The Coalescence
Once per year the The Shards of Kradul, the shattered moon of Elturia, come together in a massive spectacle in the night sky of Elturia. This event marks the beginning of the Elturian calendar, and start a string of celebrations throughout the region. Scholars and researchers are baffled as to how this happens, and many within the Reliquary spend the night of the Coalescence sequestered in labs trying to understand the nature of the event. The common belief is that The Coalescence serves as a reminder of Skir and Hunin's sacrifice for their world. The Coalescence is a celebration of life and renewal within the lands of Elturia.
Observance
Each group within Elturia observes their own customs with the celebration of the Coalescence.Thundermoot
The people of Paecdran - The Northern Tribes, meet at the large plateau in the center of their lands, a few days ride west of Frarhir. A large obelist sits at the center of this plateau that the people of the tribes decorate with the best hides that they have gathered throughout the year. For the day leading up to the Coalescence the chiefs and shamans of each tribe gather around the massive obelisk and perform a 12 hour chant that gradually crescendos until the shards come together. After the tribes feast and party for 3 days. Within those three days, there are games and other feats that the northern tribes compete with one another in.Erumalda
The elves of Erumalda observe the coalescence in a night of solemn reflection. The night brings many mixed feelings, seemingly a symbol of loss but also of hope. Maldans will gather underneath the boughs of Erumalda and light a multitude of small candles throughought the village. They sing the songs they remember of home and family, and a few knew songs that arose within Elturia. After the Coalescence they return home to spend a quiet night with their families. Their people crossed through the portal into Elturia on a Coalescent night, so they give thanks for their survival, but when Kradul breaks apart again it reminds them of the loss of their home so long ago.Elturians
The people that call one of the Elturian holds their home will often harken back to the ancestral ways of celebrating the Coalescence, much like the stonekin of the northern tribes. There will be games, contests, singing, and feasts. However, the royalty of the Elturian Kingdom will make the long trek up to the Star Reach Peaks, along with the Wolf Guard. The Arkine have a strange reaction to the Coalescence and must be seperated from the rest of the city. The Wolf Guard and the royal line perform a ritual at the top of the peaks. Sacrificing a small amount of blood as a tithe to Yera (see The Hlutlir), to continue the pact between the wolf guard and the royal line. The two groups will fall into a deep slumber as the Wolf Guard take the members of the royal line into the dream world to witness omens of the coming year.
Important Locations
Related Organizations
What a beautiful phenomenon by which to mark a new year! Are there places of the world that can't see The Coalescence (and if so, how do they mark their calendar)?
Thank you for the kind words!! Most of the world is currently unexplored, so the people of this region would be unaware of how other regions mark their calendars. However, large surges of wild magic or other effects occur around the Coalescence. So I would imagine that other places might realize they occur once a year, and use those as the marking of the calendar! I would consider creating cultures that mark the calendar in different ways, and at different points, however, that gets hard to track for me! Haha