Springrite
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In elven culture, Springrite holds the same significance as Growfest. Though no specific date is given, it is held during the week of the equinox, which corresponds to when Growfest is celebrated.
"Although winter is seen as the turning point of the year, the vernal equinox [...] represents a time of fertility among the elves, who spend this season engaged in the pursuits of romance and song. Elves spend the week around the equinox dancing and singing, involved in nothing but merriment. All important decisions and actions are postponed until the week is over. This is the time of year when most couples bond in marriage or announce that they are promised."[1]
There is some difficulty with specifying the calendar date of this holiday. While the text does not specify that Springrite is at the beginning of spring, the original text specifies the "vernal" (spring) equinox. The text presumes a setting with four equal seasons. However, Greyhawk has five seasons rather than four, and the equinox is at the end of spring/beginning of low summer, rather than the beginning (or middle) of spring. In all other sources,[2][3][4][5][6][7] spring begins in Readying[8][note 1] (when there is no equinox). [note 2]
DMs may wish to consider whether the holiday should be in Readying in spring or in Growfest at the equinox.
| Greyhawk calendar | |
|---|---|
| Days | Starday • Sunday • Moonday • Godsday • Waterday • Earthday • Freeday |
| Months | Fireseek • Readying • Coldeven • Planting • Flocktime • Wealsun • Reaping • Goodmonth • Harvester • Patchwall • Ready'reat • Sunsebb |
| Festivals | Needfest • Growfest • Richfest • Brewfest |
| Seasons | Winter • Spring • Low summer • High summer • (Summer) • Autumn |
| Solar events | Spring equinox, Summer solstice, Autumnal equinox, Winter solstice |
| Holidays | Agelong • Blood Moon Festival • Breadgiving Day • Council Day • Council of Mayors and Manorial Lords • Crowning Day • Dark Night • Day of the Legion Will • Day of Treachery • Declaration Day • Election Day • Faerieluck • Fallrite • Feast of Edoira • Feast of Fools • Freedom Day • Frost Days • Great Moon's Glory • Guild Days • Holy Day of Serenity • Midsummer's Day • Midwinter Night • Remembrance Day • Rollo's Day • Saint Cuthbert's Day • Spring Feast • Springrite • Thrommel's Day • Yeartide • |
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "Readying 1st is the calendar date for spring's start."[8]
- ↑ However, despite specific dates given for seasons, in The Adventure Begins, Roger Moore refers to Growfest as the "full arrival of spring" (though that has debatable meaning), and in Player's Guide Anne Brown refers to it "as soon as spring comes", even though the calendar in those sources still identifies Readying as spring's start.
Citations
[edit | edit source]- ↑ PHBR8 The Complete Book of Elves (1992), p.53.
- ↑ The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (1980), p.4.
- ↑ World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), p.5, Table.
- ↑ Player's Guide (1998), p.13, Table.
- ↑ The Adventure Begins (1998), p.39, Table.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.2, Table.
- ↑ Dungeon Master's Guide (2024), p.146.
- ↑ a b The Adventure Begins (1998), p.42.
Bibliography
[edit | edit source]Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image |
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