40K Lore: Feast Of The Emperor’s Ascension
Did you know 40k has holidays? Let’s take a look at one of the most important ones around – The Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension!
While I’m sure everyone is familiar with Candlemass (which is supposed to happen around the same time as Sanguinala), today we want to talk about one of our “favorite” Holidays from the Grimdark – The Feast Of The Emperor’s Ascension! It’s not exactly the “Christmas Equivalent” in 40k, but it sounds like one heck of a party. Or something…
The Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension is the most common festival held in the name of the Emperor of Mankind.
It celebrates the moment, ten thousand years ago, when He was raised to the Golden Throne and made the transition to divinity. On many worlds this is a week-long event, with feasting, games and spectacles to honour the Emperor. Often symbolic sacrifices are made in His name, such as the burning of books to offer their knowledge up to Him. It is also an auspicious time to join people in wedlock or conceive children, leading to mass gatherings of citizens intent on one or both of these undertakings. It is also said that during the Emperor’s Ascension, no false judgements can be made, making it impossible to overturn a ruling made during this time.
Not all worlds celebrate the Ascension with feasts and festivals. On some, especially primitive worlds, this holiday marks a time when the Emperor looks down from His divine realm and remembers His mortal followers. It is at this time that those brave and bold enough can earn a place at His side. Thus the Ascension becomes a bloody time when men and women fight and die in an effort to please the Emperor, each trying to outdo the courage and skill of the others.
However it is celebrated, the Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension is the most notable Imperial holiday and the one that the majority of Imperial civilians observe, even if they do so only to gain a brief respite from their daily drudgery.
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This Feast sounds kind of BONKERS. As a week long celebration of book burning, weddings, and attempts to conceive children, this party already sounds uh…wild. But if you’re out in the more rural areas, you might be in for a completely different type of party. In fact it’s less “party” and more “thunderdome” which might not be the type of rough and tumble you were expecting.
In fact, this sounds more like some crazy cult-like ritual. Between the book burning, the attempts to conceive, and the “no false judgements” thing, I’m starting to think this “Holiday” could end up being a week-long Purge type of event. Especially if you’re fighting for your life to “please the Emperor” or something. Man, the Grimdark is messed-up.
Anyhow, considering that this week-long party is supposed to kick off on the day the Emperor Ascended to the Golden Throne, we’re thinking it’s probably a safe bet that it’s around the same time as the other two holidays. Maybe in the Grimdark they just want to save up all their vacation/holidays for the end of the year? That sounds like a really long year…
What do you think of the Emperor’s Ascension Day Feast? I don’t know if I like this one now…
