Zenthor (Zayn-tor)

In Pannon, the winter solstice is celebrated with a banquet -for the aristocracy- held by the king. A weeklong festival is undertaken by civilians, who prepare dancing, music, and food for all to enjoy. Several traditional dishes are cooked with the produce unique to their region, such as rice, tea leaves, beans, corn, rye, barley, oats, wheat, carrots, turnips, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, apricots, plums, and tomatoes. One particularly popular dish is venriz, which consists of roasted mountain goat stuffed with carrots, beans & rice (as well as some native herbs) and drizzled with lemon juice and honey. The inhabitants take the entire week off their various jobs to enjoy the festivities. At sundown and sunrise, a choir assembles to sing - the rest of the population occasionally join in. Few remain in their dwelling, for it is a time to socialise. The monarch is obliged to solve the people's disputes, and invites them in from the beginning of the dawn song to three hours before the evening song. Games are also played. One game is called Chouri and involves at least five people. One or more is selected to be "chouri", and their job is to ensure the other players do not sneak into their base by tagging them- the base is often filled with roasted nuts or some other confectionery. The other players must stealthily slip in and fill the baskets they carry with whatever is in base. They then add it to their own store. Whoever is chouri is permitted to steal back whatever was taken, at risk of being robbed themselves. The game ends when the fire in the middle of the playing court has burnt out. The items are then counted; whichever team wins gets to eat the confectionery. Most mothers only allow it to be played rarely- they disapprove of the sweets. The week finishes with a lamentation dirge, after which most return to their homes with family and share a meal, before returning to usual life the following day. The tradition was established in the year 98 when the queen decided the people needed some festivities after the dreary months of winter.