The Solidae (/so:litei/)
ⲤⲞⲖⲒⲦⲈⲒ
The Solidae is an annual summer festival is a traditional festival in the The Kingdom of Cyrenica, dedicated to competition and handicraft. The Solidae is held every year starting a month before the summer solstice, and work and celebrations are carried throughout the month with the final day of the Solidae occurring on the Summer Solstice. The Solidae is a competitive tradition with master crafters throughout Cyrenica create the greatest works that they can in such a limited timeframe. It is a test of endurance, planning, showmanship, and of course, craftsmanship, and is taken extremely seriously by those who participate in the competition.
Execution
The Solidae is a month long festival, and it starts with an opening ceremony. In this opening ceremony, the local pontifex announces the start of the festival, and calls upon any who would like to compete to step forward. Those that do will announce what they will work on, and are annointed by the pontifex. Creators will then have a month to work on their creation, where they will be expected to complete the project that they announced that they would work on. On the day of the Summer Solstice, competitors will have to have finished their work, and must present it to judges, often appointed by religious authorities, making the case to the judges, and any wider audience they might have obtained about the merits of their project. These presentations can foster a carnival like atmosphere, as crafters loudly proclaim the value of their work. Judges will announce a winner in the evening, with the winner obtaining a brand new, master crafted set of tools appropriate to their work. In larger communities, there may be multiple winners, being categorized into various types (smithy, music, etc.), though the largest cities, such as Cyrenica, are still highly competitive.
Components and tools
The tools utilized during the Solidae are the same as a crafter would normally use to express their craft. A smith would use smith's tools, a painter a paintbrush, a musician their instrument and possibly a pen and paper. The point of the Solidae is to express ones creativity, and one's skill at their craft, and those who participate as competitors will, to the greatest possible extent make sure the tools of their trade are as well tuned and honed to be the best version of themselves that they can possibly be to ensure the greatest utility.
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
