Darven Calendar and Fesrtivals

MONTHS AND HOLIDAYS I. Yelmouth: “First Spring” a. 1 Yelmouth: Spring Equinox, new year—the telling of the Stories

• Remembrance Day / Blood Day: 15 Yel-mouth (new moon Yel-mouth)... a day for solemn parades, in remembrance of those killed in orc raids
• Dark Weekend: 16-18 Yel-mouth: A weekend of grim silence, Lighting candles and burning incense, placing weapons and armor on the altar, and fasting for blessings from Bendreck the One Seeing, asking for blessings and continued safety from orcs and enemies in general… Sometimes involves burning effigies (or actuals) of orcs or other evil-doers… In smaller communities especially, can be dangerous to the innocent, as suspicions and hatred are unearthed with no direct object.
• Greengill Run: Held Yelmouth 25-27, with net fishing a river and stream mouths, and a great party on that Batchi… Held in villages and towns around Lake Tegg and Wood Lake. (This is when the greengill run back up stream to spawn… only the Lower Buck River has no festival grounds, as it flows out, not in).
• II. Yel-Brite: “High Spring”

a. 7-9 Yel-Brite : Brite-tor-tane (New spring festival),

• Remembrance Day / Blood Day: 15 Yel-brite (new moon Yel-brite)... a day for solemn parades, in remembrance of those killed in orc raids
• b. 16-17 Yel-Brite: Rokkoum

• c. 27 Yel-Brite: Festival of Flower Masks

III. Yel-toor: “Deep Spring”

• 16-18 Yel-toor: The Greentime
• IV. Yel-Fori: “Spring’s Ripening”

• a. 6-9 Yel-Fori: Festival of “Foastin Sal Semmuthen”--Songs and First Wine
• 8 Yel-Fori: Lockensday: Yatchi, Yel-fori 8 (two days before solstice Celebrates the Good Luck influence of Lock (god of Luck and many other things), may daring deeds performed on these days, like a talent show… A good many show-offs have died in these celebrations! Celebrations had all around the Forest, and also in Darvenland and up north to Buckland or beyond.
• B. 10 Yel-Fori-- Summer Solstice (“Summer Day”)
• V. Semmuth: “First Fall”
• a. 24-27 Cornstays: Livestock shows and brewing contests, mumming Hal-Barleycorn

VI. Sem-Gail: “Fall Harvest”

• a. 13 Sem-Gail, Harvest Festival… Festival of Dances

VII. Sem-Turn: “Fall’s Turning”

• a. 13 Sem-Turn: Second Harvest--Autumn Equinox; observed weekend of 16th

VIII. Sem-Dearth: “Fall’s Death”

• 7-9 Sem-Dearth: “Dearth-nora:” Final Harvest--rural agricultural (solemn’s day; brown-mask day)
• 27 Sem-Dearth, Deathfest

IX. Dren yel Dren: “Winter”
X. Dren Hakk: “Hearthside”

• a. 19-27 Dren Hakk, Hearthside Week (23rd: winter solstice)

XI. Dren-toor: “Deep Winter”

• a. 22-27 “Yumar”—time of winter stories and song

XII. Dren-Teil: “Winter’s Hope”

• a. 26 Dren-Teil, Hope Festival--throughout human Little Dream

XIII. Batchi: “Limbo,” the season of transition

• a. 8 Batchi, Festival of the Returning Rains (agricultural)
• b. 15 Batchi, Day of Clowns (more obscure, a jolly and folly festival with many zany performances and drinking, just to revel in spring)
• Lockensday: Yatchi, Batchi 22-27: (two days before solstice Celebrates the Good Luck influence of Lock (god of Luck and many other things), may daring deeds performed on these days, like a talent show… A good many show-offs have died in these celebrations! Celebrations had all around the Forest, and also in Darvenland and up north to Buckland or beyond.