Bunlarn

Bunlarn is a term used in speculative fiction and world-building to designate a communal ritual centered on memory, storytelling, and the sharing of food. In most depictions, bunlarn rituals are performed annually by inhabitants of a fictional culture or by participants in role-playing campaigns to mark transitions such as harvests, initiations, or seasonal changes. The term is generally presented as a vernacular label rather than a formal doctrine, and its exact form varies by author and setting.

The name bunlarn is often described as a constructed word drawn from two fictional roots, bun- meaning "gather" and larn meaning "memory" or "light" in the imagined language. Some writers frame bunlarn as a living concept that evolves with the community, while others use it as a stable cultural marker.

Typical bunlarn ceremonies combine a communal meal, a sequence of storytelling rounds, and periods of silent reflection. Props may include a carved wooden bowl, candles or bioluminescent stones, and a shared loaf or seed cake. The ritual proceeds in a defined order, sometimes overseen by an elder or storyteller, and culminates in a chorus or toast that seals memories for the year ahead.

Bunlarn functions to reinforce social ties, transmit oral history, and reinforce social roles within the community. Regional variants may emphasize different sensory cues—sound, light, scent—or occur in domestic spaces, public squares, or outdoor venues. In fiction and gaming, bunlarn is often used as a world-building device to illustrate values such as reciprocity, humility, and communal resilience.

References to bunlarn appear across speculative fiction texts and role-playing supplements, where it is treated as a flexible motif rather than a fixed canon. See also: worldbuilding, ritual, memory, storytelling, conlang.