Action, celebration and madness ensue as half-Nyx Lora and Wolf find themselves in the year 1148, the early Middle Ages of Germania. Pursued by relentless villains they must recover a sacred golden vessel from a greedy Bishop.
The Bishop seeks to keep the prize himself, as well as his two otherworldly captives, a cat dragon shape shifter and a hen who lays silver eggs. When the chaos begins it all goes horribly wrong.
Lora and Wolf are caught in the cycle of madness. The dancing won't stop, while Crusaders shout for converts from the steps of the church. It's January First, the Feast of Fools or in German, Narrenconvent or Narrenfest.
Initially the word fool refers to a poor or humble person. The Feast of Fools is a riotous celebration with wild music, dancing, satire and debauchery. It's part of the eternal struggle between the forces of Order and those of Chaos.
The peasants change places with the rich, and Church hierarchy is reversed. Masters become servants and absolute power comes to the hands of the masses.
While the origin of the Feast of Fools is obscure, it's thought to come from the older pre-Christian Saturnalia festivals. In 12th century Europe the fool is King, the choirboy the Pope. Gender roles turn around as men dress as women, and vice versa.
Boundaries break and inhibitions flee. Satire, buffoonery and drunken brawling are orders of the day. The people can choose a faux King or Pope, who makes up ridiculous rules but must be obeyed.
In England a similar chaotic occasion is the Lord of Misrule. In Scotland it's called Abbot of Unreason, and in France, Prince des Sots.
Some regions attempt a more orderly ecclesiastic observance to tone it down. Abuse of power by those who usually have none is feared by the secular and religious elite. Feast of Fools festivities are completely banned in the 1400s.
Non-Fiction Books:
Fiction Books:
READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series
READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries
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