Lore24 Roundup 7
- Aelyrya Payne
- Feb 21, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Mar 2, 2024
February 12th - 18th (Days 43-49)
Welcome to Lore24 Roundup 7!
In this roundup we predominantly explore the Season of Summer and the various festivities within, before turning our attention to the beginning of Autumn. All original posts can be found on my Mastodon.
Remember, all Lore24 posts are initial thoughts - they are not finalised at this stage!
Breakdown of Lore24 Roundup
Click the links below to jump to that particular post
43. The Festival of Summerrise
The Festival of Summerrise celebrates the beginning of the Season of Summer. Summerrise is generally seen as a communal festival, so towns and cities will often put on many events at different locations to encourage as many people as possible to take part. Villages will normally only put on a single event, and everywhere is welcoming to their most rural of neighbours.
Festivities often begin with the gathering of wildflowers and and green branches to be woven into decorations, garlands and crowns. A festival tree or bush, or a festival pole where these are not available, is decorated with brightly coloured ribbons for people to dance around, and musicians can be heard wherever you go. Rituals are performed to protect people, cattle and crops, as well as to encourage growth, using special bonfires whose flames, smoke and ashes are said to have protective powers from the blessings of the Gods. These bonfires burn well into the night, and many would douse their household fires to relight them using a torch lit from one of the bonfires. Offerings are made to the Gods and to the Fey (particularly Archfey), while dancing and feasting are often known to continue well past High Moon.
Summerrise is influenced by the traditions of May Day and Beltane, though with less of the sexual influences associated with Beltane. I decided to focus more on the cleansing and protective aspects of the fire celebrations, as well as dancing to invoke protective spirits. That isn't to say that the other aspects are completely ignored, they're just shown in other ways! For example, Delkii, the Goddess of Earth and Motherhood, also has a Holy Festival on this day; the Dance of Inner Life, where prayers and rituals for personal fertility are performed!
44. The Month of Firemoot
Firemoot is the sixth month of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the twelfth in the southern. It is the middle month of the Summer season, named after an old festival of fire, and features the Festival of Midsummer.
Traditionally, schools and colleges would end their school year at some point during Firemoot. Firemoot is also the height of exhibition season, when school and college leavers in the arts vye for the attention of potential sponsors during end-of-year shows. Guilds also get involved in exhibition season, attempting to attract new members by putting on shows and displays. Firemoot is also the month when many Trooping the Colour celebrations take place. This is in part due to Warde's Holy Celebration, the Day of Unsleeping Eyes, taking place on the same day as the Summer Solstice, and the Trooping the Colour celebrations are put on as a reminder of the entities that take part in defending the realm. Most of the Trooping the Colour events involve large, elaborate parades including knights, watchmen and noble guardsmen.
Firemoot is associated with the Seasonal Aspect of Life; healing magics and rejuvenation rituals are particularly potent around this time of year. The deity associated with Firemoot is Orino, the Goddess of Summer, Life, Bounty and Wealth.
In the UK, June (month 6) was when the Trooping of the Colour was performed in honour of the former Queen Elizabeth's birthday. I am not a military person myself, but I was always fascinated with these kinds of events. I loved the colours and flags, and I very much enjoyed watching the synchronous movements of the marching men. I also recalled the numerous leavers dances and parties for schools, so I decided to incorporate those two things into Firemoot!
45. The Festival of Midsummer
Midsummer is a celebration of the middle of the season of Summer, acknowledging the coming longest day. It is a festival seen as a symbol of vitality and strength, as well as a time to pay homage to both Haul, the Sun God, and Orino, the Goddess of Summer.
Decorations for the festival include colourful glass chimes, painted suns, bright yellow ribbons and Summer flowers, including sunflowers, solidaster, marigold, yellow germini and orange or yellow chrysanthemums. large bonfires surrounded with colourful and reflective decorations, generally in bright blue, yellow, green, pink and purple, are set up in public areas, and many with gather for picnics with friends. In the evening, parties are had where fine food and drink are shared, and a traditional sweetbread called a Suncake is served. Dancing and merriment carry on long into the night.
Midsummer is also a popular time for infant dedications, as well as marriages. It is thought that blessings received during this time will last longer due to the influence of Haul.
This was a tricky one for me, because Midsummer and the Solstice are not the same in A'arde, though in the real world, they usually are. I definitely took inspiration from Litha, but also looked into alternative Midsummer traditions from Christianity and country-specific observations. I have no idea what a "Suncake" is actually made from, but it is based on a tradition of serving sweetbreads, which have a very broad definition!
46. The Summer Solstice
The Summer Solstice is a celebration of the longest day, the semi-official midpoint of the year shared with the Midyear Festival. It is a celebration of abundance, beauty, and renewal, as well as a time for blessings of protection against the lengthening nights. The Summer Solstice is also referred to as the Solstice of Fire.
As the Solstice is not a public festival, it is predominantly celebrated by Synergists and those of the Path of the Witch or Spiritualist. Other Canonists serving Seasonal or Nature deities may also celebrate. Floral wreaths and displays made of oak, mistletoe, elderflower, lavender, pine, fern and roses are used as decorations, as well as colourful ribbons in shades of blue, green, yellow, pink, and purple. Families and friends will gather to collect and prepare herbs for drying, followed by a period of meditation. Spirit Houses are then crafted from wood, herbs and flowers to welcome benevolent spirits to the area, and amulets for protection from evil are made from fern seeds. Bonfires and sunwheels are lit for people to gather around, and feasts often include plenty of fresh greens, fennel and thyme flavoured meats, strawberries, elderberry crafts, honeyed foods, sweet mead and light wine. The tale of the Oak and Holly Kings, specifically the half relating to the Summer Battle, is recounted, and songs are sun around bonfires.
The Summer Solstice is heavily influenced by the real world celebration of Litha, but because it is not an official public holiday in A'arde, I wanted to make it feel a little more homely, which is why I focused on the familial aspect of it. The food was also interesting for me to research, and I would love to try making something a little bit A'arden-Solstice-Inspired using what I found out!
47. The Month of Firewane
Firewane is the seventh month of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the first in the southern. It is the final month of the season of Summer and is named for the bonfires that lie dormant after Midsummer, Solstice and Midyear festivities. It features the public holiday of Midyear (Northern Hemisphere).
Firewane is traditionally a time for families, as children are no longer at school. Nobles will often arrange for visits to summer homes, while Commoners may take time off work to visit other family or friends. Firewane is also the beginning of the Hunting Season, which lasts until the end of Newharvest, so riding, archery, camping and survivalism become popular activities. For those not interested in these pursuits, classes in art, music, dance, poetry and needlework are popular alternatives provided by industrious teachers and upper year students looking to make extra cash. Social gatherings and community events are numerous during this month to help keep people entertained. Firewane is associated with the Seasonal Aspect of the Hunt. Rituals and blessings related to fruitful hunts and good luck are said to be most potent during this time. The deity associated with Firewane is Beiste, the God of the Hunt and Beasts.
Firewane is definitely the Summer Holiday Season in A'arde! I took a lot of inspiration from the struggles of my parents during this month; trying to keep me and my sister entertained and busy, often being forced to fob us off onto retired relatives so they could go to work... Ah, good times! There used to be lots of art classes and things at community centres near where I lived, and I spent a lot of time down at the Sailing Base on the other side of town, which is where I gained the inspiration for camping, survivalism and archery activities!
48. The Midyear Festival
The Midyear Festival is often the largest public festival of the year, with towns and cities planning from almost a year in advance. Midyear is a celebration of light, life and abundance, giving thanks for the blessings received to date, while praying for protection in the darkening days and a bountiful harvest.
The streets are decorated with brightly coloured streamers and flowers, while bands, performers and display teams parade along pre-determined routes. Stages are set up for additional performances, while booths, games, entertainment and food vendors line the streets. Temples open their doors all day, even if they don't normally, offering prayers, tours and exhibitions, while museums and galleries often hold competitions for both professionals and amateurs of the arts. Schools and colleges also open their doors to visitors, showing examples of the work of their best students.
As night falls, displays and parades become more colourful, with magic shows, dancing, fireworks and even more music. These events last well into the night, accompanied by feasting and drinking throughout the day.
Midyear is one of the most beloved festivals of the year, and many will save specifically to buy a new outfit for it. Tailors and seamstresses are therefore very busy in the run-up to the festival, and it is the perfect time to show off their skills.
In my Sunday game, the players have experiences the Midyear Festival, so I already had some ideas in place for this lore piece. It was a huge, carnival-like event; colourful, musical and with lots of dance, drama and games. For the game, as well, it was special, because it was perhaps the only time they had seen the city in a state of joy - the city had been annexed by an authoritarian, colonising regime some time in the past, and many were constantly scared for their lives. Midyear was the biggest celebration of the year, and one of the few times that the Silver Hand were less... well, bastardly!
49. The Month of Redfall
Redfall is the eighth month of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the second in the southern. It is the first month of the Season of Autumn and is named for the red leaves that begin to fall at this time. There are no public festivals during this month.
Redfall is a time for preparations for new experiences. In this month, agricultural workers begin their preparations for the upcoming harvest by repairing or replacing tools, clearing barns and warehouses, and making arrangements for the distribution of surplus produce. School and college attendees will spend the month ensuring they have all the required tools, equipment and uniform for the coming year, and final preparations for university accommodation must be made. Seamstresses, tailors and stationary shops tend to see an increase in activity during Redfall. The Holy Festival of Boone, the Observance of the Candid Stars, takes place during Redfall, and many people will seek out fortune tellers, diviners and Starweavers to predict their future during the month.
Redfall is associated with the Seasonal Aspect of Divination; spells and rituals that seek truth of the future are particularly potent during this month. The deity associated with Redfall is Boone, God of Divination and Fate.
When I chose the Seasonal Aspects, I originally wanted to have this month associated with either the Harvest or Death, to link it to Lughnasadh. However, it didn't make sense to have either of those, as much of the harvesting of fruits and vegetables takes place in September - it's predominantly grains in August. That said, the layout of the year in A'arde is slightly different, so I went with something different: Divination. With the coming of the lengthening nights, it seemed that people would want to be looking forward and trying to see what ills may befall them, so it stuck! Boone is one of the Gods that is close friends with Sychar, the God of Death, anyway, so I figured he would be a good choice!
Lore24 continues as usual over on Socials as we move deeper into the A'arden year, so check in to see what's what!
Comments