Season change and holidays

Meraset marks its seasons by increased or decreased presence of Mist in the air. Time is based on lunar cycles, each season takes roughly 3 cycles to complete.

• Seed Moon: Low Mist, mild weather.
• Fire Moon: increasing Mist level, erratic weather (high heat/lightning storms)
• Rain Moon: average Mist, frequent rains
• Frost Moon: High Mist, coldest weather

Popular holidays:

• New Year’s: End of Frost and start of Seed, celebrates end of the harsh season and welcoming in new growth. Often involves food and drinking.
• Kore’s Day: holy day and festival, takes place on 2nd full moon of Seed and usually lasts 2 days. Rites for growth, progress, fertility, and love are performed. Dancing, music, food.
• Ayfer’s Night: holy day, first new moon of Fire. Believed to be a night of the year when the dead can walk with the living; it’s a popular practice to dress as spirits to blend with them. Other activities - rites to Ayfer for a blessing of luck, games of chance, treasure hunts/secret gifts.
• Irracca’s Hunt: holy day, last waxing moon of Rain. Popular practice is to have a tournament or varying games of strength and skill. Costumes encouraged, day ends with a feast and rite to Irracca.
• Megidda’s Vigil: holy day, first waxing crescent of Frost. Quiet meditative holiday. Families build and decorate altars in memory of the deceased, sometimes there’s food and storytelling. Rites to Megidda performed at night.
• Moon phases: less of a holiday and more of a ritual observance. Temples/shrines may hold special services, some choose to observe them in a more personal setting.
• Flower Festival: put on by Finn’s Crossing during the peak of each blooming season. Lasts a couple days, with special markets stalls, performances, and picnics in the gardens.