Drunk as a Rabbi on Purim
Mythic Historical - this post describes the historical practice of Purim in Europe, but gives it a Mythic spin to make it more interesting in a saga. Jews take note! The Purim traditions you are familiar with, such as groggers, costumes, and even hamantaschen, are post-medieval inventions.
Purim, celebrating the events of the Book of Esther, is the most joyous holiday of the Jewish year, generally happening in February or March. The key mitzvah of the holiday is hearing the reading of the scroll of Esther, Megillat Esther. The story, in short, is about Esther and her uncle Mordichai. Esther, a Jewish woman, marries king Ahasuerus. Then the king’s minister, Haman, threatens to kill all the Jews of Persia. Mordichai convinces Esther to use her position to save her people from the evil minister, and Haman is defeated.
Purim is a curious holiday, not focused on synagogue prayer or a family meal, but on public celebration. As well, Megillat Esther is the only book of the Hebrew Bible to make no mention of Hashem. Perhaps it is this, along with the focus on storytelling during the holiday, that causes this Purim to be a high point for faerie influence in Jewish communities.
Where rabbis can keep a close eye on things the halakhic practices of Purim predominate, and these enhance the Divine Aura of Jewish communities. Jews give gifts of food and money to the poor of the community. They hear the reading of the stroll. And they have a festive meal.
But in villages that have no rabbi, or in towns where the community takes the holiday for itself, other folks traditions predominate.
The oldest of these, mentioned in the Talmud and celebrated in 1220 as well, is the tradition of drinking so heavily that you cannot tell the difference between the phrase “blessed is Mordochai” and “cursed is Haman.” As you can imagine, this is the root cause of many celebrations getting out of hand.
There are several other ways the Jews of 1220 celebrate the Purim. Some blot out Haman’s name, by writing it on rocks and then smashing them together or by writing it on the soles of their shoes and letting it rub off as they walk. Other communities, especially in France, alter the tradition of feeding the poor to instead give food to their Christian servants, such as nurses. An especially popular custom is to hold off color performances that include inventing songs to popular tunes and performing skits that mock the local authorities, both Jewish and goyish. Many communities practice all of these customs as well, and when they do the Divine Aura in the community recedes and a Faerie Aura of 1 or 2 emerges, starting at sundown when the holiday starts and lasting until sundown the next night.
Any of these practices can be adapted into a vis source, but a common source is The Last Glass of Wine. Strong wine is needed to fulfill the mitzvah of getting good and drunk. Late at night the most enthusiastic celebrants down glass after glass, until only one person is left with the ability to hold a glass. This Last Glass of Wine contains Herbam vis. Commonly the glass is simply drunk or spilled, and the vis is lost. But if a covenant member can keep it together to become the last one standing then they can bring home the vis.
Harvesting from this source requires overcoming two challenges. First, someone needs to join the celebration. A Jew can do this with no trouble, but a non-Jew must make a Presence + Charm roll of 15+ to be allowed to participate. Second, Jew or gentile alike will need to make a Stamina + Carouse roll of 12+ to be the last one standing. Someone who can pass both these hurdles collects the vis. (See COV5 page 72 for recommendation on how much vis this source might give in your saga).
Story Seed - The Goyish Covenant
The covenant finds out about The Last Glass of Wine and wants to collect from it. Like most covenants they do not have a Jewish member. Non-Jews are not welcome at Purim celebrations, or any Jewish celebration. The Jews are suspicious of outsiders, especially when their Purim skits might be mocking a local lord. To get regular access to this vis source the covenant will need to solve this problem. Will the covenant use magic to disguise their grog as a Jew? Will they use magic to mind control a local with a high tolerance into saving them the Last Cup? Or will they take the time to form a meal relationship with the Jewish community?