[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.

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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

[ironrule]

Has she been so transparent? That won't do. Meisheng laughs, as though the thought is a silly one - and on some level, it is - before tipping her head back and looking up at the sky. "Family is very important to us," she explains. "It's occasionally easy to forget when one has the entire city to think of, and I'm sometimes blinded by the responsibility. Nights like this..." She gestures to the bonfire in front of them, where kedan children are playing and their families are freely sharing a large meal. "It reminds me why I wanted the responsibility. If I seem happier, that's why."

[akito]

The two of them are family then, if he's understanding the topic change correctly. Akito peeks at her again over the lapels of his jacket, watching her watch what's going on around them. He looks to where she gestures and feels his heart simultaneously warm and clench painfully. If his family - his team - was here, they would all be doing that together, too. Akito would be surrounded by people who cared for him.

"Family is important. Family of heart, not just of blood."

He thinks of how he shares blood with Kaito but can't remember ever feeling like family with him until after everything was over. They are family of blood, and only recently back home did he become family of heart - the same amount of love as ever, but with less fear or reservations.

"I'm glad you're able to enjoy a night like tonight!"

[ironrule]

Family of heart. In principle, Meisheng agrees; family is started by love between two unrelated people, after all. But if she could understand Akito's meaning, she wouldn't agree at all. Friendship, in kedan society, is on a very different tier from family.

His enthusiasm nonetheless makes her smile. "And I you," she replies, before settling back into the companionable silence they were enjoying before.

[akito]

He chews on a smile, pleased enough with the quiet, but eventually more of the questions he's been meaning to ask come to mind and he breaks the silence. "Meisheng-san?" Akito keeps his voice quiet, not wanting to disturb the atmosphere too much. "What does the word 'daseng' mean in your dialect?"

This time he's asking just out of curiosity for the language rather than trying to pry into things he should just leave alone. Akito wonders if there's much difference between the Snakes' dialect and the Metalworkers'.

[ironrule]

"Daseng?" Meisheng gives the question some thought, her angled brow furrowed. "It sounds familiar, but I don't think it has a meaning - at least, not one I'm aware of. It might be someone's name."

For a moment, she seems content to leave the matter there; then her more usual demeanour flashes briefly and she sits up, turning a curious gaze on Akito. "Why?"

[akito]

It's strange that the Metalworkers would be more familiar with a certain word than the Snakes, but interesting at the same time. "Ah... I saw the word somewhere, and I've been trying to learn the language! And I haven't been able to figure out exactly what it means."

Not a lie, really, and so Akito doesn't feel guilty at all for his reply.

"I asked a Metalworker and got an answer, but they also said it had different meanings depending on the dialect. I didn't realize there were many different dialects in Keeliai!"