The Festival of Ashes

The Festival of Ashes is one of the four major festivals held within the Free Lands of Muria. It is the Spring festival held at the height of the season during the month of Sera. It is a celebration of life and renewal. It is most often held in a large square or in a clear empty field. It is a communal event where everyone generally contributes food and drink and entertainment. Each person also brings a piece of wood, which is gathered together into a large pile and set ablaze as the sun sets. The festival continues for as long as the great fire burns. Druids are always in attendance ensuring the fire burns completely and often a priest of Zolaris is also there to ensure the safety of those present. Once the fire has burned all the wood to ashes, the druids gather those ashes and use them to offer benedictions of Karashiel to all attendees. The remaining ashes are gathered and taken with the druids to be scattered around the lands to help promote growth and the continued renewal of the world.