Moondrop Festival

Every year during the last week of Leaffall, the Silvarra hold one of their most important holidays. After tending to the Numaralumas Tree , the Numaralumas Moondrop is ready for harvest typically in the second week of the month. After separating the fruit that will be needed throughout the year for other celebrations, the Silvarra begin preparing an assortment of dishes for this festival, where they celebrate their ties to nature and to Luunala.

History

The Moondrop Festival has been a part of Silvarran culture as far back as the Silvarra have been in Jhifae . The festival has evolved over the years, as the belief that the amount of fruit produced was a portent of the year to come, so while the occasion is a way of giving thanks to Luunala , it is also the opportunity for the Silvarra to mourn the year to come when they believe the portent is poor. This allows them to face their grief before whatever event may come so that while they are in the midst of it, they may face it with a clearer mind. Another significant change in the celebration is the amount of people that are involved. In the times before the Awenmont Empire overtook Yorespire , the festival was true to its name. These days, the celebration is contained to close family.

Execution

After the harvest during the second week of Leaffall, food is prepared for the coming days.
21 Leaffall: The first day of the celebration is one of the busiest. The familys take stock of their harvest and divvy out what will be needed for the coming year's celebrations. Typically this selection of the Moondrop is made into meads or preservatives. After this, the family will prepare a large dinner using what is left and begin eating at night fall, in order to share the bounty with Luunala . A portion of the moondrop is saved for the remainder of the festival.
22 Leaffall: Beginning at midnight, everyone will start a day long fast. During the day, each family member will take turns pruning the Numaralumas Tree to allow for new growth. During the fast, any member of the family who is 24 years of age or older, with the exception of the oldest member of the family, is expected to remain silent. The oldest member will gather the family at what would normally be breakfast, lunch, and supper times. The elder will tell tales about the Silvarran customs and traditions, often adding in their own parables and experiences as proof of their peoples stories. These tales are the sustenance for the day, and the younger family members should silently reflect on what their purpose is within the Silvarran tapestry.
23 Leaffall: Where the family did not eat or speak the day prior, for the next two days they are expected to not sleep. This is the day that the majority of the remaining harvest is consumed, to provide energy to the family. Throughout the two days, members of the family will often make visits to close friends and exchange food, help around their homes, and offer their gratitude for the friend's presence. This is to symbolize the great journey the Silvarra made all those years ago when they were forced to leave their native land and resettle, and how each person had to aid the others so that all could survive.
25 Leaffall: All family members return home by midnight and meditate on the past days. After the sun rises, they share any revelations that they have had. Each member of the family the who will be celebrating Lutana'al in the coming 13 months will leave the house for the day to meet with any close friends who will also be celebrating. They convene and discuss their goals for Lutana'al and what they hope to accomplish in their lives between that one and the next. The remaining family members prepare for the following day.
26 Leaffall: As the festival nears its end, the last feast takes place. This dinner extends beyond the immediate family to include any friends that are considered second family. Following the dinner, all members of any of these families who will be celebrating Lutana'al share with everyone in attendance the plans and goals that they had discussed with their friends the day before. As the night draws to a close, whichever family that hosted the occasion will split up and see each of the other families back to their homes. Before retiring for the night, this is the time when families who have had a poor harvest take their initial time to grieve for the coming year.
27 Leaffall: The final day of the festival does have not any major observances. This day ends the Silvarran year and is all about celebrating the coming year.

Components and tools

Numaralumas Tree  Numaralumas Moondrop

Observance

The festival always occurs in the last week of Leaffall.

Primary Related Location

Yorespire

Related Ethnicities

• Silvarra