Winter
From Illapedia
The winter consists of four calendar months: Adras, Naras, Chos and Mas.
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[edit] 1 Adras
Adras is the month of Adron and the first one in winter. It consists 24 days and is said to be the month of drunkenness, in which many vintage festivals take place.
A tavern feast is celebrated in Gynk from the 3rd to the 7th Adras. Vintage festivals are also held in many salkamaerian villages. Even in Albar there is a wine feast from the 17th to the 19th Adras, on which all citizens - even serfs and bondsmen - are allowed by law to drink themselves drunk with wine, which usually is only allowed for nobles. Many albarian nobles in rural places give out cheap wine in the taverns for free during these days. A story tells of a greedy count who watered down the wine for the people and who was struck by Adron's curse: Every drop of wine that touched his lips changed into water until he paid back for his mistake tenfold.
[edit] 2 Naras
Naras is the month of Nargùn. It consists 24 days and is said to be the month of the four winds: The lands are covered with the raging winter storms.
The month of Naras is a month that can have warm and sunny days as well as icy hailstorms. During Naras, it can even hail or snow a bit in south Salkamar and Gynk - although it never gets cold enough to snow in those areas during winter; but Gynk is known for a lot of winter rain. The Naras is known for quick changes in the weather, especially close to the coasts. In the Planes of Serin, this effect is usually almost unnoticeable.
[edit] 3 Chos
Chos is the month of Cherga. It consists 24 days and is known as the month of commemoration, a period of remembrance of the dead.
Many people that live in areas where it snows during winter don't have any possibility for farming during winter, and usually live from supplies gathered during the year. In southern Salkamar and Gynk, snow is extremely rare and in some places even completely unknown. Still almost all races, people and creeds have a memorial day for remembering the deceased during Chos. Followers and priests of Cherga often hold ceremonies in well-heated chapels on cemeteries.
[edit] 4 Mas
The last month in winter and of the whole year is Mas, the month of Moshran. It consists only six days of often misfortune and bad luck and is known as Bloodmonth, especially in Albar, Salkamar and Gynk.
[edit] 4.1 Radosh (Blood Days)
The "Days of Blood" span the whole month of Mas and in general are unique to the race of the Orcs, even though they are divided in two groups to whom the Blood Days have an opposing meaning.
Those who worship Moshran greet the month of Mas with joy and obeisance. They devote themselves to frenzy and celebrate these days in ferocity and vehemence. Only little information could be gathered about these celebrations, but it is said that the Orcs paint their bodies with red dye and dance around great bonfires. After some time they fall into a kind of berserk rage in which injuries are common. Animals and in exceptional cases even people are sacrificed. But seldom captives of other races receive the present of the sacrificial dagger, instead members of the own clan voluntarily embrace death. The Orcs believe that this kind of death is the highest honor a fighter can receive. Those who will die in this way will return to the living in a strong body blessed by Moshran.
For the other part of the Orcs who broke away from Moshran, these days are a time of mourning and despair. They commemorate one of their greatest leaders Drokan Norotar, whom they hold in high esteem as a martyr. A long time ago he united the peaceful clans of the Orcs and he gave them for the first time in history a major voice in the big family of nations. But the neighbors of Drokan Norotars nation mistrusted his assurance that he meant no ill towards them. Under the disguise to enter into negotiations they lured him into a trap and killed him. The young nation soon disintegrated and these circumstances resulted in a lot of suffering for the Orcs. In remembrance the Orcs smear ash into their faces and cut themselves with swords and dagger at their scalp and hands, as the assassins had cut off the head and the hands of Drokan Norotars; as a symbol that the Orcs were leader- and powerless. With their blood covered faces they intone lamentations ceaselessly throughout all of the six days.
For most of the other races these days have a rather symbolic meaning. Without any kind of celebration animals are sacrificed to appease Moshran and thus they try to turn away harm directed against them. It is customary not to pray. Instead this rite resembles a hush gesture done in silence. After the sacrifice most people remain at home and hope that the days of Mas are soon over that a new year may begin.
