oluurlar

Oluurlar is a term in the fictional Oluur language, used in speculative worldbuilding to refer to a guild of oral historians and storytellers. The word denotes both the collective of practitioners and the public performances conducted by that guild.

Etymology and form: In the imagined grammar, olu- is a root meaning story or history, and -urlar is a plural or collective suffix. The base form oluurg refers to a single storyteller, while oluurlar designates the group, the event, or the practice of storytelling as a cultural institution.

Definition and use: Oluurlar describes a guild or assembly of individuals who preserve and transmit communal memory through narration, myth cycles, genealogies, and songs. In in-universe texts, an event described as an oluurlar is a formal gathering where multiple storytellers perform in sequence, often with audience participation and interactive elements.

Cultural role: The oluurlar serve as custodians of history, law, and moral instruction within their society. Their performances reinforce identity, educate youths, and mark ceremonial occasions such as rites of passage and seasonal transitions. They are typically respected figures whose authority rests on breadth of knowledge and oratorical skill rather than formal office.

In-world reception: References to oluurlar appear in encyclopedic entries, oral histories, and fictional ethnographies, highlighting their function as living memory and social glue in the depicted culture. Some narratives emphasize apprenticeship, rivalry, and the evolving repertoire of tales across generations.

See also: Oral tradition, Living memory, Constructed language, Worldbuilding terminology.