The War Against the Darkness

The "War Against the Darkness" is Zarthus' main holiday of the year. Not just celebrated by Zarthus core followers, most mainstream Scarterrans choose to observe this holiday.   Arguably this is the festival from which the Lanterns draw their namesake.   First there is a fairly short fast, usually just lasting through the morning of the festival, though hardcore Lanterns sometimes fast for up to 48 hours beforehand.  There may be silent mediation, or people may chant their assorted problems and enemies Arya Stark style.   The mood lightens when it is time to break the fast.  If the local rulers are devout Zarthus worshipers (or want to kiss up to the local Lanterns for whatever reason) they may sponsor some entertainment and/or distribute free food for their subjects.    Extended families gather for a feast then all the community goes outside en masse, carrying lanterns or torches, chanting, singing, and yelling to symbolically frighten away the darkness.  Sometimes they will wave actual weapons around but that is somewhat dangerous when marching with a crowd in a dark so the practice has fallen out of favor.   At the end of the procession, it's common to burn effigies representing evil, either specific enemies such as effigy orcs or abstract effigies such as effigies representing famine and other problem.  In many places, everyone writes their problems down on a piece of paper (or draws a picture of their problem if they are illiterate) then they throw their problems into a ceremonial bonfire lit by many of the lanterns from the ceremonial procession.   Traditionally held late in the year when winter is well underway. It is usually held during the time of the waxing crescent moon, usually after the last new moon before the Month of Turoch/Month of Nike.  This is ssually approximately on or near the 30th day of Phidas' month, Forenike 20 give or take a week or two.