Blanketing the Fields

O

n the edge of twilight, where the fields are briefly covered in darkness each day, there lies an ancient field nestled within the protection of a crumbling ruin. The Field that Sleeps. Each harvest season, a festival is held to cast a giant blanket over the field and its resident statutes, settling them into rest before the new season. This protected field is the ideal planting ground with rich, soft, soil and a gently pulsing aura of life. The ritual of blanketing the field before each season is to promote growth and vitality in the upcoming harvest, by sheltering and protecting the field while it rests.


No one knows why the ritual works, but it does. It began as a joke.

In the center of the field, there are statues of children of various ages positioned as if frozen in time. A young farmer noticed that the soil around the statues tended to be richer and grew crops better. One day, tired from a long day of planting, he jokingly tucked his coat around one of the statues to tuck it in for the night as thanks for its work in supporting the rich soil. Nothing was noticeably different right away, but the area of richer soil around that statue began to spread. Soon. a large section of the field around that statue was growing larger and hardier crops than anywhere else.

Noticing the change, the farmer began to cover other statues any time they were not working in the fields. This was so successful that other farmers began to cover statues in other areas of the field. Soon, this was the accepted practice. Even then, the old name stuck around. Blanketing the fields and tucking them in for the night.

As the years passed, the incredible growing nature of the field was noticed more and more. Other villagers offered to help with crafting various blankets for covering the fields. While this was not useful on a daily basis, it became a seasonal ritual for the village. A giant blanket would be woven from all the remaining plant fiber that the end of each harvest. Woven in sections, these blankets were then bound together and cast over the entire field in a solid sheet stretched over the surrounding ruins. As the blanket broke down and settled onto the field, it would be left alone until new crop growth began to poke through. Then it was time for the farmers to begin tending the new harvest as it grew.


While no one knows for certain why blanketing the fields works, there are many rumors and theories.

The more academically minded in the village talk about how the fiber blanket protects the seedlings and traps in warmth to help them grow, while keeping anyone from walking on the sprouts. The blanket also prevents many animals or other pests from eating the plants as they begin to grow. As usual, this answer explains a lot but has gaps in understanding and is not fun enough for villagers looking for a touch of magic. So, the rumors lean toward the more fantastical.

One popular rumor is that the temples bless the fiber blankets as they are woven, imbuing them with holy light to promote growth. The temples are quite involved in the blanket weaving process, so this may be true. The temples have certainly never discouraged the rumors, but they have never been confirmed by the temples either.

The most popular rumor is that the statues are alive and are, in truth, spirits from the dark lands, trapped in the fields long ago. Foolish farmers who stay in the fields during the darkest bell swear that the statues move. Everyone knows better to go into the fields during the darkest bell, or any storm which blocks out the light. It is said that blanketing the field covers the statues and lets them come alive again to tend the fields in the dark. They say the blessings on the blanket are there to keep these spirits trapped within, and to protect the plants from dark corruption.

No one really knows. Other than the statues. They might know. If anyone dared to ask.


Most everyone in the village is part of blanketing the fields in some way. Many simply travel out to the fields to be a part of laying out the blanket each season. The more hands available, the faster and easier it is to position the blanket. No one wants to be beyond the protective wall of Day Wards so everyone goes out to help together. Other villagers have more involved roles.

Farmers

The farmers' role begins long before the actual blanketing. At the end of each season, they gather all plant fiber left in the field after the harvest. Anything that can be woven in or spun together and added is collected to create the blanket. While the blanket is being woven, the farmers focus on tilling and replanting the fields in preparation for the next season. With the seemingly magic rejuvenation of the field each season, the crops do not need to be moved or rotated but the farmers often choose to do so anyway. They say it doesn't harm them to put in a little extra work, and it keeps the spirits happy.

Craftsmen

The primary involvement of craftsmen in the blanketing is to weave the blanket itself. Even if a craftsman is not skilled in weaving, many will offer their assistance as extra hands in the process. As a result, this time also turns into a gathering of craftsmen where weavers oversee groups of craftsmen of many different skills. They all weave together and discuss their crafts and the village markets.

Some craftsmen also offer seasonal wares made from leftover plant-fiber or in the likeness of statues from the field. Over time, the ritual had gained the attention of the Order and outsiders are seen traveling to the village more often around the harvest change.

Temples

The attention of the Order has also led to the small village having a higher than normal contingent of temple representatives in the village. Where most villages of this size have a single full Sight, a group consisting of one member of each of the six order branches, this village boasts three Sights. The three Order members from each branch provide blessings for the blanket as it is being woven. They do not leave the village for the Blanketing, but once their blessings are complete, the blanket has a faint shimmer of light which can be seen from the edge of the Day Wards as the blanket in being lain.