Festival of Regina Leone

The Festival of Regina Leone is a key element in Unlimited Saga. It occurs in the town of Vaftom and is a major celebration. All 7 of the main characters visit the Festival and end up crossing paths with each other in various ways.

History
Lord Dixon was proclaimed guardian of Iskandar's lands after the latter's death. He returned to him home on the isle of Elve after being defeated in battle. There, he built a mausoleum for Iskandar in a place called Vaftom (Guardian Land), around which a town grew. The mausoleum was rebuilt several times.

After the last rebuilding, the mausoleum became pretty much as it is today. His life's work done, Lord Dixon breathed his last. There was a huge funeral, after which Lord Dixon's coffin was laid next to that of Iskandar. Two days later, in the middle of hte night, his wife, Regina Leone, climbed the mountain behind the mausoleum and, lighting a fire, quietly sent his spirit into the next world. The people of Vaftom saw the fire and were moved to tears by Regina's love and memory of Lord Dixon. During Regina's life, the fire was kept lit every day as a family custom. With the passing generations, the number of people visiting the fire increased, developing the town of Vaftom and creating what came to be known as the Festival of Regina Leone.

In it's infancy, the festival was chaotic; it took the expanding 'Order of the Knights of Iskandar' to put a stop to the disorder. Keither Lombardo, the seventh Knight Commander of Iskandar, was a man who finally succeeded in consolidating the Order and organised the festival, naming it the Festival of Regina Leone in honour of its founder. This is how the festival began.

The Festival
The first day of the festival begins early. The descendant of Lord Dixon, the feudal lords of the Island of Elve, conduct a service of worship at Iskandar's mausoleum. Prayers for the departed are offered throughout the morning. At noon, a bell signals a change in the Festival's atmosphere: merchant stalls spring up in the plaza and performers take to the streets. The morning's solemn attitude all but vanishes in an explosion of energy and excitement.

On the second day the festivities continue, with the highlight being a series of offertory plays presented at the mausoleum. Both professional and amateur performers take part in the plays, which range from historical dramas to contemporary comedies.

The third day serves as the grand finale. In the afternoon, merchants' stalls are cleared from the plaza, and all make way for the early evening parade. Extravagantly designed floats parade through the town, beginning at the plaza in front of the mausoleum. At night, the excitement reaches it's peak. The wealthy sail their boats into the salt lake that borders Vaftom, and enterprising townsfolk charge exorbitant fees for seats with a view of the parade. All this activity ceases at midnight when the floats are put away and lights are dimmed throughout all of Vaftom.

With the town enveloped in darkness, one by one, memorial fires appear on the mountainside behind the town. Those who have lost their loved ones in the preceeding year participate in the lighting of the fires. At the end, three memorial fires are lit behind the mausoleum. These are for Iskandar, Lord Dixon and his wife, Regine. Everyone watches in quiet contemplation as dawn breaks...