The Trials of the Shu’halo – Summer 2025
Date: 1 August 2025 – 4 August 2025
Time: 8pm server time each night
Place: Bloodhoof Village, Mulgore, Kalimdor, Azeroth.
Faction: Horde
Event details:
With spring long behind, and the summer equinox already passed, the last opportunity to enjoy the summer comes as the nights begin to grow longer once again with autumn not far away. It is here, when the daylight still stretches long into the evening before the onset of twilight, when the nights are at its clearest so that Father Sky lays bare the heavens, and when the Earth Mother offers up her most bountiful gifts to her children, do the Shu’halo meet.
The voices of the ancestors and the earth mother are carried upon the winds to the circle around the campfire where the Tauren of the many tribes converge. To meet once again family, and tribe. To meet father, mother, brother, sister, cousin and kin. To celebrate our heritage and celebrate those coming of age. To honour and share the stories of their tribes. To honour the Earth Mother and her children, An’she, Mu’sha. and Lo’sho. And to welcome those who have walked with them across the land, close friends and staunch allies who have aided them, in times of need, who have sought out their inner peace and guidance from the ancestors.
Take a moments respite to gather yourself as the horde comes together in Bloodhoof Village in Mulgore for many a grassland of calm and serenity, where you may find your connection with the earth mother, to celebrate the pillars of Tauren culture: Tribe and family, spirituality and respect for the ancestors and earth mother.
Let not our people and our traditions fade into obscurity, let us carry on our way of life in this dangerous world. To any Horde who would honour us, seek healing or even curiosity of our ways, let us celebrate together as you will walk with the earth mother, as you walk the trails of the Shu’halo.
Schedule:
Friday, 1st August
20.00 Opening Ceremony, Speeches and Welcoming
20.30 – Totem Carving
21.00 – Great Hunt
22.00 –Smaller after hours activities
Saturday, 2nd of August
20.00 – Totem painting/ Last minute totem carving
20.30 – Totem Swing and Toss
22.00 –Smaller after hours activities
Sunday, 3rd of August
20.00 – Rites of the Land
21.00 – Kodo Taming
22.00 –Smaller after hours activities
Monday, 4th of August
20.00 – 21.30 – The Great Feast and The telling of Stories.
21.30 – 22.00 – Closing Ceremony.
Opening Ceremony
The start of the Shu’halo Festival begins with the Opening ceremony, where guessed will be welcomed and a small peace pipe ritual will be performed to bless the festival and ask the Ancestors to watch over the coming days.
Totem Carving
A tauren’s traditional battle weapon is very personal. It is at the same time a weapon, and personal prayer manifested in an object to honour the ancestors, the earth mother and those who are close and important to the owner of the totem. Make and carve your own personal totem!
The Great Hunt
The great hunt is of significant importance to the Shu’halo. It is a rite of passage amongst those who wish to be acknowledged as a brave of their tribe, to prove to all they can help their tribe in times of need, to show they can bring home food. A chance for the younger to learn from older and more experienced in the ways of hunting.
Totem Painting and Last Minute Totem Carving
A continuation of the totem carving event, where in the attendants will be given a chance to adorn their personal totem with bright colours and other embellishments. A last chance as well for late comers to carve their own.
A totemic: Totem Swing and Toss
A friendly semi-competitive event, wherein participants will make use of their personal totem. Arrangements have been made to make the event as fair as possible, while ensuring that the importance is not solely on winning. The ancestors watch and smile upon those who take part because in doing so you show bravery and honour the prayer manifested in the totem.
The Rites of the Land and the Sky
Here time is taken to honour the spiritual figures of importance to the Shu’halo. The earth mother who is the Land. An’she who is the Sun. Mu’sha who is the big moon, and Lo’sho who is the smaller moon. Pay your respects and receive a blessing.
Kodo Taming (Kodo Rodeo)
Another step important to the Shu’halo is learning to tame and ride a Kodo. To form a bond between Kodo and Rider, as one would form a bond between family, or be thrown off the saddle of the wild Kodo.
The Great Feast and the Telling of Stories
The culmination of the festival, where the bounty of the hunts, the gifts of the earth mother, the attendants, family and tribe are all brought together under the watchful eyes of the ancestors and elders. Here, attendants will be invited to speak and tell the others the story of their tribes, to share their own personal story and make them become known as part of the community. A chance to catch up with old friends or make new ones.
The Closing Ceremony
The finale of the festival which marks the end of the trails of the Shu’halo. A special send off will be done to close the festival. It shall remain a surprise to be unveiled on the day.
OOC Information
In a time where the world remains uncertain, and the tauren community seeks to revitalise themselves from the ever shrinking circle around the campfire, we invite you to join us, to walk the trails of the shu’halo. This time is especially important for the tauren as it is where family and friends and the shu’halo across all the tribes come together.
Due to the peaceful nature of the event, it is expected that if you choose to attend, we hope that you are at your best behaviour. It is a celebration, with friendly semi-competition however, this is not a place for disruption to the event as a lot of time has been put into organising it. No disputes, no warmongering, no politics. Please keep in mind that fellow attendants are here to enjoy and have a good time, in the spirit of the festival please keep this in mind if you choose to visit.
Contact: Chílí Wildmane (AD server, Argent Dawn EU Roleplay Discord), Musalot (AD Server)