Legends of Belariath

The Quest of Festivals Common

Joytoy - Festivals and Holidays of the Shae Weyr Drak Sen

The Shae Weyr Drak Sen run on a 12 month year of 28 days constituting a full Moon Cycle and one 24 day period between two New Moons known as Rudh, a time of rest. The Months and their equivalent Modern months are listed to the side:

Narvinye (January)

Nenime (February)

Sulime (March)

Viresse (April)

Lotesse (May)

Narie (June)

Cermie (July)

Urime (August)

Yavannie (September)

Marquelie (October)

Hisime (November)

Ringare (December)

Rudh (Barren)

Here on the coast, following the river away from Nanthalion down to the ocean one finds along the rocky, craggy cliffs a series of caverns, tunnels and inner dwellings. Here a Dragon sleeps, a dragon that dreamt many of the Drak Sen that have formulated a small community here to better the life around the cove and protect and nurture their sleeping Patron Elder Dragon. He is known as Moridagnir, in the common tongue ‘Bane of Darkness’. (Distance figured at roughly a two week ride on horseback south of Nanthalion to the coast)

They celebrate their festivals in time with the cycles of the sun, when the Dawn is the most brilliant, in the spring off to the east of the southerly facing cliffs, when the sun is at its Zenith and brightest during the summer. During the twilight of Dusk when the day and the night merge in the autumn, then again during the winter, the Night, when it is the longest the sun does not kiss the land that thrives of its presence.

Galanoran – To Celebrate the Dawn

A new year Festival, Held the 1st day of Narvinye during the first new moon

The blossoming of spring and new life, this is the New Year and elaborate banquets are prepared and each Drak Sen of the Dream Sphere chooses a Dream (idea) to bring to reality. Some take mortal or other racial lovers, some travel, others plan to learn a new craft or art. All things to promote life, growth and development, also the preparing of fields and nurturing nature for the long summer takes place at this time. The celebration on the first day of their New Year involves a great deal of dancing, many games and the erection of the ‘Year Pole’. Normally crafted of stone with images and symbols of plenty, joy, celebration, life and nature carved into it. Animals of the land and sea as well as dragons of course and in the morning a ritual is performed, sun mead (made of winter preserved sunflower seeds, honey and barley having aged through the Rudh) is drank by the entire community as a toast. Most often only 25-35 Drak Sen inhabit Shae Weyr though they have many friends of other races invited.

Cuiva otel`me`a – Awakening to the light

A spring celebration, Held the 5th day of Viresse during the waxing crescent moon

A time of change, this is when many Drak Sen of the Shae Weyr adopt a child of another race for a small duration of time. Be they outcast, abandoned, orphaned or parents that simply wish their children to learn more about the Drak Sen and their history. It is also an opportunity to bond with the races they have just Awakened to co-existing with, hence the name of the festival. Also because many of the Earthly and Bejeweled Drak Sen of the community have paternal and maternal instincts and the urge to nurture life and growth as well as to negate the programming that dragons are bad. During this time a great party is held for the week, races and various contests are held (garment making, sculpture, baking and anything creative). Ribbons and prizes are also awarded for keep sakes. One of the most popular games is the ‘Dragon Hunt’. Small crystal eggs minded from within the cliff near the hidden location of the sleeping Dragon are enchanted with one of the Elder Dragon’s Dreams. Then those in the community (non Drak Sen) search through the cliff side dwellings for one of the eggs. Once found they are kept and the joyous dream can be viewed by the holder when saying, ‘elea’ elvish for “see”.

Merende tel`anar – Festival of the Sun

Summer Festival, Held the 10th day of Narie during the waxing gibbous moon

This Celebration takes place for the Drak Sen to revere their Elder Dragon, Shae’anar, OceanSun in the common tongue. Most times gifts are given in the form of charms of all shapes and sizes yet with a normally draconic theme to them. The common mediums used are pottery, metal, paint, glass, wood and the like and the colors they prefer to use are: gold, copper, brass, lapis, aquamarine, turquoise and sapphire. Most often they make wind chimes, decorations for the house and other useful or beautiful adornments. Then they hang these outside the homes of the person they are giving the gift too so that when morning comes the sunrise glitters off the myriad of colorful items to illuminate the cliff -side like a city of gold and crystal. It is considered most simply a time of gift giving, many choosing this time to propose to their beloved. Activities of the day are lighthearted and fun; gliding contests of using the updraft off the ocean (a dangerous, exhilarating game), as well as swimming and Dolphin Talk (feeding the dolphins of the cove and playing with them while teaching them tricks and trying to ‘talk’ to them).

Yavie ie`annun – Autumn at Sunset

The Masquerade, Held the 15th day of Urime during the full moon

Perhaps the largest celebration of the Shae Weyr, this festival oft times draws people from far away to come and celebrate due to the stories that circulate. Costumes of varying degrees of splendor and simplicity are worn, many having spent all of the Rudh and then some making them. A huge bonfire is started atop the cliff where tents and stands are erected. For the children there are storytellers, costume contests, face painters and the like. But when they are tucked into bed for the night the adults truly celebrate this holiday. The chase begins where many women run into the forests to be chased and captured, being just before the harvests it is a time when many consummate the love of previously chosen beloved ones or find a new lover. But it is a time of pleasure and all enjoy the warmth of the summer nights.

Nienor`sira – A Time of Mourning or Tel`nainilokie – To Lament the Dragons

A time of worship, Held the 21st day of Marquelie during the waning gibbous moon

A reverent time for the Drak Sen, this is a day of peace when a lament for the lost and sleeping dragons takes place. A day when the histories of the dragons going into their slumber, the loss of the Wise Ones and the time when the Bestial Dragons ruled. It is a day of fasting; only drinking water from sun-up till sun-down. When night falls every household sets a loaf of bread and a goblet of wine outside their doors. It symbolizes a sacrifice and a greeting, for also during this time are drifters and loved ones that traveled normally scheduled to return. For those that don’t the bread is crumbled and cast out to the ocean the next morning with the wine. A sacrifice made in hopes that it will symbolize food and wine to see their loved ones through their travels or as a blessing if they have passed away from this plane.

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.

Rudh – The Barren Time

Takes place the day after the 28th of Ringare when the last moonless sky is seen (end of the month) and stretches till the first of Narvinye when the year begins again

This is not a holiday but rather it is a time of silence. The community of Shae Weyr will not accept travels or wanderers during this time even if they are family, for the time of Emptiness brings the most sickness and trouble with it. It is more of a superstition but it is a respected thing, for it is the only time the Weyr closes itself off to visitors. During this time the Inhabitants of Shae Weyr practice their crafts and dote on those still within, especially expectant mothers. It is considered good fortune to have a child or become pregnant during this time because it promises luck for the up coming New Year.

-As written by Rashkae e`Drien, Kaimelar tel`Urulokiene ‘Dreamer of the Great Dragons’

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