Postfest V, Part II: Wealsun Mumming |
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| Posted on Mon, August 08, 2005 by Dongul |
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gvdammerung writes "Each year the Church of St. Cuthbert entertains throngs with mumming plays retelling the fall of Iuz. With audience participation, Iuz is annually vanquished. The lesson is simple. Even the most common person can make a successful stand against evil.
Wealsun Mumming
By: Glenn Vincent Dammerung, aka GVDammerung
Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.
Date: 4th Wealsun through 18th Wealsun
Location: The Wild Coast, Verbobonc and Shield Lands
Type: Religious
In the wildly disparate lands of the Wild Coast, Verbobonc and the Shield Lands, a similar celebration occurs each Wealsun, around the 4th in the Wild Coast and closer to the 18th in the Shield Lands. Verbobonc’s celebration occurs sometime in between. In each case, masked and costumed players associated with the Church of St. Cuthbert put on an allegorical show, all without so much so saying a word.
The mumming plays begin with the players facing the audience. To the fore steps a figure dressed as a cleric in the service of St. Cuthbert. He or she mimes a speech to the audience, using pantomime to communicate. Next “singers” dressed as “angels” step forward and “sing,” again using only pantomime. After these introductions, the play itself begins. The story is that of Iuz, his rise and fall. The play always ends with a hero, pulled from the crowd of onlookers, fighting and slaying or banishing Iuz, ably assisted by a “guardian angel” who ensures matters do not get out of hand. While there is some variance in the plays, Iuz is always banished or slain.
The Church of St. Cuthbert sponsors the Wealsun mumming plays. They remind folk of Iuz’ evil, that he was beaten and that he, and evil more generally, can be fought, even by common or simple folk. The Wealsun mumming plays are very popular and well attended. Occasionally, agents of Iuz will attempt to disrupt the goings on but this is rare. Lately, however, the mumming plays in the Wild Coast have begun to feature the figure of Turrosh Mak, as well as Iuz. This has not sat well with the humanoids to the south. Attempts to disrupt the plays have been much more frequent.
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