Demon Days

The nation of Tsuji is famous for honoring a number of gods unknown elsewhere, and is one of the most religious nations on the world of Jhembaz. However, they set apart three days a year to acknowledge the demons who are the gods' enemies. Several reasons are given for the commemoration of these Demons Days, depending on whom you ask. Some say that in recognizing the greatness of the demons, they are elevating the gods by showing that they have worthy enemies. Others say the Demon Days are intended to lull the demons into complacency and weaken their plots against the gods. Still others say that the Demon Days were decreed by the gods to demonstrate their mercy and benevolence, in that they induce their worshipers to pay respect even to their greatest enemies. A less generous interpretation is that the Demon Days are intended not really to honor the demons, but to mock them. In any case, the Demon Days have been commemorated for thousands of years, so the details of their origins have been lost to time.

The Demon Days fall at the beginning of winter, the last three days of the month of Asoji in the Tsujian calendar. The details of the observance vary from region to region, but there are some common elements. One of the most widespread and popular parts of Demon Days are the demon parades, where performers dance down the streets in huge, elaborate demon costumes—so huge and elaborate that it may take as many as twelve people to operate a single costume. Different communities, and different people or organizations within a community, vie to produce the most impressive demon costumes, and many cities hold competitions to award prizes to the costumes judged best, and to the most skilled dancers. Whether these demon costumes bear any resemblance whatsoever to any actual demons is unclear, but in any case beside the point. Often at the end of the parade on the third day the demons meet other performers dressed as gods, and act out a mock battle—which, of course, the gods invariably win.

Another frequent custom on Demon Days is that of the "mendicant demon"—people in demon costumes (one- or two-person costumes much less elaborate than those in the parades) go from door to door asking for sweets or other gifts, and cursing those who refuse them. There is a formalized dialogue that passes between the mendicant demon and the people it visits, though the words of the dialogue vary between localities. The "curse" of the mendicant demon is not an actual supernatural curse, and is not taken very seriously; usually it is a promise of some mischief that the "demon" or their friends will perform later. For instance, the "demon" may curse the individual with a terrible stench—and later return to hide rotten eggs or other malodorous substances near their doorstep.

There are many stories traditionally told during the Demon Days, and foods that are prepared and eaten then. The stories told on the Demon Days, of course, deal with demons, two common themes being people who tried to make deals with demons and suffered for their hubris, and demons who plotted against the gods and saw their plans thwarted (either by gods or by clever mortals). Among the common foods associated with these days are are "demon's eyes"—round red confections flavored with cinnamon and fruit juice—and blackcake, a spicy cake dyed black with landsquid ink and containing a sweet, creamy, white filling. Alcohol of many sorts is indulgently imbibed in the evenings of Demon Days, and the streets are often thronged with drunken celebrants.

Unfortunately, the Demon Days do have a darker side in some communities. There are persistent rumors of secret demon-worshippers who take the cover of the Demon Days to truly honor their malevolent masters. While a few have argued for an end to the Demon Days celebration to stop these (supposed) sinister activities, this proposal is usually met with the counterarguments that first, there is no proof these demon-worshippers actually exist, and second, even if they did, they certainly don't worship demons ''because'' of Demon Days, and would do so regardless—and besides, the Demon Day celebrations are widely popular, so the attempts to end them never get far. However, whether or not these putative demon-worshippers actually exist, the ''belief'' in the demon-worshippers itself may have untoward consequences. In some places, it is a tradition on the Demon Days to haul out those who are suspected of being demon-worshippers and to tar and feather or otherwise humiliate them. This suspicion, however, may be founded on little more than divergent behavior or an asocial nature, and many innocent people surely suffer from these festivities. Still, fortunately these activities only transpire in a few places in Tsuji, and throughout most of the nation the Demon Days remain a time of more or less wholesome revelry despite their focus on demons.