Day of Shadow

Stories and Eclipses

A dark shadow covers the earth, turning the pristine white of the snow into a shadowy grey. For a moment, the temperature begins to drop, fires springing to life as those that have been watching the sky prepare to combat the chill that comes with this moment. A thin halo of light is all that can be seen in the sky as the moon eclipses the sun, leaving shadow in its wake.
For many, this was the day they had been waiting for, preparing treats and special drinks for the one day a year that darkness struck early. It was a religious experience, watching the sun disappear for a moment, replaced by the color-changing moon. Many believed it to be a display by the Dragons of the "Metallic Council", others still believed it to be a sign from the gods. Either way, the eclipsing became an honored tradition, one that would stand the test of millennia.
The Day of Shadow started as a simple mistake, a misunderstanding of the event occurring in the sky. With the winding explanations of the Centaurs, it became a day of tradition, one of stories and myths told around a campfire as the sky darkened too early in the day to signal night. This is the day the ghost stories of the Northerners come to be heard, under the canopy of a shadowed sky.

History

The Day of Shadow originally started as a group of Knights were sleeping on duty at the Northern Lookout Tower and assumed that the sun had gone out when they awoke in the middle of the day and it was dark. In their fear, they sent word to Yllvalion, but before anyone could read their message, the city became chaos as most of the residents believed they were being attacked by the Giants.
After the chaos was calmed and the leader of the keep had regained some semblance of order, the confusion was sorted and all involved were able to laugh at what had occurred. Conversing with the Centaurs, those of Yllvalion learned that eclipses in the northern reaches of Vóreios near the Neither Tundra often behaved differently than in other locales due to the amount of sunlight those areas received throughout the year.
The day of the eclipse eventually became a day of celebration and story once the Centaurs agreed to help predict these events for the Northern Outposts. The sorceress of the Ylyndar Clan organized the first day of storytelling on an eclipse day in the Ylmaris Citadel, but the celebration has expanded to storytelling around lit fires in the courtyards and streets of Yllvalion.

Participants

People travel from throughout the Northern Outposts and the Elven Forest to partake in this event as the eclipse is best seen in the areas on the edge of the Neither Tundra. It is often a day off for those that are part of the Knights of Yggdrasil, so it is an event as widely participated in as Snowfell.

Observance

There is no specific date for the Day of Shadow as eclipses are not consistent. The Centaurs assist by studying the stars and learning when an eclipse will happen. On the day of the eclipse, fire pits are set throughout the streets and courtyards of Yllvalion, preparing to be lit when the eclipse happens.
Once the fires are lit, people sit around the fires and share ghost stories or stories of deeds long past. It is a time to relax and spend time with loved ones, friends, and others through stories. Many times, shopkeepers from throughout the city will prepare special drinks and food for the event, which are dependant upon the time of year.

Lunar Eclipse

Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash

Commonly, the Day of Shadow takes place on the day of a solar eclipse, but there have been instances throughout history that the event has taken place at night during a lunar eclipse. In the case of a lunar eclipse, very little changes about the celebration.

Primary Related Location

Yllvalion

Related Ethnicities

• Northern Culture