Hell Month

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What is Hell Month?

Hell Month is a holy time for the Otherfaith. It begins at the end of June and extends throughout July, culminating in the Apotheosis of the Dierne on July 31. There are a variety of holy days which occur during Hell Month.

Hell Month honors the First Season of myths in the Otherfaith, focusing specifically on the struggle between Pallis (the Dierne Pallis) and Misia. The themes of the holiday are of conflict, loss, rebellion, and destruction. It can be seen as opposite to Reunion, the Other People’s joyous December holy week.

Hell Month is a time of mourning. The Other People grieve the the gods and the tribulations they have faced. They might also grieve dead loved ones, past relationships, or any other loss. Hell Month also invites the Other People to reflect upon unpleasant parts of life without shame. It is a time to focus upon the darker themes in life and death.

The first Four+ Gods (Clarene, Ophelia, Laetha, and Dierne) are said to be absent or unavailable in the West at this time.

Hell Month gets its name for being a ‘hellish month’ for the gods, spirits, and People of the Otherfaith.

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Intersecting Holy Days

Holy days occurring during Hell Month are often related to the overarching themes and stories of the holy time.

Date	Event	Information
July 1	Commemoration of Conflict: Ophelene & Alynah Blake	The God of Justice and the Spirit of Chaos ring in Hell Month with a ceremonial battle.
First Saturday of July	Community Day	Other People meet to socialize and connect.
First Sunday of July	Commemoration of Calamity: the Firebird	The Firebird, driven mad by Misia, spreads flame and destruction throughout the West.
July 13	Commemoration of Calamity: Mallory	Mallory, daughter of Lyra and Ophelia, spreads rot and decay through the West.
July 15	Commemoration of Centries	Centries, spirits representing order and punishment, are created.
July 24	Nevander Announces the Eighth	Nevader, the Liathane's Right Hand, announces the Eighth God's upcoming arrival in the West.
July 25	Commemoration of Calamity: Althea Altair	Althea Altair spreads ash and coals throughout the West.
July 31	Entrance of the Eighth God	the Liathane appears in the West.
July 31	Apotheosis of the Dierne Pallis	Pallis is deified after overthrowing Misia, taking the former Dierne's place.

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Gods Honored

Each of the Four+ Gods is technically honored during Hell Month, as the myths related to the month concern the formation of the First Four Gods and intersect with the creation of the Latter Four Gods.

That said, the Laethas and the Dierne Pallis are most prominent. Hell Month largely concerns the story between Arabella, Pallis, and Misia and the reclaiming of the Laethic Firebird. Though the Liathane’s entrance into the West occurs at the end of the month, the Apotheosis of the Dierne takes precedence.

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Main Story of Holiday

Pallis and Misia fall into the West.
The stars work for the Clarene before going to live in the City.
the Ophelia warns Misia of the future.
Misia realizes he is wasting away/dying, but Pallis is not suffering the same fate.
the Clarene rejects Misia’s request for healing.
Arabella falls into the West from the human world.
Arabella works for the Clarene, as the stars did, and meets Pallis and Misia. She goes to live with them in the City.
Arabella begins wasting away as well, much quicker than Misia because of her humanity.
Pallis and Misia mourn. Misia asks the Ophelia for aid and is rejected.
Misia, trying to stave off his own wasting, begins eating the Smaller Spirits of the West.
the Clarene appears to Arabella and offers her healing. Arabella will become a god and replace the current Laetha, Laetha Adilene, and in doing so keep from dying. Arabella accepts.
Pallis is overjoyed. Misia is furious. He begins plotting how to gain divinity for himself.
The Centries announce the string of missing/murdered Smaller Spirits, horrifying the residents of the West. They remain unaware of who has committed the crimes.
On the night of Arabella’s deification, Misia kills/expels Pallis from the West. He adopts Pallis’ appearance and goes to Arabella as she is buried in the Orchard.
In the middle of her deification, Misia grabs hold of Arabella and uses his sacred weapon, a white mace, to break her. This results in her soul splitting into dozens of pieces which fly apart. He consumes what is left of her soul and takes her divinity for himself.
the Clarene attempts to kill Misia, but he rebuffs her attack and deals a mortal blow. the Dierne Irene does her best to heal the Clarene, but the god remains severely wounded.
Misia returns to the City and claims the other gods, along with Arabella, were behind the Smaller Spirit murders. He is hailed as a savior and establishes himself as the singular god of the West.
Pallis, trapped outside the West, wanders the worlds. He eventually encounters Asier, one of Arabella’s shards. Pallis convinces Asier to return to the West with him.
Misia poisons the River Ophelia. The god is weakened severely. The poisoned water also weakens the West’s residents, making them more susceptible to Misia’s manipulation.
the Clarene and Dierne Irene remake the Orchard into a safe home for refugees fleeing Misia’s increasingly hostile City.
Alaria and Artois, two more shards of Arabella, appear in the West. They are taken in and hidden by anti-Misian spirits.
the Clarene, using a shard of Arabella, creates Ava and Alma. The twins are able to heal the god’s remaining wounds from her confrontation with Misia.
Asier forces himself into the West, re-opening the gate that was closed when Misia killed Arabella. He is killed in the process and Pallis mourns.
Ava, Alma, and the Clarene appear at the newly opened gate. Ava heals Asier.
The Firebird appears at the Gate, drawn by the opening and Arabella’s shards. Ava sacrifices herself to the fire to protect the others. They escape to the Orchard.
the Clarene creates a metal spine to replace Asier’s broken back. With Pallis and Asier, the Clarene and Dierne Irene begin preparing a proper war against Misia.
Alaria and Artois attempt to lead a coup against Misia. He uses the Firebird to kill and consume them.
the Clarene and Pallis attempt to infiltrate into Misia’s City. Though they are eventually found out, Pallis realizes Arabella is still alive.
The West begins decaying from Misia’s misuse of its resources. This causes fighting to break out in the City. Misia’s chosen spirits remain safe and well fed while he leaves most of the residents to their own devices.
the Clarene, utilizing another of Arabella’s shards, creates the androids Aletheia.
Aletheia infiltrates and rescues Arabella from Misia.
Misia issues a public challenge to the resistance. Pallis attempts to strike him down, but Misia is still able to use the divine force of the Laetha to protect himself.
A cure is developed to restore the Ophelia. The resistance dumps it into the River, restoring clear thought to the West’s residents.
the Clarene and Pallis make a sacred weapon to take down Misia permanently. the Clarene forms the weapon from bones taken from both herself and Pallis.
A final offensive against Misia is rallied. Each side prepares.
During the final confrontation, Arabella is immolated by the Firebird.
Asier is killed during the confrontation.
Chased out of the warring City, Misia arrives in the River Ophelia. Pallis follows him to the River. He strikes him down in the water.
With Misia’s destruction, the Firebird is released and returns to his senses, transitioning from the white Misian Firebird into multi-colored Laethic Firebird.
the Clarene and Ophelia reclaim their divine positions.
The consumed Laethas are reborn into themselves and take up their mantle as god.
Following a year and a day, Pallis is crowned as the Dierne. the Dierne Irene abdicates, giving her position to him.

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Activities for Holiday

Prayer

We currently do not have prayers for Hell Month.

Writing

Other People may choose to write various mythic fanfic during this time. Stories written during Hell Month don’t have to focus on the First Season of myths, nor any themes related to Hell Month, but it is a good time to get in touch with those energies.

Some prompts for this time are:

the Laetha Adilene abdicates her position to Arabella. Why does she do this?
Why does Pallis thrive in the West while Misia begins wasting away?
What does Pallis do while wandering the worlds outside the West?
Arabella is offered salvation from her own wasting away by the Clarene. Why is Misia not offered this?
What does Misia’s rule over the West look like?
What do the gods do during the time Misia is ruling?
Was Misia ‘fated’ to betray Arabella and Pallis? What would have happened if he had chosen a different path?

Contemplative

Any topics related to the darker themes of life may be contemplated during this time. An Other Person may also choose to focus on the themes of jealousy and despair that are focused on during Hell Month.

As aids to contemplation, prompts are listed below.

What would it mean to be forsaken by the gods?
What is fate? Is it important in your life?
How far would we go to ensure the survival of ourselves and/or our loved ones?
How do the themes of the month relate to your own life?
Which is more important to you: retribution or compassion?

Miscellaneous

An Other Person may choose to fast during certain times of Hell Month. Any fasting that is undertaken should be cleared with a medical professional first if needed; never fast if it constitutes a risk to your health.

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