Wintersday



Wintersday is an annual event which celebrates the Tyrian New Year according to the Mouvelian calendar and Dynastic Reckoning. It is the celebration of the end of the Season of the Colossus and the beginning of the Season of the Zephyr, decided through the outcome of a battle between the gods, Grenth and Dwayna. During Wintersday, snow covers the lands and the Snowmen and Grentches appear to spread their versions of the celebration across the land, through giving and destroying presents respectively.

It features towns decorated with gifts, snow, candy, and holiday NPCs.

Decorated towns
Ascalon City, Lion's Arch, Droknar's Forge, Kamadan, Jewel of Istan and Eye of the North are all redecorated in a suitably festive (and snowy) style.

Quests

 * Lion's Arch
 * Old Nickoles
 * The Greatest Snowman Ever Made
 * A Very Grentchie Wintersday


 * Kamadan, Jewel of Istan
 * Grandfather Kringle
 * Save the Reindeer
 * Find the Stolen Presents
 * Spreading the Wintersday Spirit
 * Elder Skruuj
 * White Mist
 * How the Grentches Stole Wintersday
 * The Gift of Giving


 * Lion's Arch and Kamadan, Jewel of Istan
 * Rift Warden
 * In Grenth's Defense
 * You're a Mean One, Mr. Grenth
 * Straight to the Heart (Eye of the North required)
 * The Strength of Snow (Eye of the North required)
 * Priest of Balthazar
 * Operation: Crush Spirits
 * Priestess of Melandru
 * Fighting in a Winter Wonderland


 * Eye of the North
 * Casey Carpenter
 * The Three Wise Norn
 * Charr-broiled Plans
 * Snowball Dominance

NPCs
Some zones have additional spawns:

Core

 * Great Temple of Balthazar
 * Avatar of Dwayna
 * Avatar of Grenth
 * Wintersday Gift Giver
 * Wintersday Priest [ Snowball Fight ]

Ascalon City

 * Avatar of Dwayna
 * Avatar of Grenth
 * Candysmith Noel
 * Caroler of Dwayna
 * Caroler of Grenth
 * Grentch
 * Wintersday Gift Giver
 * Young Child

Lion's Arch

 * Allise
 * Avatar of Dwayna
 * Avatar of Grenth
 * Cal
 * Candysmith Kris
 * Caroler of Dwayna
 * Caroler of Grenth
 * Dark Priest Calmein
 * Grandpa Coalchack
 * Grentch
 * Jak Lundunn
 * Jochim
 * Joy
 * Kidd
 * Kimberly
 * Lara
 * Little Izzy
 * Necromancer Kalvori
 * Old Man Migaphin
 * Old Nickoles
 * Priest Meran
 * Priest of Balthazar
 * Priestess of Melandru
 * Priestess Siara
 * Reinking the Caroler
 * Rift Warden
 * Scrappy Jhim
 * Terum the Tonic Maker
 * Vehemus
 * Wintersday Gift Giver
 * Wintersday Priest (Snowball Fight)
 * Young Child

Droknar's Forge

 * Caroler of Dwayna
 * Caroler of Grenth
 * Grentch
 * Wintersday Gift Giver
 * Young Child

Kamadan, Jewel of Istan

 * Avatar of Dwayna
 * Avatar of Grenth
 * Candysmith Coldstone
 * Caroler of Dwayna
 * Caroler of Grenth
 * Dwarf Guard
 * Elder Skruuj
 * Grandfather Kringle
 * Grentch
 * James
 * Monk Sutoni
 * Please Don't Feed the Dwarf
 * Priest of Balthazar
 * Priestess Mahni
 * Priestess of Melandru
 * Rift Warden
 * Sofie
 * Tina the Tonic Maker
 * Winter Dwarf
 * Wintersday Gift Giver
 * Wintersday Priest (Snowball Fight)
 * Young Child

Eye of the North

 * Allyn Brand
 * Carlisle Gavenport
 * Casey Carpenter
 * Ebon Vanguard Soldier
 * Ebon Vanguard Monk
 * Ebon Vanguard Necromancer
 * Erich
 * Lieutenant Thackeray
 * Orwin Radcliff
 * Will Brockman

Ice Cliff Chasms

 * Two charmable animals are available year-round in Gwen's garden if entering the zone with at least one player who has unlocked them (by completing Snowball Dominance from Casey Carpenter in Eye of the North):
 * Jingle Bear, introduced in 2008.
 * White Jingle Moa, introduced in 2009.


 * (Prior to 2010, players could unlock the jingle pets by completing Wintersday Cheer.)

Other

 * Enchanted Snowman henchmen appear in several Prophecies and Nightfall outposts/towns.
 * Various Wintersday collectors appear in several Prophecies and Nightfall outposts/towns. Some of them appear when the event begins while others appear several days after the event begins.

Headgear
Participation in the competition between Grenth and Dwayna will earn you a Festival hat:

Finale
The Wintersday finale runs every 3 hours in Lion's Arch and Kamadan (which, historically, runs 15 minutes later). The Avatars of Dwayna and Grenth oppose each other in a game similar to Nine Rings: the gods earn points for each supporter standing on one of their rings. Players can achieve additional rewards by gambling Candy Cane Shards the same way one would use Festival Tickets.

At the end of the event, all players in the district will be rewarded with Wintersday Gifts, in addition to a festival hat that depends on which god won the contest.

History

 * Wintersday 2010 introduced new costumes, changed rewards for most quests, added new snowball contests, and coincided with the addition of the conclusion to Hearts of the North. The jingle pets are now unlocked by completing Snowball Dominance from Casey Carpenter.
 * Wintersday 2009 introduced costumes and the White Jingle Moa (unlocked by completing certain quests for Lieutenant Thackeray). Wintersday 2009 Redux was added afterward to allow people more time to get a festival hat.
 * Wintersday 2008 expanded Wintersday to include the Eye of the North, with its quests and introduced the Jingle Bear (unlocked by completing certain quests for Lieutenant Thackeray).
 * Wintersday 2007 added two quests to the the Rift Warden quest giver in both Lion's Arch and Kamadan, as well as the Miniature Polar Bear.
 * Wintersday 2006 added Kamadan, Jewel of Istan to the towns that celebrated, including its quests and finale; Tomb of the Primeval Kings stops celebrating Wintersday.
 * Wintersday 2005 introduced Wintersday which was celebrated in Ascalon City, Lion's Arch, Droknar's Forge, and the Tomb of the Primeval Kings, with the finale in Lion's Arch.