Torching of Leth

The Torching of Leth is an annual festivity held in the city-state of Medaris in the northern Sunscald. The festival commemorates the razing of the city by the infamous raider Leth Bloodaxe in 857, and has been celebrated annually since the city's re-establishment in 881. Originally intended as a sombre, vengeful commemoration, the Torching has grown into a vibrant and creative celebration, considered one of the highlights of the Medarian calendar.
The Torching of Leth originates from the Sacking of Nearmaidas in 857, where the 'King of Raiders' Leth Bloodaxe laid waste to the city of Nearmaidas, torching what was formerly the largest and wealthiest city on the Sunscald coast. The city - after decades of slow reconstruction and resettling, and renamed Nea Medaris ('New Medaris', using an older name of the city ['Nea Nearmaidas' or 'New New Armaidas' was considered inelegant]) - was formally re-established on the same day of the Sacking in 881. Conscious of this anniversary, part of the re-establishment involved burning an effigy of Leth Bloodaxe as a symbolic revenge for the burning of the city. The burning prompted an enthusiastic response from the city's new residents, with the crowd jeering at the effigy and cheering as it was set ablaze.
The burning of a Leth effigy was initially planned to be a one-time event, but the act was very popular with the city's residents. The following year, on the anniversary of the Razing, there was no Leth effigy in the official ceremony. The year after that, the anniversary was interrupted by the arrival of three separate Leth effigies that citizens had cobbled together, which were burned in unison to the joy of the populace. Over the following years, and especially as memories of the Sacking of Nearmaidas faded, the number of Leth effegies appearing at the anniversary multiplied and multiplied, until in some ways they became the focus of the event.
In modern times, the Torching of Leth is a vibrant festivity, with the elites and artisans of Medaris competing to create the most impressive, imposing, and creative effigies to burn on the day. Traditionally the burning is held at sunset, however only the city's official effigy may be burned within Medaris's walls, for understandable safety reasons. Conveniently, the festivity is held in the middle of the traditional sugarcane-burning season, so sugarcane planters near Medaris often reserve spots in their fields for renting out to effigy-makers. The celebration is also treated like a town fete, with many games and market stalls taking place in the town during the day. There is no prize for the greatest effigy, but nobles, merchants, and artisans do compete for the prestige of drawing the most attention to their own. At sunset, revellers will venture out of the city's walls to jeer at the effigies of Leth, then cheer and party as they burn down. Though it has strayed far from its intended scope and purpose, the Torching of Leth is a beloved celebration in the city, with the most dedicated crafters planning next year's effigy as soon as the festivities die down.