The sun grows tired and it is evident by it's growing absence from the sky. More and more we see the moon and her pale blue beauty. Harvest last days cycle through as the remaining leaves on the trees fall to the ground. The earth grows colder as nature hibernates with the sun. The earth has reminded us once again, she has a cruel side as the first flake of snow tumbles it's way to the grass. While today the sky failed at blanketing us in fields of white, soon it will succeed. The wind already has a bitter bite to it and soon it will be deadly. As the last of the harvest was unearthed by the farmers, the herders brought their cattle and hogs in for slaughter. It would be a long time before the earth decided to provide us with the wealth of life and we all prepare as we can. So as the last of the food is prepped and stored, the village prepares for a festive night. As the moon shines above the Aos Sí are once again allowed to reunite with their living kin. Tables are set for these deceased souls, so that they can enjoy an earthly meal and whine that is generally saved for the likes of Gods and lost heros. This would be to keep good favor of our ancestors as the Aos Sí are known to bless our fields each year with plentiful growth. Pumpkins with the faces of our lost love ones collect at the doors of our huts and collect around the village square to ensure the Aos Sí do not get lost in a crossroad. Children wear masks and wonder from door to door and recited the prayer of the dead to receive offerings from the residence so that they too can be involved in the festival. As the moon dances among the stars we light the fire in the village square. Many of us will clap and drink and dance and sing. Enjoying the last day of the good half of the year as the bad half forces it's way in. Funny, on the island to the east they decided to call this day Halloween. Though they only tip their hats to those who past and hold church the day after for their Saints. Nothing as respectfully or festive as us. Here we Celts call this day Samhain. Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed my story. It was written so to give information on the origins of the holiday without having to write it in a boring history book style. Also, what are some great Halloween/Samhain stories that you have, real life, in game, or made up? Or do you have some fun facts about halloween or Samhain that you would wish to share? Also, any cool photos, and gifs are also welcomed. Trolls and Nobles welcomed for we all will die one day and this is the holiday of the dead.
A made-up story in game. Booooooooo! The ghosts and witches wanders around Kingdoms At War, And a new epic battle is open. It is called Dracula the Nightmare: The Scary Battlefield! The players will have to gather their troops and spies, To defeat Dracula the Nightmare. Upon Dracula's demise, Drops Halloween Pumpkin (7-15) and gold! -Next...- Kaw community posts Halloween threads, To attempt to ask players with Halloween questions! Should a player gets a wrong answer, he will immediately loses half of his gold in hand, Indicating that he gets "tricked"! But should the player gets the correct answer, Will he gets rewards that can be Health Crystals, a Horn Of Calydor or a Seal of the Damned, or even more Halloween Pumpkins! These brave players who have no fear...will dare to answer that question! Like a Trick-or-treat! -And more...- All players will get 10 Halloween Potion, known as an attack potion. Should they use it upon attacking a defender, If the player gets a victory, the defender receives a notification with a secret mesage: "Boo! The ghosts have invaded your camp, scaring your soldiers and spies away! When the Halloween Event ends, The top 1-100 players with the most Halloween Pumpkins, Gets varying rewards. From 5 Seals of the Damned, 10 Horns of Calydor, 25 Health Crystals, 25% Halloween Plunder Bonus spell, and Halloween Achievement (Level 5.)(1st) All the way....to just 1 Health Crystal and Halloween Achievement (Level 1.) -And finally...- Every player who is active during that event period, will all get 1 Health Crystal as a token of appreciation from the developers as part of attending Halloween! Happy Halloween!! -The End-
Though I will say it is a bit to late for a halloween proposal for Kaw, maybe spend the year refining it and bring it up next August or September.
Wiccan or not, my info is derived from the celtic holiday. There are actually multiple variations of this holiday throughout out Europe and time. For the celts Samhain was also celebrated as their new years. Though, to be fair, would you like to share the Wiccan traditions and history of Samhain for us?
Contrary to a popular Internet-based (and Chick Tract-encouraged) rumor, Samhain was not the name of some ancient Celtic god of death, or of anything else, for that matter. Religious scholars agree that the word Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") comes from the Gaelic “Samhuin,” but they’re divided on whether it means the end or beginning of summer. After all, when summer is ending here on earth, it’s just beginning in the Underworld. Samhain actually refers to the daylight portion of the holiday, on November 1st.
Samhain is known by most folks as Halloween, but for many modern Pagans it's considered a Sabbat to honor the ancestors who came before us, marking the dark time of the year. It's a good time to contact the spirit world with a seance, because it's the time when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest.
Interesting. Did not know that version. I do know the celts celebrated it as in end of harvest and the Aos Sí was the name given to those who were dead. And it was used as a new years before the current calendar took place. I also know that All Saints Day (November 1st) and Halloween was set up by the Catholic church as a way to recruit ancient pagans to Catholicism. Many holidays to include Halloween (Samhain), Christmas (Yule) and Easter (Oddly was called the same name in the pagan holidays with a few different spellings) The Catholic and Christian components of these holidays was set up to counter pagan celebrations so that transition of faith would be eaiser. The made halloween and all saints day out of Samhain and it mostly kept it's meaning as an honor of these before us. Yule/Yuletide was the pagan mid-winter festival. It was also very vast of how it was celebrated and why. Most interesting one I read was Yule was Odin's time of the Wild Hunt. Easter, was for the resurrection of the sun god in many pagan religions, celebrated on spring equinox. Actually, Easter tends to be the celebration in many religion as a day demi-gods and gods are resurrected. This includes the christian savior Jesus. But I am babbling. Note: I'm Agnostic. I don't associate or practice beliefs but I find their histories interesting.