Gealaí Festival

History

The Gealaí Festival's beginnings are shrouded in myth and legend, but it has been around as long as the people of Peregrine can remember. It is always held on the single day of the year when one of Casimira's floating islands comes overhead to eclipse the moon as it travels across the sky. The festival is said to be a reminder of the Great Calamity and to enjoy the beauty of the world.

The festival is particular to the people of Peregine, as the moon is only hidden by the island when viewed from central Peregrine, particularly in the Belina Caverns.

Execution

The participants meet in the Belina Caverns of central Peregrine, in the largest of them that has an opening to the sky. During the night, the moon passes overhead and fills the cavern and the pool within with light. Shortly after, one of the floating islands passes overhead, plunging the entire cavern into darkness aside from a small amount of bioluminescent moss on the walls.

Using only the moss as their guide, the people make their way out of the caverns and onto the plains, where they light fires that have been prepared. Here, each person will place a piece of art they have created over the past year into the fire to symbolize the release of past creations and to welcome new ones. Once the fires go out, ashes are distributed to each person to use as a basis for the new year's artwork.

Components and tools

The main components needed for the festival are provided by the individual and include food, drink, a portion of firewood, and a piece of art they have been working on throughout the year. The art itself ranges from painting to weaving, woodcarving to leatherwork. The only stipulation is that it must be able to burn in the fires and be a large enough piece that it can be created over the course of a year.

Often a group will pool resources to bring a larger amount of food and drink to share, so the meal following the burning of their art turns into a large feast. Leftover food is given to the current ruling clan as an offering to support their health and vitality over the coming year. However, as the people of Peregrine are generally not very wasteful, there is usually not enough food for the entire clan and has become more of a symbolic gesture than actual provisions.

Participants

All the people of Peregrine are invited to attend the Gealaí Festival and clans will help each other in the weeks before and after to ensure that all those who are able to travel may attend. What little ceremony is involved will be led by the leaders of each clan, but primarily each person is responsible for their own celebration.

Observance

The Gealaí Festival takes place every spring on the third full moon of the season. However, the typical infighting amongst clans throughout the year is put on hold for the two weeks before and after the festival, to allow everyone to travel to central Peregrine and return safely home.

Primary Related Location

Peregrine