Ithlor’s Birthday Ritual

History

One of the oldest rituals in Ithlor (one of the 4 Regions of Adhonaglamar) is the Birthday Ritual. Being the Region of Spring, a birthday was considered a renewal, a fresh start in someone's life. In the past centuries the original ritual has slowly evolved from a very nature-inspired celebration to the more common form of societal festivities that are held throughout Adhonaglamar in celebration of a birthday. While the old customs have been let go off in most of the Region, some of the more remote villages near the outskirts of Ithlor still maintain the old traditions to this day.

Execution

The Birthday Ritual as it was originally performed signified the new beginning someone was offered every year. Past mistakes or woes were ritually forgiven or put behind, while at the same time hope and well wishes were extended to that person for a prosperous coming year.
Since Ithlor's history is highly intertwined with Spring, the season where nature shakes off the past year and starts fresh, the ritual reenacted this transition.
The person who's birthday it was would don a specially died robe. Initially bright white to represent the ice cold waters of winter, it would turn a bright and diverse pallet of green when in contact with water.
On the eve of the birthday, the robed celebrant would be handed sealed pieces of parchment or small wooden sculptures from the other residents of the village. These represented their grievances with the celebrant or the misfortunes he/she suffered in the past year.
The celebrant would get onto a wooden raft covered with turf and firewood and the raft was towed into the center of a nearby lake or pool. There he/she would spend the night, surrounded by the water (symbolizing winter) and contemplating the past year.
At dawn, the celebrant would pile up the pieces of parchment and sculptures in the middle of the raft and light it on fire, after which he/she would dive into the water and swim back to shore. During the swim the white robe would change colour.
The villagers, awaiting the celebrant at the shore, would see him/her emerge from the water all robed in hues of green. The village elder would then place a wreath of colourful flowers on his/her head.
To finish the ritual and the transition from winter to spring, from the previous year to the new year in the celebrant's life, the celebrant would then take place on a wooden chair surrounded by small firepits. The villagers would gather around them and would use large fans or bellows to blow hot air towards the celebrant, slowly driving away the water. At the same time they would expres their wishes and hopes for the celebrant in this new year of their life.
Once fully dry (the process symbolizing Spring's Air driving away Winters Water), the rest of the day was spent in feasting and celebrating.
In most of Ithor, the lengthy and sometimes harsh process (e.g. when performing the ritual in the middle of winter, with the pools and lakes being freezing cold) has been replaced by more symbolic gestures. Yet some still follow the old ways.