Aþyrin
Aþyrin /a:θɪ:rɪ:n/ is the largest and westernmost of the Islands of the Sun, a small archipelago located in the northwestern Narra'tonei Sea, just northeast of the Plain of Kings. None of the islands are inhabited, as the Mörkels on the mainland consider them sacred to the sun god Aþar, and only a few worthy may briefly visit Aþyrin to perform certain rituals there.
The rituals, performed at spring equinox and midsummer, are not only of religious nature, but act as a joint effort by the rulers of Áhalía, Beikatrót and Póletrót to strengthen the bond between the three coastal kingdoms and, by extension, the trading alliance which they form, known as Ter Volg.
The ceremony itself is performed much the same way whether during spring or summer. The three monarchs, along with a few priest (including the high priest and oracle of Aþar) journey from the city of Úlverril to Aþyrin on a ship at dawn, where the priests lay down yellow carpets to mark the way to the altar so that no mortal feet touch the sacred ground. Offerings to the sun god include a white hyrning calf, almond milk, cheese, spiced bread and incense, all of which are arranged on the altar and burned as the sun appears on the horizon.
The oracle observes the smoke, as well as the way the vessels for the almond milk and other beverages shatter as they are thrown at a nearby rock formation, to give prophecies. After that, the priest retrieve the carpets as the group departs so that they can later be distributed to shrines of Aþar along the coast and beyond. The group's return to the mainland marks the beginning of a festival that often lasts for several days, during which the three rulers discuss the oracle's words and plan accordingly.
The rituals, performed at spring equinox and midsummer, are not only of religious nature, but act as a joint effort by the rulers of Áhalía, Beikatrót and Póletrót to strengthen the bond between the three coastal kingdoms and, by extension, the trading alliance which they form, known as Ter Volg.
Cultural significance
Many Mörkels believe that the archipelago was the last landmass created by the gods, formed as they washed off the clay that they used to shape the world, and that Aþyrin was where Aþar first threw the sun across the sky with his sling. According to tradition, the first Mörkel to visit the island burst into flames as soon as he stepped off the boat, and the modern ritual was created as a way for mortals to atone for this sacrilege.The ceremony itself is performed much the same way whether during spring or summer. The three monarchs, along with a few priest (including the high priest and oracle of Aþar) journey from the city of Úlverril to Aþyrin on a ship at dawn, where the priests lay down yellow carpets to mark the way to the altar so that no mortal feet touch the sacred ground. Offerings to the sun god include a white hyrning calf, almond milk, cheese, spiced bread and incense, all of which are arranged on the altar and burned as the sun appears on the horizon.
The oracle observes the smoke, as well as the way the vessels for the almond milk and other beverages shatter as they are thrown at a nearby rock formation, to give prophecies. After that, the priest retrieve the carpets as the group departs so that they can later be distributed to shrines of Aþar along the coast and beyond. The group's return to the mainland marks the beginning of a festival that often lasts for several days, during which the three rulers discuss the oracle's words and plan accordingly.
Geography
The island is roughly lozenge-shaped and relatively flat, mostly covered with grasses or heaths dotted with shrubs and even a few low, hardy trees twisted over the centuries by the wind. The only notable landmark is a large stone slab to the southeast, some distance from the sea, which acts as a convenient altar for placing and burning offerings to Aþar.
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