The turning of the year and the waking of the world, Winter is fading behind us now as new life breaks forth into the changing of seasons. Birds nest as warmth returns to our lands and the cycles of life come together for this season of creation and discovery.
New life and new stories await us all as the Horde continue to rekindle their interests in culture and history and so too it seems do the Alliance. There has been no war in the Return of Gilneas but what does it mean for those who make their homes in the distant Eastern Kingdoms. For now we watch and we wait, we enjoy this moment as we come together in Garadar together to share our stories amidst the crumbling earth of the Outland. No matter what the future holds we have this moment to reflect on the journeys that brought us here and ready ourselves for the adventures still to come.
Let us celebrate together the traditions of our people at this honoured Orcish festival. There will be activities, competitions and remembrance all packed into a single week of feasting and festival.
So to any in the Horde who would show honour to these great traditions,
join us in welcoming in the coming year and all that it will bring with it!
Monday, 18th of March
20.00 - Opening Ceremony, Speeches and Welcoming.
21.00 - Saddles of Treachery.
Tuesday, 19th of March
20.00 - Sign ups begin for Archery Contest both expert and Beginners.
20.30 - Skywise Archery event begins.
21.30 - Marathon Sign ups begin.
22.00 - Garadar Marathon
Wednesday, 20th of March
20:00: Om’riggor gathers.
20.30 Om’riggor begins.
All Evening - Main Day for Grand Market
Thursday, 21st of March
20.00 - Brawl’gar.
21.00 - Campfire Cook-off
Friday, 22nd of March
20.30 - Ritual of the Dead.
20.30 - Unclean Pyre.
22.30 - Rite of Spring
Saturday, 23rd of March
20.00 - Winter’s Endurance
22.00 - Drinks! The Drinking Contest
Sunday 24th March
20:00: Challenge of the Wyvern
22.00: Closing Ceremony
Note: A few events may begin later than listed, this is due to events before them over running.
Note: There may be more added to this list as events are confirmed.
Opening Ceremony
The official opening of the first Kosh’harg of the new year! Guests will be welcomed and a short ritual will bless the festival and its visitors.
Saddles of Treachery
We have four particularly rowdy wolves, specially trained for one purpose: To throw you on the ground! Can you stay in the saddle or will these mighty beasts earn a treat?
Rite of Spring
The magic of Spring fills the grasslands giving hope for the future even here in this broken world, those who are making plans for the season to come gather together for the Rite of Spring. A fertility ritual.
Skywise Archery Contest
There has long been a tradition at Kosh’harg for the hunters of the Horde to show their exquisite skills with bows in a contest of target archery. This contest is open to Archers of any skill and has been divided into Beginners and Expert Archers.
Garadar Marathon
A foot race where competitors run through the spectacular plains of Nagrand just like the ancestors of old did, this is more than tourism though speed and running skills are needed.
Brawl’gar
No weapons, no armour, no spells. Just as nature intended it! This is a contest of pure brawn and tenacity, as contestants fight one another until one of them surrenders or gets knocked out…
Om’riggor
A traditional rite of adulthood among the orcish people, the Om’riggor offers a chance for younglings who have not yet earned a name for themselves to take their first step upon the path to glory!
Campfire Cook-off
More than just a cooking challenge this is cookery with a twist, budding chef’s from across the worlds will be given a select few ingredients native to the Outlands and they will have a short time to cookt hem up - but who knows what might happen during the cook off.
Remembrance of the Dead
Those that wish to make an offering to the honoured dead will embark on a pilgrimage to Oshu’gun. Though headed by the Winter Sun Clan’s spiritualists, all orcs are invited to enter these sacred halls and will be invited to speak words of the fallen and leave offerings of their own.
The Unclean Pyre
A recent addition to the night of Remembrance, the unclean pyre is a chance for those who attend the Kosh’harg festival who are not orcs to pay their respects for their fallen in the hills close to Oshu’gun at a separate pyre.
Winter’s Endurance
A traditional competition where challengers are set a gruelling collection of tasks testing their wits, physical strength and agility around the town of Garadar - do you have what it takes to become Winter’s Champion until the next Kosh’harg?
Drinks! Drinking Contest
Purposely held after the Brawl’gar this is a contest of fine ales and belly lining. You will need guts of steel to claim the victory in this orcish drinking contest.
Challenge of the Wyvern
A game of skill and riddle solving for teams of cunning Kosh’harg attendee’s to compete against each other and understand who holds the wisest and most cunning mind.
This event will be guest hosted by members of the Far Reach.
Closing Ceremony
As the Kosh’harg Festival draws to a close, a final ceremony will be hosted to thank all visitors for joining in on the celebrations and to give any final offerings to the revered ancestors by placing them inside the belly of the wicker beast.
Grand Market
Though visitors are welcome to peddle their wares throughout the entire Kosh’harg week, there will be a single evening when the vendors and market stall holders come together to fill the streets of Garadar with their finest of wares from across all of the worlds!
From simple trade goods to the most exquisite wares you will not find anywhere else at any other time, come and buy the finest items or sell your own!
We are happy to announce the following stalls will be at the market:
The Solstice Bazaar will be fetching delightful games of dice (a requirement for this game is Trp3: extended) and exciting fortune reading.
Note: Market stalls are welcome to set up around the main fire during the week but the main night for the Market itself is Wednesday.
Come along to Kosh’harg and bring your friends for this fantastic delve into Orcish Culture and Tradition among the Horde.
OOC details:
We live in an unprecedented time of unity between the Horde and Alliance. Alas even though such things are fundamentally changing the nature of our relationship, news travels slowly and the guards in Nagrand will still give Alliance members a rough night should they attend the festival. Things have to be Horde only.
Traditionally twice a year the orcish clans continue to lay down their weapons and set aside their differences in order to honour the ancient ancestors and have a roaring good festival. The joys we celebrate now are founded on the long history of our peoples and festivals such as this one are here to uphold tradition and remind us of how far we have come. Be you orc, troll, tauren or otherwise, this Kosh’harg is open to all people of the Horde who wish to take a moment - however brief - to lay down their weapons and to unwind in the sanctity of the Land of Winds, Nagrand.
Due to the nature of the event, it goes without saying that - as always - any who choose to attend this event are requested to be at their best behaviour.
Being a festival of peace and concord, there will be no place for petty disputes, warmongering, political agendas, sudden demon attacks or whatever else that might disrupt the theme of the event. A lot of time has been put into organising all of the events that are on offer and your fellow participants have all come here to have a good time, so for all of our sake, please keep this in mind if you choose to pay a visit to this lighthearted occasion.
