Hello BTACD! This will serve as a guide to all IC holidays found throughout the Realms. This list includes Realm-specific holidays, as well as holidays that are found across multiple Realms.
Multiple Realm Holidays
Day of the Royals: 7th day of Ilmen || season
A day celebrated in all Realms where there are dragons, falling on the day that Kazule Silentscale was hatched and the Royal Line established by the gods. Festivals and celebrations are held across the Realms, where anything from grand tournaments to feasts and contests will be held.
Great Egg Hunt: 12th day of Ilmen || spring
A tradition keeping to most Realms with dragons, the Great Egg Hunt is the highlight of spring. Craftsmen and women will take a variety of eggs from various creatures and piece back together the shells, place small gifts inside, sealing them with magic. They then will paint over and decorate them to sell to parents with small children. These eggs will be hidden in a variety of ways for the children to find, and later break open, to find whatever gift may be inside. Usually, these gifts range in nature from small figurines and toys to sweet treats and trinkets. Created to celebrate the hatching of dragons and birth of the gods.
Day of Bones: 8th day of Elen || fall
A tradition that springs from the Bloodreign War, where dragons attempted to settle Kurai, and would take the skulls of their kills as trophies and light them with fire to drive away demons seeking dragon blood. Though the reason for the tradition has been largely forgotten, young dragons will keep the skulls of their first hunt, carve them and light them with candles on the eight day of Elen, the anniversary of the great battle in Kurai. Merchants who celebrate the Day of Bones will also craft various items for those who bring them bones, including enchanted items and rare, powerful weapons.
Night of Winter Wishes: 51st day of Elen || winter
Also known as Noel's Night or the Day of Giving. Only on this date does the gates of the secret country of Zinlaea, in Felnova, open, and access to the Giving Tree revealed. Many travel to send their wish to the Tree, who's bountiful fruit may bloom into a wish granted. For those who do not travel, an old white kitsune named Noel will drop gifts upon those who he deems worthy of them, through all and any Realm. A tradition to celebrate unity in hard times, one that comes from shortages due to winter hardships.
Evylon holidays
Evylon has no large holidays at this time.
Felnova Holidays
Queen's Day: 2nd day of Coiasira || winter
Festival held in Icemark. A day to honor and celebrate the life of their former Queen before Icemark joined Vystriana - the lady Ayla, a black dragoness much honored by her people. Generally involves a loud and raucous feast.
Balion's Day: 5th day of Meiva || spring
Holiday celebrated by Vanim. A peaceful day without work, where the elves choose to honor the sincerity and peace of nature and Balion. It's noted that the most earth magic casted in a single day falls upon this date.
Great Tournament: 1st day of Kelvar & 1st day of Ilmen || summer & winter
Tournament held in Albronel. It is held both midsummer and midwinter. During the summer, the knightly Orders come to test their skill, whereas during the winter, the mage Order comes to perform magical feats. Outfitted with jousting, feats of strength, magical tricks, and duels of magecraft.
Warrior's Week: 15th day of Kelvar to 20th day of Kelvar || summer
A festival for fighting held in Hyanda. Weapons-masters from all over the city will offer free training on this day; it focuses on feats of strength and skill of its warriors, with tournaments and contests aplenty.
Howling Gods' Festival: 33rd day of Meiva || fall
A celebration of the birth of both wolven gods, Cirrus and R'rkain, held in Sunfire. Generally, after a feast and ample entertainment, the werewolves of Sunfire will go on a great hunt across the desert and seek to bring down a desert leviathan. It is not known how successful they are, though some sort of prey is always brought back.
Day of Peace: 45th day of Meiva || fall
Ibenian celebration for Leartes, god of peace and war. A generally quiet festival, marked by rituals and blessings, the removal of curses, and the teachings of balance.
The Great Race: 14th day and 50th day of Ilmen || spring and summer
A race open to all winged creatures in Auxela. It's a long and difficult race that twists around the mountains for a full three-league stretch. The prize is a gilded, golden feather almost a foot long with magical qualities that can be melted down into enchanted metal.
Kurai Holidays
Festival of Pestilence: varies; held twice a year || generally winter and summer
Twice yearly, the Castle of Pestilence opens its gates to commoners and the citizenry of the Kingdom. Once, during a ceremony to honor Orphethas and make sacrifices to him, and the other, to allow Pestilence demons to submit petitions directly to their Lord.
Lizzarkyth Holidays
Spring Equinox: varies || spring
A day and night where rebirth and renewal are celebrated in lyzard culture. It is a time where love and peace are discussed, and the dangers of pride and greed are taught. Romance is thick in the air, and lovers give gifts to their other halves - marriage rituals are common on this day. It's said that most lyzards are conceived around this time, with many sharing the same or similar hatchdays almost a year down the line. Primarily celebrated in Alciniron.
Summer Solstice: varies || summer
A day and a night where the light of the sun is celebrated in lyzard culture. It is a time where the element of light is widely discussed, and the dangers of fire are taught. A great feast and bonfire, where letters are burnt and sent to the heavens above, are held that night. Primarily celebrated in Alciniron.
Fall Equinox: varies || fall
A day and a night where the equality and balance of the world is celebrated in lyzard culture. It is a time where true neutrality is discussed, and the dangers of upsetting the balance is taught. Rituals are common at this time for a variety of things, and the priests accept more followers on this day than any other point in the year. Primarily celebrated in Alciniron.
Winter Solstice: varies || winter
A day and night where the sleeping of the world is celebrated in lyzard culture. It is a time where the element of darkness is discussed, and the dangers of the night are taught. The plants and trees that go dormant are sung to and called upon, coming up on a period where the world's greenery will renew itself in full. While plants do not die as they do in other Realms naturally, this dormancy is called The Sleep, and growth is massively slowed during these times. Primarily celebrated in Alciniron.
Millirand Holidays
Festival of Spirits: 4th day of Kelvar || summer
A celebration of work in Tarot. In the middle of summer, several hours are dedicated to a limited feast and a good several round of drinks, marked by the giving of gifts and telling of the year's most spectacular stories. All residents, of any race or creed, are allowed within, and it is a time of peace and discussion, where community is strong.
New Year's Dawning: 1st day of Coiasira || winter
Time is praised for bestowing a new year upon his followers. Worshipers gather at temples devoted to Time, or in remote areas they pray at shrines. Small crystal shards are commonly used to draw a few drops of blood from worshipers before being offered to Time. At the temples, this involves placing the crystal shards within a basin where they are consumed by reiatsu. Once this done, the New Year's Festival begins, overseen by the city's Priest King, who is positioned beneath a throne carved form bismuth ritualistically reserved for Time himself.
Festival of Good Fortune: 23rd day of Coiasira || winter
Zeldrima's worshipers beseech the goddess to bestow good fortune upon them. Gambling and games of chance take place throughout the day and into the night. Once the stars are shining overhead, priests cast lots to divine what Zeldrima considers to be an appropriate sacrifice. The chosen sacrifice is gathered and placed upon a reflective surface atop a stone altar that gleams with reflected starlight. A Priest-King or High Priest will then take a knife and draw blood from themselves, or from a volunteer, which will then be dripped upon the surface. The sacrificial gifts will then sink into the surface of the altar, appearing to disappear into the starry expanse.
Day of Sweet Winds: 1st day of Ilmen || spring
Incense and sweet-smelling herbs are gathered and dried before being gathered by priests. These herbs are then piled upon altars and set ablaze after priests symbolically sprinkle them with blood to mimic the rains they pray for. The fires are then fanned so that the smoke caries the fragrant scents skyward as Scylla is asked to bring rain to Noktureesah so that the land might flourish, and withhold her storms. Wind chimes and dancers adorned with flowing ribbons are common sights throughout the day.
Day of Ocean's Bounty: 45th day of Ilmen || spring
Unique in that it takes place entirely out at sea, Sago's yearly ritual begins with a procession to the sea, whereupon Sago's worshipers board waiting ships and head out into the open ocean. There, various items of great beauty, often made or gathered from bits of debris washed up on shore by the tides, and tossed into the waves. Following this, captive pirates and sea-born raiders are sacrificed, often with their throats being slit before they are beheaded and their feet weighed down with stones and their bodies being thrown into the sea. This gift of blood is meant to symbolize the life the sea's bounty bestows upon Noktureesah.
Feast of Plenty: 2nd week of Kelvar || summer
Taking place right after the year's first harvest, the god is honored with a bounteous feast. In honor of the labor wrought by the land's farmer, the nobility, including the Priest Kings, serve the commoners for the day. A place of honor is set up for Balion, with platters of food and drink placed before the god's throne. Following the feast, the food set aside for Balion is buried beneath the ground as a gift to the god, and nutrients for the soil. Depending on the bounty of the first harvest, the celebration can last for days.
Day of Learning: 18th day of Kelvar || summer
Worshipers of Gaz'in will spend the day in silent meditation, then, as the sun begins to set, the Priest King will lead them in beseeching the god for wisdom and knowledge. Th Priest King's blood will be let, and used as ink for a new entry in a special, gold-bound book filled with vellum pages inscribed with past wishes, written using an owl-feather quill. Those who can afford the books and paper will often have their own smaller versions, though it is uncommon for any aside from the nobility and priesthood to be able to afford them. Offerings of incense are then lit as silent meditation continues long into the night.
Flower War: 1st day of Meiva || summer
A mock battle is staged between the armies of the various cities, waged using specially carved wooden weapons. Injuries are common, and deaths not unheard of, but are rare. These weapons are decorated with woven strands of flowers to symbolize peace opposing the war represented by the weapons. This Flower War takes place during the early morning into the afternoon. Then captive raiders, deserters, and other enemies of Noktureesah are sacrificed in various bloody ways, including but not limited dismemberment, removal of the heart, and beheading, all according to the manner of their crimes. Priests gather the shed blood in a large basin, and present it to the tired warriors, who then consume it to display their bravery, and thirst for the blood of their enemies. Leartes is then beseeched to bestow bravery in battle, and vigilance in peace.
Day of Judgment: 15th day of Meiva || fall
A national day of judgment, Fenrir's ritual features condemned criminals being executed while priests declare their crimes and sentences before gathered crowds. The blood taken from these criminals is gathered in a basin, mixed with alchemical materials, and set alight in a crimson blaze. Blood-red smoke rises from these pyres as a warning to any who would dare to break the laws of Noktureesah. Fenrir is then called upon to continue to safeguard justice and virtue in the land, so that the people can be kept safe from criminals. The condemned will have previously gone through often-extensive trials to ensure only the guilty are executed. Any who condemn the innocent risk being condemned in turn, ensuring great care is taken during trials.
Day of Giving: 7th day of Elen || winter
Lyfe is praised and honored for blessing Noktureesah with prosperity, or asked to bestow prosperity upon the country during times of hardship. From sunrise to sunrise, the span of an entire day, priests and revelers dressed in gleaming white and gold sing songs and recite tales and poems honoring the god and all he stands for. The wealthy, adorned with rich clothing and jewelry and carrying hefty coinpurses, parade through the city, sharing their wealth with the poor and needy, blessing the less fortunate with their abundance of prosperity in Lyfe's name. Nobles too sick or feeble to walk are carried upon litters with servants distributing their wealth, if possible. If not, they will choose someone to attend in their place.
Day of Sorrows: 39th day of Elen || winter
The day begins with mourning calls and prayers for comfort in times of sorrow, whether it be from ended friendships, loss of loved ones, or anything that makes them sorrow. Priests of L'zayn will call upon the people to take comfort from what remains to them. Living friends, new dreams, new hopes, whatever gives them comfort and warms their souls. Tears are dried with pure white cloths that are then stained with a few drops of let blood. These cloths are then gathered and burned alongside bitter incense to symbolize release of grief.
The Five Dark Days: 55-59th days of Elen || winter
The five days before the final day of the year are days of silent contemplation as the people of Noktureesah largely remain indoors and undertake quiet prayers to the gods to ask for safeguarding from the wicked influences of the Dark Five. Traditionally, all businesses are closed during these days, and no sacrifices are made. On each successive day, the people of Noktureesah will take time to renounce what the Dark Five stand for.
Year's Ending: 60th day of Elen || winter
Noktureesah's dead are mummified, and for those who can afford it, their bodies are stored away until the year's end arrives. Those who can't afford the expanse instead prepare small effigies of the departed. As the sun rises, the dead are taken to Linath's temple in a large funeral procession. Within the temple, the dead are ritually presented to Linath, and the bodies and effigies will be burned upon a large pyre. The ashes will then be gathered into urns, and interred within the temple. During this time, the worst criminals condemned to death are bound tightly and inflicted with injuries in such a way that they will slowly bleed to death. They are then interred within special stone tombs to contemplate their crimes before their inevitable deaths. As the day draws to a close, Linath is praised for safeguarding the dead, and the old year is considered to have passed into death, and her domain.
Noctis Holidays
Noctis has no large holidays at this time.
Ristell Holidays
Draiyd's Awakening: varies || varies
The sol'tera of Edjo celebrate whenever the god Draiyd awakens and moves. This celebration lasts until he has resettled, and returned to his deep slumber. Generally, the celebrations consist of contests and feasts, creativity and craft, and a multitude of other things.
Festival of Light: 25th day of Kelvar || summer
Islafaire celebrates a festival once a year in the middle of summer. During this festival, the residents gather in the town square and surrounding lakes and release paper lanterns into the sky.
Harvest of Aberjr: 50th day of Meiva || fall
Once a year in the fall, the underground city of Aberjr holds a grand harvest festival following the harvesting of all the crops, culminating in the re-dedication of the soil to the gods.
Festival of Laughter: varies || winter
The city of Darlan celebrates the Winter Solstice for one week, with the final night of the festivities falling on the solstice itself. The festival takes place around the flame that burns in the center of town. Families gather and share their bounties, and a giant feast is held. It is a time for gossip, dancing, and much laughter.
Carving of the Obelisk: 60th day of Elen || winter
Once a year, at the end of the year in Khu, more is added to the great obelisk outlining the past year's important happenings. Time off is taken to honor the gods, and rulers, during the carving.
Xaeri Holidays
Festival of the Young: 32nd day of Meiva || fall
Once a year, both young and old xeriin in Myrae come together to celebrate life as the harvest is brought in. Younger xeriin participate in contests, such as sparring or bowmanship. Others take part in weaving competitions, still others compete in terms of various instruments.
Turnover: 1st day of Coiasira || winter
In C'zerane, there is a celebration on the first day of the new year in honor of the guarding deity of the rivers and seas, the Xaeri goddess Nicaen. Swimming contests between sea-Kin xeriin are common, as well as specially crafted and enchanted items focused around the element of water.
Honor's Day: 35th day of Elen || winter
In Falen, there is a day celebrated at the beginning of winter, when the Sky-kin honor the guardian deity of sky and wind, Naerex. The masked guards of the city will come together and hold contests between citizens and soldiers, training all sky-Kin xeriin to defend themselves, as well as offering races and sprints around the mountain.
