Campaign 15: First Frolic Scenario 00: First Frolic Dawning
	Date: 12562-02-10, Time: 0930 Location: Desert Port, Lewawan, The Gorvij Lands Default Language: Gorvij

A year is 480 days, divided into 16 months of 30 days each. The year
begins in midwinter with the month called Silence. At this time,
much of the Gorvij Lands are blanketed in snow. The ground is iron
hard, rivers are locked in ice, and the people are as near to
hibernation as hyuumins can get.

Month 2 is called Growl. Everywhere, ice is cracking, frost swollen
soil is settling, rivers are begining to flow again. It's still
bitterly cold, but it is getting less so.

Month 3 is Opening, the first month of spring. But sometimes spring
comes early. Like maybe today?

That's the fervent hope of Gremaan Artrening, Chief Constable of
Desert Port. He's been up since dawn stomping on dirt paths and
poking puddles with his staff. Yes, the ice is definitely
diminishing. The last snow was 15 days ago and it was just a light
dusting. And now that the sun is up, he can see that the sky is
perfectly clear. And there is no wind to dissipate the sun's warmth.
That's very important.

Growl 10th is the Day of First Frolic. That's when gorvijes try to
enjoy the outdoors after being shut in by the cold. A successful
frolic is a good sign that spring will be warm.

Also, by an ancient gorvij law, First Frolic is the earliest that
anyone may be forced to go outdoors. And that is conditional on the
entire day being dry and clear. One cold blast, one drop, one dark
cloud, and the working year will not start until the official first
day of spring, 20 days later. Otherwise, it starts tomorrow.

This looks to be a perfect First Frolic. And indeed, the townsfolk
are coming out to frolic now. They're still wearing their warmest
clothing, but they carry bells and whistles, and skip and dance as
best they can. They shout greetings at the trees that show signs of
budding, and break the little masks of the Hidden Sun that have hung
on the branches since late autumn. The end of overcast skies means
that the sun is no longer in hiding.

Soon there will be an official announcement from the town council.
Gremaan scowls at the thought. Town Council. There was a time when
the steward of the local liege would have made the announcement. But
lieges are out of fashion, along with everything else that once held
traditional gorvij society together. And it started with a council.

Theoretically Lewawan is still a realm, a full monarchy. But a few
generations back, someone got a great idea to solve a succession
crisis without a civil war. Instead the major families formed the
Council of Regency to exercise supreme authority until they could
marry down into a single undisputed heir.

Brilliant. Until the families started getting into financial trouble
and had to make nice with the mercantile interests. Next thing you
know, there are new seats on the council, seats filled by loud,
crass, unmannered louts who liked to paw through their gold in
public. Soon all the laws that kept people from getting above
themselves were gone.

And Gremaan, a knight of the realm who had taken an oath to that
council, could do nothing.

Next came the coup. Or "purge" as the instigators called it.
Prominent members of the aristocracy were accused of treason. The
guardians of the people, the best blood of the nation-- who would
believe any of them would conspire with the Empire? Too many, that's
who. There were few outcries from the masses when the arrests began.
And when what remained of the Council of Regency was suspended in
favor of the new Committee of National Salvation, it was too late
for outcries.

Oh yes, they say the committee is not a government. They say that
once the emergency is over, the Council of Regency will be restored.
No doubt. But it will be a very different council.

There used to be a riddle: What do you call a banker with 2 coaches
and 25 servants? A commoner. Now a banker might conceivably become
ruler of Lewawan. Now Lewawan may soon be what many are already
calling it. A republic. Like that wretched, benighted tragedy to the
north. Nokinerv.

Even here in Desert Port, on the edge of the country, little respect
remains for the old order. When the mercantiles come to town, they
think he's just a hireling to keep the streets safe for them.
Instead of showing the proper deference due to his class, they look
down on him for his lack of money. But he maintains his dignity. He
is a skiriks, and better than them. The gods know that.

He reaches the Flying Rabbit Tavern. Half an hour till opening time,
he can hear and smell the preparations. The outside wall is covered
with papers.

Lost: Fox, Answers to "Red Scamper"

Wanted: Caravan Workers, Will Train

Bright Prospects Mining Company Has Had Consistently High Returns!
This is Your Opportunity to Get in on Their Next Opening!

Brokeristics: The TRUE Way to PROSPERITY and INDEPENDENCE!

Calling all lovers of FREEDOM! The Republic of Nokinerv needs you!
Help us stop the enemies of the Revolution! We pay in gold!

Collectable Doorknobs: we have all the latest limited runs. Also, we
buy older knobs in good condition.

Earn Money in your Spare Time? Yes you can! Come to our seminar and
find out how!

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Chilath Arjaniks, please tell her
that Numiiont is sorry and would she please come back.

Don't be a WAGE SLAVE! Take control of YOUR DESTINY when you enter
the exciting world of CHARTER COACHES!

There really is such a thing as ULTIMATE TRUTH. Join Seekers of the
One and find the answers that bring PEACE!

Congratulations to Y*A*R T*H*E M*A*G*N*I*F*I*C*E*N*T, once again
voted Entertainer of the Year! Watch for news of his spring tour
featuring all new material!

Fairy Sunwheel Seeds! Plant them now for good luck all year!

Honor, Blood and Faith. That's what it will take to save Nokinerv
from the mob and restore the monarchy. Come and join us in this holy
work! Generous pay and benefits.

We have Real Vordin Cigars! By the box or by the crate.

Make your own hours. Intensity Publishing Syndicate needs sorters
and distributors now!

As usual, most of the postings are mercantile. And it seems the more
annoying the message, the more posters there are. Their authors
haven't even the decency to confine these eyesores to the tavern
wall, they have copies on other buildings, also trees and fences.
He's even seen farmer's carts get decorated when left out on the
street. Those accursed mercantiles! A generation ago, they'd all
have been soundly whipped!

As Gremaan completes his circuit, he can see Constable Ankarev
coming up the street. With a curt nod to his underling, he
acknowledges the change of shift. But he has one more thing to do.

He faces a heavily built blockhouse. Its narrow slitted windows
recall its previous use as a barracks. But now it serves as a hostel
for vagabonds.

The mercantile regime is trying to expel foreigners, deeming them a
bad influence. Which of course they are-- in a country that has
forgotten the god ordained structure of society. But in the old
days... He wrenches his thoughts away, getting maudlin won't help
matters. Everyone the government wasn't able to hustle out of the
country before the weather got too bad has been sent here. And
those who couldn't afford their own lodging have been sheltered at
the hostel at the expense of the town.

He strides up to the door of the hostel and gives it a kick.
Satisfied that the sound has awakened everyone inside, he calls out
"Get up, you parasites! Better start packing, you'll be leaving
tomorrow!"

NOTES

First Frolic: also called First Ramble, Sun Greeting, Earth Waking,
and many more. It's part of an ancient set of gorvij celebrations
keyed to the seasons.

Skiriks: Lowest rank of gorvij nobility, it comes with a title, but
no land.