Szandoh

Szandoh (Sangunese: 三堂, Sandō, "the three temples") is a lordship in the province of Asara Eliana (Whales, Natopia). Its lordship is currently vested in Daniyal ibn Daniyal.

Notable customs

Festival of Democracy

First attested during the Lesser Frenzy Election of 1685. In the Lordship of Szandoh, candidates and their retinues engaged in the game of cudgels against all comers. A fox was sacrificed to the shade of Tempus, the Lord of Hosts and God of Battles, after which the uncudgelled candidates were declared victorious and chaired by their followers. There then followed a parade around the settlements of the lordships wherein all revellers drunk a toast to the memory of the gutted fox. The chaired candidates were finally carried in torchlight procession to the Moot Hall where fresh barrels of beer were broached while delicacies of seal-offal fried in whale blubber were offered to all present. The artfully crafted treats were then greedily consumed by all present so that the true sons and daughters of the lordship might be known and all outlanders driven from the hall. There then followed a night of dancing and kin-giving. Thus concluded the electoral campaign in the lordship of Szandoh. The good tenant folk, released from the Moot Hall, then progressed into the voting tents and were summoned by their cohorts to vote.

After all tenants had voted, the tally of the ballots had been taken by the Steward and the Lord's lesser servants and then endorsed by the acclamation of those present. A snow hare was then sacrificed to the Spirit of the Winter Dark. At the conclusion of the sacrifice the Lord of Szandoh was wheeled out to bestow gifts upon the new Elector and those other candidates who had valiantly endured the game of cudgels unto the chairing during the previous day.