The Festival of Prosperity is an annual event that takes place in the Free City of Pentos, and is intended to bring prosperity to the city for another year by the ritual deflowering of the Maidens of Sea and Field by the Prince of Pentos, as well as a series of celebrations.
It runs for the duration of the first moon each year.
Format[]
The celebrations run for the entirety of a moon, and is split into four, relatively non-discrete phases that roughly correspond with each week included.
- The Seeding of the Fields - the first week of celebrations takes it theme from the first of the two maidens to be deflowered, the Maiden of the Fields. It is customary for those wealthy enough to do so to wear clothes of green, yellow and brown, and carry pouches of seeds around their neck. Every time they meet an individual who does not share in their colour scheme, it is customary to shower the person in a small handful of said seeds, in an attempt to shame them for their lack of revelry.
- The Taming of the Seas - the second week of festivities takes a similar approach to the first week, but browns and greens are traded for fabrics of blue and grey, and the pouch of seeds for a pocket filled with salt crystals.
- The Carousal of the People - the third week of celebration is more inclusive of the city as a whole, and includes a day when no free man may work or toil, instead their focus should be only on food, drink and music. This day of rest does not typically extend to the free-bond servants of the city.
- The Revelry of the Prince - the final week of roistering centres around a great party hosted by the Prince himself, to which all that own land within the city are welcome to attend and enjoy. Musicians and performers play at all hours of the day, but the Prince is barred from partaking until the final day, in representation to his dedication to the city's wellbeing.