Vulpine Holidays

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Vulpine Holidays

Postby CallieO on Sun Sep 13, 2015 9:54 pm

Vulpine Holidays

Village's Jubilations.
Home village of Cyon which lies 55 days due east of the Lonely Inn.

Eve of the Lady: Jan 7th

Upon the seventh night of the first month of the new year the Vulpines of Celestial Village come together at the great marble circle and pay tribute to their mother and goddess "The Lady." Beginning at dusk a pure white statue, also made of marble, is placed in the center of the circle before the Priests/Priestesses of the village gather to chant a spell which causes the Lady's statue to glow with a soft ethereal light. As night falls and the statue glows brighter it signals the rest of the vilagers to assemble for the start of the evening's festivities. Newborns to the tribe are laid near the statue before sleep and warmth spells are cast to protect them through e night, the first and last to awaken the following morning are then
considered to be blessed by "The Lady" and become students of the priesthood. For the older members of the tribe the evening is spent in jubilation, with a large feast, drinking, dancing, and any other non-violent activities the villagers wish to engage in. While it is rare for villagers to do harm to another during this celebration, some outsiders who have been welcomed into the gathering have violated this rule and met with a powerful version of sleep the head priest/priestess carries in a white tear-dropshaped pendant throughout the evening. This night is considered a testament to the life "The Lady" lived, and in that spirit many things take place, slaves can be taken or uncollared, children conceived, peace treaties
made, weddings and even the occasional village wide orgy are just a few of the monumental events that have occured in the past. For those who have stayed throughout the night there is a prayer service offered at dawn, a silent moment of mourning for the woman who spawned their society and the teachings they live by.


Festival of the Dragons: April 1st


On the first night of the fourth month The Festival of Dragons is held, this evening is for the youth of the village, tho all its residents play some part in the occasion. The evening begins with "The breaking of the dragon", a large hollow clay dragon is crafted and placed in the center of the marble circle which is then filled with candy and toys. Each child is given
the oppurtunity to whack its rounded belly with a long wooden pole until it splits and the prizes within are exposed, in order to maintain a sense of community these gifts are then handed out to all the children. After the children gorge themselves on sweets and play with their toys they are gathered together so the village elder might tell the story of a Priest
who was cursed by a dragon many years before and thought lost by his family and friends. The moral of this tale is that the children should be wary of the Dragons but never afraid of them, for while they might be strong in many things they shall never possess the spirit of the Vulpine. After the story is finished the children are taken home and laid to rest before the
older members of the village return to the marble circle and drink a cup of tea in memory of their lost brother.


The Day of Purity: July 7th

Beginning at dawn on the seventh day of the seventh month, the entire village observes a time of cleansing and purity. It is taboo to engage in any sexual acts, harm another and work in any fashion as these things tend to distract one from the meaning of this holy period. On this day each female member of the village wears a pure white spidersilk gown to
symbolize "The Lady" and her purity before birthing the seven Vulpine tribes. The
origins of this day are in the tale of "The Lady" and her ejection from her old clan for being
different and the journey she underwent until meeting with her spirit children in a vision. It is not uncommon for many women of the village to recieve a similar vision telling them that a new spirit or spirits are ready to enter the mortal world. While sex is banned upon this day, the following sunrise is heralded by the sounds of many couples copulating in their homes.


Celestial Shower: Sept 1st

Upon the first day of the ninth month every villager awakens and begins preparations for the Celestial Shower, an odd event occuring in the night sky. The festival itself begins at mid-day with a large prayer ceremony held in the marble circle. The priests/priestesses lead their followers in praise and worship of "The Lady" and the seven spirits who first ventured to
the mortal realm. After this the villagers begin a large feast, each home providing one or more dishes to help feed those gathered. The food available can be almost anything, from sweet bread to fried boar, dried deer strips to raw fish. On the whole the day itself is a relaxed one, various games of chance are played while others sit around and share stories over a cup of tea or honey wine. This continues until sunset when a dance begins in
the marble circle and surrounding areas, bards and musicians spend months preparing new songs for this event. As night falls and the music dies, the entire village casts its gaze towards the heavens for the start of the Celestial Shower. A myriad of colored waves flow out from the peak of the Lady's mountain, a testament as the Villagers see it, that she is always watching over her children and wishing for their happiness. As the night wears on some venture home to rest while others stay and simply watch the cascade of color flowing out over their village and the surrounding lands.

Hour of Ascension: September 25th

Also happening in the ninth month, upon the twenty-fifth day is the Hour of Ascension when all youth of the village ranging from eighteen years to fifty years may take the test of Priesthood. While both sexes are allowed to join the holy order the tests for males and females are held separately at the shrine of "The Lady" near the base of the mountain.

The Rites of the Sphere: (Priests)

The males who wish to take this series of tests are brought before the head priest and asked to remove all their clothing. Standing shoulder to shoulder the first Vulpine is given a small crystal sphere which is then handed from one Vulpine to the next until reaching the end of line. Each time the sphere glows in the hands of a Vulpine he is considered worthy of moving on to the next test as it is a sign of sufficient magical aptitude.

The Second test begins after those who are not deemed able to handlethe higher levels of spell craft needed to become a priest have left the remaining Vulpines show off one spell. If any who are in this line do not know any spells they are then asked to leave and given a scroll of various spells they may study so when they return next year, if they do, they can move on to the final test.

The final test is a question and nothing more, each remaining Vulpine is asked the question then whispers his answer into the Priest's ear. If he is correct they pass, if he is wrong they are then asked to leave. This test while seeming simple is one to show their wisdom and is the true measure of any priest. For while being able to cast powerful spells and showing
that they know one at the time of testing is a bonus the Vulpines believe that one who is a Priest should show true wisdom and not mere intelligence or skill.


The Waters of Purity: (Priestess)

After the test of Priesthood is given to the males, the Female Vulpines are then gathered in a semi-circle before the Shrine of "The Lady". Each is given a small enchanted cup filled with water, if the water remains clear they are pure of heart. If the water becomes murky then they are either not pure of heart or not yet eligible to become a priestess. Either way
those who fail the first test are escorted away from the circle before the test continues.

Secondly an elegant bracelet bearing 7 different colored jewels is placed upon each females wrist. Each jewel that glows is considered a space in their wombs for a spirit to reside before entering the mortal coil. If no jewels glow then the Female is considered unable to give birth, though occasionally those who fail this test still do give birth at a later date in their long lives.

Finally those who remain are also asked a simple question and told to whisper the answer into the priestess ear. Those who are correct move on to begin their training, those who are incorrect are escorted out. Again this is a test of wisdom and not mere intelligence, as a Priestess day to day duties may vary from that of Priests, both need wisdom to aide them in
the training and service of their followers. After the tests are concluded the new pupils are brought to the marble circle for a feast held by the villagers, a sign of welcoming those who
shall lead them and guide them spiritually that they shall hold a place of honor among the tribe.


Gathering of the Seven: November 7th

Each leader of the seven tribes gathers their people together and begins journeying towards the Lady's Mountain, so that upon the eleventh month on the seventh day the seven tribes might come together as one and celebrate the unity of the Vulpine race as a whole. Each tribe plays a special part in this festival, some tribes bringing their slaves for the enjoyment and service of the other vulpines. Other tribes hold tournaments of combat or magic so that all might test their skills and win some acclaim. These events take place while the seven tribe elders speak privately about the past year, and the one ahead of them. This meeting is often a solemn one as those who have been lost or taken are remembered, and new aggressors are brought to attention so that every tribe might be prepared to deal with them if necessary. After this meeting the seven elders then venture out to join the people in song, spirit, sex, or whatever activity they find taking place at the moment. As night approaches and the moon appears the festival takes on a more reverent tone, each of the seven tribes gathers behind their elder then the entire Vulpine race is led in prayer to The Lady. After the prayer ceremony the tribes are free to do as they wish, some begin to journey back to their homes while others continue to enjoy the festival.


The White Moon: December 18th

On the eighteenth evening of the twelfth month the moon appears as pure white over the celestial village. Taking this as a sign that the "Lady" is still watching over them, as the vulpines often see things, the tribe gathers at the marble circle. The effects of the White Moon upon the tribe is unique in that every member, male or female who is old enough to understand the sensations flooding their body, takes part in a village wide orgy. The village priests/priestess lead this orgy and oversee those involved to make certain that none of the youth partake in it and to make sure that none abuses the sanctity of the event. The orgy itself lasts all evening, most managing to stay involved for several hours until succumbing to
exhaustion and making their way home. It is believed that any children conceived during this event are blessed and will lead great lives within the tribe, playing some intricate role in The Lady's plan for her children.
"If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe."
--Dr. Beverly Crusher

Player of Callie Volopa, Viaa, Auric Lightwing, Brian Perano, Erin Tarcata and Aimee Sarasiné

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