Festival of the Mid-Winter Moons

The year 199 M.E. occured during the first part of Zanji Roncrys's reign over Telshia and was the last year of the 2^nd century of the Modern Era. It was not a good year.
A blight ravaged the Keo Reki and destroyed most crops grown there. It was a strange blight that appeared as dark, green, glowing pustules on the leaves of the plants. These pustules would grow and swell till they burst, releasing infectious light-red spores and a noxious sulfury scent. The infected leaves disintegrated into a green slime, and the plant died within two weeks. Anyone who spent too much time in the fields breathing in the noxious air and spores would develop blisters in their lungs. Most recovered with diminished lung capacity, but death was not rare.
The combined efforts of farmers, Druids of The Demiurge, apothecaries, alchemists, and even a few wizards were unable to do more than slow its distructive force. In the end, acres of farmland in the reki was burned in an attempt to stop the blight and preserve the remaining harvests for the winter.

"I ain't never seen nothing like it, and I been farming the land for 70 years."
"I think one of them Druids pissed off The Demiurge. Blights just don't infect crops like this"
"I think it's them damn wizards. Make enough deals with evil ones, eventually they come expecting their due."
"Yeah, we should throw them all into the burning crops. Damn wizards. Do you think we have enough for the winter?"
"No. I been farming for 70 years. I can say with certainty that we don't."
"Shit."
"Yep."

— Farmers

As summer gave way to autumn, it became apparent to everyone that there would not be enough food for the winter. Everyone rushed to the forests surrounding Telshia to gather and hunt what they could. As the forests are largely untamed wilds, little was to be found by many Telshians except death or, worse, corruption by the Fey and Abyssal creatures that lived there.

"Mommy?"
"Yes, Likezny, what is it?"
"Is that daddy come back from the forest? He's walking funny."
"Why, Yes! Hopefully he will have... Juso, is everything ok?"
*Gurgling sounds*
"Likezny?"
"Yes, Momma?
"RUN!"

As autumn gave way to winter, full larders gave way to empty stomachs. Adding to the burden that Telshia bore that year, it was a particularly brutal winter. Telshians began to die in the streets from starvation, cold, or both. Many began to murmur about the end of days. Crowds gathered around the castle and in the temples, pleading to others to alleviate their suffering.
The Doki was not deaf to the suffering of her citizens. By mid-winter, her Nyii Vitaayiiba were advising her that a dramatic course of action was necessary to stave off further deaths. So, she declared that there would be a celebration during the week of the two full moons in Jaivikii. She opened up the castle grounds and ordered the castle forests to be cleared for the celebration. For the entire week, she fed the citizens and allowed them to take the felled wood back home to heat their homes. Many lives were saved that year and many lives were lost that year. The celebration, The Festival of the Two Moons, remained, however, as both a memory to those fallen and a testament to the mercy of the doki.
As the years pass, the festival changed. It is still in the month of Jaivikii, but now lasts from dusk the day before the moons are full till dawn the day after. The Doki still opens up the castle grounds, but doesn't clear the forests. There are celebrations, music, merchants, and much revelry. The Doki feeds them on the night of the two full moons, meaning that many still attend the celebration even during the coldest of winters

Primary Related Location

Telshai