Death and burial in Sanallite culture
Tracing their roots all the way back to the Na'ami tribes of the Saneeri river valley, the cradle of our civilization, death and the rituals sorounding them still hold great significance in Sanallite society to this day. The core belief is that each Sanallite's soul is comprised of two parts: one molded and gifted to the individual by the stars at their conception and the other, earthly part which is infused into a newborn Sanallite at the time of their birth. Burial rituals focus on helping the "Star" part of the soul ascend back to the cosmos and be reunited with our creator, and for the "Rock" part to return to the planet it came from, guiding the future generations of Sanallites born there.
Starry convergence
The first of the two rituals which focuses on reuniting the Star with the cosmic whole. It is the first ritual to be conducted, and is usually done in the first few days after the person's passing. A priest leads a ceremony, with the family of the deceased offering prayers for their loved one's soul. The ceremony is complete when an event known as "Starry convergence", after which this ritual gets it's name, occurs. At this time, one or multiple glimmering silhouette resembling small dogs can be seen dancing and floating around the coffin for multiple minutes, after which a new, smaller silhouette joins them. This is believed to be the Star soul, finally reuniting with their cosmic siblings.
Cornerstone of a new generation
The latter of the two rituals to be performed, which focuses on binding the Rock with the planet the deceased has lived on, as well as their loved ones. After the Star has left in the Starry convergence, the body is burned, and the ashes collected. Those are then spread on the land the deceased has lived on, or if they left a will, on the land of their choosing. A part of the ashes is kept, however, to be used as fertilizer for the seeds of the Starwheat plant. While this peculiar plant usually requires massive amounts of nutrition and a delicate environment for years before harvest, it will mature completely within a single month when planted in soil fertilized in a person's ashes. Once harvested, the Starwheat is manually processed, and the bread baked from it is shared between the family and friends of the deceased. It is believed that with this, the Rock will pass to them, and help guide them through their lives.
Starchildren's ascension
The newest burial ritual, becoming tradition only after we have started exploring the universe, and reserved for only our greatest leaders, generals and heroes who attained the title of Starchild. It is believed these souls were personally blessed by Sana herself, and as such, they deserve a special burial. In this ritual, the Star does not leave the body in the Starry convergence, neither is the Rock spread throughout their planet. Instead, a star, usually that of their home system, is chosen, and a coffin with their body is dropped into it's orbit, incinerating it. These events are marked with a national holiday for the system, as well as planetwide ceremonies. It is also recorded that upon the burial's conclusion, uncounted number of small dog apparitions will appear all around the star, welcoming their new blessed brother or sister. Unlike normal burials, however, this Starry convergence will last for weeks on end, illuminating the night sky.
There have been a total of 217 Ascensions since the first recorded Starchild, a nameless king of legend who united Terra under his banner, and whose body was eventually burned in Sol, from where he watches over us since.
Once upon a midnight dreary,
Amidst the stars so bright and eerie,
A Sanalite's life did end,
And to the stars they did ascend.
The mourners gathered, dressed in black,
As the body lay in its casket,
The priest performed the sacred rite,
Guiding the soul to cosmic light.
The coffin burned and turned to ash,
As the mourners watched in solemn flash,
The ashes spread upon the land,
Of the planet they had once manned.
But something strange did then occur,
As the mourners turned to departure,
A shimmering shape did start to form,
Of a dog-like figure in the storm.
And then another, and yet another,
Until the night sky was aflutter,
With spectral dogs all around,
Guiding the soul to holy ground.
The mourners gazed up at the sight,
As the dogs danced in the starry light,
A new Starchild had been born,
Their journey to the cosmos dawned.
And so the mourners left that night,
Grieving, yet glad the soul took flight,
For they knew the Sanalite's fate,
To forever dwell among the cosmic great
Oh, how the stars did shine so bright,
As the mourners left into the night,
And the spectral dogs barked farewell,
To the Sanalite who had sailed so well.