| Inner Sanctum | |
|---|---|
| Link to the template page | |
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| People to meet | Rayfa Padma Khura'in |
| Available evidence | Sanctum Prayer Flags |
| Linked locations | Tehm'pul Temple Detention center Bazaar Plaza of Devotion High priest's house Rebel hideout Audience chamber |
The Inner Sanctum is a sacred area located in the Kingdom of Khura'in. It is the location of an annual ritual called the Purification Rite, where the high priest of Khura'in purifies a priestess dressed as Lady Kee'ra, the co-founder of the Kingdom, and the Warbaa'd Dagger. It represents Kee'ra bathing in the pool to wash away the blood of battle. There are three parts of the Rite:
- The Transformation Rite is when the high priest reads scripture while the priestess dresses in Kee'ra's robes.
- The Rite of Water is when the priestess enters the spring where the high priest purifies her with the dagger.
- The Rite of Fire is when the priestess circles around four lanterns, lit by sacred, eternal flames, to purify her soul.
Located in the spring is a statue of the native Warbaa'd, when a golden orb is put in its eye it is revealed to be a revolving door leading to a secret hideout for the Defiant Dragons. Each lantern has wind guards to keep the flames lit, they have been burning uninterrupted for hundreds of years. However, every time the Rite of Fire is performed, the guards are removed to reveal their sacred flame.
Crime Scene of Two Murders[]
- Main article: The Rite of Turnabout
In 2028, Maya Fey was to partake in the Purification Rite to complete her training towards becoming the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique. The high priest was Abbot Tahrust Inmee, usually his wife, Beh'leeb Inmee, plays the role of the priestess but she was pregnant. However, two days before the rite was to be performed, Tahrust overheard Beh'leeb accidentally killing their other guest, Puhray Zeh'lot, who was actually Rheel Neh'mu, a member of Inga Karkhuul Khura'in's secret police who dressed as Lady Keer'a to arrest or kill rebels like them. Neh'mu's blood fell into the spring turning the water red, this corresponded to an old prophecy: "The spring shall run red upon Lady Kee'ra's return."
The broken lantern and snow around it used to chill Zeh'lot's corpse.
Tahrust realized the horrible circumstances, not only would the hideout be discovered, but the Defense Culpability Act meant that Beh'leeb and their baby would be doomed no matter what. So he decided the only way to save them was to take his own life and frame Fey for being the rebel hunter who killed both him and Zeh'lot. The night before the rite during a rehearsal, he had her hold the Warbaa'd Dagger to put her fingerprints on it. When the time came, he drugged her so she would fall unconscious, he also put the incense-smelling robes on the statue to make it look like Fey holding the dagger, which was actually in Zeh'lot at the Plaza of Devotion. He bowed to two of the lanterns, one of them with broken off pieces, then used the Sutra with the scripture to cover his face while turning 180 degrees around. One of the lanterns' flame flickered due to the wind blowing, Tahrust Inmee ran towards the statue and had it stab him in the abdomen. He fell down and used the last ounce of his strength to take the robe off the statue, his blood mixed into the red spring removing all traces of Zeh'lot.