Spirit Fliers Festival

Hand created effigies of every type of flying creature, created of twigs, moss, and other plant parts, are lite by a shaman's magic.  The fliers softly glow in a bounty of unique colors as the fly into the rising full moon carrying the wishes and prayers of the grieving members of society and giving them hope for the coming year.
It is a beautiful festival as the glowing effigies sail away into the light of the full moon.

History

The first festival took place 99 moons after the silencing of the dragons.  In the begining, it was different from the modern festivals in that the first participants were trying to speak with the dragons.  After the second festival, a shaman noticed a grieving person from his community.  He suggested that the man use the festival to speak with his dead wife rather than call to the dragons.  This idea, an ability to publicly grieve in an otherwise austere society, quickly spread throughout He.  After 203 festivals the participants had ceased attempting to communicate with the dragons entirely.  The festival had changed into a ritual that allowed the Yangxia to grieve their departed loved ones and find comfort in the idea of sending them a last message.

Execution

Spirit Fliers are a critical component of this festival. The creation of a Spirit Flyer is consider deeply personal. It is meant to contain the personal wishes and/or prayers of the creator to his or her anscestor and will take place weeks, or even moons, before the festival day.
Upon the day of the festival the fliers will be lined up upon a high clearing. The people will stand back at least twenty feet from the fliers. When twilight descends and the begins to rise the local shaman will use his magic to spark the fliers. The fliers, lite with magic, will fly into the air toward the heavens to deliver their messages.

Components and tools

The Spirit Fliers and a high clearing are all that are needed for this festival.

Participants

Shamen, with their ability to speak to the dead, are the key participants of this festival.  The highest ranking shaman in the area is responsible for activating the Spirit Fliers.  Other participants are whichever people wish to speak with their desceased ancestors.  However, all locals come out to witness the festival.

Observance

The festival takes place after the twighlight of the Indigo full moon as the moon rises each year.