Luna's Harvest

Originally the tradition began in the wake of a devastating attack of Ultribar by beasts who attacked in the dead of night during a snowstorm, obscuring the view of the early settlers. By the time the sun came up the next day, hundreds had died at the hands of yetis who seemed to only leave after stealing food as well as some corpses of the settlers. The settlers gathered what they could of the deceased into one spot,for most just one or more of their favorite things, and burnt them while crying for the fallen. Just then, Luna appeared to them and told them that they are through the worst of the winter, saying that she would allow the shrine of belongings they had burnt to become a continuous flame until the snow would melt, so long as the people of Ultribar swore not to forget the balance of life and death.

Since the early years, families of the original settlers, as well as some outsiders, gather belongings from those who died that previous year and offer them to Luna to show that they have not forgotten what she has done. The ritual leader, often a priest of the Church of Solar, preserves the fire and keeps it burning for a whole day to signify the flame that Luna kept burning for months. The ashes from the flames are then distributed to the families of the fallen. It was decided that the ceremony would happen the day after the shortest day of the year to signify passing the darkest part of the year. Additionally, those who participate often disagree with any necrotic magic or even spells that bring others back from death, seeing it as straying from Luna's deal made with the initial settlers.

The components of the ceremony depend on who the deceased was. If the one who died was a farmer, maybe a crop or farming tool would be offered, if it was a guard, maybe a piece of their armor or equipment. The Church of Solar will typically burn wood blessed by a rite to Luna in order to keep the fire going for the full day.

As time goes on, more outsiders who do not descend from the original settlers have began to attend the ceremony in order to mourn their loved ones. The largest ceremony is held by the Church of Solar, who feel that without Luna's protection they would not have made it through the winter to feel the joy of Solar and therefore see the ritual as fundamental. Other smaller rites are had across the entire Scorchlands, but most of them are in the immediate area around Ultribar.