Midwinter

Of all the holidays in the Lunar Lands, those of the Wheel of the Year - the four solstices and equinoxes, and the four Cross-Quarter Days at the midpoint between each - are the most prominent, celebrated by just about every region. Due to their association with the changing of the seasons and the waxing and waning of daylight, these dates are important markers of the calendar that farmers make their plans by. But of all the holidays, perhaps the most favored of all is Midwinter, the winter solstice.

As I understand, it's the rarest dish in all the land.

For practical reasons, the longest night of the year makes for a time of celebration - when it's cold and dark, and the ground outside is hard, barren, and covered in snow, there is little work to be done, and the hearts and minds of many turn to hearth and home, finding company in family. Many Midwinter traditions sprung up to give people something to do over the long night, and in turn, the closeness the occasion brings to family and friends has led to Midwinter becoming known as a time to celebrate kinship and unity. Many hold feasts and gatherings, which may be as modest as gathering the family under one roof to partake in their company over a warm meal or as lavish as a grand banquet, often times held by feudal lords and open to all of their vassals (at these feasts, a boar's head is the traditional centerpiece). During this time, songs may be sung, games may be played, and gifts may be exchanged to give thanks for love and loyalty.

However, as the longest of the nights, Midwinter also marks the division between one year and the next in the calendar of the Lunar Lands. While the years are commonly numbered by the Vardessian Emperor in power at the time, a new year officially starts at midnight on Midwinter. Due to the use of a lunar calendar, and due to the fact that the solstice does not always match up with the twelth new moon, this often gives rise to an intercalary period which, in some places, sees the festivities continue for up to a full week.

In the cults of various gods - and in other faiths entirely - Midwinter marks the occasion of many important rites to ensure prosperity in the coming year. The high priests of all the major cults oversee grand sacrifices on this date, often accompanied by the local monarch (if applicable) to emphasize the importance of their rule. Of course, many local temples bring offerings of their own, as do homes and families across the land, and Midwinter feasts often include a portion of the main course set aside for the gods (either burnt separately or merely in the form of a dedication). These feasts and sacrifices are often the occasion on which oaths are sworn, with vassals affirming their loyalty to their liege in the next year, and those who intend to make great quests or journeys pledging to do so at this time. So too, Midwinter is a popular time for divination, with many seeking out oracles and soothsayers to predict what the next year will bring in their lives.

Of course, the boundaries between this year and the next are not only important to mortals. The liminal nature of Midwinter means that it is one occasion on which the boundaries between this world and others are weaker, and thus, magic is stronger - but not quite as reliable or predictable as on Samhain or Beltane. It also means that otherworldly beings are free to roam the world at this time, which has inspired many folk customs...and can be a danger to the unwary.

Evergreen plants, like pine trees, holly, and mistletoe, are associated with Midwinter for their ability to thrive through the cold, with many hoping their own fortunes will similarly last the winter. It is common to see both settlements and individuals lay garlands of evergreen and erect trees, which may be decorated for the occasion with candles and ornaments. So too, Midwinter, like Samhain, often sees people going wassailing from house to house singing songs and sharing in food and drink with the inhabitants. However, there are all sorts of local traditions revolving around Midwinter, and just about every region has their own customs.

Special Rules

Midwinter takes place on the winter solstice, typically either the Twenty-First or Twenty-Second of Oakmoon (analogous to December 21st-22nd, or the twenty-first or twenty-second day after the twelth new moon of the world's lunar calendar). From this date to the next new moon, the spirit of peace and harmony pervades the air. If you are using a reaction table, add or subtract 1 from all reaction rolls during this time (whichever makes positive reactions more likely).

Local Midwinter Traditions (d20)

All of these are real Christmas traditions.

1. In this region, people catch or buy a live carp several days before Midwinter and raise it in their bathtub before eating it on Midwinter's Eve.

2. In this town, two rival guilds both erect a massive straw goat in the leadup to Midwinter, competing to see who can make the largest. A separate, though illegal, tradition has arisen of trying to burn down one or both goats before Midwinter.

3. People in this region observe a peculiar form of wassailing, covering themselves in a sheet and holding a puppet made from a horse skull as they go from door to door engaging the residents of each home in a duel of rhymes. If the guisers win, they must be given food and drink.

4. In this region, people burn a log in their hearth continuously through Midwinter so that demons cannot enter the home through the chimney.

5. In this region, people place offerings of food on their doorsteps through the night on Midwinter's Eve so that spirits passing through can eat them (and hopefully be appeased so they will not bring misfortune).

6. In this village, people hide a vulgar figurine somewhere in town on Midwinter's Eve. Whoever can find the figure the next day will have good luck in the coming year. Local clergy find the practice disgusting, but the locals refuse to change.

7. In this region, two men in the garb of a bishop and a Swordbrother (more on these guys in another post - think Landsknechts) walk the streets on the night of Midwinter's Eve, asking any children they find if they pray. If they do, the bishop gives them toys and candies; if they don't, the Swordbrother whips them with a stick.

8. The arrival of Midwinter in this region is announced by the blowing of a large wooden horn at the stroke of midnight.

9. In this town, elaborate public plays are performed in the town square on Midwinter, with no expenses spared in spectacle or costume.

10. One of the streets in this town is set aside as a marketplace in the days leading up to Midwinter, with many stalls selling gifts, candies, and mulled wine.

11. In this region, it is customary for the local lord to switch places with a slave or servant for one day on Midwinter.

12. In this region, on the night of Midwinter's Eve, a mock battle is staged between two groups of citizens, one of them dressed as demons with the other group beating them with sticks, to represent the expulsion of ill fortune for the new year.

13. In this region, nobles appoint a randomly-chosen villager to preside over the Midwinter feast. They are encouraged to promote drunkenness and disruptive behavior.

14. In this region, the night of Midwinter's Eve marks a parade in which the townspeople don grotesque masks and walk the streets to scare off evil spirits. 

15. In this region, a loaf of bread is baked for Midwinter dinner in which the dough is slashed open and the seeds of various crops are inserted. Whichever seeds rise the highest when the bread bakes, those crops will see the most bountiful harvest next year.

16. In this town, a tree branch is thrown on a bonfire on Midwinter and the townspeople take turns poking it with sticks. The more embers are produced when the branch is poked, the more luck that person will receive in the new year.

17. In this village, the townspeople place a number of candles in their windows equal to the number of children in the household on the nights leading up to Midwinter so that generous spirits will know how many gifts to bring. More practically, this also helps light the way for miners who must head to work before sunrise.

18. In this village, on Midwinter, a procession goes through the town square leading a large basilisk puppet, which then performs a speech announcing the sins of all the townspeople.

19. In this town, on Midwinter, the local lord is brought to the town square and seated on a throne, where an official appointed by the townspeople as the Abbot of the People addresses them on the concerns of the common folk.

20. The Midwinter feast in this region includes a dish (such as a loaf of bread, cake, or soup) that contains a single coin or nut. Whoever's portion has the trinket will have good luck in the coming year.

Friday Encounter: How the Korred Stole Midwinter

Art by Boudicca

This encounter is best suited for when the PCs are on the road, though it could be used if they happen to be in a small town close to a mountainous area for an extended period of time. If you are keeping track of in-game time, it should be used in the winter, preferrably in the days leading up to an important winter holiday (especially one that celebrates values of giving and generosity). In the Lunar Lands, this would be Midwinter, which takes place on the winter solstice, but feel free to adjust the details to fit your setting.

The encounter is, of course, a homage to How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Keep in mind that familiarity with the story may make the optimal solution to the scenario too obvious - if you think this will be a problem, you may want to play down the Seuss references at your discretion.

Background

Midwinter is an important holiday across the land, with almost every community having their own traditions. During the harsh winter months, and the longest night of the year, such celebrations bolster morale and keep families together when everyone is holed up inside and the snow blankets the fields. But sometimes, these traditions hold more practical purposes. As one of the days where the boundaries between this world and realms beyond is weakened, Midwinter provides opportunities for magic to creep into everyday life - and not always for the better. To that end, some holiday rituals are practiced to repel otherworldly influence and protect people against its threats.

For the village of Werdorf, this is especially important. The village sits at the foot of the imposing Mount Fladenbrot, at the top of which dwells Geisel, a korred. This fey spirit would like nothing better than to terrorize the town and work mischief, but every Midwinter, the townspeople hold a great ceremony to keep him at bay for the next year. This has only come to harden Geisel's heart and make him desire revenge on the town below, but thanks to the spell, he is unable to enter the village, save for a short window of time toward the year's end before the next ceremony can be completed.

That is, until he got a terrible idea. If he was to disrupt the ceremony, he would be able to wreak havoc all he pleased. And when strangers come to town, he sees just the opportunity he needs...

The Encounter

Ideally, the party should arrive in Werdorf about two or three days prior to Midwinter. There, they will discover the townspeople hard at work decorating for the occasion, hanging greens and baubles from the doorways and rooftops and erecting a towering fir in the town square. Notably, the fence that surrounds the village is covered in iron horseshoes. If they ask around, they will be directed to Boris, the town headman, who can explain the story:

As long as everyone has known, Geisel the korred has dwelled in the caverns of Mount Fladenbrot, and his power waxes as the nights grow longer and the year grows to a close. Long ago, the greedy creature entered the town one Midwinter, where he stole all of its food and wealth, set the animals loose, and caused the crops to fail. Ever since, the townspeople hold a great feast on Midwinter, sacrificing a wether to the god Torvald to ensure the village stays warded against him for another year. The horseshoes on the fences are to turn away the fair folk so that Geisel doesn't interfere as the people prepare for the celebrations. No one knows why Geisel has such spite for the townspeople; perhaps his heart is simply too full of malice.

Boris will happily invite the PCs to participate in the ceremony, and directs them to the inn if they need a place to stay until the time comes. In the inn, they will run into Thurl, a deep-voiced local minstrel who can be found entertaining a crowd of children by performing a song cursing Geisel with many colorful insults. If the PCs are in need of healing, Boris can also point them toward Theo Zoice, the town doctor, who can mend their wounds.

If the PCs stay in Werdorf - ideally over the next day - they will hear the grinding of wheels against the road. Investigating the noise, they will find an old man in a shabby, patched cloak, hobbling along at the side of a donkey pulling a cart just outside the fence. The man claims to be an itinerant tinker, but one who has fallen upon hard times, and he barely has enough ore to sustain his craft. He points to one of the horseshoes along the fence and asks if he can have it to melt down (he will not touch it himself, insisting it be placed in his cart).

The "tinker" is, of course, Geisel in disguise, and the "donkey" is really his pet blink dog. The two are out looking to compromise the ward on the village so that he can slip in on the night of Midwinter's Eve and steal the food and decorations needed for the feast. If the PCs show suspicion, Geisel will firmly deny any knowledge of the story and implore them to have mercy on a poor man. He will thank them greatly for any aid they provide and continue down the road.

If Boris learns of the missing horseshoe, he will be aghast, fearing for the safety of his people (it has been generations since their traditions began, and he has never seen Geisel attack anyone, but he doesn't want to take his chances). If he sees that the PCs look armed or capable, he will implore they storm Mount Fladenbrot and deal with the korred before anyone comes to harm!

Further Developments

If the horseshoe was removed from the fence, Geisel and his blink dog will descend on the village at midnight on Midwinter's Eve, stealing the food for the feast and any garlands and ornaments from the town, even carrying away the tree in the town square. When the townspeople discover the theft the next day, Boris will demand the PCs take up arms against Geisel in retaliation - if the rituals won't work, the korred must be expelled by force!

Should the party attack Geisel's home with open hostility, he will harry them from the top of the mountain, throwing rocks at them and sending his blink dog to attack them as they ascend the slopes. If the PCs make it to the top of the mountain, he has two ropes woven from his hair that are placed by the entrance to his cave, and a third inside, and will command them to ensnare any intruders while he attacks them. If he is dispatched, the party can find a hoard of 3d10x10 GP's worth of gold and jewels, plus a hat of disguise, within his lair.

If, on the other hand, the party comes without weapons drawn, or if they showed him an act of generosity (for instance, offering money or resources of their own, rather than the horseshoe, when he met them in disguise), the korred will be more friendly. He will relate that he always felt left out of the town's Midwinter celebrations and just wanted to be a part of them - but, of course, the fair folk have very different ideas of celebration than humans, and the devastation he wreaked on the town was merely his way of getting in the holiday spirit. Ever since then, however, he grew bitter from how he was spurned by the townspeople and sought revenge.

If the PCs can convince Geisel to leave the village in peace and for Boris to let him in on Midwinter to share in the celebration, peace will be made between the korred and the people of Werdorf. He will join in the feast and even perform the sacrifice of the wether. At the end of the night, due to the spell, he will be forced to return to his mountain for the next year, but he wouldn't want to deny the people of their merriment, and looks forward to joining in again next year. Before he leaves, however, he will give out gifts for everyone in the town, including the PCs.

Each PC should receive a magic item suited to their character and class (use your judgment; you know your players better than I do). Furthermore, the party will have made an ally of Geisel, and he will be willing to lend his aid if called upon in the future.