The Festival of Flame

The festival of flame is held annually on the winter solistice throughout the Empire of Lumiaron. It is also a new year celebration as the year is considered to start on the day of the winter solstice. The festival consists of a fire that is laid out in the shape of a 12-spoked wheel to signify the Wheel of Life. In the center of the fire, 12 fire dancers dance the 12 dances of new life. Traditionally, a person will also carve a symbolic representation of their wish for the new year from wood. This is burned in the fire to allow the smoke to rise to the Wheel. Everyone who participates in the ritual feeds the flames of the fire with old (moldy) bread, signifying the death of the old year.

History

It was so that the Ceremony of the Darkest Night, called the Festival of Flames, was born from the tradition of the Rullara who lit a fire against the Seven Days of Darkness when winter is at its height. They would carve their wishes for the new year and cast the carving into the fire so that Ghosts would be pleased. It was not they who brought about the twelve sacrifices however. The trollkarls of the Blutben ensured that they would gather power on this night every year and they sacrificed one member of their tribe for each spoke of the Wheel. But the time came when the rechtsprechers joined with the Consang and the vile rule of the trollkarls came to an end. So it was that in remembrance, the twelve sacrifices were replaced by the twelve dancers who dance the twelve dances of the New Year. And because the Consang joined with the Tribes, the tradition of feeding the flames with the old bread to make space for the new was also included. And so we celebrate the New Year with the Festival of Flames.

Lore of the Bardic Guild

Execution

A great bonfire is laid out in the shape of a wheel with 12 spokes and the 12 dancers gather in the hub before it is lit. The Monks who guard the four cardinal points of the wheel will light the fire and start to drum on large drums made of deer hide and birch wood. Once the fire reaches the hub, the dancers light their chains from the fire and begin the twelve dances of the new year. Those celebrating the festival meditate on the old year for the first six dances. On the seventh dance, they will cast their wishes into the fire. Wishes are traditionally self-carved objects that the wishee has made. Once the wishes are burned, everyone will feed old bread to the fire while the dancing continues. By the time the twelth dance is done, the fire has burnt down to embers and the dancers leave the hub and lead the way to the feast hall where the rest of the night is spent in dancing and feasting.

Components and tools

Wishes are carved from wood and represent what the person wants to see out of the new year.

Participants

Twelve fire dancers who dance the twelve dances of the new year. Four monks to guard the cardinale points of the Wheel. In the far north, the monks are replaced by Rullara drummers of the Snow Council.

Observance

The Festival of Flames is always observed during the Winter Solistice.