The Viridescent Sanctuary

The Viridescent Sanctuary is one of the largest religious sites in the world. Dedicated to Zarotva, it's located on the southduskward edge of Lyfalorian, furthest from the Linnead River and extending beyond the city into the surrounding marshlands. The outside of the building is made with the same yellow-tinted marble as the rest of the city, decorating high walls and a grand entrance gate, but the inside features quite simple construction. The walls and floor of the foyer are made of tupelo wood with nooks set into the dimmest walls for quiet meditation. There on the far end of the room is a marble statue of Zarotva, elevated on a dais where visitors will place coins for the sanctuary or other offerings. On either side of the statue is an open, pointed archway. To the right of them is an ice chest, kept well-stocked with packages of cuts of raw chicken and fish, and to the left a number of plain wooden dowel rods, both for visitors to take with them as they make their way through the rest of the sanctuary.
Elevated wooden walkways only three feet across trace slow, meandering patterns through unaltered marshland, massive Zarot's crocodiles swimming or basking just underfoot. Ranging in size from tiny hatchlings to a famed 25-footer nicknamed Litharan (meaning 'ashen king' in Elvish, a reference to his ashy grey color), they are by no means domesticated and the priests who manage the sanctuary believe it would be a fool's errand to try. They are accustomed to the presence of people, but any step off of the wooden walkways is knowingly putting your life at risk.

Purpose / Function

The Sanctuary is meant to be an exercise is calculated risk taking, in knowing one's limits. The walkways are narrow, easy to fall off of if you lose your footing, and are quite long. The longest route meanders for approximately 3.5 miles, and the shortest just .75. The wooden rods may be used to push back smaller crocodiles, or the meat used to tempt them closer or further.
Priests may give guided tours on request, providing information on the worship of Zarotva that is conducted there, as well as the building of the Sanctuary itself. They may also point out some of the more well known crocs, should they happen upon them.

Tourism

Brave tourists often enjoy going on one of the shorter paths through the sanctuary, bringing meat to feed the crocs as they go. Few of them are worshippers of Zarotva, often just viewing the experience as akin to a slightly more risky zoo visit, as well as a chance to see local wildlife up close.

Founding Date

503

Type

Temple / Church

Parent Location

Lyfalorian