Naga Ring of Karlak
The Naga Ring of Karlak refers to the main esplanade of the Naga Order sanctuary located in the Karlak Desert.
Purpose / Function
The primary function of the Ring is to host all the ceremonies of the Naga Order in the Karlak region.
The Ring being located at the entrance to the Order's buildings, it is also a place for members of the organization to pass through and meet each other or to welcome the few visitors who may have business with the Order.
Ceremonies
Throughout the year, the Naga Ring hosts the many ceremonies that mark the life of the Order's members.
The Ekdyssinassia
Four times a year, during the moulting period of their totem animal, all members of the Naja Order begin a 14-day fasting period during which they are prohibited from consuming any food or drink in the day.
Every evening of the Ekdyssinassia, the Order's followers gather in the Ring for a light meal, mainly composed of soup and vegetables.
The last evening of the Ekdyssinassia is celebrated with a sumptuous feast and the entire esplanade vibrates with songs and dances until dawn.
The Venom of Bitterness
When a member of the Order of Naga has been convicted of high treason against the organization, he/she must undergo the punishment of the Venom of Bitterness.
On the day of the ceremony, a vertical pillar is erected in the centre of the Naga Ring, which consists of a large hollow wooden pole, one metre wide and 2.5 metres high, with holes 10 centimetres in diameter on its surface.
At nightfall, the culprit is brought to the centre of the Ring and tied to the pillory, facing the statue of Naga.
The inside of the pillory is then filled with dozens of poisonous snakes and a large curtain is thrown on the pillory and on the condemned person.
The members of the Order then began to sing a series of ritual songs to cover the cries of pain of the convict devoured by the snakes under the curtain.
Alterations
Since the Order's institutions have multiplied over the past decades, a teleportation system has been installed, making it easier for prominent members to travel from one facility to an other.
Architecture
The Ring of Karlak is built on one of the characteristic rock concretions of the Karlak Desert and rises more than 100 metres above the river below.
Its rounded and curved architecture is typical of the region. It is mainly characterized by circular buildings with generous shapes, topped by slender towers and topped by richly decorated domes. All the buildings of the sanctuary are built of Karlak stone or directly carved from the rocks of the desert.
The esplanade of the sanctuary is in the form of a 50-metre hexagon, five of whose peaks consist of a basin with a small tower and open to the outside, in a waterfall that discharges water into the river below. The entire width of the sixth side of the esplanade is occupied by the façade of the sanctuary itself, in the centre of which stands a 30-metre high statue of the Naga.
The Naga Ring is located in the centre of the esplanade, slightly above the ground, and is accessible by six wide stone stairs. The floor of the Ring is richly decorated with mosaics of complex patterns, made of nagas scales of different colours.
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