Silent Celebration

Aquilo - Just before sunrise

It was Voah's natalday; mid-spring, between equinox and High Sun of summer solstice. She was turning 28 years old. She hadn't thought that much about it on her way to Aquilo, but she knew she would be away from the city for a while and decided to come prepared to celebrate in her own way.

Natalday traditions were fairly ubiquitous around Helias with regional variations. Then of course, depending on family wealth, the celebrations could get quite extravagant. The Pillars were involved in many of the traditions and were typically performed to bring good luck and good will for the coming year.

This was the first year she would be celebrating without family. Gods she missed her father. Jevali Sahnsuur, a paunchy and cheerful actor and musician, had been her anchor. He always found a way of making her feel special, even in his time of strife. In turn she had supported him and eventually they were happy once again. Before the end, anyway.

She sighed and blew the hair out of her eyes as she prepared for the evening.

-----

The Arbiter took a pack of things to a good spot near the edge of the settlement where the wind was right for her prayer.

From the pack she pulled out a compact paper construction and unfolded it. It was a sky lantern. On one's natalday in Helias, this was a tradition known as Kupen's Ward. Normally, it involved family and friends launching one after another, ending with the celebrant's glowing lantern. The number of lanterns was traditionally equal to the person's age plus one. The extra one bringing good luck for the year to come, but Voah had no more family - and friends were hard to come by.

She lit the small candle in its collared suspension and held it aloft until it slowly lifted itself from her grip. She cupped her hands together against her head in the Sign of Illumination and prayed, "Kupen, mighty God of Sun and Sky, I give thee thanks for watching over me. I pray to thee. Guide my path."

She looked over in the direction of the wagons. How in the world had their trips coincided? It was as if her thoughts had brought them to her. Alexis, Nicolaus, Blackwolf, Islana and... was that Gonyaul? Maybe the silent Gods speaking. She noticed Wim had moved his wagon to join the other party.

She prayed further, "...and please protect my friends. Today and all days to come."

The lantern drifted off; a soft beacon in the dimming twilight of predawn. She thought back on a night long gone.

-----

Approaching the communal fire of their traveling convoy known as The Grand Revelry, little Voah was being carried like a queen by four adults. She had a crown of flowers and a pouch full of lentils. Onlookers cheered as the adults approached the fire. The ground was marked with four stones representing the seasons. The group stopped between the stones of spring and summer, Voah's natalday.

Suddenly, from the darkness a monstrous form appeared. It was the elder of the convoy. His face painted like a skull, he wore a thick black fur cape, and a helm with two horns on it. The children, including Voah, squealed with anxious delight at the pretend horror. It was a game.

This was a tradition of duality known as Zin's Ward, but included Vastad's forge (a bonfire). One person, usually an elder, dressed up like Zin and followed the celebrant around a circle or square representing the year. The celebrant would be carried by friends and family all the way around from their birthday starting position and ending back where they started while they throwing food (usually grains) at Zin, who greatly exaggerated the blows.

Once the circle was complete, Zinheim would be unmasked, the celebrant uncrowned and the party puts them down. At this point, Zin approaches and smashes a berry, usually red, on the celebrant's forehead. This represented the inevitable end of all.

In some variations, for the remainder of the party, Zin would creep up on people carrying a basket of berries and try to tag unsuspecting family and friends by smashing the berries on them. The convoy children would play their own game of hide and seek where one would adorn the helm and try to find the others. The first one to be tagged with a berry would become the new Zin or one of his minions.

-----

Voah's mind returned to the present with a sad smile on her face and a tear for nostalgia in her eye.