Calling of the Wisps

During late winter, when days are just beginning to grow longer, groups gather together to celebrate the calling of the wisps. It is a rather private practice, for the participant's own safety more than anything. Being a form of worship to the Grey Lady Death, a elder deity with a reputation that is feared or even hated, her followers as such lay low.

Purpose

The main purpose of the calling of the wisps other than fellowship and exchange of news is to attract lost souls lingering in the mortal plane and send them on the the afterlife.

History and Significance

The festivals first written references show up in the mid-transient era, when the ancestors of the present peoples of Avermundi were gaining enough stability and wealth to spend more effort on recording their practices. But, there is evidence in regional legend that suggests the festival was practiced in some from even as far back as the age of calamity and desolation. It is considered a highly important practice for followers of the Grey Lady, many traveling to celebrate in a large group if they are capable. This however poses a risk to the group as the amount of lost spirits that can be attracted, especially after a battle or other disaster. The reason for this danger does not come from the spirits themselves as you might expect, but instead the risk of attracting an unfriendly cleric or paladin that would kill the festival goers for practicing necromancy. Whether the ritual is indeed necromancy is up for debate even among the Grey Lady's own followers.

Timing and Practice

The festival is set during late winter in northern climes and late summer in the southern ones, during the time when the sibling moons of Avermundi are taking their yearly dance to trade paths and as such distracted from harassing any souls called in from beyond their trail around Avermundi.
Preparations for the festival start at least the day beforehand, preferably sooner, to ensure there is enough food and lodging for guests, expected and otherwise. Bedding is brought out and snow is scraped off paths or brush cut from overgrown lanes to help guests find their way. Lanterns and other lights are set out on poles and tables to help lost souls find the festival and light up the area and a bonfire is often employed to ward off wild animals. A large amount of food is prepared for a dinnertime feast before the more ritualistic part of the festival begins oftentimes hearty cheap meals mixed with treats that aren't made often share a table, guests often bring provisions as well to lighten the host's load and ensure no one goes hungry. On the evening before the festival all the participants bring out their own night shawl, a long black garment adorned with black and grey feathers, to check it over for large holes or rips and repair it if needed. If anyone is a new follower of the Grey Lady they are given a cloak, of which the host or an annual guest has a few. Dinner is then served, everyone passing around dishes and trading tales and laughs. The festival is time for celebration for lost souls may find peace in the afterlife.
After dinner things may become more solemn as news is exchanged and events are discussed, oftentimes news of deaths in guests personal lives are announced. Myths of the Grey Lady are told and as night falls things turn to games and conversation to stay awake until The Calling is finished. The Calling of the wisps itself begins as the moons begin to twirl around one another, everyone comes outside if they weren't already and gather together, wrapped in their Night Shawl. Then The Calling actually begins, some sing, some pray, some even dance to call in lost spirits while shaking rattles and tapping on drums. All in all they make quite a bit of noise to call in the spirits. Sometimes spirits are seen, oftentimes they are not but this does not hinder the dedication of the Grey Lady's followers for they do not follow the Grey Lady to feel like a hero for sending off lost souls. After the moons have finished their dance hearth ash is strewn across the step and everyone goes to bed. The next day a simple cleansing ritual is preformed before breakfast, more hearth ash is strewn about and any remaining spirits are told to leave for this is a house of the living and nothing dead shall touch it. Then, everyone gradually parts ways over the next few days and the festival is over.