Melodinity

Melodinity is the ancient religion of the Birdfolk, passed on throughout history in song. It worships two key gods, Ava and her daughter Vianne.

## Creation Story

Birdfolk history of their race is passed down in song and spoken of exclusively in the Avian language, which has historically been regarded as a gift from their god. These old songs describe a mighty sky goddess they call Ava. The world they live on is an egg laid by Ava, and she created the Birdfolk as guardians and protectors of the egg which will crack open at The Hatching to release Vianne, her daughter.

The Song of Oviposition is the oldest and best known of the songs of Melodinity. It describes Ava laying the egg and prophesies the ending of the world when Vianne hatches. It also tells of the creation of the birdfolk who were initially all one Clan called the Skycriers. The Skycriers are described as having six wings and travelling on lightning. Almost every Birdfolk will have learned the Song of Oviposition as part of their basic childhood education, even if they were not taught it as gospel truth.

## Modern Practice

Among modern Birdfolk, Melodinity is regarded with various levels of seriousness ranging from worship to scepticism, and some Clans even worship other deities altogether. The stories of Ava are still told but are considered by many to be historical rather than religious in nature.

For Birdfolk who follow the religion, every morning starts with the Dawn Chorus - a litany of songs sung in praise of Ava and welcoming the next beat of her wing. These songs are joyful but always slightly bittersweet, as each wingbeat means Vianne is one step closer to hatching and ending the world. Stormy days are holy for followers of Melodinity as lightning is how the Skycriers travel the world, bringing new instructions and inspiration to Ava's followers. A day or night with a lightning storm usually means the Flock is grounded and these days become impromptu holidays called Stormsong days. Believers and non-believers alike celebrate a day of peace, song, and feasting that ends with torches being lit to guide in any approaching Skycriers.

Even if Birdfolk do not believe in the literal reality of Melodinity, the icons and rituals of the religion are deeply embedded in their culture. The symbol of Ava, a wooden feather painted with a storm on one side and stars on the other, is a common luck trinket worn by most Birdfolk. Hatching rituals are still strongly tied with the religion, with the traditional celebration songs linking the happiness of a new life to The Hatching, the day the world cracks and Vianne is born. In addition, Nest Day is a holiday commonly celebrated by all Birdfolk. For one day at the very end of winter, all flying and trading activity is halted and instead Birdfolk focus on 'cleaning the nest for spring'. This can be literal, in the case of Flocks with a fixed home, or metaphorical in the case of migratory Flocks. In either case, it's a day for being close with family and ensuring all equipment and possessions are in good repair for the year to come. For Birdfolk in the Selva where there is no winter, the celebration begins just as the snow on the Cadogan Mountains begins to melt and swell the rivers with fresh cold water.

## Religious Structure

As the followers of Melodinity are spread all across creation, Melodinity has no fixed structure or hierarchy. Flocks who follow Melodinity will often have a Storysinger whose role is to sing the songs of worship and to pass this knowledge down to the chicks. These Storysingers will usually have 3 or 4 acolytes who are training to become Storysingers themselves.

Both Ava and Vianne also have a handful of clerics pledged to them. This is a rare calling for those few Birdfolk who feel that one of their gods wishes to act through them in some way. Unlike clerics of other gods, clerics of Melodinity very rarely if ever hear the direct spoken wishes of Ava and Vianne. Instead it is more like a strong sense of what is the correct path.

Otherwise, there is no acknowledged high priest or prophet of Melodinity, and each Flock practices the religion in their own way. Variations of interpretation are common as there is no central office to ensure religious 'correctness' or adherence to any specific doctrine.

The only exception to this is the Skycriers. Rumours say that if a Flock goes too far from the intended tenets of Melodinity, they will be visited by the Skycriers and their ways will be corrected. It is unclear whether this means the offending Flock will be re-taught the correct version, or 'cleansed' in a more violent way. Skycriers are also rumoured to appear to particularly devout Flocks with new revelations or with specific instructions from Ava, although Birdfolk would never confirm this to any outsiders. Indeed, to outsiders the very existence of the Skycrier Clan is in question, given that there are few reliable records of any having been encountered outside of myths.