The Waits

A group of Waits approaches Greenglass House.

**The Waits** are a traditional Nagspeake group of carolers. They typically come from the Liberty of Gammerbund and visit other houses to bring good luck for the coming year.

Each group has a person dressed as a hobby horse, wearing layers of white and a skull with candles in the eye sockets with stags' antlers on its brow. Ribbons decorate the headdress. There is also always a chimney sweep who cleans the chimney as a tradition for good luck. This sweep is the first to enter the house and must step first with their right foot, also as a tradition for good luck. Some other costumes include a lady with a mistletoe and candle headdress, a man in a blue cloak with a floppy hat, a lady with a branch decorated with candles in her hand, and four carolers carrying lanterns.

There are two responses that may be given to the Waits when they ask for hospitality: *Thanks, but no thanks,* and *Come you all, and your good fortunes too.* The first of these sends the Waits away, while the latter welcomes them into your home.

## Information

### Costumes

* The chimney sweep wears a top hat, cape, and old-fashioned tails, and carries supplies to clean the chimney with.
* The person playing the hobby horse wears the skull, which is decorated with ribbons, candles, and shrouds.
* The hobby horse's handler may wear a blue cloak and a floppy, wide-brimmed hat.
* One caroler wears a mistletoe crown with candles, and an overcoat..
* One caroler may carry a branch with candles and wear a red cloak and a dress.
* A caroler wears bells, and typically also ribbons and scraps of cloth. His face is painted blue-green.
* One caroler wears a belted fur coat and a carved wooden mask.

### Traditions

The Waits come from the Liberty of Gammerbund. To sign up to be a Wait, people volunteer and show up for a practice before going caroling. The Waits are to bring good luck for the new year, and each wears costumes and the carolers sing as they approach each house. Each band always has a hobby horse and chimney sweep, and other roles may be added, dictated by tradition. The Waits then ask if they may be invited in: "Have you room at your hearth for weary travelers to come in from the cold?" and sometimes they are welcomed with "Come you all, and your good fortunes too!" If this happens, the Waits enter the house. The sweep goes first, walking with his right foot first. The hobby horse's handler inquires whether the hobby horse may have a treat: "Have you any grain or sugar for a hobby horse?" The hobby horse costume is then set aside. The rest of the carolers enter. They typically then introduce themselves and remove their costumes. Eventually the carolers depart.

## History

### *Ghosts of Greenglass House*

A group of Waits arrived to Greenglass House. There were seven altogether, and they arrived singing. However, one Wait's branch and hood caught fire from the candles on it, and chaos ensued as the fire was put out. The Waits then got back together and began to sing again. The Pines invited the Waits in. The lady who had caught fire and was now dripping wet went to go first, but she had to be tackled to prevent this, as the sweep was traditionally the one who had to go first, to bring luck. The sweep went first with his right foot, after being told so relentlessly by the other carolers. The Waits entered Greenglass House, except for the hobby horse and its handler, who stepped aside. The handler asked if Milo had anything to give the hobby horse, and Milo fed the skull a sugar cube. They then went off to 'see to the beast'.

The Waits introduced themselves. The woman who had caught fire was Barbara Kirkegrim, and the man with the bells was Sylvester Alforn. The lady with the candle crown was Lucia Julnissen (or Lucky), the man in the wooden mask was Nicholas Larven, and the sweep was Rupert Gandreider (or Rob). The hobby horse and its handler entered later: the girl playing the hobby horse was Marzana, and the hobby horse's handler was Peter Hakelbarend. Drinks were passed out and the Waits explained about their traditions, and how they came during the Raw Nights to bring luck.

While upstairs using the bathroom, Mrs. Kirkegrim and Marzana were both mysteriously conked on the head. Mr. Hakelbarend was later informed of the situation. During this time, Rob cleaned the chimney, doing a very bad job of it and filling the whole first floor with ashes while the other Waits looked on in horror. Mr. Larven later passed out after drinking a lot of punch, though Clem thought he was not drunk; someone had poisoned it. Because of these injuries, the Waits stayed the night at Greenglass House, and Clem and Georgie's haul was stolen, and Milo realized that all the chaotic events had been to keep the Waits from leaving, suspecting that one of them had come to take Clem and Georgie's things. Milo later found that Mr. Larven's punch had indeed been poisoned, and Sylvester Alforn cleaned up Rob's mess.

In the morning, each of the Waits came downstairs, and most were dressed in regular clothes that they had brought, though some did not have any. Milo discussed the Waits with Lucky, and she mentioned the previous time a band of Waits had come to Greenglass House, including Lucky herself, Mr. Hakelbarend, Ada Cosset, and the Wilkens brothers. Lucky told Milo about some odd lore about the hobby horse skulls. She then explained how one signed up to be a Wait, by volunteering, and mentioned which Waits were old hands and which were newbies. The Waits did not leave, and Milo commented upon how they were stringing out their stay. Milo later told the Waits how he'd found poison in Mr. Larven's punch.

The Waits volunteered to tell stories. Mr. Hakelbarend went first, telling of Whit Gammerbund and how he had found asylum in the Liberty. Afterward, Milo realized that Mr. Hakelbarend was Marzana's father, deeming that none of the other Waits knew. Lucky told her tale afterward. Lucky told of how she, as a young girl, had found and interacted with a hobby horse skull. Lucky had, on the skull's instructions, eventually found a group of Waits, and Lucky had gone caroling with the Waits ever since. Milo realized that Mrs. Kirkegrim and Mr. Larven were working together and had stolen Georgie and Clem's stuff. They wondered if there were some Waits working for Cantlebone and others for Gilawfer in the same group. Milo then told a tale, of Violet Cross and maps, hoping to get a reaction from the guests.

After Milo's tale, Sylvester discovered a collection of locks on his coat, part of Clem and Georgie's haul. Milo realized that Rob Gandreider was also in on the plan to steal Clem and Georgie's haul, in charge of Mrs. Kirkegrim and Mr. Larven. Clem revealed to the group that there had been a theft, and Emmett in turn revealed that he was a customs agent. Most of the Waits agreed to stay until the stolen things were found, though Mrs. Kirkegrim left, and Milo realized that she was Cantlebone. He went outside after her, retrieved the last of the stolen things, and returned inside along with her. Rob put a knife to Milo's ribs to make him give up the derrotero, but Mr. Larven knocked Rob out and Emmett arrested the unconscious crook.

Milo told the Waits what had happened outside, revealing that Mrs. Kirkegrim was Cantlebone. Milo then realized that she was also Violet Cross, and told the group this, to their surprise. Mrs. Kirkegrim shared some about herself, and everyone began to examine her haul. Meddy was also introduced to the guests. After a while, the Waits decided to leave, returning up the hill together, singing as they went.

### *The Thief Knot*

Marzana mentioned having gone caroling with the Waits, to Greenglass House where she'd met Meddy, and seen the Sanctuary Cliff station.

## Gallery

**Take a look at our **gallery for The Waits****.