Ornaran Festivals

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Ornaran Flag

Ornaran International Flag Day

Ornarans celebrate an International Flag Day annually. The Flag day starts off the festivities that last for three days. This event celebrates the unification of the Ornaran people. The different governments of Ornara decided to come together as one people when warp drive capabilities were developed and species outside the Ornarans and Brekkans were known. Traditional cloth and now Nari silk flags are displayed in homes and shops representing the different countries, villages,  guilds, etc. Ornarans will have parades, feasts and parties for three days, while consuming vasts amounts of alcohol. Alcohol from different regions are consumed but the citric wine of the Akdwin region is prised above all others. This is almost seen as an Ornaran pride festival, and most businesses will stop working for the three days.

Flag of Arkwiss township Trim and E-ing's village of origin

Flag of Arornat township -Capital City of Ornara

Flag of Arkwiss Inn Guild -Trim is a member

Day of Storms

As Ornara is prone to large electical and plasma storms for extended periods of time, the Day of Storms is a regional event that celebrates the electical storms at their strongest. The festival begins at dusk under large canopy tents in the village. Food and wine is consumed in large amounts, as wll as traditional singing and dancing events. Dancing between males and female only if married is permtted in public on this day. The traditional dances do not involve physical touch, however, due to the natural static in the air during the storm, electrical beams longer than two meters will emit between the dancing couple. Adventurous Ornarans will attempt electrocution from lightning bolts through enducement. Ten to twelve amateur Ornarans die each year during this festival from not being able to control the electrical current.

Honey Feast of the Gods

Flag of the Gods

The Honey Feast of the Gods is the only public religious festival. It is an annual event. The town centre temple and family homes will display eight statues of the Gods and Godesses on seperate alter tables. Before each of them is a large feast of their favourite foods. Each statue stands on a square dish of a particular honey. Ornarans will use a ceremonial cup to pour honey over the statue in prayer. A ceremonial ladel is used to spoon honey over a meal that is taken from the alter table to be consumed by the worshiper. The festival lasts for three days, it starts at the strike of midnight on the previous day, all Ornarans remain awake till the stroke of midnight on the third day. The Ornarans must eat a meal from each God and Goddess during the festival. Eating a meal multiple times from a favourite God or Goddess is typical. It is usually a solemn occassion. No alcohol is to be consumed or served. The bees which produce the varieties of honey are about the size of a man's fist and are found native all over Ornara. They are held as sacred insects and it is seen as sacrilegious to eat them. Each village has a large farm that is run by upto three beekeepers who are also monks of the religious order. They tend the beehives and prepare the honey for the festival. They also tend the flower gardens that the bees use to make honey. Honey is illegal to be consumed on days other than the Honey Feast or on the annual National Wedding Anniversary Day at formal wedding ceremonies.  The reason it is illegal is due to the honey's hallucinogenic and mystical properties. There are eight different types of honey served that will induce a different experience. The hallucinogenic state will usually last for twenty minutes per thirty grams consumed for Ornarans. The difference in the experience is due to the individual, it is however, unknown as to the severity and duration of the hallucinogen for other species not Ornaran. The different honey properties are discussed on the Ornaran religion page.

National Wedding Anniversary Day

All Ornaran married couples exchange wedding vows on the same day. This includes both preliminary and formal marriages. The wedding anniversary is honoured by the couple stimulating a fresh boar heart through an electrical current from both their fingers. The electrical current causes the heart to beat for a few moments, which in turn is seen as a blessing of a happy union. The fresh boar heart is usually displayed in homes and businesses. Married couples will go to family and friends' homes to make many hearts beat, the more hearts stimulated the higher the blessing returns to the couple. The boar heart is usually cooked and consumed by the couple at the last evening meal. Gifts are also exchanged, and no alcohol is permitted to be drunk on this day.

Akdwin Wine Festival

Flag of Ardwin township

Traditionally this wine festival was only celebrated in the Akdwin region, however, it has become a national event for 400 years. The Akdwin citrus wine is prised above all other alcohol on Ornara. The festival marks the end of the harvest. Akwin wine is made of a citrus fruit known as dardwin. It is black in appearance and about the size of a small child's fist. It grows on vines that live in caves that are numerous in  the Akdwin region. These vines are able to live in darkness and synthesise energy from the frequent plasma storms. The local people harvest the fruit and ferment it in large barrels and bottles.  New wine that has fermented for a year will still appear blackish. However, wine that has aged will turn a golden orange colour. This aged wine is very potent and extremely bitter in taste. Large amounts of Akdwin wine is exported around Ornara prior to the festival. Akdwin wine is traditionally drank out of a special glass, that holds about a nip of liquid. The largest wine festival is held in the city of Ardwin. The city attracts many Ornaran tourists during this festival. Ardwin hosts the largest costume ball and sets the annual theme for the rest of Ornara. In villages outside the Akdwin region, costume balls of cheaper affairs are held where people feast and consume barrels of Akdwin wine. A different Wine King or Queen is usualy nominated prior to the events and their position is to taste test every barrel/bottle that is opened during the festival.

Day of Chimes

Every Ornaran on their birthday receives a new wooden chime, usually from their parents. These chimes are erected inside the homes and/or business on the Day of Chimes. Attached to  the outside of the town square temple of every village, birth chimes of every citizen alive are kept all year round where the breath of the Gods can blow through them. Each charm is unique with different carvings and painted colours and designs, however, all have the owners name and age received carved and painted into them. On this day, parents of babies born during the period after the last Day of Charms, have the honour of placing the birth charm of their baby with the rest of the village. Charms of those Ornarans that have died are retired to the honey farm. The honey farm has,  a large temple erected and the monks will rotate ancient charms of past Ornarans monthly.  The chimes are made of wood only, as metal attracts lightening during a storm. In the capital city of Arornat, the main townsquare temple keeps the birth chimes of Ornaran heros. A committee will choose those Ornarans that have made outstanding achievements which have benefited Ornara to place their birth chimes at this temple. On top of  Mount Ga'ornat, on the outskirts of the city, is the largest temple in Ornara. It is called the Temple of Past Heroes. Here all the birth chimes of retired heroes are placed.