Yulemass

**Yulemass**, (**Iceo**in Tozish) later becoming known as the **Festival of the Ice Rod,**is a celebrating held in the world of Fly on the 25th of December each year. Originally occuring in Rabar and Questoz, it spread throughout the human and elven cultures becoming a worldwide holiday.

## History

### The First Yulemass

The first ever Yulemass occured sometime by 1,209 BS when the first early settlers of Capital City travelled to the shores of the Ice Ridge where they met with the natives of the land and was welcomed to a meal together. According to a diary entry, the early settlers was scared by the travellers; hiding behind rocks, readying their weapons and such. But once the captain of the exploration gave them a loaf of bread by placing it in the snow, the Quesoians became no longer afraid.

As night fell, the Quesoians took the travellers into a small igloo located near the coast where a family was preparing a meal. The diary entry states this:

*"It was strange, walls of snow with the only entrance being a small tunnel which stuck outwards from the building. Outside was cold but inside the structure there was a fire pit in the middle with more folk crushing berries and roasting meat that I had never seen before. The captain agreed that we would wait outside to which the natives came and gave us all blankets. Another small fire was also made and strange lighting danced in the skies." -*A diary entry

Then, outside the small igloo, the two strangers enjoyed a meal involving many berries and meat (coming from the travellers) from a turkey. The two tribes enjoyed a meal together outside, and when dusk came, the Quesoians offered their igloo for the men to rest the night. The travellers left the next morning and the story of Yulemass was spread about.

### Spreading of Yulemass

When Questoz was defined as a city by The Council, the first king continued to keep the feast of Yulemass, 10 years after the original. The king laid out an entire cloth along the Questoz strip, from the palace to the docks in which every person from Questoz attended.

A meal of berries and turkey was given, just like the very first Yulemass and the King gave the following speech:

*"It has been 10 years since the folk from the cities far away came to our shores. Thanks to their help, the once flatland of Questoz in which many of my kin died in the horrible conditions, is now this sprawling city in which we can live in peace and quiet. We have built hospitals, houses and schools for our people who either come from far away or the hostile lands that we did roam. Now, as a reminded to our very first meeting and our bonding to which began this great alliance, I propose we enjoy a meal like the settlers of old. The meal began all of those years ago by a wood known as Yule, commonly found near our ice rivers, was set alight and now I bring this tradition today. A traditional meal of Yulemass, every single year on this day for the next generations."*

Many travellers spread this tradition across the waters in which people became aware of this festival, and the news of Yulemass became a common anecdote given on the day. Soon, people started to hold the meal at their homes, in a rememberance of peace and the idea that strangers could get on. This tradition occured and has occured ever since.

Every year, the entire city of Questoz come to sit down at the meal on the high street of the city whilst other cities apply it into their own homes.

### The Festival of the Ice Rod

After the War of the Darkness, in which a Yulemass feast was still held in the city, some parts of the city was still burning down and many treasures were found because of it. One such treasure was a staff found in a piece of ice which had the inscriptions used and was given by the captain on the very first Yulemass. The king took the rod and ordered the construction of a giant ice hall to be named in their honour.

The hall was built and every year a giant ball would occur in the hall as a celebration for others who would such attend. The feast known as Yulemass was just a small part of the Festival of the Ice Rod in which every single day, a new stall would be added to the high street including confectionary stands and clothes. But Yulemass was still very popular and many people held from around the world to be apart of the holiday season.

## Trivia

* The name Yulemass is a combination of Yuletide and Christmass (spelt in the way of a Christian).
* Yulemass is comparative with Christmas and Thanksgiving.