The Memory of the Big Drought

This is the celebration in memory of the long drought that killed many grifix and deer. The drought hit the whole forest during Queen Eclipsa’s reign (it was the first major sign that made the grifix think that choosing her as queen was a horrible mistake). The poor creatures were starving, as all the plants were scorched by the sun. At the beginning, the grifix stood pretty well by eating meat, but for the deers was a big hit from the beginning. Soon the animals ran away from the forest in search of food, and the water in the nearby ponds evaporated. Queen Eclipsa sent the bravest warriors in search of water. They searched for a long time, disappeared for months. The grifix in the village thougth they died and lost almost all of their hope. Few survived, and those kept the memory of the big drought. Soon after that, Queen Eclipsa retreated and Queen Nara followed her reign. She decided to come back to the old tradition where there were four main holidays in the year (Queen Eclipsa banned the Summer Solstice Holiday), but nobody remembered what the Summer Holiday was about, so she decided to hold a holiday in the memory Of The Big Drought and those who died.

The day

Early in the morning all the griffix collect flowers and then they make wreaths. In wreaths they also intertwine special plants that have certain meanings (fern - a symbol of unity with animals, melampyrum nemorosum - a symbol of the magical union of fire and water and others like that). They spend the whole day without speaking, thereby honoring the dead in those terrible days. For the whole day they don’t eat anything. Later, adults go hunting, also in silence, coordinating their actions only with gestures and body language. Meanwhile, children build a “sun” from sticks and dry leaves and then decorate it. The “sun” is then mounted on a pole in the fire in the center of the village, which isn’t burning this being the only day of the year they put it out. When adults return from hunting, they gather the prey in a common pile, and then skin it and extract the intestines. The Healer and The Healer Disciple stuff the carcasses of animals with healing herbs that restore energy.

The night

At night they celebrate all the prosper years that followed The Big Drought and thank the ancestors for that. They also invite the deer that live in the forest to join them. First, they light up the Fire in the Center of the Village which burns the Sun crafted by kids during the day (the meaning of this is not to destroy the sun, it symbolizes the good sun rays that bring warmth and prosperity). Then they tell stories and sing songs. They thank the animals that died for griffix live and then satisfy their hunger. Some can test themselves on courage and, without using wings, jump through the fire. Then they all go to the river that flows in the forest close to the village and swim for a long time and have fun. Their magic is so strong during the night as it fills the air with sparkles. By the end of all they take off their wreaths and put them in the water.

Thanks to glitchthunder for all her amazing ideas! She made up almost all the holiday by herself, and I don’t think I could’ve done anything far as good by myself!