Explanation of Holidays and Events_
Ancestor’s Day: It is said that the spirits of the departed are closest during the last day of Winter’s Birth. Appropriately, this day is revered by Ancestor Worshippers as holy day of solemn worship and offerings to show thanks for The Ancestor’s gift of life and blessings. Faithful Priests among Ancestor Worshippers are required to fast and meditate for twenty four hours following Ancestor’s day, so feasting in honor of these devout Priests is also practiced on the day itself, to help them prepare for their long fast.
Arts Week: A whole week dedicated to the arts. Plays are conducted, poets recite epics, symphonies fill the air, jugglers and tumblers entertain, and everyone displays their finest artistic ability. Contests are held for just about everything; the winners of each being treated like royalty, and then forgotten when the favorite of the next contest is announced.
Capitol Day: (Edo) This day celebrates the founding of the Chinese Shogunate in Edo City. Needless to say, it is significantly more important to the Chinese than the Nipponese and is only observed in the Edo itself. It is a day of military pride with a great parade of Samurai and Dragon’s Breath Cannoneers marching past the Imperial Palace to salute the Shogun, followed by Commoners’ Court, where a select number of commoners, drawn by lot, win the chance to be heard and speak to the Shogun directly, concerning anything they desire.
Children’s Day: Mothers and nurses spend time with their children doing fun things like picnics and games. Small gifts are usually given to each child and colorful open-mouth carp banners are flown on poles to chase away evil spirits that would harm the children.
Flag Day: A day to honor one's leaders by flying the flags of the Daimyo and celebrating their governance. In turn, the Daimyos fly the flags of the Shogun and redirect the praise of their people toward him.
Fox Moon: (Event) Every year on the last day of Mid Fall, the full moon seems to grow bigger and turns a rusty color of orange. Despite its strange cast, it lights the land with an eerie twilight almost bright enough to read by. It is said to be the night of Kitsune, lupines, and werewolves and that looking at the Fox Moon, or staying out under it too long, can cause madness and lycanthropy.
Dragonboat Festival (Edo): Dragonboats, giant ornate vessels of endless variety and garish colors to offend the eye, are oared across the harbor in a ‘win by any means’ race of destruction. Ramming and sinking of vessels is a highlight of the race, which figure-eight’s upon itself twice to increase the odds of just an occurrence. No weapons are allowed, but what is done with oars, ropes, and grappling hooks would make a barbarian cringe. Unarmed combat between dragonboat crews is common and taking over an opponent’s vessel is worth extra points in the judging. Prizes are given for the fiercest-looking dragonboat, for sinking or overpowering an opponent’s vessel, and for finishing the race first. The traditionally prizes are chests full of golden coins.
Harvest Festival (Commoners): The Harvest Festival features feasting, fairs, and barn dancing. It is also a time to celebrate the harvest itself and to thank the land for its bounty. In some of the more rural Provinces, the Harvest Festival also means a chance to catch a ‘prize boar’, where a drove of wild boars are loosed in the village by the reigning nobles. Ribbons tied to the boar’s tusks or tails are worth prizes and gold for those brave enough to retrieve them – in addition to the boar itself.
Holy Day: (Worshippers of The Five Gods) Solemn worship and offerings are made to show thanks for the gift of life and blessings. On this holy day, no Priest of the faith may do any work except that which helps to heal the sick and the afflicted. Long lines of such usually appear at the temples for this blessed service. It must be extended to all, even the evilly aligned, but a stiff offering may be demanded from the offensive and detestable (this assumes however, that the faithful followers will even let them get into line in the first place).
Hunter’s Moon/U-Mani’s Gift: (Event) Every year on the last day of Fall’s End, the full moon appears to swell, as if four times its normal size. It glows with a bluish-white radiance and bathes the land in moonbeams bright enough to read by. It is said to bring luck and is a sign of bravery to hunt under its light. Indeed, those brave enough to do so almost never come back empty handed.
Husband’s Day: Wives give small presents and show their love and admiration for their husbands.
New Year’s Day & Coming of Age (16): Fireworks, folk dancing with candy throwing, drinking, and a popular marriage day. Also the day when all those whose birthday falls within the New Year come of age and are thereafter considered emancipated adults. This is usually accompanied with some form of ceremony, regardless of Caste – and especially Gempukku for Samurai.
Patriot’s Day (Outlying Provinces): A day to remember the heroes and veterans who ever fought for Nippon. It is a day of epic tales and staged battle reenactments to recount the stories of heroes past and legendary valor.
Summerfest: Picnics, contests, dancing, horse races, and such. The holiday ends at midnight when a great clamor is made with bells, pots, pans, and cheering to officially ‘ring in’ the coming of summer. In larger cities, great firework displays are also included in the revelries.
Taxes: (Event) This week is dedicated to the collecting of taxes. Official tax wagons, buzzing with heavily armed guards, visit every city, town, and village to collect the taxes due the Daimyos and of the land – and ultimately the Shogunate. The common tax is one fifth of the year’s increase and is more often than not paid in livestock, grains, and produce, though coins are preferred. Failing to pay ones taxes by the end of Tax Week is a serious offense and can result in huge loss of face, the imprisonment of one’s family, and even Seppuku.
White Day: A day for close friends of equal station to pass small gifts of silver charms among themselves.
Wife’s Day: Husbands give small presents and show their love and admiration for their wives.
Other Events_
New Moon:The New Moon falls on the 15th of every Month.
Full Moon: The Moon is Full on the 30th of every Month.
Kamem: (Cultural Event) On a baby’s first birthday, a party is thrown to celebrate its life. This is a special time, because infant mortality usually occurs before the first birthday. If the baby has survived this long, it is likely to grow up healthy and happy. Handmade gifts (usually small decorations) are given to the child’s mother by family and friends.
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Topic: Campaign Calendar (Read 21560 times)