Offspring Day

The religion of the Sudzi is based on the ancestors. The generations before made the generation of today and all they have. Sudzi believe the ancestors still can help society to prosper by giving information to their childrens children. As long as the name of an ancestor is remembered, he or she can be called to the fire to communicate.

The Sudzi do realise they are the generation of ancestors for the generations to be. There are strong bonds between grandparents and grandchildren because of this.
But the Sudzi also take care of the children that have not yet been born. They do this on Offspring day, in the middle of Prewinter. Even though it is called “day”, the festivities usually last a few days, sometimes a few weeks.

One of the rituals is that of the weddings. On Offspring day, weddings are announced, and intermediaries are trying to get the right man and woman together to provide both families with the best offspring. This might be children or grandchildren, but sometimes a match is made to take care of strong and powerful offspring in the far future.

To see into the future of the unborn children, the Sudzi use the Turkol for divination. They cut the bulb in halves, then read the patterns in it. There are people (in Ildritz known as Turkolpriests) who can read the Turkol fluidly and do this not only on Offspring day. They have books and diagrams about the several patterns and their meanings. These books are on sale throughout Daleth - but most of them are fantasised.
In the tradition, the parents themselves should read the future of their children out of the Turkol, and the older children should learn to do it themselves. The Turkol gives insight in the own personality and thus in the weaknesses and changes for the future. This knowledge is added with the wisdom of the past generations, who celebrate Offspring day in huge fires that burn throughout the festivities.

There is a Amalbruns Day and a Stangcruz Day in the festivities.
On Stangcruz Day, the adults who should have children but have not yet are taken apart from the rest. Herbalists and Turkolpriests will try to find out why the couple hasn’t got any children, they will try to take away obstacles and cure any disease that might be responsible - some go as far as helping out in a more physical way.
A decision the couple should get divorced might be taken; both partners are free to find another partner to have children with and make sure they will be responsible ancestors for the future generations. In order to avoid abuse, the partners are not allowed to marry the people who ordered the divorce.
Stangcruz (the Sudziname for Phyarxwurz) is involved in the magical rituals on this day and has given it’s name to it.

Amalbruns Day is usually a very sad day. This day is to help the people who have remained childless and will never be able to have children of their own. The help is given in two ways: one is a ceremony of adoption, the other is a ritual to make sure the name will stay alive after the inevitable death of the person.
Adoption is only possible when there are children without parents. The parents are called into the fire and asked whom of the childless Sudzi will be the best foster-parent for their child. This is a very emotional ritual, the child will see the parent again, the parents the child. In the old days, when the parents refused to pick a foster-parent, the child was thrown into the fire and burned alive (after having been made unconscious with Amalbruns). Nowadays, the Sudzi say that the deceased parents are less picky, but the Department of Health and Wellbeing in Ildritz isn’t so sure of it.
The ceremony can be emotionally harsh, because there are more Sudzi without children than children without parents. There are always Sudzi who leave the ceremony as childless as they came.
The ritual of commemoration is celebrated with the (remaining) relatives of the childless person. He or she will be seated on a high chair or throne, while the relatives sing about the deeds he or she has done for the prosperity of the family. There are stories and anecdotes told, songs are sung and poetry is performed. In places where the culture is influenced by the Naglani, plays will be stages. When the person is of royal or noble birth, all Sudzi are invited to remember the name of the person. The ritual will be done each year, and continues after the death of the person (but then near the house altar instead of having the corpse seated on the chair, as was done many years ago) until the personality has been all forgotten (in the old times: until the corpse was no longer suited for the ceremony).

Of course, the children are not forgotten these days. They are the living offspring and they are celebrated as well. They will receive new clothes, are fed with what they like best, and treated ulevels. Many get more presents: toys and things they will need when they have a family of their own. Children have more freedom and don’t have to go to school on Offspring Day.