Editing Erde-Tyrene civilization
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===Rituals=== | ===Rituals=== | ||
[[File:H4-Terminal-Village-Closeup.jpg|thumb|250px|The ''[[Mantle's Approach]]'' over a human village.]] | [[File:H4-Terminal-Village-Closeup.jpg|thumb|250px|The ''[[Mantle's Approach]]'' over a human village.]] | ||
Upon maturing, males in the greater Marontik area would traditionally undergo a rite of passage which involved being led through a series of "sacred caves" located a day's journey from Marontik. | Upon maturing, males in the greater Marontik area would traditionally undergo a rite of passage which involved being led through a series of "sacred caves" located a day's journey from Marontik.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 206''</ref> These caves contained myriad paintings describing the humans' beliefs about life and death.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 221''</ref> During the ceremony, the caves would be fumed with the smoke of intoxicating leaves and with the initiate's body covered in clay, elder shamans would carve a series of ritual scarification designs to his back, shoulders, ribs and chest using bone knives.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 53, 275''</ref> Those who had undergone the ritual would often repeat the mantra ''"for so I have seen in the sacred caves"'' to affirm their belief in what they had seen.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 16''</ref> | ||
A dying relative would be prepared for the afterlife through a farewell rite which involved the recitation of a prayer so the dying individual would safely pass over the "western waters" to the [[Far Shore]] and that the gods that await on the other side—[[Abada|Abada the Rhinoceros]] and the Great Elephant—would not reject them. It was feared that Abada and the Elephant might turn away if they smelled fear, or if the proper rites were not conducted. In that case, the individual would be left to hyenas and buzzards and would not be granted into a peaceful afterlife, | A dying relative would be prepared for the afterlife through a farewell rite which involved the recitation of a prayer so the dying individual would safely pass over the "western waters" to the [[Far Shore]] and that the gods that await on the other side—[[Abada|Abada the Rhinoceros]] and the Great Elephant—would not reject them. It was feared that Abada and the Elephant might turn away if they smelled fear, or if the proper rites were not conducted. In that case, the individual would be left to hyenas and buzzards and would not be granted into a peaceful afterlife,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 16, 54, 205-207, 219''</ref> instead being forced to roam the earth restlessly as a ghost.{{Ref/Reuse|rebirth}} According to some old stories, the dead would continue to walk forever without knowing where they were going.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 286''</ref> | ||
===Myths=== | ===Myths=== | ||
In addition to their primary beliefs about afterlife, the humans of Erde-Tyrene had a rich oral tradition of legends and myths, many of them mutually contradictory and liberally mixed in with their religion. These featured a broad pantheon of deities, many of them embodied in animal form. | In addition to their primary beliefs about afterlife, the humans of Erde-Tyrene had a rich oral tradition of legends and myths, many of them mutually contradictory and liberally mixed in with their religion. These featured a broad pantheon of deities, many of them embodied in animal form.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 182''</ref> Their worldview was generally animistic and featured a plethora of various secondary gods, spirits and ghosts. These incorporeal beings were generally considered unpredictable, occasionally mischievous, and judgmental of the living, because of the lust and envy they felt for them.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 54''</ref> There were many tales of gods and devils which played tricks on humans, commonly told to children.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 284-285''</ref> | ||
*The ''First Human'' or ''First Man'' was a mythical figure who had a forefinger the size of a tree which held the souls of all his children; the human generations to come. | *The ''First Human'' or ''First Man'' was a mythical figure who had a forefinger the size of a tree which held the souls of all his children; the human generations to come.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 204''</ref> [[Chakas]], after being [[Mind transfer|converted]] into [[343 Guilty Spark|a monitor]] with the essences of thousands of ancient humans stored within compared himself to this being.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 371''</ref> | ||
*The ''Vaeites and Alben'' were entities who were said to appear in the humans' oldest dreams. [[Riser]] once compared the Forerunners to these beings. | *The ''Vaeites and Alben'' were entities who were said to appear in the humans' oldest dreams. [[Riser]] once compared the Forerunners to these beings.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 34''</ref> | ||
*A warning tale about ''story devils'' described a being who traveled across the land and told great stories; however, those who listened became mute and their descendants would only talk babble. Upon Chakas telling [[Vinnevra]] this story, she asked him if the [[Primordial]] was a story devil. | *A warning tale about ''story devils'' described a being who traveled across the land and told great stories; however, those who listened became mute and their descendants would only talk babble. Upon Chakas telling [[Vinnevra]] this story, she asked him if the [[Primordial]] was a story devil.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 220-221''</ref> | ||
*In a particular story, the sky was told to be a great flat plane on which glowing insects moved and occasionally, someone opened a door to let in light from the outside. The stars were also told to be holes punched in the sky by birds pecking for insects. | *In a particular story, the sky was told to be a great flat plane on which glowing insects moved and occasionally, someone opened a door to let in light from the outside. The stars were also told to be holes punched in the sky by birds pecking for insects.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 279''</ref> | ||
*According to one account of the creation of humans, ''Mongoose'', a god known for being a trickster, was said to have convinced Mud to mate with the Sun (both personified deities). This union resulted in the creation of worms, which the Mongoose angered and teased until they grew legs and chased it over the grasslands. The worms became humans, who would continue to be played jokes on by humorless gods of Tree, River, Rock and Cloud. | *According to one account of the creation of humans, ''Mongoose'', a god known for being a trickster, was said to have convinced Mud to mate with the Sun (both personified deities). This union resulted in the creation of worms, which the Mongoose angered and teased until they grew legs and chased it over the grasslands. The worms became humans, who would continue to be played jokes on by humorless gods of Tree, River, Rock and Cloud.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 209-310''</ref> | ||
*''[[Shalimanda]]'', the heaven-snake, was told to have swallowed an original, jewel-covered stream of worlds. It exploded the next night, bringing forth the Earth-like worlds that gave birth to humans.{{Ref/Reuse|p210}} | *''[[Shalimanda]]'', the heaven-snake, was told to have swallowed an original, jewel-covered stream of worlds. It exploded the next night, bringing forth the Earth-like worlds that gave birth to humans.{{Ref/Reuse|p210}} | ||
