Seasonal Festivals
Every culture across Faerûn has its own special festivals and holidays whose occurrence is governed by the passage of the sun, the moon, or some other event. Five annual festivals and one quadrennial festival are observed in almost every civilized land:
Midwinter: Although this holiday is generally known as Midwinter, it is often celebrated under different names. For example, the High Festival of Winter is a feast day used by nobles and monarchs to mark or renew alliances. For commoners in northern climes, Deadwinter Day is a somber day noted mainly as the halfway point of winter, with hard times still to come. It occurs between
Hammer 30 and
Alturiak 1.
Greengrass: The start of spring is traditionally a day of peace and rejoicing marked by the display of flowers (even if they need to be grown in a hothouse during the winter months) that are worn or given as sacrifices to the gods who have brought life back to the world. It occurs annually between
Tarsakh 30 and
Mirtul 1.
Midsummer: The midpoint of summer between
Flamerule 30 and
Eleasis 1 is a time of feasting, and love, marked by dalliances, betrothals, and (traditionally) good weather. Bad weather on this night is seen as a sign of ill fortune to come.
Shieldmeet: This quadrennial festival follows Midsummer night. It is traditionally a day of open council between the ruled and their rulers, and the renewal of pacts. In addition to theatrical entertainment, many tournaments are held on Shieldmeet, allowing the brave and the foolish to try to prove themselves.
Highharvestide: The autumn harvest is marked by feasting and thanks. Many folk travel in the wake of this festival before the worst of winter's bite makes the roads and waterways impassable. It occurs between
30 Eleint and
Marpenoth 1.
The Feast of the Moon: This holiday celebrates ancestors and the honored dead. During the festival, ancestral tales are recounted, and the stories and myths that bind cultures are taught anew. This holiday occurs between
30 Uktar and
Nightfall 1.
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