Open Chronicles The Dawn Festival

[Zara Soltanis]

The Dawn Festival, perhaps the biggest celebration in all of Solencia. The yearly event that memorialized the Sunfather's arrival to Arethil and his eternal battle with darkness. Serving as an reminded that although the darkness may push back the light from time to time, the sun will away rise. The Radiant Church had gone out of their way to go all out in this years festival, hoping to distract the citizens from the chaos of the Syzygy.

The canals that wound through the city were filled with the floating barges of performers and festival goes alike. Brightly covered tapestries decorated the city hanging from building to building. Merchants and entreprenuers were out in full force selling there wares, and none more so than the Radiant Church whose members were numerous in the city. The Dawn Festival often served as the peak time for donations to the Radiant Church. When one of the city officials had suggested postponing the holy holiday, the church laughed at them.

Near the center of the city, the Hearth, often the heart of the trading district was now home to countless competition and festival games for childrens and adults alike. Winning these games may earn the competitors simple gifts or delightful treats. However, sprinkled throughout the day were the far more intense competitions known as the Trials of the Sunfather. A series of tournaments that included, archery, wrestling, jousting, 1v1 and 5v5 duels, and lastly the sloop races. The victors of these tournaments would be gifted praise, recognition, and unique gifts.

Finally, the festival would end with the Processio Occasum a parade in which the royal family of Solencia traveled from the shores of the city of Sun Throne all the way to the palace at the heart of the city.

May his light shine upon you!

 

[Princess Zelici]

Zelici tilted her head back as far as she could so she could admire the decorations that rose high above street level. Honestly, she hadn't seen anything so impressive in her travels as this. The whole city was decorated for this festival and everyone was having a grand time. There were contests she wanted to sign up for and that was her current mission: find one of the damn sign up areas for the games! She wanted some of those prizes. What she couldn't use she'd sell and use that money to keep going on her travels. She wasn't familiar with the city and that was part of her difficulty. Finally she decided to just ask someone. She tapped the arm of a passing stranger carefully. "Excuse me, do you know where the sign ups for the competitions are?" she asked. Her accent was odd and hard to pin down to one area, but it was almost musical in inflection.

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

Alex felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to spy whoever had gotten past her wings. Eyes and mouth scrunched up with a minor look of irritation.

"What's this then?" she said, expecting some ugly surprise there to meet her, or some braggadocious fool after he attentions.

Nothing of the sort.

"Oh," she sounded, and cleared her throat, straightened up some, and adjusted her proud wings. "Was just on my way there in fact," she offered, and smiled at the woman with the horns and tail. "Name's Alex, by the by," she said easy like. "Can walk with you there, if you fancy?" she said with a smile.

Princess Zelici

 

[Lumi]

Lumi wandered through the streets clogged with people, marveling at how much there was. There were so many people, merchants, games, foods, colors; she wasn’t quite sure what to even start with. Back home, you’d get at most a few streamers for a celebration if the town felt like going all out that year. She whispered to the red pendant hanging from a string of pearls dangling from her neck, her eyes fading to grey and her vision fading along with them.

“Which game do you think I should play?”

A soft chittering noise emanated from the locket. She sighed and her eyes changed back to their bright yellow, the bustling sight before her restored. She hadn’t figured out how to get bugs to talk yet. Lumi knew she’d work it out eventually, though. Kuran had told her all about the speaking crickets of elvenkind.

She closed her eyes and spun around at random. That was a reasonably effective method of choosing your next move when you didn’t know where to go. Well, it hadn’t killed her yet, at least. Just led her into a creepy dark forest or two. When she opened her eyes again, she immediately gasped at what she saw before her. It was a really tall woman with wings. She knew exactly what she must be- a wing-maiden. They were legendary creatures who flew around the world gifting magic swords to people. You didn’t see many of those swords out there because the wing-maidens were really picky.

Lumi straightened her red dress, then strode over to the woman. This was likely her only opportunity to interact with a wing-maiden, and she wasn’t about to squander it.

“I, um, like your wings!” she said with complete sincerity, uncertain how one was supposed to greet a wing-maiden. Being nice was probably a safe bet. She then noticed the woman standing next to her and grinned excitedly. She hadn't seen anyone like her before either. "I like your horns too!" she said, this compliment just as genuine as the previous.

Alexandra Alcantos

Princess Zelici

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

Before they could move on, a new voice cut through the din. Caught Alex's attention. The wing-maiden turned and squint at the new comer.

Never could be too safe around feather lovers.

"Well," she sounded as the young woman approached, and made generous with the kindness. "Ain't you a lump of cinnamon sugar," she said letting her features soften. Gave her wings a little stretch, just for show, and let their golden brown plumes catch gold in the sun. "Thank ya kindly," she said with a playful bow.

Lumi

 

[Lumi]

Lumi’s eyes widened with wonder as the wing-maiden displayed her beautiful wings. She hadn’t had high hopes for encountering one at all, let alone finding one that would speak to her. “So. Cool,” she whispered with awe.

In a flash Lumi was holding a journal in her hands, seeming to have pulled it out of nowhere. She hurriedly scribbled notes on the thick paper, listing some of the wing-maiden’s features. She made sure to note that she was much friendlier than previously reported interactions claimed.

She looked up from her book, then realized that she was being rude. You were generally supposed to tell someone your name when you met them. “Oh, sorry!” she apologized. “I’m Lumi. It’s really nice to meet you!”

Her eyes faded to grey, then she opened her locket with a snap. A cockroach crawled out and rested in the palm of her hand, then waved. Lumi held it out to the pair in front of her. “And this is Jarney the fifth.” She’d gone through quite a few Jarneys since she left home.

Alexandra Alcantos

 

[Gabriel de la Fuego]

Gabriel de la Feugo walked through the streets of Sun Throne with a large smile on his face. He had only just managed to reach the city in time for the festivities, but he had road day and night not to miss it. At some point, he was supposed to check in with the Radiant Church, but until then he was going to enjoy the lovely festival that in his youth had brought him the very few moments of happiness that he could remember.

As he made his way over one of the many bridges that allowed people to move over the circuit of canals, he felt a small nudge against his leg followed by the cry of a woman behind him.

Gabriel's hand reached out with practiced reflexes as he grabbed the collar of a young boy who was stumbling off the bridge. The woman was giving a kind thank you, but he largely ignored her as he knelt down and spoke to the boy.

"The Sunfather says that we must always look to kindle the light. So be careful not to accidentally snuff your flame short."

The boy furiously shook his head in confirmation, almost as afraid of Gabriel as he was of having almost fallen into the Canals.

Not waiting any longer, Gabriel hurried further into the bustling festival.

 

[Happy]

It was bright and loud, abnormal for Happy to be around. The Church was his family though, and the people were ripe this time of year. Ripe in pockets..ripe in...FUN! Yes fun! happy was here to have fun, Mother would want this for Happy! He never got to play anymore, Mother always had him hide away in deep dark.

The eye slits in his mask studied the crowds, so many people for the hulking jester. He seemed to part those in front of him like the plague, such was the aura he presented. The creaking of his mask as a mouth slowly formed, making a very large false smile. Fetid breath escaped, as if he had laid in a tomb for many years.

The smells from the stalls didn't turn his head once, the games many were playing did not entice him. Happy wanted to honor Mother, and his Church. He would bring them shiny shiny coin, and maybe even dessert for all his efforts. Plus, the Inquisitor and the Bishop weren't here to make sure he wasn't a bad Happy. They were mean to Happy. Happy just got hungry sometimes.

 

[Princess Zelici]

Zelici smiled at the winged woman. Wings were nothing special to her. Although it was interesting to see feathered ones on a human body. That was all she thought about it. "Well met, Alex. I'm Zeli. Walking together sounds perfect. What competitons do you plan on participating in? I-" she was interrupted by the arrival of another woman who was fascinated by Alex's wings, but was so sweet and cute. She reminded Zelici of pets many of her people had back home. Lumi as she turned out to be called would make a good pet, but she didn't say so. Instead she just smiled at her and the cockroach when it was introduced to her.

"How cute! Nice to meet you both! Are you joining in the competitions?" she asked. The crowd moved around the small huddle of women growing in the path, but the atmosphere was so jolly she didn't think anyone actually minded.

 

[Lumi]

Lumi beamed at the horned woman's compliment of Jarney. She'd lost Jarney the Third to a particularly jumpy person's knee-jerk reaction upon seeing a bug. She supposed calling it a hand-slap reaction was probably more accurate. At least she'd gotten something vaguely resembling a high-five out of it. Jarney crawled back into his necklace enclosure, then her eyes transitioned back to their regular bright shade.

"Competitions?" she asked upon the woman mentioning them, a bit lost. There were competitions? She thought for a moment. She faintly remembered seeing a sign that said something about a competition, but got distracted before she could read it by a particularly large barge floating by that had had people standing in a pyramid.

"Sure! Are you guys going to join any?” she said after a brief moment of consideration. She didn't know what the games were, but they were probably something fun. Fallan only had stuff like speed basket-weaving competitions. A few braiding, rope-making, and loom related games too. That village was really into weaving.

Princess Zelici

Alexandra Alcantos

 

[Alexandra Alcantos]

Alex blinked at the introduction of Jarrney the Fifth. "What... what happened to the other four?" she asked absently. Then noticed how the gal started just, jotting things down in a book of hers.

Blinked some more and shook her head. Flattering, she supposed The other gal, Zeli she had called herself. She went on to ask another question as the people about them shuffled and went on with their business.

Alex watched the little bug crawl back into its house, and then met the curios new-comer's eyes. Lumi she'd called herself, the Sky-captain remembered.

Then came the question anew. To which Alex grinned. "Sloop race!" she said brightly, fists pumped at her waist, and her wings flared wide and proud with a buff of their strength. Enough to cause a little gust about them.

To that the crowd about them made a few grumbles and complaints.

Alex remembered herself. Laughed as she folded her wings back up and apologized to the others. "Right, as just on my way to sign up, actually," She beamed, and nod along. "Just over there," she pointed to where folks were gathering around small stations, with record keepers in various states of business trying to keep up with the scribbling. "Going to show these Cortosi a thing or two about what it really means to sail," she grinned, and made her way over to the sign ups.

Princess Zelici Lumi