Blood Moon Festival

Once every three years a blood moon occurs. This event is when the moon eclipses the sun for a month, casting a red tinged light on the world.

During this time all living soul essence is in flux, meaning that casting is grossly unreliable and there is a large risk of objects and creatures being willed into existence by accident.

Each kingdom has developed dealt with this period differently.

Sun Kingdom
Inhabitants in the Sun Kingdom paint their faces and bodies with ash paste to intimidate and confuse the malicious spirits which have escaped the Under to wreak havoc. Warriors see this time to prove themselves and join large hunting parties.

If a warrior manages to kill a hostile creature they are said to bring good luck to their home for the remainder of the Blood Moon Festival. However those who die in battle are burned wrapped a special cloth, as it is soaked in the blood of the creatures slain by the hunting party.

The non-combatant inhabitants take turns to cite ancient chants every few hours to ward away malicious spirits, which may be accompanied by dancers.

Earth Kingdom
The Eclipse is seen as the release of all the negative energy that had soaked into the earth being reflected back onto Astorians as a form of punishment.

To present themselves as accepting of the punishment, the inhabitants run long distances, with families and even whole villages running for long periods. The more extreme followers of the Merciful Earth Mother will also whip themselves.

Outside of excessive exercise, inhabitants may also indulge in drinking alcohol or concoctions which act as tranquilisers as to not further contribute any negative energy.

Moon Kingdom
Followers of the All-Knowing Overseer see this time as a test of endurance and unity, inhabitants generally attend local concerts, some of which last for weeks. The concerts act to drown out any negative thoughts and demonstrate said endurance and unity.

Outside of musical performances other distractions are encouraged, such as reading and excessive drinking.

Within the Spire Academy all acting Spires are required to attend an event named, the symphony of forging. Spires are seated in the Academy’s courtyard and given handcuffs embedded with forging stones, they remain there until most of their soul essence is depleted and the handcuffs release them.

The higher ranking Spires will perform their own concert atop a specially erected soul forge in the courtyard, they finish when the last spire is released from their handcuffs and they themselves are depleted.

Trivia

 * During this time the Earth Kingdom temporarily lifts the ban on buying, making and consuming cinder snaps.


 * Fear is especially potent in shaping the essence in flux. If an individual thinks too long on something that scares them there is a chance that it will be created. However fears involving pre-existing things or scenarios will create a temporary illusion of that fear which will cancel out if contradicted by an external source.


 * Scholars believe that hunting parties partly create creatures to combat through their collective will.