The Feast of Stars

WIP - Summer Camp 2023

The Feast of Stars is held by northern Ilwyrikans in the depths of midwinter, when the nights are never-ending and food is scarce. After fasting for the whole day, communities gather that day's rations and come together around a roaring fire.
What makes the Feast of Stars different from any other night is that it is a meal built from the community's imagination. Whilst eating the same old winter fare, each person describes a decadent meal that they imagine they are eating instead. Sticks, stones, and bits of cloth are often spread out in a facsimile of a banquet table. Outsiders often find this tradition rather depressing, but for the communities of northern Ilwyrika this keeps them going through the rest of the winter.
Food that is eaten during the Feast of Stars includes fermented fish, strips of calorie-rich blubber from whales and seals, and a thin soup made with scraps of dried meat and fish.
The Feast of Stars has a companion festival during the brief summer, known as the Feast of the Sun. During the Feast of the Sun, communities prepare the meals described during the Feast of Stars, indulging in an evening of decadence. During the Feast of Stars, a couple of people are assigned to take note of the foods that are talked about, and also the ones who get the warmest reaction from those gathered around. There are always several dishes that will require careful planning and trading.
Pregnant women, children, and the sick and elderly are exempt from fasting in the lead up to the Feast of Stars. They are also allotted extra rations during the long winter months.
The Feast of Stars is also a time for story telling and song. Much of the night is dedicated to retelling the mythology of northern Ilwyrika.