M2E1 - Festival of Lights Parade

Initial Atmosphere

The party will arrive in Raven's Ford while the festival is undereway. There will be pack streets with people celebrating. Old friends greeting after the entire year and catching up. There a new mothers proudly showing off their new babies to friends and relations. There is singing and meriment. There are several games the childern are playing with shiny balls and vendor stalls recently set up with selling carnival wares.

Finally you have arrived at your destination, the city of Raven's Ford. The city has a population of approximately ~30,000 people but it has swelled due to surged from travelers of nearly three times that number. The city is now surrounded by tents that been errected by travelers each who camp fires and lanturns. The enter community is alight with these fires. Above in the sky you can clearly see the Northern Lights are visible shining down on the community. So even though you have arrived at night the city is quite bright. People from all over Jordsvik have gathered to see old friends, celebrate, catch up on the gossip, and prepare for the long winter. There is a festive excitement in the air as old friends and family met for the first in a year. There is music and feasting and merchant stalls of every type in the city. The population is diverse. You see the wild men and women who live in the wild places Jordsvik have come to honor the ancestors. There is the true ancient traditions of survival, natural, and the circle of life. Some of them even move like animals as if they still live in a more primal natural state than the others. You see the followers of the old gods. They worship the children of All Father and seek his wisdom both in peace and war. They wear arm rings and jewlery spun into strands of gold which they say are from hair of the goddess Selif. She is the goddess of the good harvest and hair is the color golden wheat fields. You also see the follower of the new old Horis. Followers of the Great God Horis first came from the far lands of the east, and with them the brought trade, prosperty, and technology. Many people have been convert by their teachings of sacrifice, community, and charity. Finally you see the People of the Sea, of the rivers, and the lakes. They say they ruled Darya and Darya is the sea and realm is the cool flowing water that brings life to all that live in Jordsvik. They say she is without an heir, but her people are ever seeking. There ways are to travel both in land and in the deep. They are the friends of sailors, and those that are lost. You find youself entering the city gates amoung of people.

The Festival Parade

"The Warner" The parade opens in the evening with a young man (~19 years old) in a wolf skin leading the way down the street. The young man begins to shout, "Make way they are coming! Clear the streets!!" When he does so the crowd immediately reacts and begins to hide in homes or behind hedges or in alleys. They put out all lights in the streets. The Sun Wheel Shortly after the "Warner" heads down the street and disappears two more young men one with a wolf skin with a gray strip down it's back and the other a boar's hide comes down the street but this time leading a burning wagon wheel making the only light in the street. The young men will lead the wheel to a pile of straw that has been prepared and light the bon-fire providing enough light for onlookers to see what's happening. The Procession of the Dogs of War Members of the Dogs of War will begin parading in the streets. They will not follow a direct parade route but rather moving wildly and sporatically. Some come from hidden alleys, others from roof tops, others come from hiding places in piles of snow, but they come from all directions. They are behaving wildly. You see them take beer from a mans hands and drink it boldly. Others come and cause mischief by stealing anything they fancy. Others tip over boxes and throw debris in the streets. They are mostly adolesents but there are some grown men and women in the procession. They are dressed in strange costumes. Some where masks, others animal skins, others are go nearly naked but paint their entire face in war paint, while others have are covered in horn, tusk, and bone armor, finally some even ride horses. One man wears a werewolf costume. Dogs and wolves are with them as they circle about the bone fire. They follow no logic or reason in how they movements. Some do walking handstands, while others do cartwheels. Rise of the Risi As they begin to dance and sing around the bonfire. Demon like forms rise from the water as if rising from the abyss. They are men in costumes even more fighting from the ones before. These men wear the forms similar to blue devils. They are vastly different sizes as some men walk on stilts, and others hunch over and crawl on all fours. The demonic forms that seem to rise from the water begin to do war with the wild men. The War Initially the Risi devils begin prevail pushing the wild men back. The wildmen are fighten and in a state of disarray, and chaos ensues. Defeat seems inevitble until a man appears on a nearby roof. The man is larger and stronger than any of the youths in the melee. In a loud voice the man says,

"Fear not, let us dance the 'Spear Dance'". Taking up his spear he leaps from the roof top and begins to chant and sway. The wild men mimick his behavior and begin follow suit. Soon they chant the words of the dance in perfect unison thrusting their spears as one. Turning and striking again and again all fear leaves them. They strike with perfect percise rhythm as if they were a single bing with many limbs. The dance is concluded when the Risi lose their confidence and begin to flee. The wildman now stand still and silent as in wonder from their new found abilities. One woman says, "We have been overcome by the Wolf Brother and the spirits of our ancestors which are now within me. The spirits possess me and fought without thought and without fear. For some of us the ancestores take us every time we fight. Some only when we fight for our lives. Others only when the Wolf Brother judge us worthy. Come follow us to the gathering place.

The Judgement Once the blue devils depart the wild men all gather to the The Law Rock.

The strongest hunter who lead the wildmen in the dance shouts, "We are your ancestors! And we have come to judge you. To see if you have the same spirit we have both in life and in death. And we judge you..." Pause for emotional effect. "Unworthy! You and this people will be cursed in the coming year with hardship and sorrow, famine and want." With that he leaps from the rock down to the others and they march together out of the city not to return.

The Cleansing But some of the older youths remain at the foot of the The Law Rock. After a short time Bjorn 'Law Giver' steps forward and looks at them as if considering. After some time he speaks,

"Are you ready to leave your wildness behind you, accept our laws and customs, and live with us in peace?" They respond, "Yes, Law Giver we are." Then Bjorn 'Law Giver' replies, "Then be cleansed by the law and the law shall bring you comfort. Join with your shadow and use your new found strength for the good of this civilization! You were of forest now you are of the land to cultivate the land. This is the difference between law and ancharcy. You are now men and woman go forth and build your household. And by the hearth may you find peace. You former life is now forgotten by the people by and by the law." After some time the youths are wash with sweet a lavender soap, and their hair is cut. They are given now clothes and they vanish into the city to join the festival.