Day of Emberfall
The Day of the Emberfall is the most widely celebrated festival among the Stoneheart Dwarves—a fiery commemoration of their most harrowing victory: the slaying of the dread Fire Dragon, Vrakorath the Infernal, during the Cataclysm of Flame. Held annually on the anniversary of Vrakorath’s fall, this day honors not only the warriors who fought in that battle, but especially Velgrin Emberhand, the ancestral spirit of fire and vengeance, whose forge-born creations helped turn the tide.
It is a day of fire, fury, remembrance, and rebirth—the moment when dwarven flame was wielded not only to destroy, but to reclaim a future.
Execution
The Ignition of the Emberpyres
At dawn, great pyres of blackwood and oil-soaked stone are lit in every major square and forge-hall of the Hold. Each flame represents a warrior who perished during the Cataclysm. Families place obsidian tokens etched with names or runes into the fire, believing the smoke carries remembrance to the ancestors.
Trial by Ember (Smith’s Contest)
Master and apprentice smiths compete to craft weapons or artifacts using fire-infused alloys, embersteel, or even draconic remains if available. The forges of the Anvil Spire roar with heat, and the greatest creation earns the Mark of Emberhand—a ceremonial rune said to bring favor from Velgrin himself.
The Reenactment of the Infernal Siege
A dramatic retelling of Vrakorath’s assault is performed in the Hall of Heroes, with dwarves garbed as defenders, dragons, and Ancestor Spirits. The climax—Velgrin’s hammer shattering Vrakorath’s horn—is met with a cheer and the lighting of the Grand Forgefire in Thronemar Hall.
Observance
- Flamebraids: Warriors braid lit strands of alchemical flame into their beards or hair for the day, symbolizing the fire of defiance.
- Molten Mead: A spiced, steaming drink poured over hot stones and shared in communal halls. Toasts are made to those who “fell into fire but rose in memory.”
- Ashmarking: Dwarves mark their foreheads with ash in the shape of their clan’s rune, honoring those who endured the dragon’s wrath.
Sacred Beliefs
- Many believe the barrier between the mortal realm and the Ancestor Halls is thinner on this day—especially near the Embergate, where Vrakorath was last seen.
- Some smith-priests claim Velgrin himself walks unseen among the forges, judging the worthy by the song of their hammer and the color of their flame.
The Day of the Emberfall is not only a celebration of survival—it is a vow renewed: that the Stoneheart Dwarves will never again be caught unprepared, that fire is theirs to wield, not fear, and that even the mightiest inferno cannot break dwarven will. It serves as a national holiday, spiritual rite, and a reminder that from ashes, steel is reborn.
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