Event Focus - La Fête Humide
La Fête Humide (“The Moist Party”) is a grand celebration held once every three years in Ville des Marai. During this time, the entire city takes on a festive air - music fills the streets, laughter is everywhere, and spirits run high. Taverns lower their prices, with the loss offset by reduced taxes for the year, and a wide variety of competitions are held, including the famed Guerre des Bardes (“War of the Bards”). For its duration, the city becomes a place of near-constant revelry.
Twenty-four years ago, however, the realm was shaken by a devastating series of earthquakes, the true cause of which remains unknown. Theories are plentiful: some claim the black dragon Shimrexxafaque battled powerful bayou loa, while others insist dwarves delved too deeply and awakened something ancient and terrible. Kelwyn himself has stated that he uncovered the truth, but for reasons unknown, he refuses - or is unable - to share it.
Each year when both Mother Moon and Father Moon are new (in 1485, this occurs on Last Winter 1), the Rivière Tumultueuse begins to rise. Over the course of a week, it swells to ten feet above high tide, holds at that height for eight to ten days, and then slowly recedes over the following week. In response, Les Gardiens de l’Eau - a council of twelve arcanists elected by the people - assemble at Le Poste de Garde just beyond the Keep. There, they perform a specialized ritual that conjures invisible walls of force along the river where it cuts through the city.
Each day, a pair of these spellcasters returns to reinforce the barrier, ensuring its strength holds against the relentless current. Meanwhile, the high ground south of the city walls remains untouched, protected naturally by the land’s peculiar geography. Those who live there require no magical defenses and often view the spectacle from a position of quiet safety.
To witness water rushing past in midair is a marvel, even for those long accustomed to magic. From the windows of perfectly dry shops, one might watch alligators, turtles, and stranger river creatures glide past as though the river still flowed around them. The sight never quite loses its wonder.
One popular pastime during this time is a drinking game known as poisson ivre (“drunken fish”). Participants gather near the river and take a drink each time something larger than a fish passes by. Given the abundance of wildlife, this often leads to rapid and enthusiastic intoxication. Variants of the game restrict players to spotting specific creatures - alligators, turtles, or nutria - but even these tend to end the same way.
The celebration itself began almost by accident. When the river first rose, many believed the city doomed, reasoning that if they were to drown, they might as well enjoy their final days. What began as a grim acceptance transformed into something unexpectedly joyful, as the people embraced music, drink, and companionship in the face of disaster.
While the city reveled, its arcanists desperately searched for a solution. In their frantic efforts, they uncovered a long-forgotten tome hidden deep within their archives. Strangely, no one remembered ever seeing the book before, nor was it listed in any inventory. With time running out and the waters rising, no one questioned its origin.
The ritual described within was performed before the Keep, and as the final words were spoken, towering walls of blue force sprang into existence before fading from sight. The river was stopped. The city was saved. What followed was an eruption of joy unlike anything Ville des Marai had ever known.
The spellcasters were immediately hailed as heroes, and on that very day, Les Gardiens de l’Eau was formally established. Their duty - to protect the city from the river’s rise - became both an honor and a sacred responsibility.
In the years since, new traditions have taken root, blending together like a well-made gumbo. At first, revelers wore masks resembling the Gardiens, but over time this evolved into the widespread use of masks in the city’s colors: green, gold, and purple. Beads of wood, bone, ivory, and more precious materials such as silver, gold, and pearls are worn by nearly everyone.
