This little fellow is called Anubis. In the ancient religion of our mystery country, he was a sort of guide dog (jackal really, dog-adjacent) and protector of the dead. Death and the afterlife was of paramount concern in this religion, with heavy emphasis on the afterlife.
Death was seen as a series of tests and trials leading, if all went well, to a peaceful, eternal afterlife. The dead would be armed with prayers and spells to ease the passage. At the final hurdle, the dead would be judged on the life they lead by weighing their heart against the feather of justice. Anubis presided over this ultimate test. If the scales balanced, the soul of the dead was accepted into eternal paradise. If the heart was heavier than the feather, it was instantly devoured by a hideous beast known as, well, the Devourer, and that was that.
Can you name that country?
See below for answers.
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