The Center Cannot Hold: Autumnal Holidays

A shorter post today, but still kind of flavorful for the sake of flavor.  Some holidays in Crux.  #Crux is a fantasy setting I keep writing on, run a home #FateCore in and more or less spend a large amount of time thinking about.  Click here for more information about it if you're interested.  I thought about tying in some holiday specific stunts, but couldn't think of any good effects with the time I had.  I suspect the idea could be kewl, and have filed it away for later use.

Autumnal Holidays

Here are a few autumnal holidays of Crux.  The months of Lastharvest, Ghostwalk and Feastwatch are the autumn months in the Othebesian Calendar.  That is the main calendar in use.  These each are celebrated in the city of curses.

Geistide: Honoring The Dead, Inviting the Ghosts.

Three different faiths celebrate the holy days of Geistide.  It originated with the Church of the Twins.  The faiths of the Wolf-Mother, and Ariaism all have adopted it as a holy day.  Geistide is a triad of days in later Ghostwalk and early Feastwatch.  Geistide is a time to honor the dead, and the ghosts that remain of them.

The first day is to honor the lost souls and the souls of those that never were.  This often just a series of prayers.  Although often they share sweet deserts of various kinds.  Among the Ursyklon, the first day is to remember all the smallest animals who've died.  Some Ursyklon Ectomancers take to calling forth the ghosts of dead Feyborn animals.

The second day is to remember the souls of family and friends gone from us.  Ariatics recite family songs or favorite ballads of dead loved ones.  They have a practice of creating enchantments that allow the living to hear the singing of the dead.

On the last day, most believe that Geistide is at its fullest, and the realm of the dead is at its closest to the living.  This is the day to remember all the dead, from the forgotten children to the greatest of heroes.  Worshippers of the Black Rose maintain shrines.  They add candles and presents for the dead.  With each day, the shrine grows in complexity.  This lasts until the last night of Geistide, where they pray in mass.

Crux.
Ghostwalkers and Geistrakers have observed higher numbers of Ghosts during Geistide.  Why remains a matter of debate.  Both raise concerns that Geistide attracts the dead.  Both groups work to either contain or prevent the emergence of powerful ghosts.   Such as the ghosts of dead gods, cities or worse.

Geistide, in Crux, is a feast celebration.  The Spice Khan often hosts festivities.  Her own people find the idea of Geistide interesting.  But they don't focus on remembering the dead.  Instead, she and her fellow Maliphi see it as a time to embrace life today, and to laugh at the face of death.

Yoku-Och: The Halfling Day Of Goodbyes.

Yoku-Och first was the traditional feast day for the Bear totem of the Ursyklon.  Yoku-Och has since

become a seasonal celebration of goodbyes.  It tends to forecast when several animals enter hibernation.  This means that the holiday tends to be a celebration of winter coming into full fruition as well.

Yoku-Och among Ursyklon is a day to say goodbyes.  Goodbye to the long gone.  Goodbye to those who slumber.  Goodbye to those too far away for us to see.  Yoku-Och takes place in late Feastwatch or early Shadowrose.  The date varies based on interpreted signs and the weather.

Crux.
Ursyklon children are often left alone for the day.  Their parents leave them in remote parts of the city.  Most young Ursyklon look back at it with fond memories.  Others have regrets they sometimes never share until much later in life.

Pajagan: The Birdfolk Day of Friendship.

Tengu celebrate the Autumnal equinox with Pajagan.  It is the holiest day for the patron wind of ninjas.  It is a feast day.  It is a day where violence is not permitted.  Pajagan is time to confirm bonds: friendships, debts, vengeances and curses.  Most Tengu celebrate it by honoring friendships.  They exchange small interesting gifts with one another.  For ninja, it is a day where each of them must renew their faith in Paja-Kazi and meditate on why they are ninja.  Tengu bake a confectionary of honey, sugar and nightcrawlers- what non-Tengu call Pajacake.

Crux.
Most non-Tengu in Crux are unaware of Pajagan.  But there are humans and ursyklon who've come to enjoy the taste of pajacake.  Often those with Tengu friends or companions find the holiday to be a

enjoyable night.

The Ludi Triviali: The Mundane Games of the Tomasi.

Tomasi humans practice Ludi Triviali in mid-Feastwatch.   The Ludi Triviali come from the Tomasi empire.  They were the mundane games.  This contrasted with the annual games enjoyed by those ancient Tomasi with sorcerous ability.  In later years, though, the Ludi Triviali have become a autumnal festival.  Most often the tomasi attend circuses and outdoor performances of all kinds.  The games part still remains as well, with most Tomasi communities holding various games.  They crown the winner of the games Pontifex Triviali of that festival.

Crux.
In Crux, most of the events of the Ludi Triviali take place in the Grand Bazaar.  But Poorfellows and Northcrown also celebrate their own separate Ludi Triviali.  Once in a great while, some attempt to unite all three festivals.  Poorfellows often resists such efforts.  For Poorfellows, this is a time for their community to enjoy themselves.  They'd prefer to do it without competing with the wealthier parts of town.

Heartsday: The Cecaelia Ritual To Keep The Storms At Bay For Another Year.

The autumnal holy day of Heartsday comes from the Cecaelia.  It commemorates the ancient Cecaeli

witch Zargeret the Dirt-Walker.  Zargeret saved them from a great disaster.  Ten-thousand years ago, she crafted a spell that altered the oceans forevermore.  The heart of the sea keeps the oceans from erupting into massive storms.  For the Cecaelia, it also meant safety.  They tell of a ancient enemy buried in the seafloor, who would only emerge when the storms came.  The Heart keeps that at bay.

The Cecaelia converge at the site the spell was cast, at least once in their lives.  This pilgrimage makes the transition for most Cecaelia witches from apprentice to full witch.  The rite is always conducted east of Crux.  Outsiders know little about it.  The Cecaelia remain someone hesitant about allowing non-Cecaeli take part.

Heartsday always takes place in Lastharvest.  Sailors take note of the day in Crux.  On Heartsday, catching anything is impossible.  Afterward there is always an explosion of fish and shellfish.  But on that day, Sailors believe it's folly to tempt the Cecaelia too much.