Half-Year Day
Ralcondray is the most northerly of the inhabited ocean islands, and experiences significant weather changes and temperature shifts over the course of a year. For the colony of Vitgrud, struggling to survive after a devastating plague, the warm half of the year is a race to stock up enough supplies to live through the cold half, and half-year day--the autumnal equinox--is the finish line.
History
The official observance of half-year day began in the first year of Hulwif's tenure as Dancinglight, as a response to the previous disastrous winter in which most of the population suffered malnutrition and 15 people died of starvation. The measures she instituted were strict, but resulted in a surplus of food for the following winter.
Execution
Preparation for the half-year day begins at the start of the year. The water handlers take a census in order to have an accurate count of people to feed during the winter, and based on that data the Dancinglight provides each village offshoot with an estimate for the minimum quantity of food and tools that must be stored by half-year. Throughout the summer the offshoot captains report on their progress to the Dancinglight, who will reorganize work crews as necessary to meet any shortfalls. On the half-year day itself, the offshoots tally their stored supplies. The Dancinglight visits each offshoot in turn, checking the actual stores against the projected requirements. From the results, she calculates adult and child food budgets for the second half of the year.
Every five years, half-year day coincides with the end of a fivespan's Trial of Life. On those years, the tally is of less importance than the return of Vitgrud's young adults from their ritual exile. After having spent half the year building and stocking a new village offshoot, they almost always make the largest contribution to the colony's winter supplies. The Dancinglight assigns a deputy to oversee the tally, and herself leads a work crew of representatives from each offshoot in clearing a road to the new offshoot. The day ends in dancing and celebration, and is the only purely joyous festival that Vitrgud observes.
Observance
The beginning and halfway point of the year are determined by skywatchers, who track the rising and setting of stars. The two bright stars called the Guides rise simultaneously at sunset on the vernal equinox, and at sunrise on the autumnal equinox.
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments