New Phlan Public Holidays

The following represents those holidays, both sacred and secular, which are publicly practiced within the city of New Phlan.

Month/Day Festival Name Description
Hammer 1 Balefire Worshippers of Ghaunadaur hold back the cold by building huge bonfires and keeping them burning throughout the day and night. The usually silent god always appears to his worshippers at this time to charge them with missions to further his power in the coming year.
Hammer 10 Founder’s Day The birthday of Ortilsor the Valjevo.
Hammer 15 Cold Counting Comfort Worshipers of Liira observe a High Festival in honor of the accounting that occupies many businesses during inclement weather. It is considered one of the most boring festivals in all the realms. I day set aside for counting one’s wealth.
Hammer 30 Midwinter’s Eve Worshipers of Shar celebrate the “Deliverance Unto Darkness” by recounting the triumphs of the previous year to a newly severed head.
Worshippers of The Blessed Afflictor and of Hoar celebrate the ritual Graverending, raising many undead “Vengeance Hunters” who seek revenge on their killers for 24 hours.
Worshipers of Talona celebrate the Putrescent Death on Midwinter’s Eve by infecting sentient creatures with a deadly diseases.
Midwinter Deadwinter Day Marks the midpoint of winter. It occurs on a special day between Hammer 30 and Alturiak 1. Amongst nobles and monarchs it is traditionally used to make or renew alliances. Many religions in the realms mark this day in a variety of ways:
The holiest day of the year for the Church of Corellon is Midwinter Night. Inductions into the ranks of the clergy occur at this time. Each new cleric screams vows of vengeance into the night air and swears neither to laugh nor smile until the Spider Queen and her followers are no more.
On Midwinter Day the church of Tempus observes the Retreat. This solemn ceremony consists of an assembly wherein the clergy discuss the previous year’s campaigns. Strategies are discussed, battles analyzed, and the accumulated lore integrated into the church’s teachings.
Worshipers of Liira open Midwinter Day with the Swords Cast Down ritual in which weapons are thrown on the ground with chanting and covered with fresh flowers (conjured by hired druids or wizards or by senior clergy).
Worshipers of Loviatar celebrate the Rite of Pain and Purity on this day by dancing in a circle upon broken glass or other sharp objects.
Midwinter Night is known as the Masked Lord’s Embrace to followers of Mask, who perform rituals of total sensory deprivation.
Alturiak 9 The Rebirth Followers of Shaundakul drink to wanderers leaving their homes.
Alturiak 20 The Great Weave A holy day of Liira, set aside to celebrate textile arts and textile workers, and their contribution to the Realm’s economy. The Cadorna Textile Mill in Old Phlan traditionally closes shop on this day.
Ches 2 Festival of the Grasping Waters A festival dedicated to appeasing Umberlee before the beginning of the spring sailing season. At nightfall old decommissioned ships are dragged into the harbor and set on fire as sacrifices to the Bitch Queen. Most sailors make a small blood sacrifice (usually a few drops of their own blood rubbed on a piece of bread and thrown to the fish), then stay up all night drinking. It is considered extremely bad luck for a ship to set sail on this day.
Ches 3 Clerics of Deneir submit their most promising records of the written word to their local temple to be scoured for possible snippets of the Metatext.
Ches 4 The Night of Binding Sha’ir make sacrifices of appeasement to the Grand Caliphs and Emirs of geniekind and renew their contracts with their Gen. This is a grand festival in the lands of Calimshan, but virtually unknown in the northern realms.
Ches 12 The Forging and the Loss Followers of Corellon partake in The Forging and the Loss, a holy day which commemorates the anniversary of an attack on their lord by Malar and the theft of the artifact known as Mythrien’s Ring. It is a day for rededicating the ongoing holy wars against Corellon’s divine does, and the public shaming and punishment of thieves.
Ches 19 Spring Equinox The equinox is not an officially recognized holiday in New Phlan, but is significant to several religions:
Priests of Lathander perform the Song of Dawn.
Worshipers of Mielikki celebrate the First Feast and praise the Forest Lady with song.
Worshipers of Silvanus observe the Budding. Preceded by a week of fasting, the fast is ended by the ritual hunt of a great hart, followed by song, dance, and feasting.
Ches 30 High Coin Worshipers of Liira celebrate a High Festival including a great feast and the gathering of offerings for the next festival, Spheres (Tarsakh 10).
Tarsakh 1 Queen’s Day The first day of Tarsakh was the birthday of the wife of Ortilsor the Valjevo. All of the succeeding members of the Valjevo line were married on this day. In Old Phlan, it was forbidden for those not of the royal line of Valjevo to be wed on this day.
Worshipers of Tempus celebrate this day as “Queen’s Gambit” with feasting and gaming. Day-long Chess tournaments are held, with victors receiving recognition, gifts from the temple armory, and even promotions within the ranks of the priesthood.
Tarsakh 4 The Arming The Arming is observed in honor of Phlan’s Militia (composed of all able-bodied citizens of New Phlan who are not chartered adventurers). On this day the militias muster for inspection, youths receive their first weapons and armor, and the community celebrates the common defense against orcs, pirates, and bandits.
Tarsakh 10 Spheres Worshipers of Liira observe Spheres, a High Festival including a parade of glass baubles filled with gems and coins which are then catapulted into the city at random.
Tarsakh 15 Windride Priests of Shaundakul observe the Windride when their deity gives them all gaseous form until dusk, landing them safely but probably in a place unfamiliar to them.
Greengrass Greengrass Greengrass is a festival to welcome in the first day of spring which occurs on a special day between Tarsakh 30 and Mirtul 1. Traditionally, the wealthier people brought out flowers to give to the less wealthy, who either wear them or spread them on the ground to encourage the deities to usher in the summer.
Worshipers of Tempus celebrate the Sharpening of the Sword, wherein new commanders are named and promoted. Followed by a tournament lasting the entire month of Mirtul.
Worshipers of Chauntea, Eldath, Sharess, and Sune celebrate a hedonistic fertility festival.
Priests of Helm gather for ritual salutes, martial weapons displays, chanted prayers, and the offering of weapons used in a defensive action.
Clerics of the orc deity Ilneval observe this day by gathering hordes of orcs to rampage across civilized lands.
Worshipers of Mielikki observe planting rites and the Wild Ride, when herds of unicorns assemble and allow them to ride bareback through the forest.
Worshipers of Silvanus consider Greengrass holy and often give sacrifice by breaking and burying an object constructed of wood.
Mirtul 1 The Unwrapping Worshippers of Ghaunadaur celebrate this day when mountain streams fill with runoff and flood valleys, destroying homes and farms, but also revealing new mountain caves and veins to mine. It is a day of feasting and planning for new explorations.
Mirtul 5 The Melding Worshipers of Shar assemble in temples to join their minds psionically and communicate directly with their goddess.
Mirtul 6 The Plowing A pastoral holiday during which the people in most farming communities in the north form teams and work together to plow each other’s fields for free, going on until every farmer in the area has at least one field ready to sow. This can go on for up to four days. There are feasts in the evening, at which casks of ale allowed to age over the winter are opened at dusk.
Mirtul 12 Sammardach Worshipers of Liira observe Sammardach, a High Festival in honor of the wealthiest patron of the early church…because the Liirans can’t help but have a party every month.
Mirtul 25 Day of Love The chief Sunite Grand Revel (see below) of the Sunite calendar. This is considered a propitious day for proposals of marriage.
Kythorn 14 Hornmoot Hornmoot marks the first day of spring trading between the dwarves of Clan Griff and the townsfolk of the Stojanow Valley, marked by horn calls between the mountains and the towns below, signaling a willingness to trade.
Kythorn 20 Summon Solstice The solstice is not an officially recognized holiday in New Phlan, but is significant to several religions:
Worshipers of Lathander celebrate with a day of prayer, relaxation, and sunbathing.
Worshipers of Mielikki celebrate the Second Feast and praise the Forest Lady with song.
Worshipers of Silvanus offer up gems and bury them in holes dug by badgers, wolverines, and similar creatures to put them out of the reach of men.
Worshipers of Oghma perform the Ceremony of Introspection by fasting for 24 hours followed by immersion in icy water.
Kythorn 21 Brightbuckle Worshipers of Liira observe Brightbuckle, a High Festival including a parade in which everyone is invited to wear their finest, attend a feast, and hear inspirational speeches.
Flamerule 3 to 5 Sornyn Worshipers of Liira observe Sornyn, a three day Festival marked by making treaties, business agreements, receiving ambassadors from foreign lands, talking with traditional foes, and consuming much wine.
Flamerule 30 Midsummer’s Eve Midsummer’s Eve is known as the Celebration of the Moon and sacred to the faiths of Mielikki, Selune, and Sharess. It is marked by wild revelry, moonlit trysts, and even less inhibition than usual for these faiths.
Midsummer Midsummer A festival that celebrats love and music through feast. It occurrs between Flamerule 30 and Eleasis 1. It is a time when love advanced, and it was said the deities themselves take a hand to ensure good weather. If bad weather is experienced on this night it is considered an extremely bad omen.
Worshipers of Sune mark this night with chanted prayers, speeches, reports on the workings of the church, and an outdoor festival of flirtatious games in forests and parks.
Worshipers of Beshaba engage in revels of rudeness and destruction.
Midsummer morning, priests of Lathander perform the Song of Dawn.
Followers of Armok call this day “The Hammer” and celebrate dwarven craftsmanship by destroying the works of other races.
Worshipers of Milil celebrate the Grand Revel with feasting, dancing, and the performing of parodies and wicked satire in song.
On Midsummer Night, worshipers of Chauntea gather around natural underground pools to dance and perform secret rituals to the Lady of Life.
Worshipers of Tymora engage in a night of daring adventure, wild revels, mischievous pranks, and romantic trysts.
Worshipers of the Talona celebrate the Ceremony of Contagion with bloody sacrifices and then quest to spread disease and death.
Shieldmeet Shieldmeet Shieldmeet is the equivalent of a leap year day, occurring once every four years, adding a day after the festival of Midsummer and before Eleasis 1. Traditionally the day is used for fairs, bazaars, musical and theatrical performances, and tournaments of skill and magical ability. The next Shieldmeet is scheduled to occur in the year 1364.
Worshipers of Deneir observe the Gilding in which priests take turns casting a spell to emboss in gold a single letter of the Words of Deneir onto a manuscript for public viewing.
Priests of Kelemvor tell the Deeds of the Dead to preserve their memory.
Followers of Shaundakul call this day the Shepherding and reveal hidden ways to their neighbors. For the next nine days, the public is invited to join in lusty singing and consuming strong drink accompanied by the ritual burning of used footwear.
Worshipers of Selûne perform the Conjuring of the Second Moon ritual, with simultaneous chanting at all her temples across the Realms. At the dawn, Selune’s highest ranked priest is called to the planes to serve the goddess directly, and a successor is chosen.
Worshipers of Torm celebrate Shieldmeet very seriously as a time of agreements, compacts, and oaths.
Eleasis 9 The Bonedance Malarites animate the skeletons of great stags and other beasts, and the oldest and youngest members of the community play at hunting them. Together, they enact exciting hunting scenes and hold a pageant around a bonfire, called the Bone Dance. There is also a great feast in which everyone eats and drinks until late in the night. Early the next morning, they venture forth to track, hunt down and kill dangerous predators or monsters known to be in the area.
Eleasis 13 The Divine Death Worshipers of Torm observe the Divine Death to commemorate his self-sacrifice in the destruction of Bane. Worshipers of Iyachtu Xvim also commemorate this day as the death of Bane and thus the beginning of the ascension of their lord.
Eleasis 17 Huldark Worshipers of Liira observe Huldark, a High Festival celebrating the land’s bounty, marked by a feast and the planting of new fruit trees or vegetables.
Eleint 7 Spryndalstar Worshipers of Liira observe Spryndalstar, a High Festival in recognition of magic and its benefits, marked by hiring mages to cast entertaining spells and by sponsoring wizardly research.
Eleint 21 Autumn Equinox Preparations begin for the Feast of Highharvestide.
Worshipers of Silvanus observe the Transformation with dances in remote oak groves.
Tribal clans who worship Tempus gather upon their tribal burial mounds to set policy, perform marriages and many other rituals.
Highharvestide Highharvestide An annual festival, taking place between 30 Eleint and 1 Marpenoth. It is a feast to celebrate the harvest and the abundance of food, but also the time when those wishing to travel leave on their journeys before winter set in. Preparations for the feast traditionally begin on the Autumn Equinox, with preparing, cooking, and preserving the harvest for the cold winter months. Traditions include food-related contests; races and challenges of skill and strength; receiving homemade sweets from the local clergy; and priests blessing larders, wine cellars, grain bins, and food preserves.
Worshippers of Armok observe this day by drinking only water.
Worshipers of Oghma spend the morning in thoughtful meditation and the rest of the day at a scholarly symposium.
Worshipers of Malar celebrate the Feast of the Stags and pledge to hunt through the winter for people unable to hunt for themselves.
Marpenoth 1 Tax Day Annual property taxes are due to the Clerk of the Council of New Phlan on this day. The Council of New Phlan holds open court to hear public petitions (from citizens bearing a proof of taxation).
Marthoon Worshipers of Liira observe Marthoon, a High Festival recognizing the guards, soldiers, and the defenders of goods and commerce that create the security needed for business to thrive.
Marpenoth 11 Impending Doom Worshipers of Hoar, Tyr, and The Blessed Afflictor observe the Impending Doom, to celebrate justice yet to be meted out, revenges yet carried through with, and violent deeds yet to be done; with a day of ominous drumming, strenuous acts of purification, and stentorian oaths, ending with a feast of bread, fruit, and mead.
Marpenoth 15 Gods’ Day A day to mark the end of the Time of Troubles and the return of the gods to the Outer Planes. It is a joyous feast and revel where all laws are set aside for a day and a night (in remembrance of the chaos that was the Time of Troubles)—most use this time to merely shock neighbors, or engage in sensual pleasures, but a few every year employ to bring vengeance on an enemy without risk of legal retribution. It is often marked by magical fireworks displays that run long into the night.
Marpenoth 22 Starfall Worshipers of Beshaba and Tymora observe Starfall, believed to be the anniversary of the destruction of Tyche and the birth of Twin Goddesses. In both faiths, this is a day on which clergy who have earned advancement are formally acclaimed and bestowed with the vestments of their new station.
Marpenoth 30 Liar’s Night A public festival paying tribute to the deities Leira and Mask. Liar’s Night is celebrated by donning costumes or glamers to disguise one’s self and pretend to be that which they were not. Though there are no limits on the disguise someone could wear, the more elaborate the costume, the more celebrated the wearer. Tricks, pranks, and pickpocketing are common on this night; thus tradition has people filling their pockets with candy or trinkets in lieu of money. Illusionists and stage magicians are often hired to perform or wander the streets in hopes of garnering clients.
Uktar 1 Last Muster The month of Uktar typically marks the final month of military campaigning before the snows of winter make troop movement impractical. Worshipers of Tempus mark the Holy Day of Last Muster in simple, practical terms, readying weapons, reviewing troops, and laying plans for the year’s last push against their foes.
Uktar 10 Tehennteahan Worshipers of Gond and Liira observe Tehennteahan (the Night of Hammers and Nails), a High Festival honoring craftsmen and women who work with their hands with a day-long feast and demonstrations of new innovations.
Feast of the Moon Feast of the Moon This day traditionally marks the onset of winter, occurring between the final night of Uktar and the first day of Nightal. It is also a time to celebrate and honor the ancestors and the respected dead. On this day, folk bless their ancestors’ graves and gather to tell stories of the deeds of their ancestors and of the gods until deep into the night.
Heralds of the Council of New Phlan have a number of special duties on the Feast of the Moon. Prime among these was to perform the Bloodsong ceremony, at which a Herald publicly recites the genealogies of each Council family. In this way, the Heralds reaffirmed a noble family’s traditional authority and status.
Priests of Kelemvor tell the Deeds of the Dead to preserve their memory.
Priests of Cyric publicly recount the tales of all those they slew in the prior year. This public display often provokes retribution and gives them an excuse to squeeze in a few more killings.
Worshipers of the Tymora call this day the Commemoration of the Fallen and it is spent recounting the great battles and deeds of the past year, and dedicating new weapons and armor.
Followers of Shaundakul call this day the Beacon and celebrate the path shown them by Finder-of-Trails.
This day is known as the “Day the Dead are Most With Us” by worshipers of The Blessed Afflictor. They believed the essence of all the dead would roam Toril as ghosts.
Worshipers of Azuth call this day the Vision and spend 24 hours meditating in a steam bath or a haze of incense.
Worshipers of Shar call this day the Rising of the Dark. It is a day for plotting nefarious deeds for the next year after a live sacrifice.
Worshipers of Selune gather this night for the Mystic Rites of the Luminous Cloud and are often transformed into scintillating streaks of light that fly across the starry heavens.
Nightal 20 Winter Solstice The Winter Solstice is chiefly celebrated after dark, when the stars were visible across the sky. Celebrants located stars associated with their own births, or with their ancestors. Those without a lucky star can purchase star maps from merchants to help divine which belonged to them, based on when and where they were born. Cloudy weather is considered especially favorable, as finding one’s star on an overcast sky is viewed as a blessing from Tymora. The Winter Solstice is celebrated outside, with people trying to stay awake the entire night gathered around bonfires with plenty of music, food, and warm drinks.
Priests of Auril celebrate the Coming Storm by calling vicious ice storms to torment a town or region.
Worshipers of Selune celebrate the High Hunt, in which a deadly beast is hunted in the dark. Hunters may wear anything, but priests go naked, carrying only a sword.
Priests of Malar also observe the High Hunt, in which they armor themselves with their personal skull or head trophies and stalk a sentient being, usually a human male, until his death or dawn, whichever comes first.
Nightal 25 Orbar Worshipers of Lirra observe Orbar, a High Festival in which the church solemnly acknowledges the darker side of wealth and prays for those who succumbed to miserliness, were killed by thieves, or lost their life in the pursuit of wealth.
Nightal 30 Night of Another Year Priests of Kelemvor stop working at sundown and begin the Night of Another Year by reading the names of the deceased they have recorded all year before burning or filing their scrolls.

Monthly Festivals

Day of the Month Festival Name Description
1 Hearthday Worshipers of Chauntea celebrate the first day of every month as Hearthday. Devout Chaunteas gather in the home of one of their fellow parishioners, rotating to a different dwelling in the local community each month to share a meal and offer simple prayers to the goddess.
1 Seeing Justice Worshipers of Tyr meet at his temples to chant prayers and sing hymns. A gigantic illusory warhammer what glows blindingly white is conjured by the Bishop to hang above the congregation’s heads.
2, 12, 22 Feast of Love Celebrated on the second day of every Tenday by the Worshipers of Sune. A feast of love is an intimate, quiet affair open only to the faithful, who lie on couches and indulge in gentle sipping of liqueurs and nibbling at subtly flavored hors d’oeuvers and sweet pastries while lone dancers, singers, or poets perform.
13 The Maiming Worshippers of Tyr meet at his temples to chant prayers and sing hymns. A gigantic illusory right hand is conjured by the Bishop to hang above the congregation’s heads. At the end of the service it bursts in a nimbus of burning blood. Celebrants hands are tied behind their backs for the entirety of the service.
21 The Blinding Worshippers of Tyr meet at his temples to chant prayers and sing hymns. A pair of gigantic illusory eyes is conjured by the Bishop to hang above the congregation’s heads. At the end of the service they weep fountains of flaming tears and explode. After the eyes are first conjured, ceremonial blindfolds of damask-silk are bound over the faces of all celebrants.
25 Grand Revel A Grand Revel is a dusk-to-dawn party hosted by the Church of Sune to which all citizens are invited. Dancing and minstrelry dominate, and those of the faith seek to attract with fun and the exhibition of a few of the temple’s more beautiful treasures or clergy.

New Phlan Public Holidays

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