Highstone's Day

Highstone's Day is a day to celebrate Alystar Highstone on the 4th of Sun's Zenith every year, the date the Citadel was completed.

History
After the fall of the Kingdom of the Blackspire in 650, the slopes of the Dragonclaw were once again safe, many mages and devotees of Zythia who had evacuated the area returned to the mountain. The great earth mage, philosopher and speaker Alystar Highstone announced that they should build a grand fortress on the mountain to defend the sacred land from any other invaders. What most history books leave out is that Alystar's wife Astretta handled most of the organisation of the construction of the citadel, and Alystar took all the credit. The citadel was mostly constructed through the use of earth magics and built from stone from the peaks of the Dragoncrag Mountains.

Once the great building was completed, Alystar coined the term "Archmage" to signify a mage of great magical and political power and formed the Archmage's Council of the Citadel. He chose himself and six other mages to become Chancellors, but notably left out his wife.

Significance
Highstone's Day not only celebrates the great Alystar Highstone and his contributions to the magical community, but also celebrates everything the Archmage's Council have done for Tyrrus. The Archmages have often stepped in to resolve issues that threaten to tear apart Tyrrus, and they provided support and shelter for the refugees who went on to found Haven around the Citadel.

Festivities
Highstone's Day is commonly celebrated among the upper classes by sending gifts to the Archmage's Council, most people of the lower and middles classes simply send gifts to their local mages. In each city the lower floors of the Archmage's Tower are opened up to the public and festivities take place in there, additionally many mages parade the streets performing marvellous displays of magic. In Haven, a very important ritual takes place to update the magical shield that surrounds the city and protects it from darkness. Typically, the Archmage's Council perform this in the town square just below the steps leading up to the Citadel.