The Challenge of the Longest Day

Celebrated on High Sommar, the feast day of Mastro, the Challenge of The Longest Day is an event that stretches from dawn until dusk. In the spirit of friendly competition and to mark the middle of the year, the event goes from the first light of dawn until last light of sunset.

History

The tradition began with the Watch of the Eternal Flame, but since grown to those outside the militant faith. A quarrel between two of its paladins had been brewing for some time, trying to prove who was the superior athlete. Hoping to put the matter to bed and provide some handy morale for his members, the Colonel of the group proposed a challenge. The two were to engage in a grueling fitness test that would begin at dawn and go until one of the two dropped out. The initial challenge contained a swim at the break of dawn in the river that ran through the town, from one end to the other. Kalisthenics, a race through the town, strength tests, wrestling, dueling, and more followed. Surprised that both of his men were still engaged past his plan, the Colonel had to get creative, calling on the villagers for input as well as resources. What had become a morale event for the Watch had turned into a spectacle for the entire town, that didn't end until sunset. Neither man had given up, though each had made clear victories against the other through the day. Having seen the others capabilities, the two buried the hatchet, and were all the more respected by both their fellow Watchmen and the town as a result.

Having been so entertaining in the seeminly quaint town, a more structured event was held the following year on High Sommar, as a challenge for all members of the watch. Again, the friendly competition grew the attention of the whole town. Opening the invitation to the public the next year as a means to hopefullly lead more to enter the Watch of the Eternal Flame, the challenge had quickly become a yearly tradition. The event would spread through to nearby cities and villages, both by the Watchmen and the village spectators, and as it did, the event took on a notably less martial tone and scope to encourage greater participation by the regular populace.

Execution

Because this is a regional event, rather than sanctioned by the church, individual areas have their own flavors of the execution of the Longest Day Challenge.
One of the few commonalities is that all those who wish to participate must be present in one location before dawn. As the light breaks, the designated judge or organizer leads the contestants and any audience in the ritualistic morning prayer to Mastro. It is only after the prayer is concluded that the participants are given their challenge, as a means to prevent cheating or unfair advantages. For challenges involving non-Watchmen, the competition most typically involves some form of an art or profession, where contestants are given from dawn until dusk to create an artistic work of their choice that satisfies a prompt. At sunset, the challenge concludes, and the participants are encouraged to view the work of others. In the spirit of the original event, no winner or loser is declared, providing all an opportunity to see their own strengths and limitations relative to others.

Observance

The daily rites of Mastro are spoken as a group to mark the beginning and end of the competition. As the challenge takes place on the feast day of Mastro, High Sommar, there are typically celebrations and observances occurring concurrently with the Longest Day Challenge. In towns and cities where Mastro devotion is high, it is common for spectators and churchgoers alike to prepare food in accordance with the feast day to share with participants, who are often too occupied to cook for themselves.

Related Organizations

• The Watch of the Eternal Flame

In the town of Desta, where the Challenge began, the original form of the competition is maintained. The Colonel was an immaculate note-taker, and so a record of every competition was documented. Watchmen traveling to Desta solely to subject themselves to this annual competition has become something of a pilgrimage in its own way. Most fail to complete the challenge, a testament to the capabilities of the original two men, but making the journey and willing to test ones self in this way is respected by those in the know of this still unsanctioned event.