Holidays and Festivals - by Lord Krom

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Re: Holidays and Festivals - by Lord Krom

Postby Krom on Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:16 pm

Chapter 15:Frost Spear(December)

Moon Phases
Frost Spear 1 (November 27) - New Moon
Frost Spear 8 (December 4 ) - Waxing Moon
Frost Spear 16 (December 12) - Full Moon
Frost Spear 23 (December 19) - Waning Moon

Dead Days
Dead days can be looked upon as an opportunity for interesting role-play. Since they are days that don't exist in the Belariath calendar, they could be thought of as days where actions have no consequences (in IC terms at least). In several earth calendars these dead days were days when creditors had to be paid off. A debtor who failed to do so often killed himself from shame. Temples could use the opportunity for a special festival where the deities have to be coaxed back to our world so that the new year can actually start with their return. Run your ideas through the Quest Group or Admins for utilizing the opportunity.

December 27-31 are considered Dead Days on the Earth Calendar.

December 31, also a Dead Day, The Torian New Year Festival and Drak Sen The Grand Beginning

Events around the World Celebrated

Frost Spear 23(December 19) - Festivals of Shae Weyr Drak Sen- Hrivedome
Hrivedome – Winter Night

Festival of Thanks, Held during the 25th Day of Ringare during the waning crescent moon

During the feast of thanks, when the night is longest, the people of Shae Weyr spend this beloved holiday in the cliff dwellings away from the slightly cooler winds sweeping in off the Ocean. This is a time when those Drak Sen or other races that have joined the community hold their life-bonding rituals or take/release slaves. For couples where the female is pregnant it is considered a blessing to carry life during the Rudh, or Barren time. Also during this time mix-race couples usually seek ‘Seed bearers’; if the couple has a male Drak Sen, a man is found to bear his seed into the female to bless the union, if the couple has a female Drak Sen, then a woman is found to bear her mates seed. It is considered a great honor to be chosen to be a sibling-parent to a Drak Sen couple’s child and many gifts and goods are given to the ‘Seed bearers’ for their generosity and understanding and blessing the otherwise sterile couple with life and a child.

Frost Spear 25(December 21) - Festivals of WyrmCove- Frosdain
"Frosdain", the coldest of times also know as the Winter bring about the Bejeweled scales. This particular time heralds another passing of the world's yearly cycle, the bejeweled come alive much like the Metallics, only without their arrogance. During Frosdain, the bejeweled come forth, celebrating the passing of another cycle with a lush feast of their own, only in a more relaxed atmosphere..reflecting back upon the passing cycle and awaiting the coming of another. This time is perhaps the most relaxing of the others, as more soothing and sensual stimuli occur also during this period.

During each month, all Drak Sen pay homage to the Elder Dragons in a ceremonial holiday of sorts called "Valdaine" or simply..the Day of Eternal Gratitude. Each 15th day of each month, the Drak Sen pay their thanks and respects to the Elder Dragon for giving them life and existence. Offerings of many things vary from scrolls of histories recorded to more personal favors and wishes are exchanged for the thanks they give to these most powerful of beings than spawned them. During this ritualistic holiday, Drak Sen have been known to kneel to the ground in place no matter their location and bow their heads to the mighty Dragons of old.

Frost Spear 25(December 21) - Festivals of Islasoros - Rey del Cielo (winter solstice)
This high holy day, translated to mean King of the Sky, is the most sacred day of the Celestial Church, which is the only legal and recognized religion in all of Islasoros. The Celestial Order, which maintains the Church’s holdings and offers spiritual guidance to the lay followers, takes great advantage of this day to goad the people into donating their hard-earned money. They use the premise that failure to properly venerate the High One will result in a harsh and long winter utterly devoid of his warmth. More importantly, such a winter will slow the growth of new crops and keep northern ports iced over longer than usual, cutting into the beginning of the commerce season. What most people, being largely uneducated in theology outside of the Order’s propaganda, do not realize is that the High One of old was a benevolent guardian deity. Where he became twisted into a greedy bully is beyond me, but I believe that he remains true to his original calling. Yes, his servants extort great masses of wealth from their followers, but in return, they do offer the protection that He promised to give to the Islasorans. So now you see why I have trouble deciding which is the most hypocritical holiday in my homeland. One epitomizes their capacity for unprovoked brutality, while the other serves as a shining example of their ruthless amorality when a hefty profit stands to be gained. Now, I have no problems whatsoever with ruthlessness or amorality, but the people are so dishonest with themselves about all of it. In their worldview, they are the epitome of culture and civilization. Genocide is too sloppy and impersonal a means of dispatching one’s enemies, and public large-scale extortion is just so clumsy. It would be much better to simply convince the people to want to give up their tithes. The coming of winter would be a much more joyous occasion, and it would involve a lot less cajoling and intimidating. One could open the doors of one’s church and cordially invite everybody to hand over a portion of their earnings. But what would I know; I’m a ‘heretic’.
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Re: Holidays and Festivals - by Lord Krom

Postby Krom on Thu Nov 26, 2009 7:58 pm

Chapter 16:Other Important Holidays and Festivals

There are some cultures and tribes that celebrate festivals to landmark events; such as snowfall, death or birth of war chiefs or elders, weddings and other non-date mandantory events.

Events around the World Celebrated

Birthday of Elders - Festivals of Dwemner Tribe- Day of Elders
The day of elders is celebrated annually within the lifetime of the current Elder on the day of his birth, as a sort of homage to him / her. The holiday is celebrated widely throughout Torian culture, as most tribes and encampments have some variation of it. The one described below is that of the Dwemner Tribe, a wealthy yet rustic Torian encampment.

The festival begins at Dawn, all members of that tribe obligated to be there at that time.

Warrior’s Task: The warriors of the tribe have one of the more unpleasant tasks; theirs a test of endurance and power. Large, almost Gallows like mechanisms called Stemner are built, from which every Torian warrior must hang by their ankles. As they hang, they must keep their arms and wings outstretched, holding a small rock in each hand. Traditionally they are to remain in that position till nightfall, though there is no real punishment for failing, the task considered more of a game or contest than an actual ritual.

Hunter’s Task: The hunters task is a rather simple one, though it could hardly be described as easy. All hunters are organized into groups, and are sent out into the wild to bring food for the feast. They must complete this task by mid afternoon, and must bring enough meat for the whole tribe to feast on later that night.

Storyweavers Task: The story weavers Task, though not an utterly difficult one, is the only task in which failure results in punishment. Their job is to craft a series of songs and tales detailing the Elders life and his / her accomplishments, glorifying and praising them with music and dance. All Storyweavers who fail this task, or are found unsatisfactory are banned from the festival, and all future festivals for three years to come.

Once the sun sets on the Day of Elders, the feasting begins, and all remaining warriors are cut from the Stemner. This too, in a sense, is a test of endurance, all members of the tribe to eat and drink until sunset the next day, and still be standing when the Elder is brought to make a speech. This speech is usually quite short lived however, all tribespeople quite eager to get to bed.

Death of Elders - Festivals of Dwemner Tribe- Sorrow's Day
Sorrows day is a completely un-annual festival, only celebrated by the Dwemner after the death of an Elder. On this day of grief, the healers create a potion known only to them, called the remembrance which all the Tribespeople, aside from the youngest of children, are forced to drink. After drinking the substance, the tribespeople go into a deep trance, the potions magical qualities inspiring a mass hallucination, in which their previous elder bids them all farewell. The experience is short, lasting only two hours, and the rest of the day is spent in silent reflection.
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