Heart's Day (also called Lovers' Day)[1] is a holiday celebrated all over Tamriel on the 16th of Sun's Dawn. In almost every house, the Legend of the Lovers is being sung for the younger generation. In honor of these lovers, Polydor and Eloisa, the inns of various cities offer a free room for visitors. If such kindness had been given these Lovers, it is said, it would always be springtime in the world.[2] The Legend of the Lovers is a tale that mythologized a real story, whose original bardic performance gets closest to the truth with its ending.[3] Ironically, Heart's Day originated as the Summoning Day for Sanguine, a Daedric Prince who represents debauchery.[2][3] Heart's Day however had Sanguine's influence sanitized by the newer religions that appropriated it, in efforts to solidify the worship for the new over the old.[3] Since its invention, it has been commercialized to the point where some consider the holiday to have been invented by merchants as a way to make money.[4]
To properly set the mood in the bedroom in honor of Heart's Day, flower petals, sweetrolls, and much more are brought in. Each item helps those so inclined to fulfill on the day's delightful promise with their partners in the adventure called life. Flowers associated with Dibella are picked for the occasion.[5] The colors surilie wine, guar tongue pink, and pale pink gray are dyes associated with the holiday.[6]
According to the seemingly immortal Impresario, the ancient Pre-ri'Datta writings of Amun-dro gives a hint of the true story of Polydor and Eloisa.[3] In 1E 2920, the King of Senchal, Dro'Zel summoned Molag Bal onto the town of Gil-Var-Delle after hearing a story from a local bard.[7] The historical fiction series 2920, the Last Year of the First Era suggests that the story was the bard's retelling of Polydor and Eloisa's tale. Normally the King ended most Lovers' Day in a happy mood, but the story left him depressed and vengeful.[1]
NotesEdit
- Author Phrastus of Elinhir once approached Lady Cinnabar of Taneth at the Dragonstar Conclave of Antiquarian Scholars and pointed out it was the 16th of Sun's Dawn, suggesting they should meet later that evening to "appropriately celebrate Sanguine's summoning day", and took it rather personally when she refused his smarmy advances, for it was shortly thereafter that his criticism of her work began to appear in the journals.[8]
- Saturalia was originally a holiday for a long forgotten god of debauchery.[9] Another holiday in relation to Sanguine is "Carnaval", a portmanteau of carnal and carnival where it is easy find his worshipers.[8] The exact time it takes place is unknown.
- Heart's Day is the Elder Scrolls equivalent of Valentine's Day and the reason it takes place on the 16th of Sun's Dawn rather than the 14th is because it corresponds to writer Ted Peterson's birthday on February 16.[UOL 1]
GalleryEdit
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A Heart's Day shrine to Mara
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Fountain representing a Frozen Heart that needs love
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Heart's Day Music Box
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A Heart's Day dish (Legends)
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A Heart's Day date
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Surilie Wine Color Dress (ESO)
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information, see the Daggerfall and Blades articles.
BooksEdit
- Heart's Day Mass Wedding by Loremaster Lawrence Schick — A special reading from a Heart's Day event
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b 2920, Sun's Dawn — Carlovac Townway
- ^ a b Heart's Day description in Daggerfall
- ^ a b c d Loremaster's Archive - Tamriel's Holidays — The Impresario
- ^ Rulings text in Castles
- ^ Heart's Day Retreat Furnishing Pack description in ESO
- ^ Surilie Wine, Guar Tongue Pink, and Pale Pink Gray holiday dye colors in ESO
- ^ History of Senchal: An Overview — Sulema, Initiate Scholar of the Pa'alatiin
- ^ a b Persistence of Daedric Veneration — Lady Cinnabar of Taneth
- ^ Saturalia description in Daggerfall
Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.