Spring Festival QCC Event Date:
Friday April 18th - Saturday April 26th by Midnight
Please contact Madje
(SN: "Askavinge") to perform your dice rolls!
All written submissions
should be sent to CrowseacianZeal(at)aol.com.
Visit Crowsea (separate site)
April, the Month of BloomingApril 1st: Tree FestivalApril 7th: Flower FestivalApril 14th: Herb FestivalApril 21nd: Fruit Festival
April 20th: Full Moon, Revel Begins
April 26th: Spring Festival Party
April 28th: Month of Blooming Festival
May 6th: Beginning of Zomier (Summer)
May 16th: Mid-Spring Revel Begins
In March, on the Equinox, Werdante' celebrates the coming of Spring and the
awakening of the Goddess to the world after Her slumber. With Spring's glorious arrival, the Goddess' Consort Festivals will begin in
Crowsea to honor the Sun God as he rises from the Autumnlands and reunites with the Goddess to bring life and
fertility to the lands once more. The last of
the Winter's preserves, canned goods, and dried foods are eaten,
homes are opened up to the fresh air and swept out, folded charms
written with colorful ink containing wishes, paper play money, and invitations for the
good luck spirits to bless their homes, businesses, groves of trees,
and fields are strung about. The planting of crops begins with
offerings of incense, blood-letting rituals, and prayers to the Goddess and Consort for a fertile growing season and good harvest are given. Older traditions include the owners of
land to participate in rutting amidst their plots of land to attract
fertility, as well, and many bless the home doing much the same to
attract luck and prosperity.
Each week a particular plant
is celebrated for their importance and role in the lives of people
everywhere - life-giving trees, ornamental flowers, medicinal herbs,
delicious and bountiful fruits and vegetables - followed by the last
week being dedicated to all plants together in one final joyous
occasion. All of Crowsea comes together upon May 16th to celebrate
and partake of the Revel, comparable to Bealtaine, which lasts until May's first Full Moon, marking the time between MidSping and MidSummer's Eve. Unlike Bealtaine, bonfires are are lit each month during the Revels to purify and cleanse the lands and its people, as well as to remind all of the balance of life and death, sacrifice and travail to achieve one's goals. Leaping through the bonfires are considered a particularly spiritual ritual, as well as proving ones fearlessness and courage, but it is a custom reserved for those who have come of age and are at the prime of their life - or the truly wild and reckless. For everyone attending, there is a circle formed of two rows of bonfires numbering thirteen to symbolize the twelve-and-three-quarters lunar months of the year*, with space between to form a path. The inner circle of six fires are built closely together to form one immense blaze, while the exterior seven are placed far enough a part to comfortably walk without fear of being burned Lissewiez (Light-wise/clockwise) for blessings of healing, good fortune, and fertility, or Verdwiez (Darkwise) for protection, guidance, and casting off negative aspects. Offerings of material objects, food, and wine and spirits are thrown into the heart of the bonfire, as well as prayers and wishes to the Gods, as well as the occasional firecracker, firework, or smokebomb just for fun.
For the younger generation, the Spring and Summer Revels
offer a chance to renew their vigor, work off the inactivity and chill
of winter, and meet with old friends or make new acquaintances.
Garlands are made for women and men alike with the blooming flowers of
the Spring season with strands of ivy and gaily colored satin ribbons.
Narcissus, Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinth, Muscari, Chamaelaucium, Lily of
the Valley, Genista, Lilac, Cherry Blossom, and Viburnum are
particularly utilized in decorations. Flower blossoms are strung from
chains of gold, white gold, silver, or steel and made into dangling
hair ornaments for the Ladies, which when worn on the right cheek or
side symbolizes her as being available for courtship. As Avatars of the Goddess, Ladies may choose among any of the unpromised men, who wear a single blossom of their choice behind their right ear to show they are available as their temporary (or, in some cases, permanent, if their union proves fruitful) Consort. A man may also ask a Lady if she would accept him as her Consort at any time, but this is unusual in matriarchal Thellacian customs.
Please sign the Guestbook with your name and QCC House or Independent affiliation to be counted for participation, and to earn 75 quest coins from the QCC Main Bank!
Leave a comment on this Event and earn 50 more quest coins from Madje himself as an added bonus and as a token of his appreciation!
*Note: On the continent of Thelli, the Lunar calendar is used, and each month consists of 28 days, or 28 days plus one extra.
