wedding darkness wards

Most Scarterran weddings try to invoke Zarthus's blessing. Even if the couple in question is not very friendly with the Lanterns, the wedding planning will involve at least a token gesture to Zarthus.   The Lanterns got their nickname because their ceremonies use a lot of literal lanterns and this is no exception.   The token gesture usually takes the form of taking a ceremonial lantern and walking around the perimeter of the wedding ceremony area the night before and/or taking a ceremonial lantern walking around the area of he wedding reception the night of the reception.   Zarthus is a bulwark against both literal and figurative darkness and this warding with the ceremonial lantern symbolically.   Unless the couple or the nation they live in is biased against Zarthus, more often than not, the ceremonial lantern is accompanied by something noisy and boisterous.   The Elven Empire is normally not very friendly with the Lanterns, but many centuries ago, the Elven Empire's predecessor nation, the kingdom of Lunatus used to be very pro-Lantern. One enduring cultural relic is the Wedding Warding Song.   Zarthus is not just a guardian against the dark but he is the patron of music, so it makes sense to use music to hold the darkness at bay.   The traditional Wedding Warding Song is a major cornerstone of almost every grey elves wedding reception. Typically they sing it three or four times at the reception every hour on the hour, each time louder and less rhythmically than before due to alcohol consumed.   The song is observed almost verbatim at weddings in the Republic of Apseldia. The song has spread to human lands that have traded with the Elven Empire (and the Empire's non-elven subjects). Sometimes humans translate the song from Elven into Common, other times they might try to sing this in mangled Elven.   Wood elves have a similar tradition but it involves a choreographed dance. This practice has spread to Fumayan humans.   Other human nations have their own Zarthus honoring wedding songs and/or dances that they claim are developed independently of elven traditions.   Among East Colassia humans East Colassia, free form improvisational music is commonly used. Dwarves of all three major nations prefer to recite formal poems and this practice has spread to human weddings in Kantoc and the Border Baronies Region and Fumaya.