Outer Chamber of the Shrine

Beyond the arched thresholds of the Shrine’s inner sanctum lies a vaulted antechamber where the air hangs thick with the scent of burnt stone. The chamber is smaller than the looming central shrine hall, its walls bare but for the torch sconces that flicker weakly against the stone’s natural dark veins. This is the space where the Sisterhood’s ritual functions begin or end—where petitioners present petitions, where guards receive orders, and where the sacred procession gathers before crossing into the presence of the Flame. The light here is rough and shifting, casting long shadows across the flagstones. Few attend it who do not serve or stand accused.