Founders' Day
I think one of the greatest tragedies of humans having such short lives is they forget where they come from and why. You walk the streets of Frial today and you'd think the purpose of the day is all cakes and gifts. They don't know what they're celebrating. It's a city that shouldn't be and a people that didn't have a chance in hell of making it. And yet, here they are and there Frial stands.
Founders' Day is the single largest holiday celebrated in Frial though its meaning is often forgotten or taken for granted by today's generations. It commemorates the day the surviving Balmoran refugees arrived and began rebuilding the ruins of Frial into a new city. The armies of the Shadow Court were broken during the siege of Balmoral's capital but not before sealing the fate of the sealing the fate of empire and slaying the last of the Adamantite Kings. Balmoral was dead but the fleeing Fae were not yet done taking out their pain upon the Balmorans. They put all of the colonies to the torch as they fled north to the The Autumn Queen's palace. Those that couldn't flee in time were slaughtered in the streets of their home and left to feed the flies. However, as the fleeing fae reached Frial they were being hounded on all sides by forces loyal to The Grand Concordance of Tairos. They moved through the city slaughtering everyone they could find but didn't have the time they needed to grind the colony to dust like they had with all the others.
The fae left behind pockets of survivors all over the Balmoran plains; those smart enough to flee the pogroms or those cunning enough to hide. They came from colonies far and wide with varied traditions, customs, and beliefs but the one common thread binding them together was the rumors of Frial's survival. They came together in massive refugee caravans to strike out north and reach the safety of Frial's walls. Sadly, the gulf between rumor and truth was vast. The first group of refugees arrived in the thousands and what they found was a bloody tomb rather than a functioning city. The dead were left to rot in the streets or strung up high for the crows to feast on.
This first caravan would become known as the Founders and the duty of burying the dead and washing away the blood fell on their tired hands. Once done they'd send riders back south to place way markers all along the path that leads to Frial so others can find their way. The Founders took it upon themselves to try and restore the city as best as they could, thus, those that followed would be met with something worthy of the hopes they held onto.
Modern Founders' Day
Much of the hardship and suffering endured by the original Founders has been forgotten by the average citizens of Frial who are generations removed from the exodus. Instead, it has become a week-long celebration that culminates in the actual Founders' Day celebrations. During the week of the holiday many businesses shut down or limit their hours and much of the citizenry treat the time as vacation of sorts. Food and beverage businesses ramp up production as feasting is a large part of the modern celebration. Specifically tea sommeliers, bakers, and Alcohol purveyors find themselves mired in levels of demand that are difficult to keep up with.
There is little in the way of formal practice when it comes to celebrating the week but there are a few easily recognizable fixtures that are expected by Frial's citizens. The most popular being Founders' Cakes. These donut-like confections are made by the dozen and filled with sweetened cream or jams and then have their stops sprinkled with either sugar or drizzled with honey (though powdered sugars, cinnamon, and maple syrup are growing in popularity. Chocolate would be extremely taboo however; due to the connection the sweet has with fae cuisine.) Journey Wheels are iconic as well though generally relegated to the actual Founders' Day celebration rather than during the full week. They are large pies with the crust fashioned to look like the spokes of a wagon wheel, signifying the day the Founders' first rolled into the city. These pies typically feed at least four people though individual hand pies are starting to become popular though traditionalists sneer at the idea. Purists look at apple or sweetened cheese Journey Wheels as the only "true" versions. That said, all manner of fruits and fruit blends have become Journey Wheels. More liberal bakers and historians of the holiday say that the original Founders used what they had on hand or picked along the way to the city so it would only be fitting to use a variety of ingredients all across Tairos. Most Journey Wheels tend to be sweeter and use traditional fruits and berries grown in the local farms. More exotic pies use a variety of ingredients commonly known as "Swamp Fruit" which consists of the dozens of strange melons, pommes, berries, and such found in the marshlands around Lake Bask. A small but growing trend is savory Journey Wheels filled with meats and stew ingredients, something traditionalists deeply look down upon.
Outside of food there are some common decorations and practices most citizens are used to seeing. First are Waymarker Ribbons. They can be anything from simple wooden sticks with colored cloth tied to the top all the way up to elaborately molded metal shafts with colorful silks adorning them. They are meant to signify the riders sent by the Founders who were tasked with leaving waymarkers all throughout the Balmoran Plains for other refugees to follow. These decorations will be flown from business and homes alike all throughout the week though many Waymarker Ribbon competitions occur on Founders' Day itself. The Ribbon Parade also takes place on Founders' Day where the most extravagant ones will be marched through the streets outside the Kreastos for all to see. Gifting is also common all throughout the week. Small gifts are usually peppered all through the week; typically pastries, curiosities, or small toys. Larger or more significant gifts are shared the day before Founders' Day or the morning of.
The week caps off with the Founders' Fair which is vast celebration that takes over the city center. Games, performances, and food a plenty clog the streets and celebrants revel all day and night without stopping. More family friendly activities dominate the daylight hours but as the sun dips below the horizon more mature festivities appear. Drinking, risque performances, and costume contests are just some of what can be seen. The entire week-long celebration culminates in a display of fireworks and the Kreastos leaders laying a silver brick in the main street to represent the Founders' long journey in rebuilding the city.
Components and tools
Founders Cakes, Journey Wheels, Waymarker Ribbons
Observance
The entire week in which Founders' Day takes place has become an observed holiday.
Primary Related Location
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