Welcome to the Topic of the Fortnight Club!We will be starting off this particular fortnight (that's a two week period, by the way) with the topic of
Festivals.
[ic=Festivals]Celebrations are ubiquitous. In worlds influenced by medieval and ancient history, peasants and serfs may have little respite from their daily labors, and festivals, feast days, and religious holidays provide them with a means of temporary escape. Even in more modern societies that have embraced 'the weekend,' festivals and holidays provide an excuse to take a break, participate in communal events, meet with family and friends, or just go on a spending spree.
Yet festivals are more than just leisure time. Where clocks and calendars are not commonplace, festivals help the common people keep track of the passage of time; they may herald the start of new seasons, indicate when the harvest must be started, or reassure the people that winter is now more than halfway over. Religious festivals may be established for (or
by!) deities and powers to remind the people of their faith, reward them for their devotion, or give them an opportunity to beseech the gods for prosperity and long life with celebration and sacrifice '" or perhaps the festival
itself is a religious act. Festivals instituted by a monarch, government, or organization may be important political tools by which people are reminded of the beneficence of their overlords or the majesty and triumphal anniversaries of their nation. Many festivals blend these themes together, serving multiple purposes in a society.
A festival need not always be festive. Many special days, particularly religious ones, have somber and serious components to them, from asceticism and prayer to fasting and silence. Yet a fast must always be broken, and such festivals may conclude in feasts and merriment as a counterpoint to their great gravity.
Every Earth culture I've ever heard of has festivals. The cultures of your setting probably do too. So what are you waiting for, a holiday?
Some possible avenues of exploration:
Seasonal and Calendar Festivals*Religious Festivals, Feasts, and Holy Days*Anniversaries (Of coronations, battles, foundings, births, treaties'¦)*Underground Festivals (The ruler '" or society at large '" disapproves!)*Festival Symbols (Think maypoles and mistletoe)*Festival History (What did it used to commemorate? What does it mean now?)*Functional Festivals (Does it serve an important mundane purpose?)
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Of course I am using Japan as the primary resource material for Kaidan, and Japan has many festivals to borrow.
Aside from religious holidays which there are many, a bunch of festivals surround occupations in Japan: Fisherman's festival, Farm festivals, Samurai festivals, Courtesan festivals (the top 3 courtesans in a given city lead a parade, that includes there entourage of servants and assistants).
Japan has a Boys Day (May 5th) and a Girl's Day (April 3rd). Boys day celebrates with Carp Kites, miniature suits of armor put on display. Girl's Day features dolls of the Imperial Court, from nobility to the various hand-maidens, as well as a Kimono dressup celebration/party.
Kaidan will have an important New Year Festival that is 7 days long, comprise of annual prayer rites, fasting with a feast at the end, purification ceremonies. Perhaps a fire works show to end an otherwise somber event.
In August there's the Obon Festival, which in many ways is like All Hallows Day. The Dead ancestors come to visit their old homes. People serving meals lay out a plate of food for visiting ancestral spirits. After feasting, drinking, and dancing rituals, the last day, paper boats are folded with candles placed on each then set in local stream or river. Thus hundreds of candle-lit paper boats on the rivers signify the spirits of the dead going back to the land of the dead. This would be an important holiday for Kaidan.
Regionally every god (kami) has its own holiday, though perhaps celebrated locally from place to place and not at every region, as a given kami might not have influence in all places of Kaidan.
I know that some religious holidays celebrated in cities using the Yakuza to draw the holy idol on a wagon/cart around town, as well as standing atop like a parade float guarding it. This is quite common in many Kaidanese cities, thus the Yakuza have an active part in most religious holidays, giving them active responsibilities - aside than just doing crime in that city.
I might come up with more ideas, but these are just my first thoughts on the subject.
GP
A few festivals of the Broken Verge (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?67468.90#post_70875)
Personally, i think the Fortnight Club should put the primary focus on current setting elements falling under the topic and have the general discussion as a secondary focus. One of the purposes of the club was to get people to work on their settings while emphasizing other settings they can comment on.
Icingcube! day below feels a bit mean-spirited, but it amuses me and I think comes off as more ironic than anything else. (Think: Christmas and Always Coca-Cola).
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Festivals in Gloria
http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?65170.30#post_70990
Dividend Day- The First (January 1)
The first day of the year is dividend day, when everyone's hard work pays off. Businesses give bonuses, the government returns excess taxes (as few as they may be), everyone takes off from work and the streets turn into a chaotic party. On dividend day, lovers reunite, and everything is given freely. It is the one day a year when no one cares about making money, but about sharing it-- since an ancient philosophical member of the Faith once said; "The key to making money is not what you have, but what you can share with others. Money must be spent before it can be made."
Shopping Day(s) (x 15)
The Shopping Days are held the fifteenth of each month. On those days all stores stay open for 24 hours, people pull double shifts and all staff-members go into work. Of course, they take breaks in which they travel to nearby stores to contribute to the economic wealth of the country. These breaks may last 4 to 6 hours. Often, people do not sleep on these frenetic days of shopping and working.
Recycling and Memorial Day (February 21)
Held at the height of winter, the Day of Recycling is a somber affair where the residents of Gloria remember their dead and remember how everything is important, how all parts of a body are useful and may be monetized, how nothing should ever be thrown away if profit may be made from it and how nothing should ever be forgotten because who knows what use it may bring in the future. Still, Recycling and Memorial day is a day for endings.
Day of Sharing (March 1) [Socialists Only]
On this day, those of the Socialist philosophy give what they have to others; doors are held open to all who wish to enter; gifts are made (within reason), and the less fortunate are taken care of. The day is supposed to be one of happiness, but often the guests overstay their welcome or become too greedy. Even the nicest Socialist has sometimes been pushed too far on this bittersweet day of celebration.
Serviceday (March 1)
A day to commemorate those who serve in Gloria- the soldiers, and private security guards. They are covered in rings of roses and lauded in the news. Often, there are parades and massive floats on which the soldiers sit and wave.
Day of Piracy (April 1) [Libertarians Only]
A day to celebrate piracy and the lifeblood of the Libertarian Lands' society. On this day, many ships are robbed, people are held up, and more. Most in the Libertarian lands choose to stay inside on April 1st.
Adventureday (May 20)
This is a traditional day for setting out on a voyage, for beginning a new life, for starting a new business, or for beginning a marriage. There are few celebrations per se, but everyone holds Adventureday in their minds. It is a most auspicous day for beginnings.
AntiTaxation Day (June 1) [Mostly Libertarians]
Libertarians celebrate the abolition of taxes by hanging and burning tax-men in effigy and throwing them into bodies of water. They also burn symbolic kegs filled with fake coins and paper money, and distribute small firecrackers. Children often receive small green envelopes filled with coins on this day to celebrate their freedom from the shackles of tax.
Students' Day (June 15)
Held at the end of school year on (June 15th), Gloria's students celebrate the end of finals with a raffle, book sale/exchange, and festival. Much carousing is had and the bars tend to fill up with easily inebriated students who range in age from middle school to mid-20-year old graduate students.
National Day (July 1)
In Gloria, National Day is celebrated with banners and the distribution to banks of the year's newly minted money and coins. People flock to banks to collect limited edition coins and to gather the first print-run of paper cash. Hoards at the banks' gates push to get inside, and some have been trampled. But overall, the mood is one of celebration.
Shimmerday (August 1)
Held on (August 1st), Shimmerday commemorates the discovery of the practical applications of Shimmer- the magic of Gloria. The day begins with fireworks at the stroke of midnight and throughout the morning magic displays are demonstrated in neighborhoods that have paid for the spectacles. Traveling magicians and performers also join in the celebration, offering to sell their wares, or performing in the hopes that someone will contribute.
Returnday (August 17)
Students return to classes. Parents rejoice by often receiving time off from work to freely enjoy. (They are, however, required and expected to make up 50% of missed time by working during off-shift hours within the next 3 weeks.)
Bloodletting Day (Aug 20) [Only Socialists]
Among the Socialists, everything should be shared. But they realize that sometimes people forget to act benevolently, so they organize days where donations may be made. This day is particularly notable because it involves the donation of blood. The Socialists have perfected a process of blood transfusion and bodily liquid storage.
On this day, all good Socialists are to go to the nearest blood bank and donate, for the good of society..
Demonswatch (Sept 1) [Only Etterati]
Celebrated solely by the Etterati who remember the Demon War and who fear the return of the demons, this day begins with a candle-light vigil at night. It is a day of somber reflection and morning. If possible, the Etterati do not communicate during this day.
The Day of the Unknown Entrepreneur (Sept 21)
This day commemorates the entrepreneur whose businesses failed, or the person who succeeded, but only to a limited degree-- who was unable to take a business to "the next level". Even though they failed, they should be honored for stimulating the economy through their efforts and for attempting to improve the world through the creation of more variety. On this day, people are encouraged to patronize small "mom and pop" shops.
Slake Day (Sept 30)
This day of rest, which precedes the March of the Faithful, is less and less honored by the populace who are concerned about remaining at work every possible day in order to maximize earning potential. However, traditionally this day was founded to remind Gloria-residents the importance of rest in order to recharge and to return to earning money.
Sadly, in recent times, politicians and businesspeople have criticized the day as a celebration of sloth. See Slake
March of the Faithful (Oct 1)
The Faithful, such as they are, organize a march once a year held on the first day of traditional harvest-time, dressed in white robes, from Gloria's northern gate to the city center. They march to commemorate the 15 noble virtues and to remind the city-dwellers of their past and the virtues to which they should aspire. Often they are accompanied by members of the Clique who lend their haunting melodies to the procession.
As the numbers of the Faithful have dwindled, the amount of those marching has likewise declined. What once used to be a dazzling parade has turned into a medium-sized march that is mostly ignored by Gloria's citizenry.
Glick-Day (Oct 10)
A day of energy. People are encouraged to go out and run, do sporting activities and to improve their body as they seek to become "as quick as a Glick" and as strong as they can be.
Many sporting events and competitions are traditionally held on Glick-day, and attendance at these events is always near capacity.
Day of Invention (Nov 1)
A day to celebrate invention and innovation. Residents of Gloria eagerly await this day as the traveling Glorious Exposition is held each year in a new city across the continent. At the Exposition, the newest inventions are unveiled to great fanfare and pomp, and the most famous inventors are honored.
Day of Geometry (Nov 5) [Only Floaters]
On this day the Floaters celebrate the creation of their race and the drafting of the world's geometric plan. The God of the World is particularly honored on this day by the Floaters crafting intricate structures and chiseling detailed patterns on stone, mud, and rock walls deep beneath the surface of the earth.
Icingcube! Day (Dec 24)
Celebrating the birth and creation of the Icingcube! The Amazing Cube that Melts In Your Mouth and Fills It With Warmth In the Winter! The Icingcube faery comes every december 20th, bringing Icingcubes to all good Gloria boys and girls.
The Icingcube! company: founded 40 years ago when it first chimed the now-famous jingle; "Always Icingcube!" invented the Icingcube! and marketed it in the dead of winter when people wanted something warm to fill their throats and bellies at night. The first Icingcubes! were distributed in a guerilla marketing campaign where Icingcubes! were delivered door to door to children in every household in Gloria and other selected marketing cities. The children quickly grew enamored of the cubes and demanded more from their parents. The Icingcubes! became favorite winter snacks.
And every year, 100,000 free Icingcubes! are still delivered, based on the results of a national lottery, on Icingcube! day. Those not fortunate enough to get a free Icingcube! go to stores to stock up on the amazing (and proprietary!) product.
Quote from: Cataclysmic CrowPersonally, i think the Fortknight Club should put the primary focus on current setting elements falling under the topic and have the general discussion as a secondary focus. One of the purposes of the club was to get people to work on their settings while emphasizing other settings they can comment on.
That sounds fine to me. Our intent was simply to provide people with a periodic topic to address if they weren't sure where to go; as far as I'm concerned, any discussion here is a bonus.
GP, CC, LD - thanks for posting! Anyone else, you're welcome to share with us and talk about our fortnightly topic. As for me, I'm working on my own contribution (and reading what's been posted!).
@LD: I like Anti-taxation day ^^ Pretty funny idea. But a lot of good ones :)
Debate: How do festivals arise? Are they celebrations that turn into tradition? Are they declared by royal decree? Are they superstitions?
CC- Thank you. I am glad you liked it.
Polycarp!- Please check your Private Messages.
Looking forward to seeing other's festivals... For example; Steerpike... what kind of bizarre festivals might the CE have?
And Sarisa- what about the Dream World's festivals.
And oh, Pair o' Dice- that gives me an idea- what sort of festivals do the fae of Death from Below have?
Quote from: Cataclysmic CrowDebate: How do festivals arise? Are they celebrations that turn into tradition? Are they declared by royal decree? Are they superstitions?
I'm sure there are cultural anthropologists out there who make a career out of answering this question. While some festivals and holidays are easy to trace (particularly anniversaries) things like religious festivals can be tougher. Many of the practices and dates of Christian holy days in various European countries, for instance, actually originate in much older pagan traditions.
To me, saying "the origins of this festival are lost in the mists of time" is a perfectly acceptable and credible way to answer this question in a setting, because it's so often true in our own world. While sometimes it's interesting to note how these traditions came about, it can also lend an atmosphere of true antiquity if something has been going on since "time immemorial."