Candlemass Signup/OOC

Candlemass is not an uncommon holiday in the Imperium and is one that the Harvest System partakes in. For the people of Haven’s Garden it's a day to celebrate a successful Imperial Tithe, their devotion to the God-Emperor, and the spirit of giving by passing gifts to those you are close to and/or are thankful for. During the month of known as Tithember one would find many candles place throughout villages and cities along with ornaments such as Aquilas hanging on posts and trees. It’s even customary for families to bring in a pine to decorate with candles, ornaments, and popcorn strings. On the 292nd day of a Haven's Garden year, a week after the Imperial Tithe is due, Candlemass will start. Typically, during the day citizens will visit the churches and temples to give thanks to the God-Emperor and hold festivals that had activities such bopping for apples, tractor or speeder racing, musical acts, and plays. The nobility tends to hold grand parties for themselves more akin to balls. Once night starts Candlemass families hold a feast with what was left over from the Tithe with relatives and friends then exchange gifts. The temples and churches will always be open to hold an evening service that will offer food and comfort for the unfortunate.

As with everything, the opening of the Great Rift has affected Candlemass in the system. With the entire system surrounded by a Warp Storm there was little point in gathering a tithe except to supply the forces fighting for them. Around the time Candlemass would have taken place the first year Imperium forces were too busy taking land in the chaotic devastation left from the Rages along with dealing with the newly arrived Tau. The second year the Guard was simply too busy as they prepared for the expected end-of-year assault by Chaos. Things were safer for the people of Harvest that year and there were more goods available, allowing the people to have their own small celebrations.

This year there are now many different Guard regiments; all with their own idea of Candlemass that may contrast both among themselves and the citizens of Haven’s Garden. However, High Command has deemed Harvest safe enough and had enough supplies to hold a Candlemass event for their Guardsmen in need of a morale boost and assigned a committee to set one up. Operations are put on hold as troops are rotated to give bodies and expertise to put the event together, frontline troops a long-needed break, and ne'er do wells a chance to suffer penance. Anticipating the possibility that their enemies may take advantage of this; High Command also plans to take extra precautions by augmenting guard detail at the gates. There is much apprehension in the air as they prepare to party, hope that they aren’t on the duty roster that night, and pray that their enemies choose to allow them this reprieve. Word has leaked to the civilians as well and took it as a cue to throw their own celebrations.

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Welcome to Haven’s Garden’s Candlemass sign up!

To be honest this is more of a thread to give background of what Candlemass in Haven’s Garden is like and gauge interest than actual sign up. Since a majority of characters at the moment are part of the Imperial Guard, we are planning on having a Candlemass celebration thread taking place at The Founder’s Club that will be Open and Social to anyone allowed in the Inner District and a Semi-Open Gate Guard thread since it’s unlikely the Imperium’s enemies will stay quiet. We aren’t planning Candlemass for other factions at the moment but if you’re interested in a Candlemass thread in other places such as Civilians in Harvest’s Civilian District, the Humans in the Tau held Plenty, or Genestealer Cultist held Gilt Edge please express your interest here so we can coordinate one. While not required to participate, if you want your character to take an active role in preparing festivities (eg head chef, musical act, server, etc) then feel free to state such here to prevent stepping on each other’s toes and possible briefings for when we get the threads underway. We will start the Candlemass threads roughly a week from this post and we plan on having them continue through December, January, and possibly February. With how events are in the timeline we decided to make the Candlemass threads Semi-Canon. This means that Candlemass in general is not canon, but if players liked certain interactions or events that happened during it and the other players involved agree then they can treat it has having happened in a way that makes sense (eg. another party).


For the Gate Guard thread we are planning on it taking place on that southern outer walls that separate the Merchant districts from the Outskirts. Your job will be to screen and either allow or deny people attempting to go in, being especially vigilant for infiltrators of the Chaos or xenos variety. You are expected to be the first warning and line of defense against attack, and abandoning your post will result in extremely harsh penalties. This will be a Semi-Open thread with up to 5 characters. We’re searching for mainly Imperial Guardsmen with a spot for one officer or Commissar. While a mainly Social thread, there still chance of some danger; however, it’ll be minimal and it’s extremely unlikely a character will be maimed or worse. GM posts will be at least once every week. Spots will be dealt with by a first come-first served basis but posting first doesn’t guarantee a spot. Exceptions for characters outside the criteria can be made, but they must be in an Imperium organization regardless, we’ll only have one such character and they won't take the officer's place, and approval will depend on the rest of the line up (eg. blanks and psykers). If there are spots open we can accept late-comers.

Gate Guard Roster:

1. Trooper Prudence Dekker(?)
2. Commissar Malcolm Lucan (Officer)
3. Trooper Ilona Bembenek
4. Specialist Adela Treston
5. Private Vernard Van Pas Cudjal


If you have any questions about anything above then feel free to ask them either here or on the Discord Server. Have a happy holidays!

Founder's Club Candlemass Party staff/volunteers:


Trooper Savin Deveraux - Catering
SGT Lochore "Slapstick" Eurydice - Comedy Act


Candlemass OP Threads:

1st Candlemass
Candlemass Guard Duty