Táldaran - Spirit ancestors

Táldaran (singular: táldar) are spirits of deceased people, who continue their existence in a spirit form. These spirits are worshipped mainly by the Farens. These small family altars that are build for the homes for these spirits, are called táldaranim feles.

This article is about the species. For the associated ritual, see: Faren ancestor worship
Additional info found in: Afterlife on the West Island

Physical characteristics

The táldaran are usually invisible and cannot be touched. They can cause noise and various sensations. The spirits' relatives and spiritually gifted people can communicate with the spirits through rituals, and receive revelations from them.

In art the táldaran are usually depicted wearing loose blue ropes resembling the burial clothing (see the sidebar).

Rituals

The living relatives communicate daily with their ancestors. The family shares food and drink with them on an altar in the house of the dead, a small shrine placed on the yard of the house. They also spend time remembering the deceased, usually by telling stories about their life on the shrine. The active ghosts are invited to take part in all the important family activities happening in the home, but the most spirits become quite shy in the presense of outsiders.
In return the spirits offer guidance to the living. They can, for example, help to predict good dates to organise weddings or help to solve compicated human relationships. They also protect the house from evil spirits.

Stages of death

The táldar of a deceased person usually appers within some weeks of the death. At first the new spirits appear confused (especially if they died unexpectedly), but after a short while, if they are cared for well by their relatives, they become more comfortable with their new existence, and are quite clear-minded and able to remember a lot of their living past. If the spirits are not buried in a safe place, or are not cared for by their family, they continue to wander for some time in despair before fading.

The most spirits continue to be in active communication with their relatives for a couple of years at most, but some are known to have stayed active for even hundreds of years. Eventually they all begin to fade. They become harder to communicate with, forgetful and often confused and angry. Eventually these old dead pass into the realm of forgetting, waumin. Nothing is known for sure about this realm, but it's usually thought to be a place of empty darkness. While the thought of being forgotten is scary for both the living and the spirits, it is thought to be a blessing for the old dead suffering in their fading, and thus rituals are performed to ease the passing.

Associated cultures

The Farens have developed the practises of spirit communication the furthest, but their success in communication and resulting happy spirits have meant that neighbouring cultures have also started to adopt the practises. Especially on the West Island the Zeribians have began to frown upon their traditional rituals of death. However, the traditionalists believe that the godly revelations are much more reliable, and especially the commoner spirits are not worth worshipping.

by Unknown (4th century)

Ancestors watching over a sleeping man

Encompassed species

• Spirit beings

In addition to the recently decased ancestors, a number of ancient ancestors are also worshipped in a similar manner. These can be either known ancestors of the family, or mythical heroes (especially from the time of wander) that are considered to be the ancestors of all the people.