The fires of Midsummer are beginning to fade away once more and the Pale Lady slowly begins to overtake the Sun. With the long night of Winter approaching, it is time we appeal to our ancestors' blessing once more and honour them with ritual, song, dance and competition. The Kosh'harg Festival has returned!Once a festival for the orcish clans, the Kosh’harg Festival is now open to all people of the Horde who wish to join their orcish allies in unity and concord. For seven consecutive days, Garadar shall play host to time-honoured rituals, pilgrimages, games, competitions, markets, revelry and much more! Join us and celebrate the end of the seasons and the unity of the Horde!
| Date | 27 September - 3 October |
| Location | Garadar, Nagrand (Outlands) |
| Faction | Horde |
| Argent Archives | https://www.argentarchives.org/node/256177 |
The time has come once more to celebrate tradition and unity! Though not all is well in the realm of the dead, we must not forget our traditions and friendships. Now more than ever is it crucial that we pay homage to the revered dead and seek their blessing and protection in these times of fire and death. Be you orc, troll, tauren or otherwise, the Kosh’harg is now open to all people of the Horde who wish to partake in celebrating the traditions of our ancestors and the unity of the Horde.
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 great deal of time and effort has been put into organizing 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 sakes, keep this in mind if you choose to pay a visit to this lighthearted occasion.
Click on the events for more information.
Monday, 27th of September
20:00: 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.Hosted by Kozgugore at the Garadar shaman stones.
20:15: Opening Ritual
An opening ritual in which the ancestors will be honoured and asked for their blessing for the festival.Hosted by Zi’tani at the Garadar shaman stones.
20:45: Challenge of the Wyvern
Test your wit and intellect as you solve three riddles that require you to go forth and collect the answers to said riddles!Hosted by Zi’tani at the Garadar shaman stones.
Tuesday, 28th of September
20:30: Ritual of the Dead
A pilgrimage for those who wish to make offerings to the honoured dead at the sacred site of Oshu'gun. Though headed by the Red Blade Clan’s spiritualists, visitors will be welcome to perform their own rites and leave offerings of their own.Hosted by Zi’tani at the Garadar west gate.
~21:30: The Unclean Pyre
As no Blademaster can take a new banner without first destroying another, no chapter in one’s life can begin without grieving and celebrating the close of the previous. Run concurrently with the Pilgrimage to Oshu’gun, the Unclean Pyre has become a ceremony intended for those who cannot enter. Following the travel to the mountain, those wishing to participate will travel to a sacrificial pyre built on the hills overlooking Oshu’gun. It is here that unclean remains of enemies, cursed objects, and perhaps mementos of fallen loved ones, can be safely destroyed in view of the Horde’s ancestors. Celebrate your triumphs, and what the Horde has given you. Mourn its cost, and those no longer with us.Hosted by Velravyn at Oshu’gun.
~22:30: Sing for the Ancestors
Come one, come all to tell or sing stories of your ancestors, your adventures, or achievements! Starting time may change depending on when the Ritual of the Dead has concluded.Hosted by Kozgugore at the Garadar campfire.
Wednesday, 29th of September
19:30: The Grand Market
Though visitors are welcome to peddle their wares throughout the entire Kosh’harg week, this day will mark the opening of the Grand Market in which the finest of wares may be found! 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!Hosted by Kozgugore in Garadar.
20:00: 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!Hosted by Kozgugore at the Garadar shaman stones.
Thursday, 30th of September
19:00: Brawl'gar
A fan favourite at nearly every Kosh'harg, the Brawl'gar returns once again in the form of a grappling tournament following a tried and tested formula. Prove you're the strongest brawler and, potentially, get some revenge for last Kosh'harg's tournament! Sign ups start at 19:00. The competition starts at 20:00.Hosted by Nakobu at the Garadar west gate.
20:30: An Unusual Disturbance
Something happened at the Om'riggor. In an effort to clean up the mess a hunting party must be dispatched out. (DMed adventure)Hosted by the Ashen Pact at the Garadar Shaman Stones.
22:00: Costume Contest
Orcs are known across the world for their sense of fashion, and the Kosh'harg is the perfect place to celebrate this fact! To prove it, a costume contest will be held where the most fashionable may show off their creations. Though of course, non-orcs are perfectly welcome to participate as well...This year’s theme for the contest will be “Heroes of Old”! So show up in something suitable and see whether you can win the crowd’s vote!
Hosted by Kozgugore at the Garadar shaman stones.
Friday, 1st of October
20:00: Iron Fortitude
The Horde is known for overcoming many challenges, be they physical or mental. But who among the Horde is the most skilled of them all? Compete in five various tests of strength, agility and stamina and prove your worth in the Iron Fortitude!Hosted by Zi’tani at the Garadar west gate.
20:30: Archery Contest
A test of skill and precision. People from all over the world claim to have the best archers, now it is time for them to prove themselves and see if they are indeed the best archers the horde has to offer. Signs ups will start at 20:00 by the Garadar campfire.Hosted by Verzan and Rykana at the Garadar east gate.
Saturday, 2nd of October
20:00: Fishing Contest
Show your skills in the water to gather lots of fish!Hosted by Akule of Spiritwood Tribe.
22:00: The Great Dance
The renowned orc bard Mi'jaggor returns with his band of bards, the Rolling Thunders, to make another special appearance on the Kosh'harg! A Watch2Gether stream will be set up for people to tune in to for songs that will be played live!Hosted by Kozgugore at the Garadar Inn.
Sunday, 3rd of October
20:00: 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.Hosted by Zi’tani at the Garadar shaman stones.
21:00: Tournament of the Blades
With the Kosh'harg now over, blood can be spilled once more! Who will take the title of tournament champion this season? PvP tournament! Sign ups start at 19:00.Hosted by Nakobu at the Garadar west gate.
Isn’t the Kosh’harg supposed to be orc-only?
There was indeed once a time that the Kosh’harg was a festival solely for orcish clans. As a wise orc once said, however: “Times change”. A lot has happened since the orcs were the only ones to walk in Oshu’gun’s shadow, and the Horde has become a unified family. As such, we feel it’s only appropriate to open up the festival to all allies of the orcs as well. Rest assured that we will still strive to keep the traditions and rituals of old as intact and alive as ever, giving both orcs and visitors alike a chance to have a glimpse of traditional orcish values and festivities!
What about guards?
Considering every other community festival functions just fine without a host of guards attempting to keep the peace, we would rather steer clear of any authority figures for the Kosh’harg as well. Should any not keep into account the aforementioned disclaimer regarding the peace of the festival, we look to those attending the event (including but not restricted to guild officers) to remind their fellow participants to be at their best behaviour. Any foul or aggressive behaviour will do little more but to reflect poorly on those that misbehave as well as those they represent, so there is nothing gained from promoting antagonism during a festival of peace.
Can I host my own events and activities?
Anyone is more than welcome to host their own activities in addition to those on the official schedule! Feel free to reply to this thread if you wish to announce an event of your own and I will make sure it will be listed in the schedule. Do bear in mind that we will of course be hosting our own events as well, so there may be some overlap depending on what time slot you choose to take. Additionally, we will gladly help you out wherever we can if you would like help setting something up!
Can I set up a stall or sell wares?
Not only can you do so, but you are encouraged to do so! There will be a dedicated market event on one of the weekdays, but you are quite free to set up a stall or peddle your wares any other day of the week as well. You don’t need permission for this so long as no excessively dangerous or irresponsible wares are being sold, of course, so the more, the merrier!
| First Place | Second Place | Third Place | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brawl’gar | - | - | - |
| Costume Contest | - | - | - |
| Iron Fortitude | - | - | - |
| Archery Contest (Beginner) | - | - | - |
| Archery Contest (Expert) | - | - | - |
| Mount Race | - | - | - |
| Tournament of the Blades | - | - | - |
