Legends of Belariath
The Quest of Festivals Common
Dimitria - Festivals of the Dryads of the BearTooth Mountain Meadows
To the far west of Nanthalion high across the mountain the locals call roughly BearTooth in translation. A group of dryads have founded lush glens with the pickings of the nature roughly 3 days on an average horse or due to the terrain. Tenderly cared for and nurtured, these few dryads sometimes let their world be glimpsed by mortals and near mortals alike during times of festival. Often the bounty pushes forth into the areas where locals pick the fruits and harvest them for themselves but the most of the bushes remain hidden in carefully camouflaged and guarded glens.
It is said on a quiet spring or summer night, you can hear the singing and laughter as these dryads slip in and out of each other’s glens to rejoice and have fun during the festivals and celebrations. Many a traveler seems to up and disappear for a time to reappear looking confused but with a well satisfied look on their face. There were even stories told around campfires of some who came year after year during certain seasons looking for and sometimes finding the festivals they'd encountered. I had heard such stories as told by my father and grandfather before me during one of those visits. Sometimes my father and grandfather would disappear to come back hours later. I often asked what they did but when they started telling of the dryads I simply smiled and kept quiet. I never did tell my mother of these trysts though I know she wondered about the bottles of wine that always seemed to come home at the end of one of the journeys.
The locals guard the location of the meadows from evil travelers. They often send them on wild chases over rocky crags if one of them looked as if desirous of harming one of the mountains treasures. Even travelers who encountered them seem loathe to let anyone know where they'd been and would just smile a secret smile and move on. Where are they exactly? Well that would open them to evil. If you want to find them, perhaps a journey over the craggy rocks of the BearTooth will lead you to them. Perhaps not.
Daffodil Celebration (Late Winter)
Through the late snows, the flowers of bright yellows spring through the snow covered ground braving the frosty air of winter's last kisses. The first signs of spring are heading through the forests and meadows. Time to pack up, spruce up, and clean the clutter from the glens in
anticipation of spring's gardens to appear. A busy time, time for early plantings, and nurturing the winter's sleepyheads into awakening. Sprigs of woven head pieces and lei's adorn many a Tathren's head and neck will songs of life fill the forest.
Cherry Blossom Festival (Early Spring)
Behold the first fruit flowers of spring. Their heady aroma travels on the winds throughout the lands. Perfumed petals inspire a time of rejoicing, gaiety, dancing and song. Long sleeping creatures awaken to the call of spring's chorus. Life begins to abound once again and the Nymphs celebrate many of life's new forms. Days of lustful tasting of life's kiss usually find Tathren's in pursuit of strangers and friends alike for dalliances and frolicking fun.
Strawberry Festival (Early Summer)
Squeals of delight and laughter are often heard through the forest and meadows. All creatures, great and small, gorge themselves at Nature's first feast. Large banquets laid out of berries and nuts often find the Nymphs sharing with all who pass within their vicinity. Strangers and travelers alike might find themselves woo'd and seduced by joyful Nymph’s. Fed like kings and queens from the banquet, hand and foot, till all things are replete and worn to a frazzle.
Blackberry Festival (Late Summer)
Lush blackberries and other berried fruit bushes plump and ripe for the taking. Animals of the forest gorge themselves again at Nature's table. Nymphs gather baskets and baskets eating their fill while placing the berries in huge wooden vats. Taking turns, with much laughing gaiety to tread the berries in a wine. Fermented for days, each takes her/his place to sample imbibing on the fermented fruits. Lust runs rampant while inhibitions topple. Friends are often invited to the tasting and sampling of the wines. Most wind up sated from lust and over indulgences of the Tathren's brew.
Apple Festival (Fall)
Fruit trees are heavy with fruit. At night, there's a crisp to the air. Leaves are changing to the painted colors of harvest. Nature's warning the oncoming winter and animals scurry to gather and store all the fruits and nuts for the long sleep. A rejoicing festival, a gathering of the harvest as Nymphs store and save for the harsher times. Encouraging the trees and fruits to bear aplenty for all who dwell in the forest and meadows. Bottles and flasks of wine are often traded with fruits and other goods between the glens. Singing, dancing, and many entertainment’s keep the Nymphs busy gathering.
Holly and the Ivy Celebration (Winter)
The time of the big sleep is at hand. Creatures, great and small. once again fill burrows, den and caves in a long rest while Nature shapes the tapestry of snow over her lands. Nymphs see the ones left checking through the long winter how they fare. Often leaving small gifts of fruits, grasses, and nuts gathered for the hungry in the forest. Sometimes late at night a chuckle might be heard outside the door of a needy family or friends who find baskets of nature's harvest and perhaps a flask of their berry wine on doorsteps in the morning's light.