Midsummer
Midsummer is an annual holiday that occurs between 30 Flamerule and 1 Eleasis on the Calendar of Harptos. Shieldmeet occurs the day after Midsummer on leap years.
Activities
Midsummer Night is a festival that sees much feasting, music-making, and frolicking in the forests. It is a time where love blossoms and often acquaintances become romances and courtships traditionally become betrothals. In some lands, unmarried maidens were released in the woods and their would-be suitors then ceremonially 'hunted' them through the night.
Midsummer festivals of one kind or another are observed in just about every civilized settlement in Omelon. In more conservative cultures, families usually only got together to hold big feasts and drink too much, and couples declared their betrothals.
On This Day
- Priests of the gnomish deity Flandal Steelskin gather to make worked metal offerings, exchange methods, and sell their best works on this day known as the High Forge.
- Guardians of Gorm Gulthyn gather for ritual salutes, martial weapons displays, chanted prayers, and the offering of weapons used in a defensive action.
- Midsummer morning, priests of Lathander perform the Song of Dawn.
- 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 Loviatar celebrate the Rite of Pain and Purity by dancing in a circle upon broken glass or other sharp objects.
- Followers of Marthammor Duin call this day the Hammer and celebrate dwarven craftsmanship.
- On Midsummer Night, worshipers of Mielikki observe planting rites, celebrate the sensual aspect of life, and the Wild Ride, when herds of unicorns assemble and allow them to ride bareback through the forest.
- Worshipers of Oghma make or renew agreements and contracts on this holy day.
- On Midsummer Night, worshipers of the dwarven deity Sharindlar gather around a natural underground pool to dance and perform secret rituals to the Lady of Life.
- Worshipers of Silvanus consider Midsummer Night holy, and often give sacrifice by breaking and burying an object constructed of wood.
- Worshipers of Sune spend Midsummer Night playing flirtatious games in forests and parks.
- Worshipers of Talos call for storms and lightning.
- Worshipers of Tymora engage in a night of daring adventure, wild revels, mischievous pranks, and romantic trysts.
