pehlídku

Pehlídku is a term used in fantasy settings to denote a ceremonial rite of a fictional community. It appears in several novels and role-playing game supplements as a generic example of a communal observance rather than a fixed, real-world practice.

In these contexts, pehlídku is usually a constructed or borrowed word with no established real-world etymology. Authors and designers typically present it as a cultural artifact that can vary by locale within a single world.

The rite combines storytelling, music, and masked performance, often held at a seasonal turning point such as the onset of winter or the harvest festival. The aim is to reinforce social bonds, transmit memory, and mark transitions.

Performance elements typically include a central narrator or storyteller, a procession of masked performers, symbolic objects or costumes, and songs or chants that accompany the enactment of a myth or legend.

Variations across fictional settings reflect local symbolism: masks may represent ancestors, animals, or spirits; the revelry may include feasting, processions, or quiet vigils.

In fiction and games, pehlídku serves as a world-building device that signals a culture's values and history, while offering a focal point for community storytelling.

See also: masquerade, festival, ritual, folklore, myth, storytelling.