“As every Neth 4th, the small town of Kassen celebrates its founding ceremony, commemorating the day in which, in the year 4535, beloved founder Ekat Kassen and his men gave their life in a successful attempt to protect the town Kassen had established 10 years before from the cruel bandit Asar and his mercenaries. Kassen and his men managed to defeat Asar’s forces, but Kassen himself died 2 days later. The townsfolk buried Kassen in the ancient crypt where the final confrontation against Asar had taken place. They placed an eternal flame above Kassen’s final resting place, so that all who visited it might find warmth in the wilderness.
“Every autumn, a few of the townsfolk make a pilgrimage to the crypt to light a lantern from the flame and bring it back to town, where it is preserved all winter, a symbol of the town’s resilience. Most years, the town mayor and a group of dignitaries perform this quest. Every few years, however, a handful of younger townsfolk are given the honor of lighting the lantern. Many see this as a passage into adulthood, a taste of adventure before settling down to work and marriage.
“This year, rumors have been heard that a group of younger townsfolk will be tasked to perform the annual ceremony in honor of Ekat Kassen, traveling to the Crypt of the Everflame and lighting the lantern before coming back in town as adults.
