God-Spirit of Death
Identity
- Title(s) – God-Spirit of Death
- Influence – Death
- Appearance –
Attributions
- Symbol – Crow
- Focus – Blood
- Color(s) – Black and Red
- Element – Blood, Ether
- Animal – Carrion Birds
Cult
- Center of Worship –
- Scriptures –
- Leader –
- Priesthood –
- Orders –
- Aspects –
- Touched –
- Holy Days –
- Friends –
- Enemies – Ildûnyr
- Sayings –
Introduction
Long before the rise of Drāūn and the coming of the Ardöran, the Ælyryr revered a god-spirit named Erymyr. Although Erymyr was generally referred to as female, she appeared in different stories as male, female, or neuter.
Vedyra knelt before three shallow bowls, running her fingertips through the ground ochre. No one spoke as the young woman traced intricate patterns across her face, her arms, and her chest. Each design must be exact. Each symbol and glyph spoke to the powers she alone possessed. Once finished, she stood and waited as two figures stepped from the smoky shadows to drape a heavy cape of black feathers across her shoulders. With a small gesture she brushed them aside and turned to face her visitor. The man cowered at the sight of her, a young beautiful woman with hideous, white bulbous eyes. “You are Unðrū of the Widrym,” she announced. He nodded. “You are Unthrū of the Widrym,” she repeated. “Yes, yes, I am” he answered, realizing the priestess was blind. “You have come to ask favor of Erymyr.” He nodded again, answering “Yes, yes, I have.” The priestess raised her arms high into the smoky haze, announcing “This is Unðrū of the Widrym, he asks favor of Erymyr, will you hear him?” The frightened man looked up into the churning smoke but saw nothing. After several long moments, the priestess lowered her arms. Her featureless white eyes, each the size of fists, started off into someone darkness he did not want to guess. Finally, the priestess said, “Erymyr will hear your words, Unðrū of the Widrym. Take care not to anger the spirits, for they now that they know you, they will watch every step you and choice you make, from here forward.” Unðrū gulped and looked harder toward the smoky ceiling. Still he could see nothing. “Speak you question, Unðrū of the Widrym!” Taking a deep breath, the man asked “My child. My only son. Five years old. He is missing. His mother is dead. He is all I have. What is his fate? Where has he gone?” The priestess raised her arms again into the smoke. “Erymyr, does the son of Unðrū of the Widrym reside with you this day?” The smoke above them shifted and began wheeling around the priestess, though no breeze moved in the room. After a time the priestess lowered her arms and drew the vulture cloak tightly across her naked form. She stepped forward and placed a hand on the peasant’s shoulder. Unðrū could not bear the sight of her eyes, and looked away. “He is with Erymyr,” the priestess said. Her voice was filled with compassion; gone was the augerer’s passion. “There is a stream near your field with a deep pool. You will find him there. It is not the fault of Erymyr that your son is dead, she merely takes care of those that find their way beyond this world.” The man nodded, wiping tears from his eyes. “What am I to do?”, he asked. The priestess withdrew her hand and answered, “You are Widrym, you will carry his body to the shore and burn his remains. There is nothing else to be done.”
The Cult
The Ardöryr clung to the idea of Erymyr’s femininity, and presumed that she was the lost Queen of Ardöran. Mainland legends can be found dating from the end of the 3rd century ER (Fourth Age), explaining how the King and Queen were separated during a terrible shipwreck, each being deposited on different shores. The followers of Erymyr did not handle this legend-crafting very well. For centuries, wave after wave of Ardöryr missionaries were met with spear-points and sent back to the mainland. The people of Ælyra would have none of it.
In 4/674 ER, the Ardöryr arrived under escort of the Dekàli army, to forcibly join the two cults. The decision in favor of Ardöran was based on the semantic that Erymyr was a spirit and the former was a god. Another factor that led to the emigration of the Ardöryr from the mainland, was that the Kændlanites were growing uneasy with the presence of a large and powerful cult in their midst. Learning of the history between the Ælyryr and Ardöryr, the Cult of Kændlan were quick to petition and support the exodus of the death cult.
A campaign to destroy the Henge of Erymyr was completed by 119 HK. Dekàli inquisitors spent years hunting and killing priests of the order that would not convert to the worship of Drāūn. Conversions were measured and enforced by a Dekàli magic known as the Water Curse. Those who lied about their conversions soon died from a variety of medical problems including: diarrhea, nausea, and dehydration. Eyewitness accounts of the victims reported that all liquids touched or drank by the victims would become fetid. Those who continued to drink the poisonous liquid would be overcome by nausea, diarrhea, and other maladies. In addition, victims would exude a malodorous cloud which would cause great revulsion in those around them.
For the reasons outlined above, there is no current Henge of Erymyr. All the tales, teachings, and artifacts of this ancient order have been long lost, converted, or destroyed over the centuries. The recent separatist trend to rediscover and reclaim old Ælyri traditions has included research into the god-spirit Erymyr. Currently, it is accepted that Erymyr was destroyed by the interloper Drāūn, and that the foreign god found himself trapped on the island and bound by the unfilled duties of Erymyr. For this reason, the Aylyreans refer to Drāūn as the Chained God. No henge shall be erected to Drāūn. While the Fisher’s powers and duties are respected, no honors are given to him. Furthermore, his priesthood are believed to have corrupted his purpose. The Ælyryr believe that the Pryr Drāūn abuse and defile the true purpose of the death god for their own selfish and secular means. This is believed by the Ælyryr to be a crucial difference between spirits and gods. Ælyryr contend that spirits speak freely with their followers, whereas gods, not being of the elements, are removed from earthly cares leaving their followers without guidance.