The Mourner's March | Free Event for D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e

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The Mourners’ March

Event Overview. The deep toll of a massive bell echoes throughout Appia, its sonorous knell reverberating deep into the stones. It tolls again just as the last echoes fade away. Smaller handbells ring out as a parade of mourners dressed in scarlet shuffle up the road, the solemnity of their passing leaving a weight upon the onlookers. Several toss red roses and other flowers onto the cobblestone road ahead of the procession, the fragrant flowers’ scents curling through the air as the mourners tread upon them. At last, the marchers reach the city’s peak, waiting in silence as the sun drifts to meet the horizon. When the last rays of light have faded, the mayor unfurls a scroll and recites a list of names to all in attendance.

The Mourners’ March began as a memorial during the Appia Revolution 86 years ago. During this time, the city was under the tyrannical control of a neighbor, Seralda, who ruled Appia with an iron fist. A group of patriots banded together to cast out the oppressive army, leading to a bloody battle that spilled onto Appia’s streets. At sunset, the clerics announced which comrades had fallen, ringing bells in their honor. Ultimately, the 69 patriots who lost their lives defending Appia’s freedom did not die in vain: the Seraldan Army withdrew from the city, and Appia’s independence was finally recognized. The revolutionary leader, Aella Kaveh, unfortunately, succumbed to her wounds the day after the Seraldan forces departed, making her the last casualty of the revolution.

Within five years of this momentous event, the Mourner’s March evolved to include memorializing important city figures who passed during that month on its final day. After 10 years, it expanded to include any citizens who died and deserved to be honored. The bell tolling every hour throughout the day, however, continued to symbolize the fallen 69 patriots and their leader.

People Involved. Few outsiders would know what to think of Appia’s Mourners’ March, let alone expect to participate in the event. For that matter, the stoic and disassociated approach to immediate grief may also be off-putting to foreigners. Instead, this event comforts local residents who need a way to express their grief.

Location. The Mourners’ March’s public events take place across all of Appia’s paved streets as the procession begins at the base of the hill and winds its way up to the top of the hill. Bystanders are encouraged to decorate the streets with red flowers and streamers to symbolize the blood shed to free Appia. Meanwhile, the city governor gathers with everyone who participated in the Mourners’ March for the sunset reading of the names in Kaveh Square, which features a large statue of Aella Kaveh to honor her achievements in the revolution.

However, many families who have suffered loss during that month will expand the monthly event into their own homes for private events. They spend the first hours of the day fasting and meditating on their loved ones. After the Mourners’ March concludes, these families usually return to their homes at dusk to host friends and family for an evening meal that often stretches deep into the early hours of the next morning.

Event Details