[EVENT] Bonfire Night

[ironwood]

Characters: ALL!
Date: February 21st
Location: Various.
Situation: It’s cold. Time to cuddle up and make bonfires for the warmth.
Warnings/Rating: Add warnings as needed.

As night falls the city’s lights take something of a unique turn. Instead of being lit by millions of paper lanterns, Keeliai is tonight lit by the flames and warmth of dozens if not hundreds of fires. Some of them are small, not much more than warming hearths in a barrel on a street, but others encompass squares and boulevards.

The fire lighting procession winds through the city’s streets, beginning at the first bonfire in Fire Sector. By the time full night has arrived, that procession is a snake illuminated by dozens of torches, parting from the main parade to light smaller fires in smaller streets. It ends, finally, in Central, in the Courtyard of Public Opinion, whose bonfire is second only to the initiating one in Fire Sector.

In some areas an exchange of goods arises, mostly in terms of woollens and other warm clothes and blankets. Though food is considered a public resource on this occasion, bartering small knickknacks, songs, stories and even other woollen items is not uncommon an exchange.

Meals are shared among kedan and Foreigners, commoners and emissaries--primarily stews, soups and other foods easily baked in the coals of the fires. Everyone brings food, and what isn’t contributed to the pot is nevertheless shared around after preparation. Although some bonfires are markedly wealthier than others, food and shelter is spread around to make sure everyone is safe and warm. No one goes cold and alone on this night.

---

LINKS
Fire Sector (main bonfire) | Water Sector | Metal Sector | Earth Sector | Wood Sector | Central Keeliai

OOC Notes
The five Bresilykian emissary NPC can be found moving from Sector to Sector and partaking in the various traditions of each, and so can be engaged anywhere, while the Keeliai NPCs generally are staying in their respective areas as detailed below. Please put the name of the NPC you're requesting in the subject line of your tag if you want to interact with them. Thank you!

Comments

[raavashing]

"Oh, no, I have the power of fire and can keep myself warm. I've been through the arctic in these foot wraps and-" Wan cut himself off as he realized what Anton was saying, eyes even wider and clearly not quite believing what he was hearing. "...to borrow?"

[gistful]

Anton did recall Wan having power over the Elements, but most of that had seemed to be in active conjuration. If he could generate simple warmth as well, it was quite a bit more like an Elemental's powers than Anton had assumed. As long as the foot-wraps were sufficient to keep Wan's soles healthy ... still, it seemed to tempt fate. What if Wan's abilities ran dry, however temporarily?

"To keep," Anton corrected, holding out his hand and regarding the foot-wraps with a frown both dubious and thoughtful. "If you dislike active footwear, there is a sort of sock with a leather sole that would serve you better. Certainly it would last longer than ordinary ones. Given the holes you've already worn in that pair, a leather sole may be a better replacement than patches."

[raavashing]

To keep. He'd have a third pair of socks.

Wan dropped to his knees and started carefully digging through the basket of socks. A third pair of socks, but the very first pair he'd gotten to choose for himself.

"Sure, leather soles, sounds great," he answered absently, not really paying attention past the words 'to keep'. He wasn't trying to be dismissive of the suggestion, he was just so excited about getting to pick his own out. Wan took his time, unrolling every single pair and examining it from all angles. He thought they were all great - because, well, socks - but he did find a few he liked more than the others. They were also what most people would refer to as the most obnoxious and garish of the designs Anton had knitted. Wan, being who he was, settled on the pair with the most colors. Flashy socks for an otherwise not-so-flashy man.

Once he had them picked out, he put all the other socks back with the same care as he had pulled them out. Then he finally stretched his legs in front of him and pulled off the pair he'd long since worn out to replace them with the new ones.

When he stood up, he handed the old socks to Anton, "Be careful with them, okay? They're my very first pair."

And he loved them.

[gistful]

"Of course," Anton said gravely, taking the pair of sadly worn green socks he had given Wan only a couple of months ago. The soles were practically completely worn out--truly, there wasn't much point to a patch. Fortunately Anton had brought some cobbling tools out as well, in the event someone needed a shoe repaired, and he found a good strip of leather in his kit.

"I need to measure your feet, please," he said, rising. "If you will take my seat, I'll do so and create a sturdier sole for your first socks. You will be able to keep wearing them for far longer than otherwise, then."

[raavashing]

"Oh, sure," He said, a little surprised. He knew that people who could afford good shoes had their feet measured for a good fit, but he'd never had his own measured for that. Even his sandals were just a pair he'd lucked out with finding a good fit on.

Once Anton's seat was open, he shuffled over to sit down. His new socks curled up in his hands and held against his chest. He could put them on after his feet were measured, after all. The foot wraps Wan wore were strips of sturdy cloth wrapped tightly around his feet. They made it look like he might have shoes on under them since the toes weren't separated out and he'd managed to get a little of the extra cloth stuffed up in front of his toes for extra warmth and padding. It wasn't much extra, so the shape wouldn't adversely effect the measurements.

[gistful]

After confirming that the wraps wouldn't adversely affect the fit, Anton measured out Wan's feet on the leather, and then gently lifted them off so he could take it back.

"That shall be all I need from you," he said, reaching for his kit. Cutting the leather wouldn't be difficult, though the hole punches would take a bit of time and the hardest part, of course, would be trimming and securing the socks' frayed edges ... Still. Not too great a task; he wasn't making a whole shoe, and there was no heel to build since Wan apparently preferred to walk flat-footed.

"If you return in an hour, I'll have soled your old socks for you," Anton told Wan.

[raavashing]

Wan quickly pulled his new socks on before standing up and moving to the side so Anton could have his seat back. He wiggled his toes for a moment, beaming in awe at his new, brightly colored socks, before lifting his head to Anton once more.

"An hour... Got it," he murmured, tempted to ask if he could stay and watch. But he had promised to meet friends in other places of the city and couldn't really afford to stay. So while he did linger for a couple minutes, he eventually nodded and waved, smiling brightly, "I'll see you in an hour!"

[gistful]

"Of course." Anton gave Wan a nod of farewell and retook his seat, already focussing on the soled socks he was about to create. As promised, when Wan returned in an hour the socks would be waiting for him, with a soft leather sole and a pretty cross-stitch around the edges. There was an extra layer of woolen stitches above the place where the sock met the sole to maintain the integrity of the sock's lower edges, making the socks look as though the leather sole was lined in blue before fading into green socks above.

[raavashing]

When Wan returned, the rainbow socks were already stained with mud and water from walking around the sectors. But Wan was more than happy with them and even more happy with his first pair returned to him. He accepted them with a bit of reverence and sat down on the ground to take the rainbow socks off and replace them with the green ones. His first and, currently, favorite pair.

Once the socks were changed around, Wan settled his soiled ones in his lap and proceeded to waterbend some snow over to wash through them and then earthbend the remaining dirt and mud away. Then ended up quite clean, if fairly worn out already. And after they were cleaned, he folded them carefully and put them into his belt for safe keeping.

"Thank you," he said again, pleased to have his socks back and actually pleased to have the leather soles. They would take some time to get used to, but he was sure he could do that. "They fit great."

[gistful]

Anton examined them as Wan put them on, so make sure of the fit, and at Wan's confirmation he nodded. "I'm glad they feel comfortable," he said. "If you take good care of them they ought to last a while; I engraved some sigils in the leather to maintain their sturdiness and weatherproofing."

He wasn't nearly as adept at enchanting clothes as Ghastly--Ghastly was one of the very few tailors whose fabric enchantments didn't fade within a year or so--but the sigils still ought to last Wan that long. "Still, if they become damaged don't hesitate to have them repaired."

[raavashing]

"Right. I'll come back to you right away," he agreed as he hopped from one foot to the other to test them out and see how the soles effected how he walked. "Do I owe you anything? Money or a trade?"

[gistful]

"Nothing for the Hotel," said Anton. "But if you feel inclined and have a spare juulan, I am sure there are kedan who would appreciate the donation. Perhaps the university or one of the smaller shops."

[raavashing]

"I don't have a lot of juulan since I bought Zuko's crown back, but I'll donate what I have for you," Wan promised easily. He wasn't one for a lot of material possessions as it was. He lifted a hand a waved as he started to head off, "Thank you again!"