Urdism

Urdism is a henotheistic religion in the world of Kylorne, most notably worshipped by the Urdi people, whose name is derived from the faith. It is an extremely old religion, as old as the Urdi, and scriptures pertaining to it are still being unearthed. The practice of Urdism primarily revolves around the belief in the titular primary deity, Urd, and observance of morale commandments derived from Urd. There are many interpretations of the text surrounding Urdism, resulting in a variety of beliefs and denominations.

Creation Myth
The creation myth of Urdism was originally passed along orally, before written language, and thus many versions exist. There are certain aspects held in common, however.

Firstly, all stories imply that the perceivable world had always existed, however life was locked away in a distant shroud of void.

Secondly, Urd did not begin as a divine being. Urd was a lowly roach, the lowest of all, destined for a fate of wallowing in the mud and being trampled by those larger and stronger. Urd commanded very little respect amongst all the living things, scoffed at by the lowly rabbit, sneered at by the arrogant birds, and mocked by the trees. However, Urd soon found purpose when it was revealed unto him the secrets of the world in a dream by the spirits of the universe. In the most widely accepted version of the story, it is said that they valued his humbleness and tenacity, and the way which he held his head high despite the ridicule, however this differs among other versions. He became a guide for the living things to enter the world, and ushered in a new era to the world. For that, he was elevated from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs, raised to a status as a king among kings in the minds of all beings.

Third, Urd was to be granted one wish by the spirits of the universe. To this end, Urd chose to create a form of being which the universe had not seen before. They could think for themselves, smile at the greatest triumphs, weep in the face of the worst of despairs, and laugh in the happiest of moments. It is believed that at this very moment, Urd created sentient life. Of these, all versions of the story assert that the Urdi were the first to emerge, as it is said that Urd combined the greatest aspects of plant and animal to one personally in order to create the Urdi. For this, Urd is known by two alternate names: the Progenitor God and the Roach Father.

Fourth, Urd is offered the chance to become a spirit of the universe, guiding the mechanisms that worked the world, however refused. He chose to live the rest of his life with great humility, and made the most of each precious moment before his eventual death. With his passing, all the living beings of the world came from far and wide to honor him, and the sentient beings crowned him as the Progenitor God.

Brief History
It is said that the first Urdi to be born, known as The Firstborn, began the practice of Urdism after the death of Urd so that future generations would remember the tenants of Urd far into the future. They spread the teachings of Urd far and wide, and was themselves quite the scholar. They are said to have written a great many books, which are still being uncovered to this day. However, as the sentient beings of the world advanced in technology, they no longer found it necessary to obey the tenants of Urd. Urdism was thus forced into the underground as its population of practicing members dwindled greatly season after season. Coinciding with this, the Urdists began to be persecuted for their now unorthodox beliefs which resulted in a further culling of Urdists over time. This resulted in surviving members of the religion, many of them Urdi, to be extremely isolated and localized. Many extremely valuable pieces of the literature of Urdism were lost, and are still being uncovered to this day.

Core Beliefs
Due to its age, the true core tenants of Urdism is widely disputed by its followers. However, followers of Urd generally abide by a strong morale compass, no matter the denomination. Urdists are noted to practice humility, believe that all success must come from hard work, do not like engaging in acts of revenge or violence, and are quite fanatical in defense of their God, however this is not always the case across the board. Urdists are quite intellectually devoted as well in the academic sciences, as they seek to impart knowledge upon the entire world just as the spirits of the universe did for Urd.

It is believed that silverfish are the souls of those who have committed great trespasses against Urd and angered the spirits of the universe who hold his legacy in such high regard, and have been cursed to wallow away in the agony of darkness. Urdists generally prefer to do away with silverfish using weapons enchanted with bane of arthropods, as it is believed to free the souls of the cursed and allow them to rest in peace. If a silverfish is killed with a regular weapon, the trapped soul within will experience an extreme and torturous pain before finally being allowed to rest.

Life after Death
Urdists believe that there is no afterlife, and that all creatures only have one chance to live their life. Thus, Urdists attempt to live out their lives to the fullest, and are constantly moving forward. A common saying due to this is, "Each moment, once in a lifetime," which describes the belief that there is only once chance at life and every creature must make the best of what they have. Each experience will only occur once, so every experience should be taken advantage of and cherished.

Common Traditions
A common tradition is to offer items to Urd on a weekly basis in the hopes that he will grant good luck. Common items offered to Urd during rituals include books, maps, art, alcohol, pickaxes, hoes, shovels, food, and wheat. In times of conflict, items such as swords, bows, arrows, axes, shields, and meat are offered. It is believed that offering items of war to Urd is akin to sending a signal of distress, causing Urd's wrath to inundate the world.

Another wide practice is the carrying of animal bone talismans, often embedded with a gem. Children are often gifted these on their thirteenth birthday, signaling that they have taken their first steps into the adult world. Bone talismans are sometimes thought to ward off harm and danger, but mostly act as the symbol of an Urdist.

Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival is held annually in the autumn. It is accompanied with many festivities, including food, music, plays, drinking, and partying. Families and individuals will set out a number of lanterns in front of their homes, each representing a deceased family member or friend that they wish to remember. At nightfall, the lanterns will be marched down to a local holy place such as a church in a large, silent procession known as the "March of the Lanterns." They are then set out in large rows, and a speech in the remembrance of the dead will be given. Following this, offerings of valuable items will be set out in front of the lanterns that represent the recently deceased. This culminates in a silent vigil lasting from five to ten minutes. Lanterns are then allowed to sit until they eventually run out of fuel and snuff out, representing the passing of the deceased. Once a lantern is no longer alight, it is taken home.

Symbols
The color red and orange is seen as lucky, as when Urd guided living things out of the void, it was to a red sunset in the horizon.