Mystfall Timeline

This page features a timeline of events (roughly) in the Mystfall universe, as well as a calendar of known holidays for the cultures and religions of Mystfall. Please note that holidays are listed in months rather than days, to allow celebration at game that month no matter what day of the month we have booked.

Mystfall Timeline
Whoa boy this is gonna be a ride to organize.

Mystfall Calendar
The Imperial humans use the Imperial calendar (the months we are used to), but the Conthestani humans refer to each month by a feature. The Fey have picked up the Conthestani months rather than the Imperial ones, and refer to them as such.

January/Month of Ice
Fey

The Feast of All Faerie's takes place this month. This is a religious holiday celebrating Faerie, thanking her for her gifts, and returning the favour with offerings.

February/Month of Snow
Fey

The Giving of Shoes is a children's holiday where shoes are left out at night, and found filled with treats and presents the next morning.

March/Month of Rain
Fey

This month heralds the Dandelion Dance, usually once the snow has melted. It is the first dance of the year, a time of celebration, coming out of hibernation, seeing old friends again, and drunken revelry. Many find themselves drunk off dandelion wine, struggling the recall the previous night.

It is also the month of Whoopsical Day, an informal holiday of jokes and pranks.

Imperial

The end of March signals the Decline of Sim. This festival is a time of new beginnings. In the week prior to the festival, homes and businesses are cleaned from top to bottom. This can even take on an air of ritualistic cleansing/purifying of the home. The day itself is a serious moment of inner reflection. Forgiveness is asked of others for wrongs against them. It is also a traditional day for the execution of criminals.

Followed by this is the Rise of Ney. This is a joyous day. It is the beginning of the Imperial New Year. The blessing of the fields in preparation for planting highlights the morning of the festival. The afternoon is marked by community celebrations such as plays and dances. Children perform ribbon dances for their parents. Coming-of-age parties are held in the evening for children who have reached the age of 13.

April/Month of Leaves
Conthestani

Ancestor's Day. An annual day set aside in recognition of the spirits of the ancestors. It is celebrated throughout the Conthestani, but is considered a significantly more important holiday to the Skae. This is traditionally a day of storytelling, as the tales of the family’s ancestors are passed onto the next generation.

Imperial

Unity Day, A Military Celebration Day. Celebrates the unification of The Empire under various Empresses and Emperors. Typically, celebrated by Military families, Talon knights and Patriots of the Empire and used as a day off for many others. Celebrations involve food, drink, and storytelling around the glorious history of the Empire and Military exploits. One tradition within Tawdic is that bards and historians will tell taller and taller tales about The Menhaden Incident often boasting about Medaka and his genius and the foolishness of leaving the empire by Menhaden. However, this is a newer tradition and is typically done within the capital. Older Traditions focused on remembering heroes of battles past and honoring the dead lost over the winter.

May/Month of Flowers
Fey

Faerie Ring Day. A day spent tending to Faerie rings, keeping them neat and pruned. It also tends to be a day of cleaning of the household.

June/Month of Strawberries
Fey

There are three holidays this month for the Fey; Judgement Day, Rumour Day, and Elf Thumping Day.

Judgement Day is a day of getting what you deserve. Good deeds are rewarded, bad deeds are punished. Duels are often had on this day.

Rumour Day is a day for spreading and dispelling rumours.

Elf Thumping Day is an Orcish holiday in origin. Over the years, it has been adopted by all fey except the elves. The original Orc thump, consisted of a hard slap to the back. The intention was to cause a sting without lasting damage. Over the years, thumps have been expanded to include most types of practical jokes as well.

Imperial

Sidram I (also known as The First Day). This month marks the anniversary of the day Sidram I declared NOSianism to be the State-Church of the empire. The defenders of the faith (The Talon Knights and the Imperial Army) are recognized on this day. Prayers are said for their success on the battlefield and the Army often puts on marching displays for the people to watch.

Conthestani

Achievement Day. The longest day of the year, it is a day that is taken to recognize members of the communities who have made a significant contribution. These contributions can be anything from the Skae warmaster who successfully led the defence of a town, or a Pyren smith who is marking his twentieth year in his craft, to a Curn Spiritualist who has finally mastered the ability to rend knowledge from the mind of another. On this day, games are held to demonstrate fighting and hunting skills.

July/Month of Wonder
Fey

Distressed Elf Day, and Wonderful Drinks Day take place this month.

Distressed Elf Day is an elven specific day of which elves donate, assist, and lift up other elves from hardship. It is a community day, meant to bring the species together.

Wonderful Drinks Day is a Halfling holiday about appreciating wine, beer, and spirits. Many Fey have adopted this holiday as well.

Imperial

The end of July is the Decline of Ney. Many Imperials consider this their favorite holiday. The rich hold elaborate masked balls. Presents are exchanged. There is generally much drunken revelry in the streets. This festival is considered last chance to party before the more serious season of Olt begins.

At the Rise of Olt, recognition is given to workers. The highlight of the day is the Procession of the Guilds. All the guild members, church hierarchy and other professionals (e.g. Imperial college professors, Imperial bureaucrats etc.) gather at the largest guildhall in town. They all dress in ceremonial robes. From there, they hold a procession through town to the largest Church. The order each guild marches in is considered a symbol of their importance and strength in the town. The position of first guild in the procession is hotly contested throughout the year and is often the cause of feuds between guilds. Once at the church, there is a service held where the guilds and their members are blessed. In addition to the Procession of the Guilds, The Emperor (and his representatives) traditionally hands out pardons on this day.

Conthestani

The Festival of All Spirits. On this day, all spirits are recognized. Small ceremonies that different from place to place dot the day as the people thank the spirits who watch over them. Some ceremonies are personal givings of thanks to Guardians, others are large communal events. The only ceremony held in common is an evening bonfire in honour of the Great Mother and Father. This is the most important holiday for the Curn, who use this day to give the year’s knowledge and stories to the Conthestani Stones.

August/Month of Travel
Fey

Watch the Pot Week. A Halfling festival during which a single pot of soup is made to last the whole week by adding additional ingredients each day. This comes from the original story of "Stone Soup". A halfling comes to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the halfling. Then the halfling goes to a stream and fill the pot with water, drops a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The halfling answers that they are making "stone soup", which tastes wonderful and which they would be delighted to share with the villager, although it still needs a little bit of garnish, which they are missing, to improve the flavor.

The villager, who anticipates enjoying a share of the soup, does not mind parting with a few carrots, so these are added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the halfling again mentions their stone soup which has not yet reached its full potential. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, the stone (being inedible) is removed from the pot, and a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by travelers and villagers alike. Although the halfling has thus tricked the villagers into sharing their food with them, they have successfully transformed it into a tasty meal which they share with the donors.

September/Month of Harvesting
Fey

This month marks the Jubilee of the Harvest Moon, Cobweb Pie Day, and the Festival of Kytrae'lienan.

The Jubilee of the Harvest Moon is a general harvest feast for all Fey.

Cobweb Pie Day is the start of a five day process of making Cobweb Pies (named for the Month of Cobwebs, next month).

The Festival of Kytrae'lienan is a Kaern specific holiday. During the festival, the pride will ask for the Kaern aspect of Faerie's blessings for the fall hunt, harvest and/or preparations for winter. One (or more) females who have passed an adult trial or accomplished something significant in the previous year are chosen to represent Kytrae’lienan. They will stand in for her during the ceremonies and receive both praise and trinkets

Imperial

This month marks the Emperor's Feast, It is on this day that all Emperors are crowned. Large feasts are held to celebrate the successes of the current Emperor and to wish his good fortune in the future. Lesser dignitaries will often sponsor public theatrical presentations of the great achievements of past Emperors. All Imperial appointments and commissions begin on this day. It is on this day that all Emperors are crowned. Large feasts are held to celebrate the successes of the current Emperor and to wish his good fortune in the future. Lesser dignitaries will often sponsor public theatrical presentations of the great achievements of past Emperors. All Imperial appointments and commissions begin on this day.

Conthestani

Founder's Feast and Patience Week.

Founder's Feast is an annual feast held in recognition of the union of the Conthestani. These celebrations are biggest in cities with a large blending of cultures.

Patience week is a weeklong festival after the Founder's Feast. This week, which representatives of all major communities come together at Conthestani Stone in Patience, is both a ceremonial gathering as well as official meetings. Through the Eastern Woods, this gathering is imitated on a smaller scale. The similarities the communities share are recognized, their differences celebrated. It is a time for trade, demonstrations of skill, and renewing friendship. For many, this is the last chance to socialize and trade with those outside of their immediate community prior to hunkering down for winter. Traditionally, lanterns carved out of squashes are placed outside Patience Week gatherings to keep away unfriendly spirits.

October/Month of Cobwebs
Fey

Cobweb Pie Eating Day concludes the days after Cobweb Pie Day. Lots of pie is consumed.

Elemental Kin

The only holiday of the Elemental Kin, whose sense of time doesn't lean well to annual holidays, is All Element's Day. This day celebrates and welcomes Elemental Kin from the Elemental Planes to the Material Plane, and represents their siblinghood and community. As not many Elemental Kin leave their plane, this is a holiday that brings those in the Material Plane together, to tell stories of home, their travel, and the new friends they have made. This often involves a feast that includes all sorts of species. Anyone who is a friend is invited.

November/Month of Hunting
Fey

Faerie Fantasia takes place this month. It is a musical festival in honour of Faerie.

Imperial

The end of November is the Decline of Olt. This is the Imperial harvest festival. Great feasts of all the best fall foods are prepared throughout the Empire. The Emperor (and regional officials) hands out food to the poor prior to joining their households for banquets of legendary proportions. The Imperial Colleges hold final exams in the weeks prior to this festival. Those students that pass their exams are graduated on this day. Following this is the Rise of Sim. This serious day is spent tending the graves of departed family members. Leftovers from the night before are often left on the graves for the dead.

December/Month of Darkness
Fey

This month houses the Whirling Wind Bacchanalia, and Riddle Day.

The Whirling Wind Bacchanalia is a free form party held in the dead of winter, to keep spirits up.

Riddle Day is a day for Fey to try and outsmart each other, or compete in riddle competitions.

Conthestani

Potential Day. The longest night of the year, it is a day for starting new things. Many oaths are taken on this day. Old disagreements are set aside and new friendships formed. Thanks is offered to Potential for creating humans. In many Pyren influenced villages, competitions are held on this day to demonstrate skill in crafts.