The Festival of Song

One of the most widely celebrated festivals is Festival of Song (also called the Festival of the Harvest Moon), and by its name alone, the festival's universal appeal may be apparent.

The festival began thousands of years ago among the elves, the taiga elves of the Blue Lotus, but as there were many other celebrations of song in many other cultures, the festival took hold quickly, largely a result of the expansion of the Lotus Empire. As other cultures came in contact with the elves, they came in contact with the Festival of Song. Of course, not all contact was peaceable as the empire rapidly expanded, but the Festival quickly became a day of peace. No bloody battles were waged on that day. The day of the harvest moon is the day of the Festival, and that also makes it easy to remember and adaptable as it moves from culture to culture.

The festival itself varies by region, but most have some of the trappings of the original taiga elf traditions. To begin with, it is always outside...at least until midnight, at which time revelers may retire, though most just move to taverns and homes to continue celebrating. The old festivals were supposed to be far from civilization, but most modern festivals just choose a natural clearing not far from a population center, as that's much easier for most people. It is common, however, for people to celebrate in small groups that head off into the wilds. They often come back with wondrous tales, but once in a while they don't come back at all. Given the danger of such expeditions and the popularity of the festival, which brings the regions most renowned bards out, often in force with battles of song to be had, few bother with the wilder versions of the festival.

A common greeting, even if you already know the reveler before you well (and even if you're married), is "Now, who might you be?" and the response is always to be given in song. Some people avoid the festival for this reason, but very few, as no one is expected to sing well or to sing more than a few words unless they aim to draw a crowd. A common response might be to sing something akin to, "You know well I'm your wife and the town calls me Addie. But when you call me your true love, I answer quite gladly." That might get an "awww" from the people nearby, and then everyone would just keep on about their business. But sometimes the responses are cheeky or lewd, and those are well-loved and tend to get laughs and a few more looks, just in case an impromptu song battle breaks out. Bards love this, and the best of them tend to disguise themselves so as not to be found out in advance. They might give a simple response in a gorgeous voice, remaining shrouded or hidden behind a hood, only to peel back the hood and continue the song as eyes turn toward the mellifluous voice.

Song battles between bards and other singers can go on for a long time if they're good enough to hold the attention of the crowd, and a circle is formed around the entertainers as people dance and drink under the full moon.

For the most part, the festival is just that...a festival of song. It may have other cultural trappings as one travels, but the general atmosphere is celebratory no matter where one finds the festival.

A common bird in the south, less common further north, has been an increasingly staple feature in recent years. The Great Marandis is a colorful bird with a wide, blue beak and a body of glistening purple feathers with a white ruff. Beyond the coloration, it looks like a small toucan. (Despite its name...it is of great size only among other marandis!) The birds are mimics and lovely singers in their own right. They may be seen on many a shoulder, and the further south you travel, the more common is the sight. They are great fun at song battles, where they "battle" by simply repeating the song they hear, some quite loudly and vividly, and on occasion, with better pitch!