Dwergferi (Dwarfmeet)

8th through 10th of Althannis

Although little known for its revelry, the Blight hosts the occasional holiday of its own. The most raucous of which must certainly be Dwergferi, or Dwarfmeet. Those within the mountain kingdom of Harnath Uul, as well as the human settlements ringing the moutains below, know Dwarfmeet has arrived by the beating of drums and the sound of mighty horns echoing throughout the mountains. Each year, during Dwergferi, dwarves from every hall and great house gather at the Silver Hall of Stoneseat (all pretty much every great hall within the kingdom) for three days to celebrate and reflect upon the great dwarven achievements of the year. There are contests, exhibitions, worship, as well as general revelry.
The festival kicks off with a ceremony dedicated to the dwarven gods, which doubles as a call to their mercy to continue watching over their chosen people for another year. The exhibitions include a bazaar (which doubles as a trade show), held in the sidechambers of the Silver Hall. Here, the great craft works of the year, including inventions and innovations, are put on full display, new customers and clients are wooed, and orders are placed for the coming year.
Contests of various types cover the entire kingdom during the festival. They include bouts of strength, such as wrestling matches, oratory challenges, smithy showdowns, and hammer throwing. Amongst the most popular are The Keg Battle and The Ruling of the Great Beard. The Keg battle involves two opposing teams attempting to haul a full keg across an open field to their opponent's goal. The blight dwarves really get into this, and even humans from nearby settlements often come to watch the event. The Ruling of the Great Beard is a judged contest where dwarves submit themselves so it may be decided who amongst them has the finest beard. Beards are judged on length, color, style, cleanliness, shape, and other fineries (such as braiding). The prize is the winner's weight in gold.
There is also a dance, called Drum and Flame. Though most would not associate dwarves with dancing, many change their tune after witnessing this open event, where more than one hundred participants (mainly, but not exclusively dwarven) wear boots with metal plates attached to their soles. They pound and scrape along the floor of the Silver Hall, creating a great rumble, like thunder, and even sparks. It is a thing of rare beauty in the north.
One must not forget drinking, which is a large part of the celebration. And though many get quite drunk and occasionally rowdy, the point of the custom is not inebriation. Rather, it is traditionally believed that for every flagon of ale consumed, a dwarf's life expectancy is expanded another decade. They drink to health, happiness and prosperity, and they drink a lot.
Dwarfmeet is the most special holiday for dwarves of the north, and all attend it unless otherwise detained. Often, dwarves will bring their non-dwarven friends and companions to witness the wonders of their culture. Some foreigners are even allowed to participate is special events, like the Keg Battle or even Drum and Flame. Non-dwarves will also have the opportunity to get first crack at high quality dwarven crafts, well before they head to market the following year.

Execution

Three days of revelry, including prayer, drinking, games and trade shows.

Participants

Open to all blight dwarves of the north and their friends.

Primary Related Location

The Blight

Related Ethnicities

• Blighted