Anhild's Day

If you are an elf, a dwarf, or one of the hin, then the absolute best time to visit New Tarania is in the week leading up to Anhild's Day. The gratitude the Taranians feel towards their saviours in the invasion is magnified as the festival approaches, and with a bit of care you can turn that gratitude into free drinks or...other favours.

— Osborn Brightmoon, "With Tarp and Towel"

Anhild's Day is a special day in the New Taranian calendar, commemorating the failed invasion of the country by the Kwal Dominion. On this day the Taranians remember those who gave their lives to stop the invasion, most notably Anhild Rynne, last Hand of Selah. They also give thanks to those responsible for ultimately defeating the invasion force: the Grand Alliance and Fharlanghn, God of Horizons and Travel. The focus for the celebrations are the capital, New Andilar, as this was the focus of the invasion, but lesser celebrations are also held in cities across the country.

History

The invasion which inspired the celebration occurred only four years ago, making this the newest national celebration in the New Taranian calendar. It is rare for the Taranians to add to their calendar in this way, as they still follow the teachings of Selah despite her death. Selah taught that the wisdom of the past was paramount, and that traditions should not be altered unless the justification is exceptional. On the first anniversary of the invasion the country's regent, Lord Achilo, determined that the justification was indeed exceptional, and established a series of events to commemorate the invasion. These events have been repeated in the years since, and look set to becoming a lasting feature of the New Taranian calendar.

The Preceding Week

In the week leading up to Anhild's Day the population of New Andilar swells as people from surrounding towns and villages flock to the capital. The main gate in the inner wall is flung open, and the road beneath it strewn with a thick carpet of red petals. The petals stretch from the open gate to the great bronze statue of Anhild Rynne beyond it, and commemorate the blood she spilled holding the gate. For the duration of the week no one walks along the petal-covered road or passes through the open gate, no matter how much a diversion this requires in their journey.

As Anhild's Day approaches priests of Selah take to the streets in greater and greater numbers, holding impromptu sermons where they recount the events of the invasion to their audience. Taranians value the lessons of the past, and it is not uncommon for Taranians to seek out multiple different priests throughout the week to hear their own individual take on the historical event and what it can teach them.

The Day

Anhild's Day itself is a time of quiet contemplation and mourning. Shops and businesses are closed, and families gather together to reflect on the past and those who gave their lives for them. With the invasion being only a few years ago almost every family in the city lost someone in the fighting, and this is their chance to remember that loss. On this day those who lost a partner or close relative in the invasion are permitted to remove a bloom from the road before Anhild's statue. The blooms are blessed by priests of Selah to remain unwilting for the rest of the year, and are typically displayed somewhere in the family's house.

The Night

As night falls the mood in the city changes. The time for reflection and commemoration passes, and is replaced by the time for celebration. The official start of the celebration is marked by a display of the famed Taranian Skylights over the Cathedral of Our Loss. Sister displays rapidly start at key locations across the city, until all of New Andilar shimmers under the bright patterns of the Skylights. As the lights dance above them the entire populace takes to the streets to celebrate. Alchohol flows freely, inhibitions are lowered, and the entire city celebrates that they and their country are still here. The party lasts long into the night, and it is said that the Skylights keep dancing so long as a single person in the city dances with them.

The Following Day

The day after is dedicated to Fharlanghn in thanks for his intervention in the invasion, known as the Miracle of New Andilar. The Dweller on the Horizon has no formal churches, so instead crossroads and gateways are decorated in tribute to him. This day is considered a blessed day to start journeys, and many Taranians who realise in the run-up to Anhild's Day that they have a long journey to make will attempt to postpone it until this day. Nobles frequently use this day as justification to make 'pilgrimages' to their country estates or to visit friends in other cities, but most Taranians cannot afford to go on such frivolous journeys.