Christmas on Tauber
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Grimblesnacht was originally a festival celebrated by goblins, a time to rejoice at the end of the Friskal Year that passed into a season of merrymaking.
Musive is also the month of reflection and remembering ancestors, so Grimblesnacht served as a way to celebrate life during a sombre time. Goblins came together to give gifts, eat well, and spend time with their loved ones, remembering that both stuff and fellow goblins are important. They also believed that one of their gods, Juma-Coo, would be watching them throughout the month, so celebrating life would show how worthy they were when it came to their day of judgement.
Hundreds of years ago Grimblesnacht was the name of a rich and eccentric goblin who lived alone in the wilds on Eclypse Isle. In mid-Musive people across Tauber celebrated Wintersfest, where the goblins would also acknowledge Juma-Coo, celebrate their ancestors, and rejoice at the end of the Friskal Year. Old Grimblesnacht was a particularly skilled gift-buyer and gift-giver, and over the years he began passing gifts to goblins across Eclypse Isle. He grew so skilled that he was able to employ magic to give gifts to goblins across the whole of Tauber and his legend was set into history. For goblins, Wintersfest gradually changed to Grimblesnacht and the tradition of gift-giving became entrenched with the festival.
Grimblesnacht has been celebrated by goblins for hundreds of years, but it wasn’t until the fall of The Dominion of Moonreach that it spread to other races. After the death of King Chernitt, the people of Tauber were fragile. Many had seen hardships, and those who had been in favour were now in a precarious position. People were on-edge after months of political vying. Then the goblins across Tauber began preparing for Grimblesnacht. Other races took notice and asked what was going on, the goblins gladly shared the tale of Grimblesnacht (while leaving out Juma-Coo of course, that’s no one’s business other than the goblins) and invited other races to take part. After so long living in times of stress, small joint-parties sprung up in pockets across Tauber. Each year the number of people celebrating grew, until it’s now a widely celebrated holiday by all races on Tauber.
Old Grimblesnacht is, somehow, still alive (and affectionately known as Old Grimbles or Old Grimbo). Rumours say he now lives on an isolated island far away, using his arcane skills to make gifts and reach everyone across Tauber in mid-winter. Other rumours say he’s in cahoots with the Elrich somehow, but no one seems to notice the Elrich are the only ones who don’t receive gifts. Old Grimbelsnacht still flies across Tauber (although in recent decades has made use of Jürgen the red-bummed toad to get around), leaving gifts for (almost) everyone, although his skills are somewhat inconsistent. Some receive jewellery, handmade toys, or luxury clothes, while others receive a single shoe, a paintbrush without bristles, or a questionable liquid inside a glass vial.
Grimblesnacht Scenario
We’ve published a scenario you can download for free and celebrate Grimblesnacht.
Grimblesnacht Song
Dashing through the streets
With arms full of gifts and stuff
Want to rest our feets,
Mum is saying “Tough!”
Bells on shop doors ring,
Making shop-keeps smile,
Knowing there is money to wring
If we stay here a while!
Grimble bells, Grimble bells
Taxer's gone away
Oh it’s time to start again
And party and sleep and play, hey!
Grimble bells, Grimble bells
Grimles’ on his way
Now it’s time to give some gifts
And party and sleep and play.
Leaving out some flies
Serving the cake and tea
Hope Old Grimbo tries
To miss our Grimbletree.
Jürgen tries his best
To fly true and straight
But Grimbo tends to lean out west
So o’er rooves they skate.
Grimble bells, Grimble bells
Taxer's gone away
Oh it’s time to start again
And party and sleep and play, hey!
Grimble bells, Grimble bells
Grimles’ on his way
Now it’s time to give some gifts
And party and sleep and play.
Op’ning up our gifts,
Swapping presents with a grin
Paper piled in rifts,
Can’t hear o’er the din
“What is this I’ve got?”
“Looks like an old sock…”
“Old Grimbo is a silly sot,
He’s given me a rock!”
Grimble bells, Grimble bells
Taxer's gone away
Oh it’s time to start again
And party and sleep and play, hey!
Grimble bells, Grimble bells
Grimles’ on his way
Now it’s time to give some gifts
And party and sleep and play!