be dead. Some of them, and apparently this happened often enough for it to become legend, would 'Wake up' either during there ceremony or even having to claw their way out of their own coffin.

    Preacher: "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to wish a fond farewell to Cousin Mildred. She will be Missed."

    Mildred: "No I bloody well won't. I'm not DEAD yet!"

    Hence the myth of Vampires was created.
    Post edited by the_spyder on
    XerxesV
  • MathsorcererMathsorcerer Member Posts: 3,037
    That is an excellent question. Some older societies cremated their dead but the oldest communities uncovered thus far all seemed to bury their dead, often with little trinkets they used in life (maybe they thought they would need them elsewhere?), usually in a fetal position, and--strangely--usually facing...I forget if it is east or west, one of those two. That last one doesn't make any sense to me but then I am not from that community (I may be old but I'm not *that* old)

    Real answers to that question will touch upon sociology, psychology, and theology. How in-depth will *that* discussion be, I wonder?
  • enneractenneract Member Posts: 187
    And the game would have gone a bit differently if Sarevok, Irenicus, or Melissan had obeyed the Evil Overlord List.

    Most people are not very rational.
    Fredjo
  • XerxesVXerxesV Member Posts: 187
    Madhax said:

    there are at least five liches off the top of my head in random buildings that could be found by a commoner

    That's true. Imagine the poor drunk guy in the crooked crane who stumbles on the lich's tomb... AFTER he pays his bar tab. What luck
    Fredjo
  • CoryNewbCoryNewb Member Posts: 1,330
    Im all for viking funerals. Boat + fire
    XerxesVFablewyndKidCarnival
  • EdwinEdwin Member Posts: 480
    I want a drunk cleric of Cyric officiating mine own funeral.
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    CoryNewb said:

    Im all for viking funerals. Boat + fire

    they thought of that. The Peoples for the ethical treatment of fish, boats and other aquatic life forms vetoed that suggestion. Too many burning boat wrecks clogging up the waterways and sea bottoms were leading to making life unlivable fort he Saugin peoples. Plus no one wanted to piss off Cthulu.
  • What I find interesting is that so much of Athkatla's graveyard consists of aboveground tombs and crypts. Are they just being ostentatious, or does Athkatla have a problem with a high water table and flooding (thinking of New Orleans here)? Or maybe most of the graveyard is reserved for people with money and the pauper's graves are outside the city walls.
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    Well, they are right on the ocean, so I'd bet it's the water table issue.

    Of course there could be the whole fact that the entire under-city is riddled with catacombs and warrens and Beholder lairs.
  • KamigoroshiKamigoroshi Member Posts: 5,870
    In any case, I'd like to point out that Athkatla's graveyard district happens to be the best dating spot within the city walls. Many a necromancer and undead hunter can vouche for this piece of information as well. Probably because they are all weak to tearjerkers, but that's besides the point.
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    I get the premonition that this thread is about to take an UGLY turn.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    edited November 2013
    To be fair (regarding the safety of the city) I think the greater issue is the random liches that seem to be located throughout the city.
  • XerxesVXerxesV Member Posts: 187
    Kaigen said:

    What I find interesting is that so much of Athkatla's graveyard consists of aboveground tombs and crypts. Are they just being ostentatious, or does Athkatla have a problem with a high water table and flooding (thinking of New Orleans here)? Or maybe most of the graveyard is reserved for people with money and the pauper's graves are outside the city walls.

    Maybe they tried digging underground for burials but they kept unearthing Mind Flayer tunnels and Beholder nests. Now that I think about it, I'm glad all I have are Mosquitos. Faerun is no place to raise kids.
  • SharShar Member Posts: 158
    My town has a graveyard its full of crackheads. The city council cares about littering on the streets but blissfully unaware about that bastion of doom.
    Calmar
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    edited November 2013
    Shar said:

    My town has a graveyard its full of crackheads. The city council cares about littering on the streets but blissfully unaware about that bastion of doom.

    My real life mayor is a crackhead...err well. Occasional crack user? (but alas that is a discussion for somewhere far away from here hehe)
    YupImMadBro
  • SharShar Member Posts: 158
    elminster said:

    Shar said:

    My town has a graveyard its full of crackheads. The city council cares about littering on the streets but blissfully unaware about that bastion of doom.

    My real life mayor is a crackhead...err well. Occasional crack user? (but alas that is a discussion for somewhere far away from here hehe)

    Hey he only does crack when he drinks!
    elminsterYupImMadBro
  • SharShar Member Posts: 158
    I think the whole world now knows about crack shenanigans of Rob Ford.
    YupImMadBro
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,315
    True enough but as I said this is not really the place for that discussion :)
    Shar
  • SharShar Member Posts: 158
    Yeah, i'll book mark this discussion, the moment he smokes crack on a graveyard we can bump it.
    elminster
  • AnduinAnduin Member Posts: 5,745
    Where in the blazes would a mummified Gnome, like ME! be granted sucker and respite from all the bumble headed living air polluters (I swear we need to fit catalytic converters on some of those blowhards, have they not heard about global warming?)

    As for @the_spyder pointing out the living did just that and wake up. Absolutely true. Even happened to famous and important people.

    Please think about the poor Emperor Zeno who ruled over the final death throws of the Roman Empire in 475AD, who was buried alive after becoming insensible out of drinking or of an illness; he called for help, "Please pity me..." causing the many thousands in the congregation filling the Hagia Sophia to flee, but Ariadne, his wife, did not allow anyone to open the sarcophagus (his voice sounded strange and echoey surely Zeno's soul had fled... They really did not understand the acoustics of stone coffins did they...)
  • nanonano Member Posts: 1,632
    Shar said:

    My town has a graveyard its full of crackheads. The city council cares about littering on the streets but blissfully unaware about that bastion of doom.

    They're waiting for a passing adventurer to clear the place out. You can trade in their scalps for extra gold too.
    elminsterCalmar
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