The Holy Days and Rituals of the Faceless
I - The Lover: Life, Beauty
Purview: Fertility, Healing, Love, The Arts
Domains: Life, Nature, Peace
Day of Beginnings (1 Hoath): A celebration of family, both present and future. Prayers for future generations are offered, particularly by those attempting to conceive.
II - The Rebel: Chaos, Evolution
Purview: Cunning, Courage, Transformation
Domains: Tempest, Trickery, War
Rebel’s Night (19 Iadnah): On this night, followers of The Rebel dress strangely, in unconventional and sometimes offensive outfits, and plot misdeeds in the darkness. Those of good or neutral alignment usually play harmless pranks; evil ones, however, will commit the most heinous of crimes to prove their devotion to the Dark god.
III - The Mystic: Wisdom, Mystery
Purview: Secrets, Vision, Moon, Illumination, Night, Hidden
Domains: Arcana, Trickery, Twilight
The Day of Visions (7 Balt): On the Mystic’s holy day, small scraps of paper are hidden, and looked for, throughout the day. The scraps might contain a description or drawing of something from the previous night’s dream, a riddle, a question, or just an interesting thought. When the scraps of paper are found, they are deposited into an urn, known as the Dream Vessel.
A Vatabul - literally “water table”, is the centerpiece for the town’s festivities. Water represents the flow of dreams and imagination, and the table is typically placed in or near a fountain or well.
At daybreak, the previous year’s found scraps are burned, and the ashes ceremonially poured into the water. Then the urn remains on the Vatabul, as children decorate it with a growing display of imaginative creations. The creations can be anything, as long as they are newly made.
IV - The Jester: Wit, Satire, Fate
Purview: Luck, Entertainment, Fate, Humor
Domains: Trickery, Grave
The Carnival of Fools (13 Osf): Followers of the Jester celebrate his holy day with 24 hours of revelry, including food, drink, song, and dance. Games of chance are featured heavily throughout the celebration. Even in places where gambling is prohibited, it is always allowed during the carnival of Fools.
Each town holds a lottery for the position of The Great Fool. The winner is dressed in an elaborate Jester’s outfit and treated as the satirical God’s emissary. They are the central figure in a grand parade that ends at a stage with an oversized throne. The Great Fool sits in the enormous throne, and people line up to beseech them for good luck and fortune. Children whisper their wishes for the year in his or her ear. The Great Fool flips a coin to determine whether the wishes will come true.
In some cultures, great story-telling competitions take place, with marks given for great satire and wit.
V - The Guardian: Protection, Sacrifice
Purview: Justice, Honor, Valor, Family
Domains: Order, Life, Twilight
The Day of Fealty (2 Graa): Followers of The Guardian take oaths of fealty on this holy day, or renew them. Clerics of Honor take or renew their holy vows, and Paladins reaffirm their personal oaths.
VI - The Explorer: Travel, Discovery
Purview: Rivers, Roads, Science, Travelers, Trade
Domains: Nature, Light
Wayfarers’ Homecoming (9 Tabaan): Travelers always try to be home for this special day of homecoming and reunions. Those who can’t are honored for the work they do that requires such travel. Merchants, sailors, mercenaries, and people who travel for any reason make offerings to The Explorer for another year of safe journeys. These offerings are usually items of particular use when lost or traveling: a compass, a map, a pair of boots, a waterskin. Candles are a very common choice, sent out in a paper boat or floating lantern. As they are released to the winds or the waters, a ceremonial phrase is spoken in hopes that a traveler who needs it will receive it. “May ye bring someone home.”
VII - The Artisan: Organization, Creation, Design
Purview: Fire, Craftsmanship, Day
Domains: Forge, Knowledge
Festival of Worldly Needs (8-12 Olpirt): The “practical arts”: Metal working (smiths), Woodworking (furniture), Clothing, Cooking, Building - are practiced and celebrated across this 5-day holiday, with competitions and exhibitions taking place each day. It is tradition for artisans to spend time teaching their craft to a child at least once during this workweek. This is also typically the day when apprentices in various crafts are graduated to the rank of journeymen.
VIII - The Warrior: Destruction, Perseverance
Purview: Courage, Strength, Slaughter, Conquest
Domains: Death, Forge, War
Tribute of the Worthy (10 Ugear): Warriors often pay homage on this holy day by demonstrating their battle prowess. Many cultures have a version of The Challenge of Arms - the ultimate competition of battle versatility. Over the course of anywhere from three to twelve elimination rounds, various fighting skills are tested. In some cultures, the competitions are merely for sport, though in some they are more decidedly deadly. In the end, there always remains only one, true champion. They are crowned in a Lion mask and take an honored position at the head of a great feast.
IX - The Monarch: Leadership, Stewardship, Noblesse Obligé
Purview: Commerce, Community, Law, Politics
Domains: Order, Peace
Succession Day (4 Fafen): Prayers are offered in public ceremonies for the continued success of rulers of nations, cities, and villages. The prayers are often accompanied by a “donation in good will”, which some people grumblingly refer to as the “Monkey Tax”. The church usually receives an offering from the ruler in return for their blessing.
Public pardons are usually scheduled for this day as well.
In many locales, this is also the day new rulers take office. The ceremonies are conducted regardless of the ruler’s popularity. In fact, the Mad King Bertraxan was overthrown after a particularly draconian Succession Day, where he demanded his subjects worship him publicly, and had those he deemed insincere beheaded.
X - The Source: Survival, Growth
Purview: Animals, Plants, Seasons, Weather, Crops
Domains: Nature, Tempest
Harvest Festival (23 Caosg): Worshipers of The Catalyst have a festival in honor of their deity, to celebrate a successful harvest. In most locales, this festival is a town or city-wide celebration, and includes music, dancing, and performances. Farmers compete to show off their largest squash, their tastiest fruits, or most exotic flowers.
In the evening, people pack into halls, taverns, farmhouses, and barns - anywhere they can gather with friends, family, and neighbors for a great communal feast. It is considered good luck to invite strangers to join at the harvest feast. Temporary shelters are created in town squares, where freshly baked goods are set out for the poor overnight.
XI - The Sage: Magic, Truth
Purview: Pacts, Sorcery, Language
Domains: Arcana, Knowledge, Light
First Light (17 Dosig): Followers of the Sage gather at sunrise to remember the day the first mage received the gift of arcane magic from their deity. Prayers to the Sage or quiet meditations are practiced in gratitude for having received the gift of magic. It is custom to offer gifts of small, magical trinkets to one’s mentor.
In the evening, magical acts are performed, with an emphasis on showy and elaborate effects. People who lack magical skill often participate by creating fire, meant to represent the original spark of magic in the world. The forms of these practices vary by culture. For example, in one region, a boat filled with flammable objects may be set on a pond, and then lit by flaming arrows. Elsewhere, elaborate effigies are built to be set ablaze. Some cultures will set up pleasing arrangements of candles, connected by a single, long string, such that lighting one slowly spreads across the entire design. The first settlement of Xaz was burned to the ground in a particularly ambitious First Light celebration.
XII - The Everyman: Death, Darkness
Purview: Disease, Famine, Poisons, Undead
Domains: Death, Grave
Long Night (30 Teloc): Worshipers (and many others) fast for a day, and then gather at burial sites to pay homage to departed loved ones. Moving among the graves, ritualistic music and dances are performed from sundown to sunrise. Offerings are made to the Everyman throughout the evening, often in the form of tearing or breaking something of personal value. The observance ends on the last day of the year, with a grand breakfast and a day of rest.