Feast of the Moon

The Feast of the Moon, or Moonfest, is an annual festival in the Calendar of Harptos, occurring between the final night of November and the first day of December. It is the last great festival of the calendar year.

The day traditionally marks the onset of winter. It is also a time to celebrate and honor the ancestors and the respected dead. On this day, folk bless their ancestors' graves and perform the Ritual of Remembrance. People also gather to tell stories of the deeds of their ancestors and of the gods until deep into the night. This is a time to hear of past heroes, great treasures, and lost cities.

Heralds have a number of special duties on the Feast of the Moon. Prime among these is to perform the Bloodsong Ceremony, at which a Herald publicly recites the genealogies of each noble family in the area. In this way, the Heralds reaffirmed a noble family's traditional authority and status, as well as the respect accorded to them.

Priests of a number of deities of various pantheons hold rites, ceremonies, and festivals on the Feast of the Moon. Many, though not all, focus on remembering the dead in one way or another.

On This Day

 * Priests of N'asr tell the Deeds of the Dead to preserve their memory.
 * Worshipers of Lliira open a holy festival with the Swords Cast Down ritual in which weapons are thrown on the ground with chanting and covered with fresh flowers.
 * Worshipers of Lurue observe a quiet ceremony ushering in winter and remembering the dead. It is the anniversary of the founding of Silverymoon and is celebrated by the unveiling of works of art and song.
 * Worshipers of Savras 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 and plot their nefarious deeds for the next year after a live sacrifice.
 * Worshipers of Shiallia invite friendly creatures to join in feasting, dancing, and singing.
 * Worshipers of Talos call for storms and lightning.
 * Worshipers of Tempus honor the dead.