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Every year, on the same day, an event known as The Hollowing occurs. On this night, also known as The Harvesting, the sun and moon eclipse and throw the world into darkness for 12 hours.

During this time, the barrier between life and death is at it’s weakest, and it’s said that powerful demons can harvest the souls of those being born, which leads to still born children (which is where the term “The Hollowing” comes form; children born without souls were called “hollow”).

The pure souls harvested by these demons increases their demonic powers exponentially. The demons can then cross through the veil and enter the mortal plane, where they can harvest additional souls. This wreaks havoc on magic during this time and reported supernatural incidents increase exponentially.

Long ago, a farmer whose wife was to give birth during the Hollowing, went out to his farm, found the largest pumpkin he could find, carved out a ferocious face upon it, asked the Church to bless it and placed it on his doorstep. The idea was that he had offered up his largest prize and created something to frighten the demons away, and further blessed it to keep those that were not frightened to be banished by the Holy Spell placed on it. The farmer and the priest, delivering the child saw the barriers weaken and the approach of demons; but the demons were held at bay, and the child was born safely until the eclipse of the Hollowing was over.

This created a tradition of locating the largest pumpkins, and placing them at city gates, and having them blessed. The larger the city the longer it took for the priests to complete the protection spell. Even the smallest town requires an entire day of casting a spell that protects the city.

It has also become tradition that citizens will dress in costumes that appear demonic in nature, in hopes of tricking demons who have come for their souls. People, dressed in these costumes, also visit neighbors, to further trick demons into believing that a demon has laid claim to the souls inside the home. Many people put decorated pumpkins on their doorsteps as well (though not officially blessed by the church) to frighten demons away from their home.

It is interesting to note, that during the Hollowing, perhaps because that barrier between life and death, and portals crackling, that magic used during the Hollowing may also behave most unusually creating odd side effects.