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Stardragon Holidays (Festival of the Painted Night)
8 years ago
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Festival of the Painted Night (Jo'Arca specific holiday) The entire fourth week of January
Primarily a weaver festival, this holiday occurs in the most northern/southern regions of Jo'Arca as during this week the night skies are illuminated with colourful displays of light (basically like aurora borealis) and many stardragons believe that this is the time in which Yvonne is most influential. While the monasteries of the region tend to dedicate this time to prayers and humble worship, the more general populace of local villages have taken to hosting a week-long festival as well as a large art merchant bazaar due to the large crowd that tends to migrate to the poles to witness the sight Because of this, the event has attracted many tradesmen and craftsmen who now see the holiday as THE opportunity to display their wares to a world-wide audience. Due to the distance, it isn't uncommon for some merchants to travel to the southern bazaar one year and then to the northern bazaar next year.
The bazaar itself is a unique phenomenon in that there is no actual city the event is located in since the holiday occurs simultaneously in both northern and southern regions...and for the most part the areas are not inhabited save for small villages and monastic shrines. Instead, weeks before the event many weavers and locals spend time carving and using magic to create a temporary city made out of ice and snow and tents. As such, the location is never quite in the same place twice. While the majority of buildings are often simple igloos, some of the more elaborate constructs are in a sense art unto themselves. Regardless, the various white buildings of snow are considered a spectacle of themselves as they catch the various lights from the sky above and mirror the shimmering effects.
Due to the cold nature of this holiday and its location, a lot of the festival is focused on the selling of pre-made artistic wares and small indoor performances...as well as many small food bazaars that give folks excuses to constantly duck in and out of buildings to keep warm. While many find the idea of staying in tiny igloos part of the charm and appeal of the holiday, the more cosmopolitan and cold intolerant usually are able to find the doors of the local villagers open to guests as many will turn spare rooms into bed and breakfasts for travelers as the holiday brings in business to the nearby communities.
A sacred holiday to the weavers, they feel it is a sign of good fortune to be able to stand under the sky of Yvnonne's blessing and a time of safe travels and one of the few events that open their doors to shooters...albeit carefully and usually under a watchful eye of the weavers. While most of shooter society turns their nose at the idea, quite a few craftsman cannot resist the opportunity to try to flaunt their races 'superior' artistic endeavors...if not outright steal concepts and bring them back to their capitol and claim them as their own designs. Many locals feel it is a holiday dedicated artistic endeavors and togetherness and community, an opportunity to see the various cultures of Jo'Arca come together through their hand-made works of art and foods and hospitality.
Inversely, the fishers also hold the fourth week of January in special regard as to them its the event of "The stupid lights in the sky cause the Ourrou to go into their breeding season and mess up everything" and likely the reason the rest of the stardragon world consider it a time of safe travel is often due to the fishers being too occupied with trying to stop the Ourrou from trying to mate with their houses that they have little time to bother with their land-dwelling relatives. Needless to say, the fishers are less impressed by this event and do not really consider it a holiday so much a blight on their society.
Primarily a weaver festival, this holiday occurs in the most northern/southern regions of Jo'Arca as during this week the night skies are illuminated with colourful displays of light (basically like aurora borealis) and many stardragons believe that this is the time in which Yvonne is most influential. While the monasteries of the region tend to dedicate this time to prayers and humble worship, the more general populace of local villages have taken to hosting a week-long festival as well as a large art merchant bazaar due to the large crowd that tends to migrate to the poles to witness the sight Because of this, the event has attracted many tradesmen and craftsmen who now see the holiday as THE opportunity to display their wares to a world-wide audience. Due to the distance, it isn't uncommon for some merchants to travel to the southern bazaar one year and then to the northern bazaar next year.
The bazaar itself is a unique phenomenon in that there is no actual city the event is located in since the holiday occurs simultaneously in both northern and southern regions...and for the most part the areas are not inhabited save for small villages and monastic shrines. Instead, weeks before the event many weavers and locals spend time carving and using magic to create a temporary city made out of ice and snow and tents. As such, the location is never quite in the same place twice. While the majority of buildings are often simple igloos, some of the more elaborate constructs are in a sense art unto themselves. Regardless, the various white buildings of snow are considered a spectacle of themselves as they catch the various lights from the sky above and mirror the shimmering effects.
Due to the cold nature of this holiday and its location, a lot of the festival is focused on the selling of pre-made artistic wares and small indoor performances...as well as many small food bazaars that give folks excuses to constantly duck in and out of buildings to keep warm. While many find the idea of staying in tiny igloos part of the charm and appeal of the holiday, the more cosmopolitan and cold intolerant usually are able to find the doors of the local villagers open to guests as many will turn spare rooms into bed and breakfasts for travelers as the holiday brings in business to the nearby communities.
A sacred holiday to the weavers, they feel it is a sign of good fortune to be able to stand under the sky of Yvnonne's blessing and a time of safe travels and one of the few events that open their doors to shooters...albeit carefully and usually under a watchful eye of the weavers. While most of shooter society turns their nose at the idea, quite a few craftsman cannot resist the opportunity to try to flaunt their races 'superior' artistic endeavors...if not outright steal concepts and bring them back to their capitol and claim them as their own designs. Many locals feel it is a holiday dedicated artistic endeavors and togetherness and community, an opportunity to see the various cultures of Jo'Arca come together through their hand-made works of art and foods and hospitality.
Inversely, the fishers also hold the fourth week of January in special regard as to them its the event of "The stupid lights in the sky cause the Ourrou to go into their breeding season and mess up everything" and likely the reason the rest of the stardragon world consider it a time of safe travel is often due to the fishers being too occupied with trying to stop the Ourrou from trying to mate with their houses that they have little time to bother with their land-dwelling relatives. Needless to say, the fishers are less impressed by this event and do not really consider it a holiday so much a blight on their society.
