Landing Day
Landing Day is a national celebration held in The Kingdom of the Swadians to mark the anniversary of the landing the the Swadians themselves on the West coast of the continent of Calradia. Whereas it is still a closely guarded secret as to why exactly the Swadians left their homeland across The Leviathan's Sea, they immediately went about making Calradia their permanent home upon their arrival. Since then they have built themselves a kingdom, carved out of what used to be the westernmost lands of The Calradian Empire. For the nobility of the kingdom, who know themselves to be the TRUE Swadians, the day is a celebration of all that they have accomplished together, and a time to look forward to a strong future. However, to the peasantry it is simply a chance to enjoy themselves while they have the chance.
At the same time, this traditional celebration is also used as a chance to re-affirm the fealty of vassals to their lieges in a continuous line from every serf, all the way up to the king. The re-affirmation of fealty is a ceremony held as the only truly formalized part of Landing Day celebrations, and must be completed with all reasonable haste.
Execution
Landing Day is considered a no-working holiday, and so even the lowly peasantry are offered the chance to take a break for the day to enjoy themselves. The only truly organized aspect of the day is the "Swearing of the oaths of fealty", during which the heads of every peasant family have to kneel before their local lord (usually in a keep's hall or a central town square) and re-affirm their oaths of fealty. The ceremony has the heads of the families organize themselves by wealth and status, and kneel, only to be raised to their feet by the hand of their lord lifting them (only after swearing of course).
Upon raising their subordinates to their feet, the lords will say in the old Swadian language the Calradic equivalent of "arise friend, I accept your fealty with open hands, and will strike our enemies with closed ones".
This process is repeated from the local lord to their own liege, to their liege, all the way up to the King themselves.
Once this formality is complete, the celebrations can truly begin. Celebrations range widely depending on the lord and location within the Kingdom. Some Lords see this as a chance to gain loyalty from their subjects, and will pay for extravagant food and entertainment, while others will do nothing and celebrate only among their noble colleagues.
Observance
Landing Day is observed every year on Hyson the 32nd.
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