Waking with the sun as he preferred, Natham made his usual morning cleansing ritual, using a small amount of water mingled with fine sand to cleanse the filth and impurities from his body. As one of the monks having been here the longest, he had naturally adapted to his lifestyle, his body shutting down at twilight and awakening with the first rays of the blessed sun.
Today was to be the annual trip to the great citadel overlooked by their temple, and when the sun was at it's apex they would, too, make their way down the long dusty path and through the streets, collecting their yearly offerings from the populace. Until then, however, many things were to be done, starting with his task of awakening the youngest monks of the monastery, the youths ranging from five years of age to twelve, their vows not yet undertaken.
Finishing his routine cleansing, the monk exited his quarter and made his way to the outer part of the temple, where slept the uninitiated. Opening the light wooded door to the dormitories, he spoke one of his few words of the day.
“Wake up, it is time for prayers.” Under groans and grumbling, Natham made sure that everyone was awake before making his way to the chapel proper, taking his place near the front of the circular room surrounding the statue of their Goddess before kneeling upon a simple tan-colored cushion and leaning his brow upon the floor, the customary way of praying for the goddess Luinath.
'Oh, hear me, Great Luinath...'
He would be in this position for the next four hours... then his fasting would end.
Today was to be the annual trip to the great citadel overlooked by their temple, and when the sun was at it's apex they would, too, make their way down the long dusty path and through the streets, collecting their yearly offerings from the populace. Until then, however, many things were to be done, starting with his task of awakening the youngest monks of the monastery, the youths ranging from five years of age to twelve, their vows not yet undertaken.
Finishing his routine cleansing, the monk exited his quarter and made his way to the outer part of the temple, where slept the uninitiated. Opening the light wooded door to the dormitories, he spoke one of his few words of the day.
“Wake up, it is time for prayers.” Under groans and grumbling, Natham made sure that everyone was awake before making his way to the chapel proper, taking his place near the front of the circular room surrounding the statue of their Goddess before kneeling upon a simple tan-colored cushion and leaning his brow upon the floor, the customary way of praying for the goddess Luinath.
'Oh, hear me, Great Luinath...'
He would be in this position for the next four hours... then his fasting would end.