From the rains to the rains

For 2300 years, the civilians of Wodrvale and the surrounding boondocks have celebrated the coming of the life-giving spring rains by hosting the annual Weeping Willow Festival. Legend has it that the ancient Fairy Willow, planted from a wood dragon's egg, grew to gargantuan proportions. Too large to make any friends, the colossal willow suffers from seasonal depression. Reminded of its misery after no one sends it any gifts during Gratitude week, it weeps and weeps over its lonely life. Water absorbed by nightly moondew and glacial water falls, all the moisture built up over the late dry summer and the frozen winter pours out the poor plant, sometimes drizzling, sometimes bawling a monsoon, spreading the life giving droplets all over the region. These pure waters are rich in moon minerals, excellent for newly planted crops, thirsty mouths and forming lunagmites, however the Fairy willow is to caught up in its grief to notice how much joy it brings to the lands, all connected through the brobdingnagian roots spanning the globe.

Festivals and celebrations

There are many ways to celebrate the Weeping Willow Festival, from rain catching competitions to dewcake stands to lunagmite mining trips, there is something to do for everyone. But the most spectacular event, one that attracts creatures from all sizes and backgrounds, is to come together and get lost in the Willow leaf Market. This market, breathtakingly large, sells everything from spare parts to orchestral wands, to hot air balloons and biomechs. It spans most of the Western District and follows the river through the forest's glades. Despite the market being run by The House of Atherstone, it is one of the only times of the year in which the other Houses are in such proximity with each other. Everyone gathers here, to celebrate the rain and the gloomy sky. It remains one of the largest festivals in Wodrvale, second only to the Forge Fiesta. But this was soon to change.

Plagues and curses

Reports have been coming in showing that some of the rain is causing some sort of depression among people in contact with the liquid. The theory at the moment is that the Fairy Willow's depression has contaminated the rain, and that every-so-often it spreads with contact. Studies show that one out of every thirteen people in contact with the spring rains gets the depression. Scientists have decided to call these rains "Gloomfalls" and the disease has been added to The Chronicles as "Hydrophobia Melancholia".

"Hallucinations, such as feeling as if everyone is angry at you, feeling as if everyone is ignoring you, and everyone seems to have no eyes, are some of the symptoms of Hydrophobia Melancholia. Others include depression, secluding yourself from the festivities and losing interest in usual activities."

- Lead scientist of the Disease sector.

Hydrophobia Melancholia

How to avoid

Participate in as many festivities as possible, try to stay out of the rain, and think happy thoughts!

MYTHBUSTERS

The real reason why people are getting the depression from these so called "Doomfalls" is partly mass hysteria, like the dancing plague, and the fact that cities outside the border are producing chemicals from their Plihno dust plants that are contaminating the rain and making people sick. The Fairy willow does exist, and the tears are the spring rains, but why would it start giving the depression now? The answer is that foreign human settlements are willing to do anything to get what they want. Now, more than ever, is it extra important to keep our beloved Wodrvale a secret.