Rituals of the Gloom

[bumblefina 2766]

Spoiler

((Much of this roleplay post utilises Vel'luah, the Dark Elven language. Dark Elf players looking to supplement their roleplay with such can find it here: The Dark Elven Language - Elven Realms & Culture - The Lord Of The Craft))

 

☽ ¤ռʊʊʅչɦ αɛȶɦ ӄ¤ȶɦɛʅ ☾
Rituals of the Gloom

 

(Artem Demura)

 

The Yyrul Koth - the Dignified Gloom - is that which makes maehr distinct from simple ‘dark elves’ or drow. That is, in keeping with the standards set by their creators, the late Night Father and the ever vigilant Mother Moon, many believe that by fulfilling their personal interpretations of their racial gifts of Ambition, Passion, Change, Tranquility, Maternity and Grace, any of drow blood - be they aligned to the Shamanic Spirits, the Void, the Aengudaemons and so on - may earn for themselves a place amongst the Maehr caste. 

 

For across countless cultures and creeds the diaspora of Magara’lin has roamed and flourished, and despite their differences the pursuits of the Maehr have remained constant if not in name then in values and behaviors.

 

What is penned below is meant as a record of this very phenomenon; a series of rites and customs recorded time and again across a plethora of clans and countries, spanning countless lands and innumerable years. 

 

These are the ¤ռʊʊʅչɦɛʅ αɛȶɦ ӄ¤ȶɦɛʅ. 

The Rituals of the Gloom, offered to any and all who would consider themselves maehr.

Ritual Practices

Onuul Laen (Ritual Dance): A form of dance that tells a story through movements and steps. Performed alongside an Onuul Elhya that tells a story about the past, fables, tales of battles and so on. Performed both as solo (dancing and singing at the same time), duets or group performances. Done at events such as bonfires, festivals, weddings, funerals, etc. Dances can range from slow and precise to fast and near erratic, depending on the story being told.  

Eyuh Laenule (Bell Dancing): Dance that is performed with small, silver jingle bells worn around the ankles and/or wrists of the dancer. Typically bell dancing is done for rituals that involve communing with or honoring the ancestors, events and gatherings involving many people, and dances performed for outsiders.
Xuth Laenule (Blade Dancing): A form of ritual dance that is performed with weapons in hand. These weapons act as an extension of the body, used to emphasize stories, particularly those about battles.
Mazorzh (Moves): The various movements of the body, arms, and feet that have specific meanings in storytelling.

 

Onuul Elhya (Ritual Song): Often referred to in common as ‘dirges’ these songs are not by the common definition exclusively laments for the dead. These are songs that most often tell stories, both historical and religious. They can be stories about origin, historical figures, battles, events, religious beliefs, practices, and holidays. They can also be sung in the form of chants asking for favor from divine beings or one’s ancestors. 

Ko Elhya (Death Song): A dirge written for a maehr who has passed on, these songs record the lives and accomplishments of the deceased. These are written originally in Vel’luah, but when sung may be translated into common to be heard and understood by those not fluent in the original language. These are often sung during ceremonies to honor the ancestors, and passed down through lines to keep histories alive through oral tradition.

Aher Muurbule: The act of making offerings. This practice occurs in a variety of ceremonies and holidays, and offerings are usually specific to the figure they are being given to.

 

Glouhk Nehnzh: Some maehr choose to blacken their fingers, or even their entire hands, in order to more closely connect themselves to the Night Father and Mother Moon. This is done especially by priestly maehr, and can be done with temporary or permanent ink. Often squid ink is used, for its origins within the sea, the domain of Mother Moon. A belief among many is that this practice empowers their ability to perform rituals and magic and increases their personal strengths. 

 

 

Ceremonies

Yyr Kealt (Sea Chant): A ceremony that honors the sea. The domain of Mother Moon, which reflects the night sky, her tides are as regular as the waning and waxing of the Moon. Done for a variety of reasons, Yyr Kealt is performed close to the sea, usually on a beach or at the top of sea cliffs. Offerings are given in an effort to gain the sea's favor while performing Onuul Elhya. Offerings usually include seafood dishes, jewelry made from coral and pearls, and objects such as carvings and weapons made from driftwood. This ceremony is favored by fisherpeople, merchants, and other clans with close connection to the sea. It is also performed when a new ship is built, and before traveling on long voyages, such as when having to move to a new place far away.Sailors are often known to practice their own form of Yyr Kealt while at sea in the form of song, asking the sea for safety and bounty. 

 

Yekno Helhout: Translating to “Embrace Patience”, this is a ceremony that is based in meditation which involves the smoking of a pipe, generally being shared with others present.. It is a chance to practice patience and discipline, which focuses on the creeds of Tranquility and Grace. In this ceremony, a pipe is made for those in attendance with careful attention paid to the process, every movement being considered important. It is most often done in order to set intentions, with those present using the ceremony to center themselves, focus on the desired intentions, and temper themselves to bring that intention into reality. 

This is done in a number of ways, being largely at the discretion of the one performing the ceremony and the people the ceremony is intended for. It can be done in complete silence, with each attendee using the quiet in order to meditate and think privately. It can also involve quiet, civil discussion about the desired intention and ways that they can achieve it. Throughout this ceremony, the pipe  is prepared with careful, graceful movements, each task done with its own individual reverence and intent. It is passed around in a circle, with movements kept slow and purposeful by each attendee.  

The ceremony is often performed during important meetings and discussions about the future of a clan or nation, with a priest presiding over the ceremony and offering their advice where appropriate. The discussion is kept quiet and tempered during the ceremony, allowing all present to remain calm and focused on the matter at hand and their intentions for the decision being made kept at the forefront of their mind.

The type of substance that is smoked is also important to setting the intention and mood. This can come down to the subject of the ceremony's preference, but there are general beliefs that pipeweed is used to bring about peace and diplomacy, cactus green brings calm and temperance, and ponderlot bringing a greater connection to the ancestors, Mother Moon, and the Night Father.

 

Syzr’mo Vaxu: A ceremony performed in order to commune with one’s ancestors, this is typically performed at family shrines or gravesites. These ceremonies often include a variety of rituals, with the overall intent being to honor the ancestors and pass on news and updates to them. This ceremony is often performed during or after important events, such as holidays, weddings, and other significant events such as victory or defeat in battle. Tales can be passed along through Onuul Laen and Vetubaule Xornzh, and Aher Muurbule is performed, where offerings are left at the shrine or gravesite. These offerings include things like food and drink, fabrics, books, paintings, and other items that the family believes their ancestors would enjoy. An important part of this ceremony is using Eyuh, silver bells, to drive away evil spirits and bad intentions, making the space safe for good spirits to come and receive the offers and intentions to be delivered on to the afterlife.
 

 

Ritual Objects

Ko-Hon (Death Guide): Ko-Hon are dolls or carvings of animals or other creatures that are meant to be buried with or placed at the grave of the deceased. These are intended to be a companion in death, serving as a guide to help the deceased make the journey into the afterlife. Often a favored animal of the deceased, made in the form of a beloved pet or in the image of a creature that represents their clan. They can also be in the form of a doll representing an ancestor of the deceased. While they can be made from any material on hand or meaningful to the clan of the deceased, they are traditionally carved from dark stone with some form of round, white gem embedded in the forehead of the figurine. To bewitch a Ko-Hun with false-consciousness is an egregious slight on the dead in question, courting vengeance in the afterlife as well as strife with their living kin.

 

Vetubaule Xornzh (Catching Feathers): Usually from a bird with some kind of tie or significance to the user’s clan or family (Ex.: A clan whose main color is blue may use feathers from a bluejay), Vetubaule Xornzh are often made into intricate objects ranging from fans to necklaces, headpieces, cloaks, or any other manner of object, but may also consist of merely a singular feather. The feathers are believed to catch spoken words and intentions, which then may be carried up to one’s ancestors, Mother Moon, and Father Night via the spirit of the bird they have been taken from. These feather objects are most often worn and used by priests, clan heads, and elders who conduct ceremonies, but can be worn by anyone, especially during ceremonies or important life events. 

Vetudaule Xornzh are also used during funerals or ancestor rituals, sometimes being passed around to have messages to the deceased spoken to it. The object is either buried with the deceased or placed upon the shrine to deliver the messages to the afterlife. Feathers are sometimes attached to weapons, with the intent that the spirit of the bird will carry the tale of your victories on to the ancestors, Mother Moon, and Father Night.

Feathers from rarer breeds are also believed to tie in with the Night Father and Mother Moon’s domains with heightened power. Those of the sacred Bokolo embody Ambition and Grace, whilst Phoenix feathers embody Change and Maternity and Cockatrice feathers embody Passion and Tranquility

 

Eyuhzh (Bells/Chimes): The song of silver bells and chimes are believed to ward off evil, unwanted presences, bad intentions and bad luck. The purity of the sound and especially the song made by dance and the wind is believed to mimic the voice of Helun-Velulaeya, causing unwanted presences to become fearful and flee. This can go as far as believing that the sound of chimes will make those with ill intent towards the owner to become uncomfortable. 

Hand bells are often used in ceremonial practices, particularly those involving communing with ancestors, as the belief that opening a doorway through these ceremonies towards the afterlife may allow unpleasant things to come into our world, or escape from our world into the afterlife. The ringing of these bells keeps the evil at bay, allowing the desired spirits safe passage to and from the other side. Small silver bells are often worn around the wrists or ankles during ceremonial dance to both add to the performance and keep evil away. Windchimes are often hung outside of homes, ceremonial spaces, and shrines. Bells and chimes are often paired with silver charms of the moon in its various phases and stars.

 

[The King Of The Moon 7016]

"The Maehr Voice is rising."

A noble drow declared with a sagely dip of his feathered grey head. "Marn-Kera zulebas lug. Helun-Velulaeya hon lug." he murmured, as his stained fingers wove away at the metaphoric tapestry of his people.

[Morigung-oog 5697]

An ‘aheral, intrigued by the culture, readied her writing supplies. She would seek to learn more.