urnát

urnát is a fictional term used in speculative fiction and world-building to designate a ceremonial urn and the ritual surrounding it in the imagined culture of the Valaric Alliance. The term functions as both a vessel and a practice within the in-universe funerary customs, serving as a tangible focus for memory and lineage.

The name derives from a constructed language used by that culture. In in-universe notes, the root translates roughly as “to hold” and “memory,” giving urnát the sense of holding memory. Over time, the word comes to denote the vessel itself and, by extension, the associated rite.

In the fiction, urnát stores the remains or symbolic tokens of a deceased person; the vessel is placed on a family shrine during a remembrance rite, and participants utter verses and perform gestures of respect. Some depictions incorporate scented oils or ritual lamps as part of the ceremony, reinforcing themes of reverence and continuity.

Designs commonly favor ceramic or metal materials and measure about 15–25 cm in height. The lid is carved with seasonal or ancestral motifs, inscriptions name the deceased and lineage, and a wax seal often binds the lid to the urnát. The aesthetics aim to evoke endurance and memory across generations.

Culturally, urnát functions as a focal point for memory and continuity, binding families to their ancestors and identity. In modern speculative fiction, it is sometimes used as a metaphor for digital archives or personal data preserved across generations, illustrating evolving ways societies relate to memory.