Holidays and Festivals
A Guide To Celebrations
***********by ***********
Lord Krom of Stromgald
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Not too long ago in a neighboring kingdom adjacent to the Empire ran by Stormbringer, there was an old king who died. But before he died, he split his kingdom up into two separate kingdoms for each of his sons to rule accordingly. Everything was perfectly divided in half; the people, the housing, the farm fields, the castle, and the land per acreage. But the two kingdoms were vastly different even though they once were one. One son was a jealous, cruel and heartless man who was filled with greed in his soul. The other son was full of life, selfless and thoughtful towards his pupils. The evil son governed the land of Shara while the good son governed the land of Delra.
One year, the evil king spoke declaring, "All my subjects spend too much time in festivals and celebrations. You enjoy holidays and celebrations too much! You spend all your time at banquet and not work hard enough for me! From here on out, I banish all festivals in the kingdom of Shara!" The subjects lowered the heads but obliged the new decree.
The neighboring kingdom of Delra was quite the opposite. The Good King declared, "All my subjects spend too much time working and not enjoying life! From here on out, I demand more celebrations and festivities to honor life!" And so the subjects cheered and obliged to the new decree.
After a couple of months, the subjects of Shara worked night and day, slave laboring for their king. They grew tired and thin as a result of excessive hard labors. They held no pleasure in their life, but gave a hard days labor everyday. The neighboring kingdom of Delra was quite the opposite. They grew plump as they pleasured themselves in at feast and banquet day and night.
This continued until after a year or two had gone by. The Kingdom of Shara, the subjects and the animals were too tired to even more from pure exhaustion and frail bodies from grueling labors. Slipping performance occured with fewer food at harvest and raw materials crafted into fewer precious products. In Delra, too few people were working because they spent all their time in festivities. There was a shortage of food and lack of products available.
Then out from nowhere, a massive beast of reptilian lineage known as a dragon came scorching the earth with it's fire. No warrior could penetrate the thick scales of armor with their arrows and swords. The King of Shara hide in his castle while the King of Delra stood to the balcony yelling at the dragon, "What do you want!?"
The dragon swooped down to the King of Delra, craning the massive head down to the small person and said "I demand a kiss!" And so the King of Delra, in fear of the continuation of the destruction of the kingdom and his pupils, he kissed the snout of the dragon. In a whirl of smoke and glitter, the massive dragon shrank and before him was a beautiful woman wearing white. Her voice was as beautiful as a songbird in the morning dew. She spoke," Thank you for rescuing me from the curse. My name is Festivity, Daughter of Queen Celebration. We are the guardians of all holidays. We bring diversion and distraction to those struggling with life. We put markers on the road of time, allowing for things past to be remembered. In measuring time, we give hope for things future. We guard anniversaries, victories, and holidays that make a person particular and unique. We are life's balancers. We are life's rhythm makers. Let me live once again as a welcome guest in your kingdom and in your brother's kingdom."
Of course, the young king of Delra welcomed her with joy and thereafter they lived long and merrily.
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.
This celebration of the nation’s founding is held on the forty-sixth day after Rey del Cielo, and marks the midpoint of the winter. Islasoros was almost assuredly not founded in the dead of winter, but some historians speculate that the three most influential lords of the archipelago did meet during this time. Personally, I think they agreed on this date to liven up an otherwise dreary and dull season. The upper class uses this night as an excuse to commission the most gaudy and ridiculous finery possible, as a means of demonstrating the wealth of one’s house. Then they congregate to drink and gossip and dance well into the morning hours. The lower classes are much simpler in their revelry. They gather at someone’s farmstead, or the largest festaus in town, then drink and sing bawdy songs, and regale one another with adventurous and amusing anecdotes. Personally, I far preferred slumming with the lower classes on this night. The drinks were worse, but the company was infinitely better.
The Day of Contracts marks the beginning of spring in Islasoros. Traditionally, this means the beginning of a new fiscal year, as well. As such, large contracts are often sealed and declared binding on this holiday. Lesser business arrangements will happen during the week leading up to it, with affairs of greater importance dealt with closer to the holiday itself. For upper-class children, this marks the beginning of a new year of studies, and for freely hired servants and laborers, it signifies the renewing of their service agreements. Indentured servants enjoy no such privileges, but such is their lot. The day is generally closed with large meals with one’s family, as the heads of households sometimes will not have another opportunity to dine with their loved ones for several months to come. Of course, this doesn’t keep them from dallying with their mistresses when the opportunity permits. After all, courtesans are much more time-efficient than wives, and the season to come is incredibly busy.
also known to human kind as the beginning of Spring is a time when the world renews itself from the yearly cycle of life. The earthen scales celebrate this time with many festivals and gatherings that last for sometimes a day, other times a week or more. During these festivals, many races indulge in all manor of pleasure.. be it dancing, drinking.. or other more..cunning perversions. This is a particular time of joy for those of the earthen scale and invite all who care to join, so long as they do not disrupt their entertainment. Those who have been known to disrupt such events have been tied to an April Pole, and used for different rituals.
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”.
This day is to honor the Elders of the village for offering their great wisdom and leading the clan. The life of an Elder is stressful and often times the cause of death of males in the clan. It is a great honor to become an Elder, but to keep the position, they must be able to beat all those physically and be wise enough to keep the clan under control. This is the day where gifts are made and presented to those Elders who lead the tribe into victories and settle disputes amongst those within the village.
This is a day dedicated to the evil son of Father Red Fist and the Great Mother, Masten. It is considered to be the day where Masten will return and be reborn. On this day, if a child is born, it is thought to be Masten himself. Masten, being the dark son, is feared by those of the Red Fist Clan so fear any child that is born on this day. If a child is born on this day, the Elders will meet in the Spirit Hut and summon the Great Spirits to debate whether the newborn child has the soul of Masten or not. If the Great Spirits decide that it is Masten’s reborn, the newborn is to be placed into the fires of the Spirit Hut and die to release the soul of Masten so the Great Spirits may take him away for one more cycle.
If there is no child born on this day, the entire village remains in silence from sun up until sun down. It is thought that if one is unable to control their own needs to speak, then they are being influenced by Masten himself. By speaking on this day, an individual could end up being beaten, cast out of the clan, or even killed. The only individuals able to speak are the Elders and Shamans, but only they can speak of the wishes and demands of the Great Spirits. The entire village meets around a great fire listening to the gospel of the Shaman and Elders. This is basically a day of worship and hopes that Masten’s evil ways will not be reborn.
This is a day dedicated to the good son of Father Red Fist and the Great Mother, Orvin. It is considered to be the day of Orvin’s birth. If all have lived through the day of Masten, then it is considered that Orvin has beaten his brother. The day is spent working with neighbors to rethatch their roofs and spending time with each other. To get reaquainted and form stronger bonds with those in the village. Arguments and hard feelings are put aside, this is the day to honor the good son and welcome his spirit to the village. The night is full of games and activities as well as a great feast in honor of Orvin’s Spirit.
The Tradeways holiday marks the traditional opening of northern ports. While particularly harsh winters have kept the ports closed beyond this date, by and large, they are open very close to this holiday. In either event, ships generally do not set sail until this day, just to be safe. The ports swell with citizens on this holiday, and many merchants set up booths with candies and trinkets just off the main portside roads. Entertainers will gather to amuse the crowds, and priests will congregate to offer their blessings to the ships and crews about to embark. The entire district turns into a carnival of sorts, as the people celebrate the coming of a new year of opportunity to amass more wealth.
This day is thought to be the actual day Father Red Fist and the Great Mother were wed. Noone knows which day it is except the Great Mother in which she reminds the clan by “shedding her tears” of joy. The clan on this day will stop what they are doing and assemble around the Spirit Hut. The “tear” or rain that run off the Spirit Hut’s roof is considered to be blessed and the Elders collect the water that run off. They then will bathe in the waters to cleanse themselves of any bit of Masten they may possess to continue leading the clan and village with good intentions only. The villagers will simply watch or bathe themselves in the Tears as well. They will be giving thanks to the Great Mother for keeping the Elders pure and clean from the ways of Masten so they may better serve their people. During this month, the Red Fist are very sensitive to anything that may be deemed “evil”.
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).
which in the more common speak is also known as the Summer is a grand time of heat and chaotic order for the mineral scales such as myself. The intense heat of this time brings about the more subtle yet perverse actions of those who regard disorder as a grand pleasure. The mineral scales regard this as a time of free action, seeking their vision of celebration at the cost of all else, except for the will of the Elder Dragons. Rapings, chaos, and all other diversions of orderly chaos are prevalent during this time. The mineral scales, myself included, indulge in these acts be it visually or physically..the beliefs that chaos brings about order are more prevalent during this time.
I have trouble deciding if the Festival of Purity is the absolute most, or only second most, hypocritical and abhorrent holiday my people celebrate. Most are petty, and a couple are truly enjoyable, but this day and Rey del Cielo are prime examples of my former society at its worst.
According to legend, the main island of the chain was once inhabited by elves. The human civilizations that had emerged on some of the larger satellite islands allied together and slaughtered them all. Allegedly, these elves made frequent raids on the humans, stealing and eating children, butchering men, raping women, and burning entire villages to the ground. Allegedly, having procured some forbidden fragments of said elf society, I highly doubt the validity of this claim. Just the same, at the midpoint of the summer, during one of the hottest days of the year, the worst prisoners are released in the large forest that sprawls across most of the main island, but not before having their appearance cosmetically altered to make them resemble elves. They are given crude wooden spears, and a couple hours to disperse. Then come charging in the ‘heroes’ of Islasoros to hunt and destroy these ‘elves’ like diseased dogs. Then the bodies are burned in a large bonfire, and praise is given to the bravery of our ancestors. And the clergy considered me dangerous, depraved and deviant. And that’s the hypocrisy of it; for such an educated and advanced society, my people are extremely xenophobic.
This holiday, once known as Tierra Rica, but bastardized down to its current Terrica over the generations, commemorates the discovery of the first large vein of gold on the archipelago. Since that land happens to be held by the most influential of the three ruling houses, the holiday dedicated to it occurs on the longest day of the year, the beginning of summer. This is a fine time of year, where most meals are cooked outdoors and people gather in large groups in market squares or open fields to share food and drink. The different cities vie for the prestige of having hosted the greatest celebration of this national holiday, and to that end they decorate the streets and hire bards and minstrels to entertain their citizens. The only prize for being the ‘best’ city on this day is pride, but to the Islasorans, pride is no small affair.
This day is spent to honor the Great Spirits. The entire village will fast from the night before to the next night fall. The women of the village will prepare a large feast, but none can eat until later. The Elders shall make a large fire and burn various plants in it to ask the Great Spirits to come visit the clan. To help favor the Spirits to come and visit, the males already accepted into the clan shall dance around the fire in a tribal ritual with bloody handprints of various game coat their bodies. Once when the Great Spirits arrive, or so the Elders claim to see them, then the feasting may begin. They continue to feast until the sun rises in honor for the Spirits and giving thanks for their watchful eyes and wisdom.
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.
"The Gathering" is during the more common time of Autumn, bringing about the subtle changes the world takes. All manor of color and life come about during this period. The Metallic Scales, the general rulers and overseers of all scales, hold great feasts and banquets for all Drak Sen and others to attend. These feasts are indeed grand, even more so than the traditional human festival called Thanksgiving. Many various foods and desserts are abound to gaze upon, but the true nature of this time is only between the Drak Sen, for they receive their true name only during this time.
On the first full moon of the autumn months, the Hour of Evil is celebrated, a somewhat new holiday. The festival is based around a play written by Ran `Trall, a legend amongst the Dwemner, the same Storyweaver who wrote Dram` Dram` Tar, During the festival, the Storyweavers perform the play, which tells the tale of a group of darkwings who burned down a village. It was only made annual after what the common folk refer to as "The Darkwing Incident." , in which Kain, the sun of the elder at the time, Dakin Thrail, reached his Rolebirth. Upon reciting the proper vows to become an honored warrior, his wings turned a deep, ink black, his once bright blue eyes a dark, empty gray. He was exiled from the camp, and henceforth "Hour of Evil" has been performed, as a reminder of the horrors of that day.
The Fallen Wheatfields, as the name implies, celebrates the harvest and marks the beginning of autumn in Islasoros. Several sweet and nutty breads are baked only for this occasion, so as you can imagine, this day is greatly anticipated. Where the Tradeways bolsters spirits after a bleak winter, and Terrica is time of free-spirited revelry, Wheatfields marks the end of the business year’s most active cycle, and so is seen as a time of peaceful reflection on a profitable summer. Young lovers will often procure some of the aforementioned breads, gather cheeses, and select some fruit, then go camp in the tranquil near-wilderness around the cities to spend an intimate evening together. Mothers and younger children often tidy up the house during the day and gather together after sunset to hear wizened old sages tell stories of the nation’s history.
This is the day thought to be the bloodiest of Red Fist history. This was the day, it was believed, that Father Red Fist stood against the raiders where his fists became stained with the blood of the attackers. This was the day where many of the ideals and values the people of the Red Fist came from. People of the Red Fist are more protectors than they are raiders as a result to this day. They work together and more of a “peaceful” barbarian clan. This day is spent to honor those of the clan that died on this day from the raid. It is spent in song and dance with food and drinks in everyone’s hands. It is considered a disgrace to your family if you do not have a wooden cup in your hand to drink to those fallen heroes.
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.
This annual festival is a particular favorite of those young Torians not yet assigned roles in the Dwemner tribe, in which they are left to freely exact practical jokes on all they please, without any punishment. It starts on the first day of snowfall in that area, and usually causes quite a bit of havoc in the camp. At the end of the day, once the camp is no doubt in utter disarray, the elder and council assemble, and explain to the children the burdens and responsibilities which they face in the future, and why it is important that this sort of thing be allowed of them. The pranking stops at Sunset, and the next day is spent by the children repairing any damage they may have done. The Festival is called Dram` Dram` Tar due to an old tale told by a master Storyweaver of a dwarf who was tortured by a group of pranking Torians while walking near the camp, his name being Dram` Tar.
"Dragon's Twilight", or more simply a sort of Halloweenish type holiday, is celebrated unlike the traditional human equivalent. During this holiday, the Drak Sen pay homage to the fallen of their kind be it strong warriors, mighty mages, or benevolent healers. Quite simply, this is a more respectful time as the Drak Sen honor their fallen comrades and their achievements with their hearts and souls. Such a holiday is a bit more personal to a Drak Sen, for no known record of human history has never depicted a Drak Sen partaking in such a holiday. Those who disturb such a time honored tradition are met with a swift and rather unlikable fate. Thus has it been my sworn duty to record all manner of history by will of the Elder Dragons, and with this command, I shall fulfill their wishes.
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