Ghyll:Hopdurg
- "Hopdurg is the King – what else can be said of a god who plays music to the undead, dances up storms, and sings the wind through the willows? If I could swing my hips the way he can, I’d be making a living in the dance halls of Zhin! Huzzah!" --Ibah Mahli, author of Grinham Noire: Collected Tails
- "God-King Hopdurg? If he isn’t dead, what good is he to me?" --Oblibestirus
Known as The God-King, Hopdurg is an ancient deity of Ghyll, a god of geomantic order, of pitch-perfect prose, and of gyromatic rhythm. Those who worship this Lord of the Dance are called Hopdurgians, Hopdurgs and even Swingnuts (in select byways). Most adherents of the Dokethinian persuasion (below) live in the hamlets of the Midevesque and in the fishing villages of Lake Crimin, while followers of the Oestrinian sect (below) live largely in the Dulalian Empire, though there also seems to always be an undercurrent of pseudo-belief within the average preparatory school.
The God-King Hopdurg is celebrated in song and dance and the art form known as Florentin Vegetal (aka cucumber flowers). The glugfeffil, the verapsnik, the hivratch, and the weywal are all associated with the God-King and banananut butter is the traditional food offered upon his altars. Worship usually consists of various dance rituals accompanied by twanging musical instruments and a potluck of butters, breads and fruit. These rituals are quite popular among adolescents and many a non-believing parent has been heard to grumble that Hopdurg is no better than Vulcrue. Please note that though some adolescents have indeed "gone with the dancin' god" simply due to the music and sway and the temple-sponsored dating parties, the activities of these youth should not be confused with the more primitive and downright nasty shenanigans of the Great Awakening. Indeed, whereas the Great Awakening is all about anti-authoritarian chaos, the worship of Hopdurg is based in energized order.
One other aspect of Hopdurgic belief is that all Ghyllians can retrace their ancestors to the Matriarch Palanquin (an Olkuull word meaning "She Whose Eggsack Nurtures All Children") and likewise can trace their yet-born descendants to the Patriarch Falpatuin (meaning "He Who Owns All That His Mothers Have Touched").
Taken at face value, an obvious derivation of this belief is that one day there won’t be any Ghyllians but for one – a state of affairs that the Hopdurgians fully accept. Though the believers soundly reject any connection between their "end of civilization" and the scholarly study of Recursive Destiny, there does seem to be many a corollary.
This belief in an ultimate descendant, however, has raised eyebrows amongst those that ponder divine ascendancies. This eyebrow-raising was also seen within the religion itself when some three hundred years ago a schism developed midst the adherents and the one faith split into two segments. The Oestrinites believe that Falpatuin shall earn his place as the ultimate descendant, either through battle, intrigue, or attrition. The Dokethinians believe that Falpatuin shall inherit this position by birth. Please think about this, dear readers. Finished thinking? When asked how a multitude of Ghyllians could give birth to a single individual, the Dokethinian reply is usually, "Ask Hopdurg." When asked when Falpatuin shall be born the common answer is, "it’s not polite to ask."
A curious side note on Hopdurgic belief and practice is that the adherents tend to breed like byrnbunnies and many specialize in coffin design, go figure.
Citations: Ibah Mahli, Looliers, Oblibestircus
--Nikos of Ant 21:08, 5 Jul 2005 (EDT)
As to the details of the remaining beliefs of the Hopdurgs, look for more in the First Revision which may come as early as Edition #3 of this fine publication. As to other controversies, please look to the article on the Looliers. Thank you. --Nikos of Ant 21:08, 5 Jul 2005 (EDT)
