SUMMER FESTIVAL: TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS

[tranquilforest]

It’s something like summer here at the Temple of Beginnings, or close enough to it. The weather’s been rainy and hazy for the past little while, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find some way to enjoy ourselves, right?

The day dawns cloudy and drizzly, but people seem determined to carry on anyway. The space slowly takes recognizable shape as a festival, even if a small one. There are tents set up outside, some of which are transformed into game opportunities, complete with prizes (some of an...interesting nature), surprisingly sophisticated target shooting games, ring toss, and other activities of skill and chance. A few more become stations for the food and drink that had been prepared, and the rest consist of chairs under canopies for people to sit and talk in case the rain continues.

Luckily, as the day goes on, the rain stops and the clouds move on, until the blue of the sky is visible once again. By early afternoon, there are only a few scattered clouds still remaining, and it seems likely that the weather will hold true for the evening. Strings of paper lanterns and other decorations are brought out and hung between the different stalls, around the makeshift stage, and placed at the tables. Some pots of bamboo are brought out and set in two clusters at either end of the line of tents. Each cluster has a corresponding table with strips of colorful paper and pens laid out carefully on a table and weighted down with rocks to prevent them from flying off.

A handful of figures come out and inspect the set-up, focusing especially on a shallow ditch that had been dug earlier, now drained and lined with weighted down tarp and rocks, running parallel to the tents and curving to end abruptly just beyond the fire pit and the stage at both ends. After some discussion between them, there is a flash of flame, as though something were burning, and then the strangest thing happens. The ditch fills with fresh, clear water. Even after a few hours, the water doesn't drain away or grow stagnant, still flowing somehow despite having nowhere to come from or go to.

The sunset that day is a brilliant, auspicious red, and evening sets in with a cooling breeze refreshing everyone outside. As the first stars appear, the lanterns are set alight, the music starts, and the first performer steps out onto the stage, surrounded by floating light.



SUMMER FESTIVAL
Welcome to the summer(ish) festival for Astoria’s Circle! We hope you have a wonderful time.

Layout
Even from the buildings that are actually being lived in, the lights of the festival are visible. If you strain your ears just a bit, you may even hear some music being played in the distance, muffled by the stone walls. Why don’t you come join in?

Once arriving at the festival itself, you may be struck first by how bright it is. Light seems to be a theme, from the bonfire set up in one of the firepits closest to the rest of the complex, the lanterns strung up between the tents and stalls that are set up in a line leading from the other buildings towards the gated sparring area that you may already have availed yourself of. Just in front of that area is a makeshift stage, little more than a raised platform of wood and stone, also lit up well by additional lanterns.

Opposite the tents is the river.

It might not seem that exciting at first. It’s hardly a river, really, just a shallow trench of water about seven feet wide and one foot deep, lined with rocks along the bank closest to the tents, stretching in a not quite parallel path opposite the stalls and tents that have been set up, beginning at the stage and ending near the bonfire. The water is crystal clear and clean, and murmurs as if it is flowing from some unseen source, but it’s not clear where it is coming from at all. As the night goes on, and more people take the opportunity to make floating paper lanterns at the station located close by, the little stream itself lights up, the water reflecting the lights, and just beyond, the stars in the sky.

EVENTS:

Sign-in
While definitely not mandatory, in the direct path from the living quarters to the festival itself, there’s a table set up with sheets of paper and writing utensils where you can sign-in. Let us know (ICly!) who you are. Maybe add a fun fact about yourself. Or draw doodles all over the pages. Whatever floats your boat.

Wishes
As is traditional in the home countries of some members of the Circle, there are some bamboo trees in pots set up on either side of the little river, and tables close by with colored strips on loops of string and pens. Write down a wish, or anything you’d like, really, and hang it from the bamboo. Or, browse the bamboo yourself and see if you find anything interesting. Later on after midnight, they’ll be burned for luck!

Games
You’ll find the usual games in the various stalls, some with a decidedly cobbled together look, using what materials were available at the temple, and some with a little more sophistication, thanks to the particular gifts of those within the Circle. Try your hand at shooting a target, a game of chance, or take over a stall yourself and introduce your fellow Circle members to something you used to play at home. There may or may not be prizes involved, depending on which stall you find yourself at.

Food
You’ll find your usual fair fare, though with a decidedly cosmopolitan flair. The foods themselves are somewhat limited by what was easily obtainable within the Temple itself (or improvised), and some Circle members may have contributed decidedly experimental dishes. It really is a potluck, so take a look and see what interests you! Strike up a conversation with your fellow diners as you pick up your food and then find a table to sit at, but keep in mind that most of these are home made by others here, so the cook may be close by, listening…

Performance
What’s a festival without any entertainment? In addition to the music being played on speakers in the background by our very capable DJ, there is also a stage where you can show off your gifts. In addition to singing or other traditional performances, this is an opportunity to demonstrate any interesting abilities or gifts you might have, including new ones you may have gained upon arriving at the Temple! There is an additional sign-up sheet near the stage, so write your name down and what you plan to perform, and we look forward to seeing what you can do.

Bonfire
It’s a really big fire. Enough said (hopefully). Sit and relax, or chat with those around you. If you’re lucky, there may even be some additional entertainment. At a little after midnight, the bamboo bearing the wishes will be burned here and the festival closed for the night.

Lanterns
If you’d like to give it a try, there’s a small station set up where you can make your own lantern out of paper! You can choose from one that floats in the air or on the water (or both, no one’s policing this). Make your own design, and let it fly aloft or float on the water with the other lanterns, chat with others who are working, or just settle down by the water and watch the lanterns and the stars.


**If your character (even if you were just accepted!) would like to participate in the set-up for the impromptu festival at any point, or just wander around and ask what’s going on, please feel free! All the set-up would have been occurring in the space between the TDM and this post. If your character would like to handwave having helped set up, this post is also an option!

(( Set Up: Outdoors ✧ Set Up: Indoors ✧ Sign-In ✧ Bamboo Wishes ✧ Games ✧ Food ✧ Tables ✧ Performances ✧ Bonfire ✧ Lanterns ✧ Clean-Up ✧ or your own!))

Comments

CLEAN UP

[tranquilforest]

[[OOC: Eventually, every party comes to an end and people need to clean up. If you’d like to help out with that or play something out after most people have left for the night, please use this thread.]]

[dadandgone]

[One of the many reasons his relationship with Gracia worked so well was that she baked him all of the delicious treats he wanted and he helped with cleanup after the fact. In a strange way, cleaning up took him back to his days in training, before the war and hell. It was simple, easy to do, and mind numbing. Which was good, because it gave him time to either clear his head or process things. Maes had been taking in a lot of information since he'd arrived and now seemed like a good idea to try processing some of them.

So, when it was time to wrap up, Maes stepped forward to grab a large broom and make use of it by sweeping up discarded paper bits and dropped food items around the various tables. If he noticed anyone loitering he would pause and then grab the dishrag draped over his shoulder. Almost without looking he tossed it to them with a smirk.]

If you're going to hang around, you might as well help and wipe down the tables.

[parttimes]

Yeah, sure.

[He's a teen, but a pretty obedient one; Kou catches that dishrag and nods. He was hanging around because it didn't feel right to leave, anyway; he's used to cleaning up the shrine after events, and this felt very similar.]

I'll start over on this side, so you know.

[dadandgone]

Thanks!

[He smiles, glad the person hadn't taken the assault by dishrag as aggressive. The more people cleaning, the faster the job will go. Plus it's just more fun that way.]

Sounds good. Just wipe any crumbs onto the floor and I can sweep it up when I come along behind.

[parttimes]

You got it.

[He seems to have a system going, which makes this easy; Kou will get to wiping, though as he does... he may as well make conversation.]

Hey... you're new here, right? I haven't seen you around, I think.

[dadandgone]

[Maes nods, falling into his own routine for a bit before the conversation picks up again. He doesn't seem to mind.]

You would be correct in that guess. Name's Maes Hughes. This was a pretty great festival they put together, do they do events like this often I wonder.

[parttimes]

It's Kou. Kou Tokisaka.

[a beat, and:]

Nah, we don't usually have time. This is the first time we've done anything like this.

Usually we're off in different worlds, you know?

[dadandgone]

Ah. Yeah, I've heard something about that. I suppose this is just a bit of down time then? Between missions I guess would be the best way to put it.

[He guessed even magical entities needed a break if it involved sending a bunch of people to different worlds. Roy had filled him in on most of it after all.]

Even if we are working during said break.

[parttimes]

Well... it's more fun to work like this than it is to try to figure out every world's issue and fix it.

So this feels way more relaxed.

[Thank...goodness...??]

I guess it's all a matter of perspective, when you get down to it.

[dadandgone]

I'll have to take your word for it...for the time being anyway. I certainly don't mind being on the clean up crew though.

[It gives him time to think or, like now, take his mind off of other concerns. Especially since, for the time being, his newly appointed watchdog isn't hovering around. He continues to sweep, pausing occasionally to scoop a pile into a nearby trash bin.]

So, what else can you tell me about what goes on around here? Or about yourself if you don't want to talk about this place.

[unrecovered]

[Wash has been simply staring into the fire, watching it start to burn low and waiting for everyone else to leave. It's a bit more peace than he's found in days, between being kidnapped and getting saddled with the worst possible power he could have, and he's going to enjoy it for as long as he can.]

[...which evidently isn't very wrong. He snaps a hand up to catch the dishrag before it can slap across his face and turns to look at the guy who threw it.]

Do you always recruit people like this?

[His tone has no ire in it; it's part joke and part genuine curiosity.]

[dadandgone]

[Oh hey, he caught it. Not that Maes had wanted to hit him in the face, but the guy was seriously zoned out so he couldn't be sure it wouldn't have. Pretty good reflexes to say the least. Maes just shrugged.]

Not always. I'm sure I could think of other ways to get people to help out. Like I said, if you're just going to be hanging around anyway might as well, right?

[beyondthegreen]

[Passing trough, Tefé catches the dishrag almost instinctively when it's thrown at her, then looks up at Roy's face, somewhere between surprised and dumbfounded for a moment -- then just throws it right back at him carelessly.]

Maybe you should try getting the people who actually made the mess to clean it up.

[A little (okay maybe a lot) arrogantly. It's not like she hasn't eaten food before, but it definitely lacks any appeal, that's for sure.]

[dadandgone]

[Maes catches it without thinking, frowning slightly. Well, he supposes you can't win them all.]

I have. Doesn't mean we can't use more help. [It's not like there aren't others helping to clean and dismantle the festival.] Was your time at the festival that bad?

[beyondthegreen]

[The expression she makes isn't quite a scowl, with pursed lips and a frown.]

It was... human.

[It's clear enough that isn't really much of a compliment.]

I don't know why you all are celebrating a bunch of new people being kidnapped anyway.

[dadandgone]

I don't think that's what this was celebrating. Honestly, it was probably in order to forget about that...at least for a little while.

[Someone's a party-pooper. Maes returns the dishrag to his shoulder and resumes cleaning up. No sense standing around talking, when he could just as easily clean and talk.]

[unimpeded]

[Geordi is all for a clean space, leaving no traces behind. He's happy for some good, solid work and even though it's dark out he can see perfectly fine. Moving around the site, plucking trash up from the ground in those hard to see in patches of darkness using a sharp stick. He might look a little silly doing this in his uniform, but it's what he's got to wear right now.]

Hey. Can you wheel that trash can around for me? There's a bunch here.

[sunborne]

Sure! Just give me a sec-

[ remembering how everyone back at dust tumbles helped in cleanup when the festivities were over, daylight was more than eager to pitch in at the end of the day. using his powers to his advantage, daylight glows a cheerful sunny yellow to see better in the dark and to avoid tripping over trash cans and causing the contents to spill all over the ground.

again...

it doesn't take much effort for daylight to nudge the trash can towards geordi's direction, giving his porprotional strength. ] One trash can, served up!!

[unimpeded]

[Thanks, Daylight, you are a total bro.]

Thanks. Just set it down there and gimme a sec. If you don't mind carrying it around for me, we can go from spot to spot.

[Grinning, he starts clearing the trash off his stick, setting it against the can and raking it backwards.]

How's things been since we last talked, Daylight?

[sunborne]

I'm more likely to cause a mess right now than help it so I don't mind at all.

[ so daylight will dutifully trot after wherever geordi will head after here, wanting to be helpful somehow. ]

I'm doing okay. The others have been helping me figure out what to eat while I'm here- [ forever a work-in-progress but he's learned to accept that by now. ] -and I helped Miss Jing in setting up the festival! Not a lot compared to all the stuff she had to do but, you know, always happy to help somehow.

[unimpeded]

Yeah?

[That's interesting. He looks up at the taller machine, quizzical.]

Does your species normally eat? The two androids I know don't.

[And neither do the Borg, but that's something he'll have to ease into.]

[sunborne]

They do, in a sense. They consume something known as arc fuel back where I'm from. It converts itself into arc energy. That's what keeps us running.

[ daylight's winglets twitch in thought as he explains further, ] I had something known as an eternal efficiency system and, um, basically my systems produced and converted and consumed equal amounts of fuel and energy at all times. I didn't need to eat or sleep or anything like that.

[unimpeded]

Mmm.

[Geordi makes a note of that, humming to himself and reaching for his tricorder.]

Would it be rude if I scanned you, with this? [He holds it up, a small data-pad like thing.]

I'm curious about your makeup. I want to compare it to my friend Data's. That way if something dangerous happens, I'll be able to help. [He has said he's a mechanic and engineer, after all.]

[sunborne]

[ daylight pauses, giving this some thought but not too much thought because he comes to a decision pretty quickly- ]

Nah, it's fine if you want to scan me. Meddy's done weirder things with me while they're checking on him. [ lots of weirder stuff.

while he recalls how auntie breakthrough emphasised him to be careful with stuff like this, daylight believes he can trust the other circle members with this sort of stuff. he wants to believe in them. so...! leap of faith, figuratively speaking! ] Will it tickle? The scanning?

[unimpeded]

Not even a little bit.

[He waves the device in Daylight's general direction, letting the tricorder collect all the data it can on his biology, or circuitry, or...whatever.]

It'll need a bit to process it all, but we're done. And if something goes wrong, I can hopefully use it to put you back together again.