Oktoberfest

According to legend, the city of Tasnicaport was founded for two reasons. The first is the great bounty from the sea that could be had readily from the city's natural harbor. The second was the discovery of fermentation; specifically, beer. Oktoberfest, the holiday to celebrate the founding of the city--and the transformation of the Taznikanze from nomads to the start of civilization--pays ample heed to both of these. At the end of September/beginning of October, Tasnicans of all religions and races celebrate two weeks of dancing, drinking, and debauchery. Brewers from across the Web bring their finest ales and lagers to Tasnicaport in an attempt to win the coveted Oktoberfest Gold Medal.

The Aesimond claimed that even Zahd kicked back a bit during Oktoberfest. Elementalists, no strangers to a big party, recognize that this is "the big one" and go all out. Rainerics, usually more restrained (for health rather than moral reasons), tend to think of this as the time of year to abandon all restraint and binge. Indeed, the level of drunkenness and partying is so great during Oktoberfest that the Tasnican Senate has actually passed laws regulating certain professions' participation in Oktoberfest to ensure that the country does not completely collapse during these two weeks. (This was in response to the so-called "Black Oktoberfest" when thousands died of alcohol poisoning and no sober doctor could be found to treat them.)

Oktoberfest also has two weeks of feasting; during the 45 Oktoberfest the Tasnica Republic consumed as much food as the Scandian League does in a year. It is estimated that the collective body mass of all Tasnicans grows by billions of pounds during this period. (As the old joke about Kenny Brackhaven goes, this is the expanding Tasnican frontier.) It has been estimated that if the whole Web celebrated Oktoberfest, the entire annual agricultural output of the Web would be consumed in those two weeks.

Although the two weeks of beertastic fun is celebrated mainly in Tasnica, smaller Oktoberfests are beginning to sprung up across the Web. Beer, after all, is proof that the gods love the Web and want its denizens to be happy.