|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||
SEARCHTOOLBOX |
ViewsTime, seasons, and holidaysFrom BrWiki(Redirected from Festival)
BRCS:Chapter four/Gods and religion » Time, seasons, and holidays
Time is measured differently depending on where in Cerilia one happens to be. The Brecht measure time by tide and moon, while the Khinasi track the passage of days, months and years by the position of the sun. The Vos generally don’t care about the days or months – they measure time by the naming of the years, with the first snowfall after a brief summer beginning a new year. One of the lasting legacies of the Anuirean Empire is the standardization that it brought to the realms in its far-reaching domain. Although most regions of Cerilia still maintain a local calendar, scholars consider the Anuirean calendar to be the standard for marking the passage of time. Anuireans base their calendar on the orbit of the moon and the movement of the constellation of Haelyn, the protector. The Anuirean Book of Days defines twelve months to a year, four weeks to a month, and eight days to a week. A year has 388 days. The four annual days not part of any month have become times to celebrate and reflect. These days fall upon the vernal equinox (The Day of Rebirth), the Summer solstice (The Night of Fire, when a show of falling stars results from the annual passage through a meteor belt), the autumnal equinox (The Veneration of the Sleeping), and the winter solstice (The Eve of the Dead).
The crown of gloryThe noble warrior god Haelyn is the protector and brother to Roele, the founder of the Anuirean Empire. Naturally, the astronomers based in the City of Anuire in those long-ago days chose the constellation of Haelyn to help them measure time. This constellation, six stars high, looks like a warrior en garde and is fully visible from southern Anuire at the summer solstice. With each passing month after this solstice, one star slips below the southern horizon. When the last star – Haelyn's head, or the Crown of Glory – falls beneath the horizon, the Eve of the Dead has come. Haelyn's constellation hides only for the single night of the winter solstice, but it's a night of frantic prayer, for many fear that influence of the Shadow World grows strongest when Haelyn's constellation does not watch over his people. Of course, Anuireans living farther north must endure even more time away from Haelyn's gaze (and longer nights). As protection from the Shadow World, people in the north also venerate other deities, particularly Erik patron of the Rjurik and Ruornil, ancient foe of the evils of the Shadow World.
MonthsThe 12 months of the Anuirean calendar begin with the Day of Rebirth, the vernal equinox. The month Sarimiere is the first of the new year, followed by Taelinir, then Roelir. After Haelyn’s Festival, the month of Haelynir begins. Anarire and Deismir (named after the battle of Deismaar, final battle of the Shadow war, also known as the Gods War) follow in succession, with the Veneration of the Sleeping next. Erntenir, the month of harvest leads to Sehnir, then Emmanir, just before the Eve of the Dead. Then comes the coldest month, Keltier which flows into Faniele, then Pasiphel, and again to the Day of Rebirth.
DaysAnuireans devote six days of the week's eight days to work, giving over the remainder to rest and leisure. Poorer Anuireans can rarely afford such luxury and work seven days although the clergy generally demand that all master give at least one days rest to all men so that they may tend to the condition of their soul. The days, from works beginning to rest’s end, are: Firlen, Relen, Dielen, Varilen, Branlen, Barlen, Mierlen, and Taelen (called Thelen in the south west of Anuire). Taelen is called God’s day by many and is the traditional day for church services and important weddings and announcements.
Tabular layout of the months and seasons
Other festivalsMany festivals and holidays are observed across Cerilia, many of these are religious in nature, others do not relate specifically to religion and are instead considered cultural.
|
