Last Chance Festivals

Since shortly after Awakening Day of the year 2269CR when the Goddess Mother failed to appear, rumors have been spreading throughout the Human Kingdoms that another God-War is coming. For some of the more cynical folk, this became an excuse to abandon the teachings of the gods - especially the cautions against excess and debauchery. After all, if the gods were going to come and wreak havoc on the world once again, why are they deserving of respect?

The manner in which these "Last Chancers" expressed their disdain for the gods and traditional social norms depended heavily on the financiaal situation of the individual. Among the poor commonfolk, there was a slight rise in public drunkenness and petty street crime. But it didn't take long for those who felt that time was running out to realize that spending the last days of their world in prison wasn't much fun. Many of these folk returned to their old ways of life since they had little other choice.

"Might As Well" Parties

The wealthy folk who felt they owed nothing more to the gods had different means with which to celebrate their new moral freedoms. Nobles and the richest merchants who decided they might as well enjoy their amassed wealth while they could began to host lavish parties. The sons and daughters of wealthy merchants and nobles began to form informal groups that spent their lives drifting from one feast to the next. In the two years since these private events first appeared on social calendars, a number of merchants and nobles have managed to spend their entire fortunes. Businesses have failed and noble families with centuries of respected heritage have been disgraced. But some fortunes still remain in the hands of folk who believe the end is coming, and so the parties continue.

Last Chance Festivals

The less well off were of course aware of the wasteful excesses of these doomsday parties, and even those who maintained a relationship with their gods could not help but feel a bit of jealousy. It was a brilliant innkeeper named Shawan GIlmaster in the city of Siren's Point in the Grand Duchy of Eastguard that came up with a way to capitalize on this jealousy. He declared that, instead of the traditional Yule celebrations in the winter of 2269, his establishment, the Wyvern's Tail, would host a three-day "Last Yule" Festival. Traditionally, the Yule holidays are a quiet time for most taverns and inns as folk tended to celebrate these holidays at home with family and close friends. Shawan offered an alternative: rich food, plentiful drink, dancing to the music of a string of hired musicians. He advertised this as an exciting and different way to celebrate "the last Yule our world will see".

For three days, the Wyvern's Tail was packed to its rafters with party-goers. Several of the upstairs rooms were rented by the Archduke's third son and some of his noble friends for more "private" entertainments. Many of the other rooms found themselves occupied for short periods over the course of the "Festival" as well.

A Tradition is Born

Despite some costs associated with broken furniture and repairs caused by a minor fire, Shawan made more coin in those three days than he made the entire preceding month. Less than a week after the "Festival" ended, he announced that in a few month's time, the Wyvern's Tail would host a "Last New Year" Festival. This event, more raucous - but more profitable - than the first was followed by a "Last Midyear", then a "Last Harvest" Festival, and, a year after the first, yet another "Last Yule" Festival.

A Tradition Spreads

By the approach of that second "Last Yule", other tavern owners and innkeepers in Siren's Point had decided that they too would host such Festivals, as the number of people who wished to join in the debauchery had far outstripped the capacity of the Wyvern's Tail. By New Year of 2271CR, folk with the means from all over the Kingdoms were planning "pilgrimmages" to Siren's Point to attend "the Last Chance Festival".

Not to be outdone, the hospitality industry in the city of Baron's Point has collectively announced that at Midyear of 2271CR, the "wildest city on Cartyrion" would be host to "the wildest Last Chance Festival ever".
Alarmed by the alleged "godless" behaviors of festival-goers, the officials of the The True Church of the Humanar have seen to it that such festivals have been officially banned in the taverns of the The First Kingdom. Despite this ban, rumors abound that while Elderkeep may be free of such "heretical orgies", the manors of at least three of the Dukes of kingdom will be hosting Last Chance Festivals of some sort as well.

At this point, it is unlikely that all festival-goers truly believe this will be their last chance to celebrate before the gods break the world again. Nevertheless, the Last Chance Festival has rapidly become a fixture of social life in the kingdoms.

Credits

Banner images by Vinson Tan ( 楊 祖 武 ) from Pixabay

Page background cathedral Image by 5163451 on Pixabay
Page background manor house image by Josef Pichler on Pixabay
Page background hut image by PamelaAndrey15 on Pixabay
Page background forest image by Waldkunst on Pixabay
Character portraits by RPGDinosaurBob on Hero Forge®