Ghyll:Encyclopedants Progress Report 3

This entry won't be anywhere near done until, at least, September 25th.

The Encyclopedants is a term applied to the small group of individuals who decided a collection of Ghyll intellect, in written and distributed form, was necessary for the bettering of society, as well as the benefit of future historians. The group now presides over the encyclopedia's integrity and "cohesion of vision". To remain an objective judge, the Encyclopedants attempt to focus only on "the facts as we're told them", asking questions, poking holes, and suggesting "standards" to further quality assurance. These Progress Reports are considered official communication between the Encyclopedants and their Scholars, and they encourage others to write their own thoughts and comments into the margins.

And So It Continues!

As our third batch of scholarly submissions roll in, we'd like to take the time to address some emerging issues we've been noticing, as well as lay down some more suggestions regarding the future of our project.

Sometimes, speaking all in-game can be difficult, so anything in this color text is out-of-game: from the Ghyll administrators to the Ghyll players.

While we're certainly leery to restrict your movement and interests as scholars, the biggest, most important goal of our beloved encyclopedia is cohesion, integration, and stamen to pistil.

The Facts As We're Told Them

The third batch of entries consists of the following: Calends Gala (Other), Carsokian (Organization), and Cranee Historical Society (Organization).

Calends Gala (Other)

• The Calends Galas are galas surrounding key calendrical events, and traditionally occur twice a year.
• When a Gala occurs, businesses, government offices, banks, and schools have the day off.
• Every major city has a Gala but they're poorly attended; most travel to Folktown for the big Gala there.
• The most important source on the Calends Gala is the book Gala Rules and Traditions, 4th edition.
• The Harvest Calends Gala occurs the final Varhookan of Baros (the second month of the year).
• The Harvest Gala celebrates the completion of the harvest; it occurs late enough so this is guarenteed.
• In -16 EC, the Fefferberry crop was almost entirely lost due to its extremely late ripening.
• Fefferberry wines made from this vintage are highly sought-after, and also very costly.
• The Harvest Gala has agricultural contests for the best produce and livestocks.
• The Harvest Gala also includes strength and craft-making competitions.
• Graphorn wrestling is a popular favorite among the Harvest competitions involving strength.
• Great importance is placed on darseed judging during the Harvest Calends Gala.
• The results of the darseed judging contest determine its cost for the following year.
• A painting representing one farmer's judgement is available at the Fine Art Museum in Folktown.
• Planting Calends Gala occurs the final Varhookan of Gomin (the seventh month of the year).
• The Planting Gala celebrates the end of planting, which everyone tries to accomplish beforehand.
• The Planting Gala is quieter, focusing more on artistic and literary endeavors, but also cooking contests.
• Both galas hold a story-telling contest, located in the great central tent just after sunset.
• The contest runs from sundown to the next morning, and prizes are awarded in various categories.
• The overall winner of the contest is crowned the Author Laureat for the six months until the next gala.
• Arariax was the Author Laureat for 9 years running, somewhere between -260 and -250 EC.
• Most of the well-known authors of the last 200 years have won, or done very well, in the story contest.
• Mork Wasterson, 87, was Author Laureat in -1 EC, for his tale of the Earthquake of Fijjit.
• Stories told during the Gala are consigned to the public domain, promoting their widespread retelling.

Carsokian (Organization)

• The Carsokian Clan, known as violent traditionalists, have been around since at least -400 EC.
• Sylvia Brunnhilda Carsokian, a Grand Matriach during the Battle of Barnum Stones, originated the Clan.
• After the battle, Sylvia took her three sisters and ten daughters and nieces and fled their Cranee homeland.
• They eventually ended up in the Sarfelogian Mountains (-322 EC) and began gathering husbands.
• Sylvia, the "Grand Old Bitch", directed this gathering, causing lineage to be traced through daughters.
• In -183 EC, the Carsokian Clan returns to Cranee and forms the Cranee Historical Society.
• In -175 and -174 EC, the Clan first "discovers", and then disowns, Captain Riquiras the pirate.
• In -157 EC, the Clan "discovers" that Corvin Axehand is related to them as a "Cousin".
• Mary Elizabeth Carsokian is born -157 EC, and assumes "leadership" of the Clan in -100 EC.
• Mary Elizabeth Carsokian has a daughter Aleksandra Mary Blackgold and niece Sylvia Beth Panderlock.
• Though they claim no head or chieftan, Sylvia Beth Panderlock is looked to as the steering senior member.
• Wilhelmina Corinne Bardway invents ghoulwood and the supranatural luminescence meter in -157 EC.
• Influence is mostly in the Andelphracian River Valley, but includes the Evesque Valley and Sarfelogian Mountains.
• There are also noticable Clan enclaves in the Vale of Serdoch, Alezan, and the Baleman neighborhood.
• A wild fefferberry is their family crest, and the Clan carefully, and successfully, engage in eugenics.
• The Clan regularly ingests fefferberries and bofu; some have suggested this weeds out their weak.
• Though social and societal issues have kept the Clan smaller than expected, they're exceptionally long-lived.
• All current members of the Clan belong to the Cranee Historical Society, whether they know it or not.
• Infamous members: Baron Claude Lloyd Albert Smallwood; mother Aleksandra Mary Blackgold.
• Infamous members: Phennella, best known member of the Cranee Historical Society; inferred.
• Infamous members: Captain Riquiras; mother Allison Clarinda Husslespear.
• Infamous members: Gabson Foye; mother Adelaide Clementine Chimmlefut.
• Infamous members: Wilhelmina Corinne Bardway and Corvin Axehand.

Cranee Historical Society (Organization)

• The Cranee Historical Society was founded in -183 EC and spends much of its time researching itself.
• The Historical Society's emblem is a bull's pizzle surrounded by Fefferberry trees, both of which smell similar.
• Cranee is a hamlet, where the Historical Society is located, situated between Evesque Valley and Folktown.
• Cranee is located 25 sugro-nanits from the Evesque Valley and 18 sugro-nanits from Folktown.
• There are roughly 170 residents of Cranee, most of which participate in the official Moonbeam Meetings.
• Moonbeam Meetings occur whenever Pinky and Perky, Ghyll's moons, are full. Pies are baked, lights are hung.
• Nearly every Moonbeam Meeting sees the election of a new president, determined by a Bindlet Ball.
• Between Moonbeam Meetings, Society members go on archaeological digs in far-flung fear-inducing places.
• Cranee has "rainy-assed seasons", one of which has lasted for a month or more.

--The Encyclopedants