Harvest Eve
26 Oct - 7 Nov 2015
Held at the end of the 30th Rains each year, Harvest Eve is an occasion celebrated all over Alva. Ancient lore holds on this night, spirits and monsters come out to haunt the living. People everywhere don costumes resembling the monsters of the world to scare off or trick the real ones. Fires and burning also hold a special place for purification and warding. Children run the streets trick-or-treating and everyone shares in a holiday of feasting and merry-making. This is not to say, however, that all in Alva celebrate with the same enthusiasm or in the same way.
In the Kingdom, it is Cantor, Belport and Valsk which celebrate it with the most fervour and with unique traditions. This year the festival is bigger than ever with the populations of all three living together and the interest in the expedition swelling the number of visitors. With the revelation of the Ley Elk's existence, the occasion is also observed with renewed devoutness by the Cantish. In the Empire, the main cities which celebrate the holiday are Iadlain, Song-Lu and Bratkowice. Those corners of the continent come alive with festivities and general enjoyment - except Iadlain, where this year's event goes horribly wrong...