Voyage (Besmara)

Every priest of Besmara, and to a lesser extent every worshiper, is expected to make a pilgrimage to Besmara's Throne island at least once in his or her life. This journey is known as the Voyage.

A pilgrim is usually brought to within sight of the Besmara's Throne by a larger ship and sets off for the island alone. Approaching the sacred island is very dangerous. A thick veil of mist covers the base of the high cliffs surrounding the island. The sheer cliffs are between 50 and 120 feet high, pitted with crevasses and caves, inhabited by carnivorous winged reptiles and birds. Those that survived the flying predators, and reach the fog, find rocky spines lurking just below the water. A wide inlet just west of the northern curve of the island leads to the southeast and finally emerges gloriously into the beautiful Cove of the Queen. The cliffs of the wide inlet are dotted with caves and perches, each voluntarily inhabited by penitent adherents of Besmara. They use them to shout down challenges, insults, and warnings to any sailing by. The height of the cliffs decreases steadily the farther one sails the inlet to the southeast and a second narrowing is found just before the Cove of the Queen. The horseshoe-shaped Holy Isle that stands at the center of the Cove of the Queen is covered by mists and is the destination of all pilgrims' Voyage. Besmara's enormous temple lies on the Holy Isle, partially submerged in the islet's tiny bay.

Upon arriving at the temple, pilgrims are escorted to the high priest, currently Laharra Seaspray, She hears the tale of their Voyage and evaluates their devotion to the goddess. Then, the high priest communes with the goddess herself and determine the pilgrim's Holy Labors to earn the blessing of the goddess as well as a coveted Besmaran pearl.