Summer Solstice Festival

Held to mark the arrival of summer, this celebration honors a creature known only as ?. This tradition first emerged among the creatures of the desert, or Arid Pack. Arid Pack’s oral tradition tells that ? was a Seradae who lived long ago.

History

The Tale of ?

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? had a friend in every pack, and was always up-to-date and oddly friendly. If something happened, ? was always the first to know. Sometimes, she knew what had happened in a pack even before the pack’s leader did. She always had an unusually happy outlook on life and never joined a pack, instead living as a wanderer who visited each pack at random intervals. These two traits caused many creatures to be suspicious of her. Many suspected that she was plotting to use her strategically placed friends to murder the pack leaders and overthrow the packs, taking all the power for herself. Their whispers did not go unnoticed, however, and they quickly reached ?’s ears. ? ignored the rumors and carried on with her life.
One summer, a terrible famine struck the packs. There had been little rain that year, and as such the plants grew badly. Herbivores had nothing to eat, and while they were starving, their hunger caused to defend themselves more so than usual. Thus, not even the carnivores had much to eat. The photovores and photocarnivores were in the same predicament. Without the rains, even water was scarce, leaving most creatures both thirsty and hungry, although some creatures such as the photovores and the photocarnivores only had to endure the lack of one source of sustenance.
Just when everyone thought all hope was lost, ? arrived. In her mouth, she held the end of a branch bristling with delicious green leaves and pink berries. ?’s eyes widened as she took in the sight of the emaciated creatures laying strewn about. Some looked like living carcasses. ? set about attending to the starving creatures and fetching more food. Finally, all the creatures had been fed, even the carnivores. ?’s work was done.
However, there was one creature she forgot to attend to.
Herself.
Caught up in her willingness to help others, ? did not notice how her fur and skin hung loosely off her skeletal frame. She had been so focused on the “living dead” that she became one herself.
What the creatures had not learned, however, was that she was not different in the way they had thought. No, she was different in a very, well, different way.
Fate has a cruel sense of humor, it seems, and thus the creatures only learned this when she breathed her last breath.
As a long, shuddering hiss of air escaped her slightly parted jaw, ? went limp and closed her eyes for good.
It was then that it happened. A dark, elegant creature colored with deep blues and purples and silvery highlights drifted down from the heavens. Pinpricks of light adorned xir twisting body, giving off a soft silver glow.
Light as a feather, xe landed and padded softly across the dry grass to the Seradae’s body. Very carefully, and infinitely gently, the starry creature dipped xir head and brushed xir muzzle against that of the deceased.
Those who were there said that xe spoke not with words, but in a beautiful language that cannot be described. When asked to try, they said that it resembled the sweetest flutes and the purest chimes. Despite this, every creature present somehow knew deep inside of them what it meant.
Rise, old friend, and take your place among the stars. We will be together again in the skies.
The words made the onlookers’ bones hum with the strange and eldritch magics of a race long forgotten. The majestic mystery raised xir head…and waited.
A faint golden light began to grow where the starbound creature had nuzzled the lifeless Seradae.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the creature’s frame began to fill out. Her faded aqua pelt no longer hung pitifully off her shoulders. Instead, it was restored to its former glory. Even its vibrancy had been restored.
Inch by inch, second by second, the Seradae regained its former beauty. Its eyes, however, remained closed.
Wake commanded the silvery creature.
With that, ?’s eyes flew open. However, she was not quite the same. Her kind blue eyes now had a glowing ring of yellow around their pupils, and she glowed with a golden light similar to her partner’s silver aura.
Come whispered the darker creature. Our fate awaits. With that, the two creatures flew heavenward, and they came to be known as embodiments of the sun and the moon.
Their love for each other was no secret, and it has come to be said that eclipses are what happens when they cannot take it any longer and rush to cuddle with each other.
The creatures owed their lives to ?, and to honor her, they vowed to always retell the story on the summer solstice.

Components and tools

Food

Observance

This celebration occurs on the summer solstice.

Primary Related Location

Eastern Cliffs