What is the Hound? The personification of human loss of control to fear.
What is the Celebration of the Hound? A New Year’s celebration of the Fight from the Glass Tower by the Crown Prince and the Last Princess. The Hound is integral to the tale, because the Prince and Princess are not fleeing in panic, but making a choice and a sacrifice- fleeing to save others. And they must confront fear and conquer it as part of their journey.
Why is this the New Year’s Celebration? Because the Flight from Glass Tower marks the end of the Eternal Summer (the Ten Thousand Years of Darkness), and serves as a new beginning. This is when the Age of the Mirrored City transitions to the Age of the Foglands, and with luck the First Tribe will emerge and a new Age of Arcadia will begin as a result.
How is the Celebration of the Hound Conducted? The tale of the Flight from Glass Tower is recounted. Donations are made to dog rescue charities or similar (the SPCA, and so forth). A Midnight Howl is performed on the First Full Moon. It is also traditional to engage in New Year Boasts, and to tell or watch Scary Stories.
What is the Flight from Glass Tower? The Flight from Glass Tower is the story of the children of the Locust King, the last princess and the crown prince, and their escape from the Hungry Empire and abandonment of their role within the Hungry Empire. The Flight from Glass Tower marks the end of the current ten thousand years of darkness.
What is the Ten Thousand Years of Darkness? Also called the Age of the Eternal Summer, this is the time when the Hungry holds sway of the destiny of the human race.
What is a Midnight Howl? A midnight howl is exactly what it sounds like. At midnight, revelers find a hill or other elevated location. And then, typically bolstered by alcohol they howl at the moon on the stroke of midnight.
Why perform a Midnight Howl? The New Year technically begins on the first new moon following the Dark (or winter) solstice. But the New Year is not considered fully born until the first Full Moon. And the Midnight Howl is a welcome to the new born year, a baby shower for the new year. Also, it’s a hoot. Well okay, technically it’s a howl.
What is a New Year Boast? Rather than engaging in New Year Resolutions or habits to maintain, participants in the Celebration of the Hound engage in boasted oaths. Participants make promises for deeds they will do: run a marathon, read six books, that sort of thing. They are similar to New Year Resolutions but approached more proactively. One only fails a New Year Boast if the thing has not been done by the next Dark Solstice.
Professor Harbinger's School for Villains 