Event Log: August, Lunasa Celebration

[faileas]

Event Log: Aguril, Lùnasa Celebration

Lùnasa From dusk of Aguril 1st to the dusk of Aguril 3rd, Aefenglom celebrates something fairly special: Lùnasa. Traditionally, Lùnasa celebrates all kinds of traditional marriages sanctioned by Parliament, generally of the arranged kind, and handfastings, a ceremony based more on love and how long it lasts. The Coven's Bonds err on this side of things, though some Witches do have official spouses - Miss Nessie and Mhairi, and Theodore and Sowilo, are examples of this, though not everyone marries their Bonded, either. Many of them are made during this festival, prompting the city to dress for the occasion just in case they find themselves in the middle of a ceremony, and just as many of them are formally renewed. Like during Litha, shops offer lovemaking potions, but only to those renewing vows or taking them; smaller fireworks, like sparklers and fountains, are also a common sight. Lùnasa is also home to the city's largest fashion show, showcasing fun and upcoming trends in the city. No experience is required to sign up to show off designs or to model them, and hundreds of tailors and needlework experts come together to quickly make dreams into reality for the end of the festival, when the show happens in genuine. The clothing is often wild and sorted into three categories: children, where those 14 and younger can submit their designs and model them as well; popular, where those 15 and older can do the same to try and vie for the judges' vote on what's in and what's out; and bonding, where all ages aspire to modify and make personal the traditional garbs of marriage and handfasting.

I. Poppin' Parties With Lùnasa beating bright from day one, there's already a need for celebrations and celebrators alike across the city! Citizens are dressed to the nines just in case the occasion calls for it (and, in true spirit, it usually does) and anything that seems worth celebrating, be it the holiday's weddings and bonding ceremonies or something else, is absolutely celebrated with appropriate noise and fanfare! If you're in a good mood, they are too–– And if you're not, well. All it takes is a wildin' party to bring the mood back up! That means you, yes you, and you and you are all invited! Maybe if you smile a bit and have a good time they'll let you go, but others be prepared to be part of a comedy routine, sung around as you're swung around, and to be cuddled by various furry creatures who're more than happy to be pet and scritched all you'd like. Turn that frown upside down, this is a joyous occasion! They're taking willing volunteers too, of course, as the more the merrier, so whether you're the harasser or harassed it's sure to be a ball! Perhaps you can even earn some tips by joining in to these impromptu parties as needed. It's considered good luck to have as many people as possible celebrating your marriage or Bonding around this time of year, and several natives want to encourage participation in their own little celebrations.

II. Say Yes To The Dress Some of the fashion shows that pop up around the city during and after Lunasa have taken on a new, interesting bent. With many of them having large categories for wedding and handfasting wear anyway, some groups have gone the full mile and set up "mock marriages" to show off a variety of themed outfits or collections all at once. Appropriate wedding guest attire, dresses and suits for brides and grooms, designer robes for those who want to be a little extra with their Bonding ceremonies, they're showing them all, in a variety of patterns and eye-catching colors, from the simple to the overly-embellished. It's not unusual to stumble into one of these 'show' weddings, which usually have the officiant talking about the merits of the collection of clothes and their designer, rather than the usual vows and the like. It's also not unusual to get roped into one of these mock weddings if you aren't careful! Watch out you're not grabbed off the street and manhandled nicely into a changing tent with an array of outfits, and told to play a bride or a groom or some other role at a traditional wedding. At least they're happy to let you keep the clothes you modeled when you're done! The biggest trend this year is a special fabric that magically fits itself to the wearer, draping and tucking in and falling just right, no matter how tall or short you are, no matter if you're human or have pesky Monster parts getting in the way. Most designers are using this fabric now, dyed in a rainbow of colors and embroidered with a whole catalogue of patterns. It means any outfit you get thrust into in the name of impromptu modeling will fit you perfectly, at least. Some designers may also take requests and throw something together at the last minute that's more to your style! Thanks to efforts last month, though, many of the fashion designers are currently really into shoulder-pads and glitter, so maybe keep an eye out that they don't take any liberties with your request... Even if you aren't in the wedding spirit (come on, at least pretend), Lunasa is a good time to fill your closet with the latest and best, so make sure to take advantage!

III. Red-String Strung Along With love in the air, a gaggle of single Witches at the Coven decided it's high time they stop being single! The group of them managed to cast a Red String spell together to find their true loves, wherever they may be - but with the Sisters full in the sky during much of Lunasa, they vastly overestimated the amount of power needed, spreading the effects of their spell city-wide and skewing the results. In such a large area, the accuracy of this Red String spell... may be called into question. A Red String spell, often used by silly Witches searching for their True Love, does exactly that: it causes a softly glowing, semi-tangible red string to appear, tied from your finger to the finger of someone else. The string can be felt by the other party when tugged on, but otherwise will be unobtrusive in the day to day. While normally this spell is only visible to the user and the person their string is tied to, with the spell going a bit out of control, these strings can be seen by everyone, creating quite a chaotic sight in the streets. Luckily, only the strings you yourself are tied to will be tangible. Yes, strings. Another malfunction of the miscast! It's possible for one person to have multiple strings tied to their fingers at once, tying them to multiple people, which is certainly not the norm! What in Geardagas could that mean? Which one is your true love, if any of them? If you wish to make your string disappear, the only way is to track the other person down and state your feelings for them - even if those feelings are only "you're a stranger to me", or "you're just my good friend". Once a mutual admission of feelings has occurred, the string tying the two together will dissolve into a lovely little show of red sparkles. Sadly or not, this isn't necessarily the end, because you might find another string, tied to another person, forming on your finger at any point! Or maybe you're one of those who never find a string tied to their finger; some may look at you with pity in that case, thinking you utterly alone in the world. Regardless, the effects of the spell fade completely one week after Lunasa ends, and any remaining strings will disappear by that point. Your character can have their red string broken and reformed as many times as you'd like, with as many people as you'd like, and it's possible to have multiple strings at once. They'll all disappear when the enchantment fades in a week, but you can play with it as much as you want until then.

Welcome to August's holiday log for Lunasa! As always, please direct your questions here! And as a reminder, this will be the only mod-posted event log this month, as the next events this month are all very exciting player plots that we're happy to give a chance to shine!

Comments

[towards_okeanos]

And yet you got yourself recruited into a fashion show.

[Iskandar takes his time to have a good look at the man. Move like a military. Interesting. The owner of this circus hasn't yet arrived but his assistants have a good eye for models and already got him a splendid catch. Fabiano will be pleased. ]

I am Iskandar. [He grins extending his hand in greeting.] I have to applaud your decision. [Have you heard what is the tradition of the Lunasa fashion show?] You will find no finest suit maker in the whole of this city. I believe that in Dorchacht too.

[grandspark]

[Though not much changed on his face, Rude still gave the other man a look at that.] Not by choice.

[He could have declined in a less polite manner but that wasn't really his way. At least, not when he didn't have to be. He could also just walk away at this point--or rather, before Iskander had caught him up in conversation--but he had resigned himself to complying if just for the freebie(s) included with the impromptu assignment.]

Call me Rude. [He shook the offered hand.] I'll keep that in mind.

[towards_okeanos]

Staying is as much a choice as coming voluntarily.

[Iskandar is here mainly because he lost a bet with the owner. Not that he's very sad about it. It was an honourable bet.]

Doubtful anyone here could keep you against your will if they tried. Not that they would anyway. The owner prefers enthusiastic involvement or at least peaceful cooperation. Coercion is a crime against art. His words, but I tend to agree.

[Does he always talk this much? Yes. Always.]

It's a pleasure to meet you. I gather from your reaction this is your first Lunasa.

[grandspark]

[It fit well with Rude's tendency not to talk much. It was fine. People who talked a lot tended to let slip useful information at some point anyway. And if they didn't, he could always walk away.]

It is. [a beat] This place has a lot going on.

[Did he mean the city, the world as a whole, or this week's festival like events? He left that up to the other to decide.]

[towards_okeanos]

[There's a fine line between saying enough and saying too much. In knowing what to give in order to get what one seeks. Disseminating just the right information to properly uphold one's image is an art on its own.]

I find most of the celebrations here rather pleasing. Even if magic complicates everything.

[Oh other things happen too. Some of them quite disturbing. Not exactly a good topic for a leisurely conversation with even the friendliest of strangers.]

But you're not a Witch, are you?

[The absence of any Monster traits would indicate that Iskandar himself is. But then again, he might not, and his monster traits haven't just developed visibly yet. Who knows?]

[grandspark]

[The most obvious change Rude currently sported was the tuft of feathers growing around where his ears should have been--or were underneath the purple and black fluff. Not much to go on but it made picking out what sort of Mirrorbound he was out of the two main categories at least.

He didn't bother to nod.] Yeah. Monster.

[Whatever the heck that meant for his future. Not a comfortable topic yet.]

[towards_okeanos]

And not exactly a fan of the changes.

[That just puts you in a rather illustrious company, friend.]

I can understand, all people react differently to that.

[Some hate it, some embrace it. Iskandar won't try to guess what could have been his own reaction. Most likely the latter. Magic though...]

Alas, anything can be turned into an asset if one's willing to dig deep enough.

[There are no obstacles, just unexpected opportunities to do things differently. At least that's his view. One that keeps him sane.]

[grandspark]

[It was awkward to become the monster that the people already saw you as because of your job. Normally it wouldn't bother him, what other people said or thought of him, but it hit closer to home whenever it was your own mind and body shifting into the thing you'd spent time convincing yourself you weren't.]

...Agreed. I can adjust. Everything simply takes time.

[He doesn't want to worry about it so he won't. Not outwardly.]

[towards_okeanos]

[To care so much what people think about you? Iskandar would have been quite surprised if he knew where the other man's thoughts has taken him. Of course, he cared about his reputation but he has been sneered at and called a tyrant, a barbarian, a monster at least as many times as he was praised. And there was never a shortage of flatterers anywhere he went.]

Indeed, it does. It is wise to remember it.

[Nothing is an obstacle to one that has a clear vision in his mind.]

We have been all presented with unique and unexpected challenges here. One might easily consider them bothersome but nothing sharpens the mind or the body like a good challenge.

[His grin widens. Speaking of challenges.]

Tell me, friend, do you perhaps box?

[grandspark]

[He didn't care so much what other people thought of him as much as it was a slap to the face to suddenly be the thing he was called sometimes. He knew what he did, knew what he was, but suddenly it was different. It wasn't about what people called him--it was about suddenly appearing as what other people perceived him as rather than just being another person doing his job to the best of his abilities. He may not have been a bad person but if he were back home it would suddenly be a lot harder to convince others that he only sometimes did bad things.]

Box, mixed martial arts, grappling.

[He wasn't afraid to say it. He was confident in his skills no matter the size of his opponent. Besides, it was just a friendly conversation. And he didn't mind talking about something he enjoyed.]

[towards_okeanos]

[To be called a witch was quite a serious insult back in his home country. Such sorcery was the domain of wicked women who dabbled in forbidden arts, quite often bringing the wrath of the gods on their heads and misfortune to their families. Unless, of course, they were of royal blood. Iskandar had personal experience with it. One of the unexpected perks of conquering distant lands was that he could have put half of the continent between him and that magic. And never think about it ever again.
And here he is... forced to not only think but actively start doing something about it. There are few things that irk him as much as the awareness of the simple fact how happy it would make his mother to simply know this is what he does now.
A strange place this city is...]

Excellent!

[Iskandar practically lights up at this answer. He suspected as much... but then he was many times disappointed by looks of people here. This is not Greece. Not everyone who looks the part is actually a fighter.]

What would you say about a friendly match somewhere in the future? I, for example, am looking for a proper sparring partner for a long time.

[He sighs. Someone on his skill level is not easy to find. There are warriors among the Mirrorbound, true, but fewer than he had expected. Iskandar might end pestering Cu for a few rounds but he hasn't lost hope yet.]

A task surprisingly long and arduous. I'm worried I am woefully getting out practice when I get only the beasts of the Wilde as opponents.

[grandspark]

[Two seconds passed by as Rude contemplated but it wasn't really a hard answer to decide on. Rude liked a good match as much as the next adrenaline junkie. And sparring against Reno was more a test of his patience than his skill as he waited for the redhead to slow down so that Rude could get him into a lock of some sort. He could use a sparring partner with other strengths to go against.

He nodded at Iskandar.] That sounds good. We could spar sometime.

[When he wasn't being fitted for a ridiculous costume parade. But he would look forward to it being sooner rather than later if they could manage to work out the details in between all this mess.]

Wouldn't want you to get sloppy.

[towards_okeanos]

Ah! That's really good to hear.

[Ridiculous costume parades have their advantages. Especially this one. Acquiring good quality attire is not that easy or cheap in this city. A good opportunity to meet different people is boon too.]

Yeah, I'm already feeling rusty. [He chuckles. Compared to a lifetime of war his year here was bordering on lazy.]

True, there's no shortage of ocassions for one looking for fight but hardly any opponents with skills superceding those needed for a simple tavern brawl. Unless, you count in all of the Mirrorbounds. There are some fine warriors among our numbers. Not many though.

[grandspark]

Yeah, it's a mixed grab-bag here I imagine.

[Though he was surprised this world didn't have any decent warriors, even just a few exceptional ones, but perhaps that was simply the way of this world. Or they hadn't presented themselves yet. Hell, maybe that was why this world needed to bring in people from other places. Food for thought.

But the Mirrorbound, now that was a different story. They came from all kinds of different worlds, so he had picked up so far from the grapevine. Some of them from worlds similar to his own and many more that were nothing like it. There was all kinds of variety in a mixture like that, surely.]

I'll keep an eye out.

[He only knew a few so far. People from his world mostly. He could always use more sparring partners himself, as well as just knowing who of the Mirrorbound were capable of what helped in Intel. And that was his job, wasn't it. Even if he wasn't back home it was impossible to take the Turk out of the man.]

[towards_okeanos]

It is. I think it has a lot to do with how things are here. There's little reason to fear that enemy army will come and invade this city. Not when it is surrounded by impassable Wilde.

[It obviously exists. Not that long ago Aefenglom was in real danger of exactly that happening only to be saved by a timely revolution on the side of would-be invaders.]

Meanwhile, on their very doorstep, just behind the Bright Wall, they have a close and continuos threat. So I'm not that surprised that is where they put most of their capable men and efforts.

But it's a different type of combat. Not much glory to be won there. You clean one place, think it's safe there from now on when in fact it is not. It's marginally safer but anything from a especially harsh winter to dumb bad luck can level an outpost. It's a thankless war and your opponents are mindless beasts transformed by an incurable disease.