The Festival of Fools

While travelling through the wilderness of the Bretonic Isle of Betony, I stumbled upon a group of huntsman sat around a fire. They invited me to stay with them for a while, and told me a tale as we ate. - Quintillius Trebates, Scholar of the College of Whispers.

On the Isle of Betony in the Illiac Bay, the first day of Rain's Hands holds a special place in the hearts of the Breton population of the island.

In the forty-third year of the Common Era, a group of travelling entertainers named 'Sheggorath's Soiree' visited the city of Kerekbeth, and set up their stalls outside the city's gates. The citizens were more than excited to see the harlequins come to their part of Heiroc, and spent their gold freely, happy to have an excuse to abandon their hard work for a short time.

Eventually, the Baron of Kerekbeth heard of his people slacking, and sent out the city guard to round up the jesters and bring them to the castle for his own pleasure.

Now,'Sheggorath's Soiree' were used to dealing with common folk and not the higher echelons of society, and were understandably nervous when they were in front of the Baron. They performed their routine, which included pulling a skeever from a hat, sawing a wench in half and making one of the many mistresses of the Baron disappear.

The noble, although satisfied to see the ugliest of his wenches be gone, was not happy with the jesters act. He ordered them to perform something so dangerous, Vaermina's nightmares could not rival it.

The group huddled together in deep discussion, and gulped with nerves when they turned back to face the Baron.

The leader of the pack pulled out a baton that was cloaked in boar fat and announced he would set it alight, then swallow it while blindfolded.

He proceeded with his act, but panicked when he dropped the baton and set the carpet ablaze, sending the other jesters into a frenzy of screeches, which in turn sent the Baron into a barrel of laughter.

When he had finished and wiped the tears from his eyes, he proclaimed the party the best in the land, and said that from that day on, every first day of Rain's Hand shall be celebrated as 'The Festival of Fools' and that everyone in Kerekbeth should have a day of rest in honour of 'Sheggorath's Soiree' and enjoy the joy that laughter brings at the misfortune of others.