It is almost the end of another year. Four seasons have passed yet again.
Time for the winter snows and the passing of all that is old. Time for the cold winds of the north to blow and all the creatures of the forest to find shelter from the cold, icy denizens of the Great Northron Regions.

The Great Gumba and Kerry the Bard have planned a great feast for the last night of the year.

Many have been invited, mortal and immortal alike.
The Shamans from Down under,
The Great Katherine of Khatadin,
Marie of the Shires of York,
Prince Loughdagh and his Mighty Hound,
And many many more.

The Great Gumba is especially pleased, for his kin, The Wonderous Red the Irish, philosopher and Sage has brought his fiance, Jillian the Fair, to spend time with the Great Gumba and Kerry the Bard on this very special of Eves Anew.

Red the Irish was Racing Ma's favorite of all her Kin, for he came and visited when others would not. He came and stayed when the White Haired Hermit would rant about everything, this often amused Red the Irish. He was the one who cared.
So it is good that he is here to help celebrate the new.

Time: for family and freinds.
Time: for all who call the Gumba friend.
Time: to remember the past years battles, won or lost.
Time: to remember the past years triumphs and failures.
Time: to remember the friend’s made and all the good times had by all.
Time also to begin looking forward to the coming year and making choices, from which, will shape the New Year.

The fire pit of remembrance will be lit just before midnight, and all will talk of what was, this past year. All will remember and pass on what was learned.

Much dancing and merriment will be had and many libations will be drunk. Possibly a song or two will be sung, who knows. Whatever happens it will be good.

The fires of feasting will be ablaze and many carcasses will be cooked to satiate the denizens of the Great Gumba.
All will feast, all will hopefully enjoy, but mostly, all will hopefully bask in each others friendship.

It is good, that all of the Gumbas friends will be in attendance, that all will have fun and be safe, but mostly that they are together on this most special of Eves Anew.

So sayeth: the Great White Sage of the Great Northron Region.

Huzzah!

It was the beginning of the winter solstice, the wind blew and the sky was gray.
The lakes were frozen, the earth was frozen, and the air had a chill.
It was the shortest day of the year, only eight hours of daylight would show today.
Even the little fuzzy creatures were scurrying around getting ready for the winter snows.
It was the time of quiet, the time when all became calm and all would soon be reborn.

The Great Gumba awoke to a bright and crisp day, grouse were seen dancing in front of Castle Catalano, much to The Great Gumbas delight.

The Great Gumba sat and had a hot beverage, overlooking his vast kingdom and remembering:

Remembering Racing Ma, and the White Haired Hermit, those, which had, bore him, brought him into existence as it were.
Remembering Solstices past, when all the immortals were present and much merriment and feasting was had by many.
Remembering how Racing Ma would prepare great feasts of love, for food was love and when one ate with family and friends, their was always much love to be shared.
Remembering how The White Haired Hermit would carve the great beast, and many green things would be passed around.

With glasses held high, the White Haired Hermit would extol to all, how important family clan and friends were. How they, above all, made everything else worthwhile.

He would proclaim, LA FAMIGLIA: to family, friends and health.

Then the feasting would begin, the great table would rumble with the sounds of feasting,
The great beast would soon disappear. Much wine would be consumed and family members past, present and future would always be welcome, at this, the solstice table.

Racing Ma would rant; rant about whatever she could, for this made her feel good somehow. The White Hair Hermit would then begin to rant about Racing Ma, and so forth.

And so the day would go, Immortals and Mortals alike would come and go all day, paying respect to Racing Ma and the White Haired Hermit, bringing food and wine and then eating said food and drinking said wine.

Gifts would be exchanged… many gifts would be exchanged, much paper would need to be disposed of and many games would be played.

Then we would eat some more.

This is what the Great Gumba remembers.


To all the Immortals and Mortals alike,
Who, have helped shape The Great Gumbas world,
Who, have been a friend, in times of need,
Who, have defended Castle Catalano,
Who, have feasted with The Great Gumba and Kerry the Bard,
Who, have helped heal the Great Gumba.
To family and all who the Great Gumba calls friend.

I, The Great Gumba, thank you for all that you have done, for during this time, NOTHING means more to me than you.

LA FAMIGLIA, to family, friends and health.

Alas, the original Red Book has long been locked away. Locked away in the castle of the Red Prince. A few stories have been remembered or found on scraps of paper, this is one of those stories.

One could almost believe that the Great Gumba was a literary aficionado, for no sooner had the Red Prince made known his loyal warrior thoughts of friendship, than the Great Gumba did hold an impromptu feast.

Since feasting is one of the strong suits of the Great Gumba, great slabs of wild beast were placed upon the Giant Grill of Hellfires. Along with the delectable roasting meats were fine cobs of corn, squash and shrooms. Around the environs of the Great Gumba, the smaller towns were called hamlets or grillages.

Tonight, the finest grillage was in maximum effect as they had offered their best meats to the immortals. The smell of happytizers filled the nose of the Red Prince with much glee.
Shrimps and chips were eaten in abundance.

When what had seemed a million years had passed, the Great Gumba at long last served up the huge piles of grilled fair.
Mounds of grillage were messily devoured by one and all alike. Kerry the Bard was careful to not let her fingers stray to near the steaming platter of the half-starved Red Prince, for fear of losing a digit or two in the feeding frenzy. Butter and steak sauce were flying all over in a mad storm of unbridled consumption. The Great Gumba had done well.

As if that were not enough, a dessert of silky strawberries was introduced to the naughty cream. The cream had to be spanked and whipped for it’s saucy remarks to the strawberries, which soaked ever so deeply into the soft dreamy embrace of the shortcake.
One could almost feel the growing passion between the berries and the sweet, sweet cake bed. Together, the Cream of Spanking, Saucy Strawberries and Sweet, Sweet Shortcake shared a tingling intense ménage a tois that fairly exploded onto the pallets of the Immortals. The Great Gumba could barely restrain himself as he licked the bed of the tantalizing dessert.

Long live the Great Gumba.

So retells the story by the Great White Sage of the Northron Regions

Tonight is a glorious night, for tonight is the halfway point between Mabon (the second harvest) and Samhain (the third and final harvest).
This is the time the veil between our world and the netherworld is the thinnest. A time for much rejoicing, dancing feasting and libations.

It is a time of reflection, enlightenment and wonderment.
A time when the lesser hordes, (also known as mortals), get to rejoice and feast with the immortals. It is also a time when some mortals get to transcend into immortal status.

The likes of the Great Gumba and Kerry the Bard watch, listen and learn all year, to hopefully find one mortal who is worthy of transcending the veil and become one of the immortals. For this is how the Great Gumba himself became an immortal, The Great White Sage bestowed this privilege onto the Great One many moons ago.

Tonight is a night of much magic and rejoicing, the Gods of the four points are in attendance, the elemental Gods are also present, for tonight one shall transcend the veil.

Tonight, one shall become part of the immortal world and join forces with Kerry the Bard, The Great Gumba, Catherine of Kahtadin and others, to watch over the lesser hordes.

Let us understand what this means, tonight one shall become part of the whole. One shall be named. One shall learn of their great heritage, their heritage within their name.

Let us learn of Daighgas, the fire God, Daigh meaning Flame or Fire, HGAS is a sir name. This one is easy.

LUGH, Son of Cian and Eithnu called the long handed or far shooter, sun God par excellence.

He possesses a magic spear and magic hound.

The Milky Way is called Lugh’s chain.

He is the master of all art.

An accomplished carpenter, smith, warrior, harpist, poet, physician, cupbearer and bronze worker.

The Festival of Lughnasadh heralds summers end.

Let us celebrate this new immortal.
Come forward into the light.
Tonight, you become an immortal, you join the ranks of
The Great Gumba, Kerry the Bard and
Catherine of Kahtadin.

Tonight you become part of the Legends of the White Sage; you are and will remain part of the legacy that is the RED BOOK.
On this hallowed eve you will be empowered to do great and wondrous things, things that are only limited by your mind and will.
We the immortals bestow upon you your first set of immortal reignments, wear them well, for they will protect you from all that is evil, all that may wish to harm you.

It will protect you as long as you are true of heart and pure of intent.

Woven by the hands of the Bard herself, made with love and care.

Spun with the threads of the cloak of Antioch and that of the Golden Fleece. It shall serve you well in times of need.
May it keep you warm and dry.

Now, your weapon.

As your namesake LUGH, your weapon is that of a spear.

Forged from a tine of Poseidon’s trident.
It has twin blades, resembling a tuning fork and laps of flame.
A crimson shaft, made from a mixture of steel and bronze.
The bottom is adorned with a dragon’s claw.

The tuning forks, to remind you of the tranquility of the resonance of time and friendship.

The laps of flame because you are named after a fire god.

The crimson shaft of mixed metal to remind you of the strength of the melding of dissimilar objects to form one that is stronger than either by themselves.

The dragon’s claw is symbolic of your strength as a warrior.
A claw from one of the most mystical and magical creatures to ever walk the earth.
Most feared and revered, the dragon is most powerful.

Together with your cloak, you have been adorned with much.

Let us ask the gods for their blessing, and let them allow you to become one of the immortals.


Prince LOUGHDAIGH keeper of the immortal flame.


All that are present, Mortal, Immortal, and spiritual give your blessing this night to the one that shall be known from this day forward as PRINCE LOUGHDAIGH keeper of the immortal flame.

For he is a good man, a righteous man and a man of deep conviction.

The Great Gumba, Kerry the Bard, and Catherine of Kahtadin all vouch for him and ask that you allow him to cross the veil and become one of the immortals.

All that are here, past, present and future, all that have gathered and will gather, this is a great night, for tonight,
PRINCE LOUGHDAIGH, keeper of the immortal flame was allowed to cross the veil and join his brethren the immortals.

So on this night the Great Gumba, has gained new Allies in the fight for good.

Huzzah to The Great Gumba

Huzzah to Kerry the Bard

Huzzah to Catherine of Kahtadin

Huzzah to Prince LOUGHDAIGH the keeper of the immortal flame.

So it was written into the RED BOOK.

So sayeth the Great White Sage.