Winter Courting Festivities

History

The Winter Courting Festival is a tradition shared between the Kindal and Solar Dragonflights in much of Europe. As both flights' traditional time frames for selecting and competing for mates overlap, in much of Europe where the two flights' populations heavily intersect their traditions have merged together over several millennia. Both flights do maintain their own unique cultural ideals and practices for the festival, but in contrast to others such as the Lunar Dragonflight, both groups have seen significant cultural exchange and even separate traditions arise hinging on both groups' participation.

Execution

The festival is considered one of love, devotion, and pride for solar and kindal dragons alike to prove their worthiness to future mates and command respect among their peers. Traditionally held on the winter solstice, solar and kindal dragons begin gathering in the days prior to prepare food, drink, and battling grounds for stags to dominate one another for the attention of ewes. Open fields cleared of crops, grasslands, scrublands, and plateaus are generally the most favored as they provide plenty of space free of obstacles and hazards to the dragons competing, often with the specific site being chosen by a vote between the two flights within that local region. Typically, a separate 'main' event is held in each nation, though smaller regional festivals are often held in larger countries to ensure all participants can attend one closest to them and among their own peers.
Arenas for competing stags are almost always marked, generally by flame, scorching the ground to form rings large enough for dragons of each weight class. Areas that cannot be burned, such as cleared farmland, threatened habitats, or protected areas can be marked with dyes, paint, or rings of stones, gravel, or sand.

Observance

The winter solstice is typically when the Courting Festival is said to reach its peak, marking mid-winter, so typically the festival begins to gather attendees between 3-4 days prior through to the week following.

Important Locations

• Europe
• European Archipelago

Related Ethnicities

• Kindal Dragonflight
• Solar Dragonflight