Needfest
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The festival week of Needfest marks the beginning of a new year.[1] Needfest follows Sunsebb before turning into Fireseek.
In the Domain of Greyhawk, this is a period to celebrate life during the most frigid and miserable of seasons, a time of merrymaking and overindulgence. Among those who can afford such luxuries, yellow candles, evergreen branches, and magical lights are used as decorations.
Holy days and observances
Holidays celebrated during Needfest include:
- The Grand Feast of the All-Father (Starday, Needfest 1)
- New year's day is holy to Berronar, (Starday, Needfest 1)
- Midwinter Night (Needfest 4)
- Feast of Fools (Freeday, Needfest 7)
- Day of Trial (Freeday, Needfest 7)
- Olidammara's Feast of the Doubling Dare
- The Sagacious Slumber starts in mid-winter by Yuan-ti worshippers of Merrshaulk.
In Hardby, the Gynarch appears on Needfest 7 to walk about town, talking with the townsfolk and granting petitions. Unlike the leaders of Greyhawk City during of the Feast of Fools, she does not tolerate being mocked.
In Narwell, Needfest is celebrated without pomp or glamor, and food is not shared. On Freeday of that week, Frostbite Run is a local event involving contestants dressed only in boots and loincloths running around the city walls—the winner gets a small kettle of gold coins.
In Living Greyhawk
 | This section contains content from the Living Greyhawk organized-play campaign. |
In regions like the Bandit Kingdoms and Highfolk, Needfest is referred to as the Feast of Telchur to honor Telchur's valiant battle in creating winter and to celebrate the beginning of winter's waning.[2][3]
Calendar
The following holidays and celebrations take place during Needfest:
| Starday | Sunday | Moonday | Godsday | Waterday | Earthday | Freeday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mummergin |
2 | 3 | 4  Midwinter Night |
5 | 6 | 7 Feast of Fools Feast of Unreason Day of Trial |
| Greyhawk calendar | |
|---|---|
| Days | Starday • Sunday • Moonday • Godsday • Waterday • Earthday • Freeday |
| Months | Fireseek • Readying • Coldeven • Planting • Flocktime • Wealsun • Reaping • Goodmonth • Harvester • Patchwall • Ready'reat • Sunsebb |
| Festivals | Needfest • Growfest • Richfest • Brewfest |
| Seasons | Winter • Spring • Low summer • High summer • (Summer) • Autumn |
| Solar events | Spring equinox, Summer solstice, Autumnal equinox, Winter solstice |
| Holidays | Agelong • Blood Moon Festival • Breadgiving Day • Council Day • Council of Mayors and Manorial Lords • Crowning Day • Dark Night • Day of the Legion Will • Day of Treachery • Declaration Day • Election Day • Faerieluck • Fallrite • Feast of Edoira • Feast of Fools • Feast of Wenta • Freedom Day • Frost Days • Great Moon's Glory • Guild Days • Holy Day of Serenity • Midsummer's Day • Midwinter Night • Remembrance Day • Rollo's Day • Saint Cuthbert's Day • Spring Feast • Springrite • Thrommel's Day • Yeartide • |
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
- Miller, Andy. "Campaign Holidays." Dragon Annual #4. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999 (pp. 18-19).
- Moore, Roger E. The Adventure Begins. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998.
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | The City of Greyhawk: Folks, Feuds and Factions | 65 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Dragon magazine #056 | 21 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Dragon magazine #065 | 11 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Dragon magazine #068 | 44, 45 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Dragon magazine #241 | 44 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Dragon magazine #262 | 42 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Dragon magazine #358 | 31 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Dragon magazine #AN4 | 19 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Dungeon magazine #053 | 33 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | From the Ashes: Campaign Book | 4, 6 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | From the Ashes: References Card | #1 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Greyhawk Adventures | 103 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e | 16, 17, 30, 62 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 2, 75, 78 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Living Greyhawk Journal #1 | 11 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Living Greyhawk Journal #4 | 4, 21 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Oerth Journal #07 | 27 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Oerth Journal #10 | 20,21,22 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Oerth Journal #13 | 4 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Oerth Journal #17 | 36,37 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Oerth Journal #25 | 47 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Oerth Journal #29 | 42 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Player's Guide to Greyhawk | 13, 14 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | Saga of Old City | 75 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | The Adventure Begins | 19, 37, 39-44, 46, 47, 51, 53, 77 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (Folio) | 4 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 5 |
| Needfest | Calendar | Common-Month, | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 19 |