Days of Helī (hehl-ee)

This three-day festival takes place at the very end of the year, between winter and spring. It marks the end of the previous year and the rebirth or beginning of a new year, honoring the goddess of the dead, Helī. The festival is typically more subdued and somber than the other festivals dedicated to The Four, but some parts of the world still use this time for revelry and celebration, preferring to honor the dead by enjoying life. It is also, appropriately, the time when most scholars believe the veil between planes is thinnest, so The Watchers and other similar groups stand far more vigilant for these three days.
Regional and local customs vary widely surrounding the Days of Helī, but there are a few nearly ubiquitous practices. The priests of Helī conduct rituals and leave small trinkets on graves to keep the dead at peace, which the public is more than welcome to attend and give offerings to their own deceased ancestors. Most cultures do this with some amount of reverence and somberness, but there are a few places - Crann Riocht chief among them - that celebrate their ancestors and believe the best way to honor them is to party and tell them stories at their graves. There is usually some gathering of extended family for meals on at least one of the days, but there are no public festivals or carnivals like the other festival times. Street vendors do set up their stalls outside the cemeteries, selling various culturally appropriate trinkets for people to leave at the graves, as well as food and drink for those who travel far or stay at the cemetery longer than others.
Many locales also celebrate Olmytria during this festival period, since they also play a huge role in watching over the dead. The day is primarily dedicated to Helī, but there is enough reverence and worship for both. It is not uncommon for a priest of one to also be a follower of the other, and the two often share temple spaces in the cemeteries and mortuaries.f