Skycalling

The snow is not so weak as to be disturbed by your voice. Louder, so that the Hells tremble at the sound!

— cheery priestess

Skycalling is an expression of the self that was popularised first upon the northern continent of Iskaldhal, and is now prevalent in many mountainous regions of the world. It is a means of communicating thoughts and beliefs to the gods and all who might listen in hope that should the prayer itself not reach the ears of those it is intended for, it shall at least be carried on in the thoughts of others. Skycalling is traditionally only possible on high peaks, but as cultures have adapted it for their own beliefs, it has come to take on many forms. Key among all, though, is song.

Pilgrims to the Peaks by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

To perform skycalling is to sing, free and loud. The tune does not matter, nor the perfection of one's voice: all that matters is that the words must be sung so that the wind itself may carry them above to the great beyond.
It is traditionally a solo performance, away from witnesses who might harm the meaning of one's words, but as skycalling has wound its way into the worship of different faiths, it has taken on different meaning. Some faiths find strength and warmth in climbing peaks together to call to the skies in harmony, especially when calling for the benefit of many. Others attach specific meanings to the amount of skycallers and the way one calls, or to the rituals done prior to the performance.
Most interesting of these might be the dragons claiming the mortal tradition for themselves. It is a thing of beauty to witness a dragon land atop a towering peak and bellow a song born of their long years to the Draconic Pantheon. They are rare displays in areas mortals inhabit, given the solitude dragons prefer.

The occasional dragons willing to speak of these melancholic displays have expressed their grief at needing such a thing; the eldest of dragons remember a time before the Shattering of Skies, when their gods would answer far less serious a call.

History

The manner in which one calls is personal to one's faith. Should my deity demand I scream to the skies, I will - and should yours prefer a more gentle harmony of voices, then that is what you shall perform instead.

— skycaller

The many faiths and religions of Istralar share close, entwined histories. Though each faith has its own traditions and rituals, there are some that have spilled from one to another, and have gradually become more general. The traditional act of prayer - clasping one's hands together and silently speaking to a deity above - is perhaps best known of these multifaith ceremonies. The adoption of churches and priests, too, is considered under this umbrella of shared tradition.

Skycalling began in the peaks of Iskaldhal, though not with the dwarves who are so heavily associated with the continent. It was, at first, a human tradition begun in the mountains of what is now Myrkalla, in times before the nation's famed blood-feuds had even begun.
The exact faith - or faiths, perhaps - that gave rise to skycalling are no longer known (and as with all religious history, there is much bickering over which faith gets to claim that origin), but it stands to reason that they were likely a faith that held music in high regard. Many Myrkallan faiths still today involve music in their worship through group hymn and oral tradition.
It began to spread through Iskaldhal as exploration of the continent grew safer, a millennia past the destruction of Terra Arcana. As magic settled back into place and cultures integrated their newfound populations, there was suddenly a far greater need for land and an abundance of magical ability that could help in claiming said land.

Ancient Tales by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

Thus, as the world recovered from its brush with destruction and the tragedy of stellar devastation faded back into cultural memory, Iskaldhal's inhabitants began to move. War and pain followed, yes, but so too followed a beautiful mixing of cultures. Each country was already integrating the mages of Terra Arcana already, and the general cultural attitude remained intrigued by the manners of others that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Trade Winds by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

In this culture of learning and understanding, even the shadows of war could not stop traditions from spilling across borders. Skycalling caught on here, when groups travelling through the mountains heard skycallers and asked what they were doing
From there, the tradition spread like wildfire across Iskaldhal: a wonderful way to commune with the gods, to express one's faith! A way to vent passion without harm! A manner of performance and singing that could be performed by all, restricted by none!
With international trade picking up, skycalling would gradually make its way across the seas, beginning with skycallers that saw the tall masts of a ship as an acceptable alternative to the traditional mountains. Masts became hills and roofs in areas with no mountains, as the tradition continued to evolve.
It took root best in the north of Xin-Jiyu, where Vuorenmaa wholeheartedly embraced the tradition into popular culture as a means of expression and not simply as a thing of belief.

It has never been as popular across any other continent than Iskaldhal, even to this day, but there are few who have not heard of skycalling these days - at least by reference, if not by personal knowledge.

Execution

Little is more simple than to skycall. All one needs is a voice. And preferably, a high place.

— skycaller

Traditionally, skycalling is more involved than its more common modern interpretation. In ancient days, the first part of skycalling was the preparation for it. Ancient skycallers would dress to present oneself well to the gods, and set out to climb the most challenging peak they could manage alone. The risk, it was said, would lend credence to the importance of their words.

Once they had reached the top, or felt they needed to stop, they would perform a small ritual often involving small sacrifices of fruits or valuables to the deity they wished to speak to; these would be left atop the mountain when they left.
Once they were ready, and the words were held fast in their mind, they would aim their eyes to the heavens and sing their prayer with strong, clear words. Rain and snow could not impede them, and the greatest of skycallers would sing sagas lasting hours to even days with little pause for food or water.
In modern times, the tradition is somewhat more simple for the majority of practitioners. Now, all that is needed is to find a place of reasonable elevation such as a mountain, hill, ship's mast, or even a roof. When one has climbed up (often with assistance), they will sing. The manner of their singing depends wholly on their faith's interpretation of skycalling and their own personal comfort, but the same tether remains through ancient times to modern: the song rings out to be heard by all and sundry, with the hope of reaching the gods.

Harmony Together by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

Calling to the Gods by Hanhula (via Midjourney)

Originated in

Pre-settlement of Myrkalla

Primary Related Location

Iskaldhal

Not everyone who does skycalling is good at singing. That's not the point. Judging them for their voices is just about the worst thing you can do.

— skycaller

Deific Answers

Very rarely do the gods ever give any direct indication that they have heard a skycaller's song. Often, faithful take good fortunes as an indication that their deities have listened to them and blessed them with a response, even if they have received no indication of divine behaviour.
They may also interpret ill omens, such as bleak storms or famine, as a negative response to a song, should one have happened recently.
There are plenty of legends in the oral sagas and written tales still handed down through generations of Iskaldhans that do speak of divine response, however. The continent has ever been a fan of its legends, as the Harp of Virtue could attest.
Most famous is the tale of Yrsa Nightsinger, a warrior said to have been born from Siellumearra and delivered by witches to an elderly hermit living in Iskaldhal's southern mountains, far from her true parents.
It is said that when war came upon the small village she was resting in, before she was even considered a woman, she clambered across a sleeping dragon to reach the top of the-nation-that-is-now-Halsgard's tallest peak.
There, she called to the skies to persuade Sinaske, draconic god of the eclipse, to dance in front of the sun for long enough that the army would think it night and go to rest, giving her people time to evacuate.
The absent deity not only answered the young child's plea with the darkness she had sought, but also awoke the dragon she had run across to lend her aid. The dragon, a silver dragon named Odhirevelkor, aided Yrsa's people in their swift evacuation - and then took Yrsa upon his back to let her watch as he laid waste to the beasts that would have seen them slaughtered.
The act formed a bond of friendship between the two so strong that it is still remembered in countless legends of their subsequent heroics over a millennia on from when both were present.

Beckoning the Eclipse by Hanhula (via Midjourney)