Glyrindar

The **glyrindar** is a parade held every June or July at the lands east of Vozolaz, such as Josol and Siangwaan.

## History

The glyrindar parades originated during the Sixteenth Age, in response to the annual celebrations of Red Ardesch of its founding and its people. They were held as prayers against Red Ardesch's attempts to invade other countries, or to make fun of Red Ardesch's society; later, they were held as prayers against the souls of Red Ardesch's warriors, which were believed to be cursed by the gods for their sins and attempts to subjugate (or exterminate) the world to punish it.

As the Sarmelonids believed that their emperors already purified the eastern lands and banished the ghosts, the glyrindar parades were rarely observed during much of the Sarmelonid Era, except either to amuse foreign guests or during times of catastrophe. They were resumed once the empire celebrated its victories over the Konjor Supercorporation.

## Observances

The glyrindar consists of paper and wooden figures based on mythological characters, monsters, celestials, people from fictional countries, cannibalistic Ontemazei from their empire, ghosts, and wights. The large figures are held and carried around a town, accompanied with music and flags, and then burned. The flags that were flown at temples to keep ghosts away were taken to the glyrindar parades, where they are waved and burned with the floats at the next sunrise. The crowds would shout at the fires, telling the ghosts:

*"You will never conquer our country, you will never destroy us!*

*The living prevail, while you are defeated again!*

*Return to the underworld, from whence you came!"*

All of this was done to weaken or mock the ghosts that emerge and attack people on June, the month of Red Ardesch's founding; and other armies of ghosts from the enemies of the Gauvajut Empire. These were also based on the flag festivals that Red Ardesch used to celebrate its people, which supposedly led to incidents of hauntings and attacks by vengeful ghosts.

The music used in glyrindar parades consists of oboes, cymbals, gongs, and drums.

In smaller communities, several people just wave burning torch-poles and flags to represent the floats while uttering prayers to their gods. At the end of the parade or ghost festival, they burn the poles and flags to represent the defeat of the ghosts.

## Superstitions

These are the superstitions observed during the ghost month:

* Do not wear purple or pink
* Cover rainbows, or the spirits will find you
* Do not sing outside at night, except with holy songs and hymns
* Do not dance at night, except for a sacred ritual
* Do not light candles outdoors or in an empty room
* Preferably walk in twos
* Do not swim at night
* Do not burn anything with a rainbow or multiple suns or moons (or the spirits will be angry)
	+ For this reason, the ghost flags must only consist of irregular stripes of any colour. Then, they can safely attract the spirits and be burned at the end of the month.
* If your soul is at risk, you must wear two bands around your upper arms. If a person has three bands, people should avoid them to avoid attracting the spirits.
* Do not shout
* Do not turn your head
* Do not walk into dark areas
* You must allow some light when you sleep
* Do not kiss outside, or the spirits will find you
* Cover all mirrors

## Yulampan Prayers

Around a month after the Vozonid ghost month, the Siangwaanian ghost month begins. Unlike the Vozonid festival, the Siangwaanian ghost month is not a month of celebration or great fear, but one of great pity and sadness.

At the fifteenth day, Siangwaanians leave offerings to all wandering ghosts, including the dangerous, embittered wraiths of Ardesch who threatened to eat them. Influenced by their Buddhist religion, the Siangwaanians pitied the Ardeschis as people manipulated by their rulers into being merciless murderers and then cursed to be used to torment the living. With these offerings and prayers, the ghosts might be purified from their sins, allowing them to escape their torment and enter paradise.

Another reason why people hold a feast for these ghosts could be from nightmares, as the land is considered haunted by ghosts. Some people had horrifying dreams of the Ardeschi ghosts mutilating themselves, clawing at them, or begging them to end their suffering.

## Trivia

* The glyrindar is inspired by the ogoh-ogoh parades of Bali, Indonesia; Halloween; and the "pride parades" held in Western countries.
	+ The ghosts of Ardesch -- the antagonists of the glyrindar parades -- were inspired by the "Wrath Month" meme and the armies of Warhammer Fantasy, especially the Elves and the Warriors of Chaos.
* While much of Siangwaan practices certain customs to avoid the ghosts, the ghost month is also the month when Manzel University takes in new students, who celebrate by pretending to be ghosts. Manzel University is also one of the few places in Siangwaan where the social restrictions of the ghost month are openly ignored.
* Every person who takes part in the glyrindar parades becomes an exorcist, even if they were just dancing in a costume or carrying a float. For this reason, extra prayers and talismans are used to protect the participants from demonic or ghostly attack.
* If a lightning bolt strikes any of the floats, it is considered a great blessing, and a minor victory for the world. It represents that Tarhunz has destroyed, killed, or severely weakened the demon represented by the float. The float must be burned right after the parade, instead of at the end of the festival, to ensure that its demon is completely destroyed forever.

## See also

* Josolchir mythology
* Siangwaanian mythology