the Marjoram Laudation
Basilford has a unique tradition that occurs each year in autumn, on the last sunday before Jester's Eve. If Jester's Eve coincides with a sunday, the ceremony of the Marjoram Laudation is combined with those festivities into one grand festival.
There are legends about a spirit guardian, a feminine fey nicknamed Marjoram, who protected and aided the Hobbs family since before the Fey Fall. Over the centuries, many events, some of them near-miraculous, were attributed to her. She was an embodiment of generosity and kindness. When Basil Hobbs the elder founded the outpost that became Basilford, he also erected a small shrine to her, a house to welcome her in his community. Since then, Marjoram is said to watch over all the people of Basilford, as long as they show goodwill to others as well. Despite there being no definitive proof of her existence on record, what she stands for is still honored every year through the Marjoram Laudation.
Before the ceremony, several citizens of Basilford can be nominated by their friends or family. They have to have performed a remarkable community service, for example saving a child, stopping a dangerous situation, or providing goods and services to the needy without asking compensation. The mayor's aldermen selects a few among them and present their names a week beforehand. The chosen few are brought on a stage at Marjoram Square, where her shrine still stands. Their deeds are proclaimed to the entire community, and they receive a crown of marjoram twigs with bright coloured flowers. With this, they are honoured as having the same generosity and kindness as the great spirit Marjoram. The Laudation is concluded with a public lunch feast. Everyone who attends this feast, also contributes to the food and drinks whatever they can share.
There are legends about a spirit guardian, a feminine fey nicknamed Marjoram, who protected and aided the Hobbs family since before the Fey Fall. Over the centuries, many events, some of them near-miraculous, were attributed to her. She was an embodiment of generosity and kindness. When Basil Hobbs the elder founded the outpost that became Basilford, he also erected a small shrine to her, a house to welcome her in his community. Since then, Marjoram is said to watch over all the people of Basilford, as long as they show goodwill to others as well. Despite there being no definitive proof of her existence on record, what she stands for is still honored every year through the Marjoram Laudation.
Before the ceremony, several citizens of Basilford can be nominated by their friends or family. They have to have performed a remarkable community service, for example saving a child, stopping a dangerous situation, or providing goods and services to the needy without asking compensation. The mayor's aldermen selects a few among them and present their names a week beforehand. The chosen few are brought on a stage at Marjoram Square, where her shrine still stands. Their deeds are proclaimed to the entire community, and they receive a crown of marjoram twigs with bright coloured flowers. With this, they are honoured as having the same generosity and kindness as the great spirit Marjoram. The Laudation is concluded with a public lunch feast. Everyone who attends this feast, also contributes to the food and drinks whatever they can share.