Welcoming Feast

The Welcoming Feast is held on the Parade Grounds behind the Council House on the full moon in May. The Feast itself lasts two days. This is when all the groups attending the Gathering Season come together to and greet each other. The food is prepared by the Veil-Tenders.

Food

The first Feast featured a simple meal of bread, cheese, and wild game. Over the centuries, as the agriculture and trade in the area improved, a greater variety of food was introduced. These days, the Feast features a plethora of food from the region and beyond. The farms in the valley still produce the bulk of the Feast: wheat, dairy, beef, and vegetables. Wine is also featured in the Feast, much to everyone's delight.

The main highlight of the Feast is the carving of the beast. In the past, the beast was actually hunted and cooked the day of the Feast. As more groups joined the Treaty, it was determined that it would be better and easier for a domesticated animal to be designated as the beast. Most often this animal is a cow. However, hunting parties still go out to catch deer or boar for the Feast.

History

The first Welcoming Feast was held 10 years after the founding of the Treaty. At the time there were only three groups associated with the Treaty. The first gathering was small. The group met to hunt a beast for their gathering meal. Other elements of the meal included simple fare such as bread, wine, and cheese. The valley was not yet the settlement it is today. However, within the next hundred years, the Veil-Tenders created their community and began taking over the responsibility of the Welcoming Feast.
It was not until the last fifty years that the hunting parties decreased in favor of relying on domesticated animals. This had more to do with pressures from the non-magic community to conform to their regulations. There are still small hunting parties that go out to and hunt deer or boar to bring back to camp for the Welcoming Feast. Council and group leaders turn a blind eye as long as the hunting parties do not get into trouble. Since the parties stay small and focus on hunting in the surrounding valley, no one seems to mind.
The surrounding National Parks also play a part in keeping the hunting to a minimal. At times, there are too many tourists in the area that may draw unnecessary attention to the valley. The older hunters of the groups do complain and grumble about not being able to hunt like in the past.

Execution

The Veil-Tenders set up the tables and chair in the Parade Grounds. There is one head table that seats the seven members of the Council of Elders. The rest of the tables are laid out and there's enough to sit two thousand. Food is brought to each table on platters and left at the tables.
Opening remarks are made by the High Elder. Any new signers to the Treaty are then introduced. Then there is the 'parade' of groups as each group introduces themselves and any relays any new information about the group: such as new leaders or apprentice magic-users. There are several small family groups that act as their own Treaty Signer, so this process can take quite a while.

Participants

All groups that signed the Treaty of Haryk. The Council of Elders are the main hosts of the event and the Veil-Tenders are secondary hosts providing the food and entertainment.