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Cards77
Senior Scribe

USA
745 Posts

Posted - 27 Nov 2014 :  22:39:53  Show Profile Send Cards77 a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
I looked around and could not find anything specific about this festival. I can think of several "traditional" activities along the same vein as Oktoberfest, but I was wondering about what types of Realms flavored things may go on? Not just deity specific activities (such as the Malarites pledge to hunt for those in need), but those that occur publicly and I could involve my PCs in?

I ran Shieldmeet for them earlier this year, and that used up pretty much all of my ideas.

Any and all ideas are welcome.

Cards77
Senior Scribe

USA
745 Posts

Posted - 30 Nov 2014 :  19:09:36  Show Profile Send Cards77 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'm having difficulty searching the site for this particular topic simply because of the very common words involved ("high" "harvest" etc), and the variations in spelling "High Harvest Tide" vs "High Harvesttide" vs XXXXX.

So if anyone has any lore squirreled away on this particular topic I would great appreciate it. I did find an old "So Saith Ed" about festivals in Silverymoon but High Harvest Tide was not mentioned.

Or if someone just wants to come up with some Realms flavored events, celebrations, rituals, etc for High Harvest Tide I will compile them here and write them up to contribute to the site if someone has not already done so.
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Kentinal
Great Reader

4685 Posts

Posted - 30 Nov 2014 :  20:19:11  Show Profile Send Kentinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
My searches have not provided much of use either. Maybe a question for Ed or author that used the term.

High Harvest clearly such indicate the main harvest of the year, Tide could be sea related or tide being a day like Yuletide. I would guess the latter.

As to how it would be celebrated, a time for celebration the hard, most important harvest has been completed, a time of a party rest and fun. Beer, ale and lots of food almost certainly would be common. Maybe games for prizes as well. Maybe even some honors for those that did very well. Biggest harvest, best pig, etc. A short time of rest and celebration that there is enough to last the cold winter coming. Even after the main harvest there is always work to do for the farmers and those that support them.

Oh it also might be the time of tax collection and demand of payments of debts.

"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon
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Cards77
Senior Scribe

USA
745 Posts

Posted - 30 Nov 2014 :  21:34:27  Show Profile Send Cards77 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
yeah I can imagine all the "mundane" Oktoberfest type things but I am hoping there is more "realms specific" types nuggets out there or fertile minds that would like to help me come up with some.
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Kentinal
Great Reader

4685 Posts

Posted - 30 Nov 2014 :  22:36:44  Show Profile Send Kentinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Cards77

yeah I can imagine all the "mundane" Oktoberfest type things but I am hoping there is more "realms specific" types nuggets out there or fertile minds that would like to help me come up with some.



Well there clearly can be Clerical activities as well. Maybe a time of great healing, a ritual casting of blessings on the realm or fields, the people. Clearly some deities should be celebrated, Chauntea for example.

I just could not find much.

I do see you asked Ed so maybe a better answer will be coming then my guesses.

"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11690 Posts

Posted - 01 Dec 2014 :  13:15:45  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
definitely there are pie eating contests.

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
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TBeholder
Great Reader

2382 Posts

Posted - 02 Dec 2014 :  08:33:56  Show Profile Send TBeholder a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Cards77

I looked around and could not find anything specific about this festival. I can think of several "traditional" activities along the same vein as Oktoberfest, but I was wondering about what types of Realms flavored things may go on? Not just deity specific activities (such as the Malarites pledge to hunt for those in need), but those that occur publicly and I could involve my PCs in?

Aside of various druids and priesthoods of nature faiths having holy days and/or running important ceremonies?
Yeah, it's the same "officially the first day of fall" and its root about, well, harvest.
As such it also have all sorts of implications for logistics, finances and management in general. Food pours in, reserves get cycled to make place for fresh stuff, food prices drop, etc. The festival means more people and carts moving - on top of the primary traffic (from and toward food sources and reserves). All of which adds up and must have major impact on just about everything - unless one's a hermit or in the Underdark, and sometimes even then.
"Lands of Intrigue" mentions it a lot:
That's about when tax collection is scheduled in some places. Troops move to their new garrisons. Whoever wants get a drop on someone else in hope the target is distracted by all this drinking makes a move, too. The Queen of Tethyr holds court at Greengrass and Higharvestide (it lasts at least a tenday, of course), which is also when ennoblements are finalized (i.e. fealty and public decree parts).

Militarily - here's a chance to cath someone with their pants down, but less destructive and more logistically inclined warmongers should wait until all the food is out of the fields - unless they plan to leave the fields alone and lay siege to a fortified place, with hunger as the main threat, in which case "start of harvest" is the optimal moment (the target's reserves are at the lowest point, while for the siegers it's the easiest time to get provisions on site).

People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch
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