The Coming of the Storms (V)

History

After the Lamentation of Ys, the Coming of the Storms is the second most important cultural festival for the Marie-Morgane, marking the beginning of hurricane season. After the Odet River Raids, Ys-Beneath-the-Waves faced a dangerous problem, experiencing a massive population boom when it assimilated the populations of several coastal and riverside villages, but with no real knowledge of aquaculture. Unable to feed the population, having overhunted the local sealife, the Marie-Morgane struggled for survival. But as the storms rolled in, so to did their means of survival. Tradeships were dashed against the rocks, and villages along the coast flooded, allowing the Marie-Morgaine to raid their stores for food, treasure and supplies at a crucial time.

Execution

The Coming of the Storms is marked by an extended period of feasts and celebrations as the vast amounts of chaotic magical energy of wyldstorms sends the normally cautious Marie-Morgane into a frenzy of passion and bloodlust. Hunting trips of undersea beasts are popular as are raids on surface shipping and communities as they battle the storms. Gladitorial combat is exceedingly popular, although druids are on hand to prevent any permanent damage to the Marie-Morgane themselves. Passionate affairs are common during this time between the Marie-Morgane and attractive surface dwellers are often kidnapped as "guests" or "entertainment" for the festivities, although this is heavily discouraged. These humans are often granted the ability to breath magically, but little else. These reckless crimes of passion do little to endear the Marie-Morgane with land-dwellers, although the kidnapped humans themselves often get swept up in the event and end up joining the Marie-Morgane on a more permanent basis.

Participants

The Coming of the Storms lacks the formal structure of other holidays, instead being a more personal celebration, with parties, feasts, gladiatorial combat and hunting expeditions. It is a festival of reckless self-indulgence. This often attracts some of the wilder sidhe and serves to better relations between the two races.

Observance

The celebration begins immediately following the first Wyldestorm of a given year.