Tsirin's Rest
The burial of a ruler (baejan) is performed in the same way as all other Bolugama funeral rights. However, the ceremony is extended, particularly with the inclusion of their tsirin. Each ruler is required to make a tsirin and the creature remains with them for as long as they live. The average lifespan of a tsirin is approximately 50 years, slightly lower than the humans. However, given that the ruler will not create a tsirin until they are in their mid to late 20s, the two almost always live to around the same time.
Tsirin are linked deeply to their creator and thus when the creator begins to deteriorate in health during old age, the tsirin will often follow. Generally, the tsirin will perish first, followed by the (almost always retired) ruler within two years.
After the death of a tsirin, they are given the same burial as a human, the only member of the Ilyannoi species to be given such an honor. However, instead of completely cremating the body, two sets of bones are spared: both femurs and all four coffin bones.
These are cleaned and treated in order to preserve them. One coffin bone and one femur is in placed in the Shiroko Dynasty shrine in the Gandenye. A second coffin bone is given to the temple to Ilya Shiroko in Parishi. The last two coffin bones are handed over to the Department of Historic Significance and guarded within their museum, sometimes brought out for public viewing during particular holidays.
The final femur is returned to the ruler who created the tsirin, if they have not passed on by this point. It is kept within their private room until their death, at which time is cremated along with them and all ashes are mixed with earth from both the Gandenye and Parishi. If the ruler had passed on at the same time or before the tsirin, then the ritual will be carried out in the same fashion, but the ashes of the second femur will be added to the ashes of the deceased ruler.
Observance
The ritual begins directly after the tsirin's death, before the body begins to decompose. If the ruler has not died before the tsirin, then the ritual will pause after the cleaning and distribution of the bones. Once the ruler has passed, the ritual will continue until the ashes are properly interred.
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