Leisure Time

Leisure activities are a very important part of Azeryani life. Religious festivals are celebrated vigorously and loudly but there are also many events which are not religiously oriented. Most cities celebrate four or more holidays per year having to do with significant events in their history. These holidays are often two to three days long, involve much feasting and athletic events. In addition there are several empire-wide holidays celebrated in a similar fashion, notably the founding of the empire (the first tenday of Morgat), the birthdate of the current emperor, and the anniversary of his coronation.

Athletic events, recitals, and plays are all common occurrences in city life. Most Azeryani regularly attend some sort of public show. Popular plays fall into two broad varieties, political satire and heroic tragedy. The satire can be quite vicious and it is not uncommon for fighting to erupt outside the theatre, yet another reason to attend. The heroic tragedies are a traditional art form which have been popularized in the last two centuries. In general they are morality plays which explore the conflicting loyalties which can be caused by the parallel systems of clientage and clan or clientage and loyalty to the emperor.

Athletic events come in a variety of sorts as well. Chariot races, horse races, and foot races are all common and popular, as are combative events such as boxing, wrestling and true gladiatorial contests. There is a substantial class of athletes who earn their livings travelling from city to city and event to event. They are supported by their patrons and their winnings and their victories and defeats are seen as reflecting on and being omens for their patrons' success. Often political parties, such as the Reds and Blues in Meokolis, will support athletes who then compete for the party's honor.

In addition to individual events as described above, there are team sports which are popular. The favorite and most common of these is Geraddia, a complex game which somewhat resembles field hockey. Two teams compete for points, moving a ball around the playing area using sticks. In typical Azeryani fashion the rules are complex and the game is often quite bloody. Similar to Geraddia is Therana, a game played from horseback. The rules are very similar and it is similarly violent.

Successful athletes can gain substantial reputations and become quite wealthy as a result of their winnings. In addition to prizes offered by the Curiales sponsoring the games, betting is a central part of Azeryani athletics. By betting on themselves, or occasionally fixing contests, many athletes have become quite wealthy. In several noteworthy cases in the previous 50 years, successful athletes from humble beginnings managed to move into the Curiale class. Many athletes are also slaves and are forced to compete. Again though, the chances for social advancement are strong. Successful slave-athletes are routinely freed by their masters in gestures of generosity and reward for their triumphs.

Betting on athletic events is an extremely popular pastime in all Azeryani cities. In almost any tavern in every city you can find a bookie taking bets on upcoming events. Most tavern-patrons will be very knowledgeable about the contestants and devotedly loyal to certain teams or individuals. Brawls are not uncommon. Between games athletes can routinely be found in taverns drinking on the generosity of their fans. July 16, 2001

This page was last updated on January 23, 2002
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