Yrels

The Yrels¹ are an ethno-religious group found in the easternmost Ameder city-states and (in far fewer numbers) the Mörkel coastal kingdoms.
They're descendants of Mörkels who settled among the Ameders, whose syncretic culture has developed into something at times alienates both of these groups. The Yrels worship mainly Naþa, god of the sun, the seasons and fertility that developed from the Mörkel Cult of Aþar. Some Yrels worship him along with other native gods and spirits, others venerate him in exclusively monotheistic fashion, a rarity in Dragonía. Their symbol is the sun cross, which can both mean the sun and the four seasons, and the snake, which symbolizes the coming of spring.
Yrel influence is especially strong in the easternmost city-states of the Ameders, where even some the leading families have adopted their religion, albeit not the same cults.

Culture

Apparel

Yrels dress much the same way as Ameders, though there's a distinct preference for red and blue patterns. Many also wear a sun-cross amulet around their neck, which are held aloft during most ceremonies, usually while facing eastwards.

Music

As with the Ameders and Mörkels, music is a part of everyday life as well as religious ceremonies, with the former characterized by the use of flutes, drums and lyres, and the latter by large bronze trumpets, often with bells shaped like animal heads. Songs and instruments are generally played separately, though unlike the Ameders, they are not associated with particular seasons.

Religion

While the worship of Naþa is a central element in all Yrel communities, the exact religious ideas and practices and relationship with other religion varies considerably. Virtually all of these cults observe two major festivals at summer- and winter solstices, respectively, with the former being the main ceremony of those cults focusing on the solar aspects of the god, while the latter is more important for those who see Naþa mainly as a fertility god.
The winter celebration is commonly known as the Awakening Festival, characterized by music, prayers and feasts within Naþa's temples, the sounds and scent believed to awaken the god from his winter slumber and thus hastening the arrival of spring.