Religion and Holidays

Common Religions
There are two main schools of thought: monotheism and the pantheon. There are several versions of each, but the monotheist view dominates most of the creation stories, and is similar to Chrstianity. The pantheon is similar to the Greek, Roman, and Norse pantheons. More on this to come soon.

Winter Holiday Season
The winter holiday season is a true season. It lasts practically all winter in temperate zones. Traveling craftsmen and musicians have made it this way. They'll go from town to town, and you never quite know when a toymaker will drop by on his pegasus or in a small caravan to hand out trinkets.

Midwinter (the Winter Solstice)
This is one of the most important holidays of their year. On the rare occasions that this day is also a full moon, these people will spend the night in silent contemplation of the end and its meaning.

Summer Solstice and Spring Equinox
Calendars are set by the sun, and so are some of the holidays. It is common practice to set/reset the clocks on the Spring Equinox. Some regions turn this into a holiday, with complex circular dances to reflect the motion of a clock and the cycles of the sun and moon.

The Summer Solstice, on the other hand, is frequently called "Midsummer Feast Day" and is an occasion to show off one's cooking and baking skills. In some towns, it's an all-out competition among neighbors. For everyone else, it just means an amazing meal.

Harvest Days
Most islands will celebrate periodically throughout harvest season, to reward themselves for completing the harvest of one crop or another. There is a special emphasis on surviving hay season, which is often followed by a dance, bonfire, and all-night story-telling. If a traveling storyteller or minstrel isn't available, one of the older members of the community will tell a series of traditional tales, often about the Megasus and other legendary figures.

Days of Light
With an emphasis on light, warmth, and color, the start of this fesitval is first day of warm spring weather, usually called "The Festival of Lights," but sometimes also referred to as "The Day of Falling Stars," depending on the region. This holiday is usually celebrated with colorful costumes, the construction and burning of a pegasus of straw and sticks, and (if they're available) fireworks. There is usually special emphasis on the sunrise, the growth of flowers, and the creation of paints and dyes.

Night of the Great Eye
The Night of the Great Eye is something celebrated upon lunar eclipses, and especially bloodmoons. Sometimes called "the All-Devouring Maw," this night is centered around the belief that the moon is in fact the only visible part of a creature large enough to eat the world. In fact, believers say that it will eventually do just that, though no one is sure when. Most followers of the Great Eye put great value on not regretting the end, and being prepared for death. This seems morbid to some, but can be extremely satisfying.