2017.05.01:StriderBeltane
| Strider Beltane | |
|---|---|
| Fire festival for the glory of Bennu | |
| IC Date | May 1st, 2017 |
| IC Time | Evening |
| Players | George, Journey, Tabia, Antoine, Bronwyn |
| Location | Beach on the Island of the Misfits |
| Spheres | Gaian Garou |
| Theme Song | Firebird's Child by S.J. Tucker. http://youtu.be/fdYj-j2pgcY |
The Island - Southern Beach
Only the southern beach of the island seems to be accessible from this spot. A large cliff face rises high up into the sky and seems to circle all the way around this small portion of beach. There are trees on this side of the cliff facing and a little patch of forest off to the northeast, but the cliff facing goes out into the water a good ways. There is definitely no way around unless one were to want to try swimming it but that might not be a good idea. To the north a long pathway leads up to a large sprawling manor house which seems to be built right into the cliff facing.
Umbra:
Contents: Firefest(#11412) Obvious Exits: Clubhouse <C> Northeast <NE> Ocean <Oc> The Ferry <O>
Firefest(#11412)
There is a towering bonfire in the fire pit that burns across the worlds for those with eyes to see. In the realm of the physical there are drums and dancing revelers. All that seems to be set out for refreshments are large wooden barrels of water painted with glyphs of glory to Bennu, the Fire of Creation.
George is sitting by the bonfire playing one of the drums as a pair of women dance with staves spinning around their bodies, the ends lit on fire.
<OOC> George says, "http://youtu.be/jjyjjN3aiYc"
Antoine arrives a bit later, carrying his guitar with him. He grins at the display of dancing and fire, eyes mesmerized by the light show of the staves.
Tabia is one of the first to arrive. Not being a musician doesn't stop her from picking up a drum of her own, although she doesn't try to do anything too complex...mostly just tap to the rhythm.
George is on the heart beat line for the drums himself, constant and steady. He's not a performer either but he's got enough experience drumming for rituals to at least do that much. He nods in greeting when he notices the others before going back to watching the dancers spinning closer and closer together then flying apart with a leap and circling clockwise around the circle but spinning themselves counter clockwise as the rhythm picks up. There are a couple of pipers doing something more instrumental to go with it and they beckon Antoine to join them with his guitar.
Tabia offers a wave of greeting as Antoine joins them...though it's quick, since she's using both hands to drum, which means she needs the hand again fairly soon.
The big man unslings the guitar, joining in the rhythm of the drumming. He moves towards the music line, tapping on the body of the guitar in time with the other beats, strumming as well. Antoine grins, clearly enjoying the shared music.
Dun. Dun dun. Dun. Dun dun. There is movement in the sand coming from further down the beach. It starts to squirm its way toward the people things. There is a pause as it hits a tree, then it goes around. Not unlike Buggs Bunny burrowing along the ground in the old cartoons. Something pops up out of the sand and waves about. A tail. The moving sand comes closer and then, about twenty feet away, there is a spray of sand and.. "SAND PANDA! Comin' atcha!" Then she spots the dancers and she just stops dead in her tracks to watch.
"I was gonna guess land shark. But that's pretty close," Tabia replies with a chuckle and a wave. She, like George, is playing the drums, although keeping it simple, since she's not really a musician.
The staves are burning at both ends and they're spinning around and around as the women dance and leap. There's something of all three of the triat in every soul Gaia gave, tonight is to celebrate the Fire of creation, the burn of the Wyld that gives vital force to form. Every toss and spin, every leap and turn, all saying that the Weaver hasn't won yet.
George gives a whoop of excitement and breaks with the general rhythm and beats his drum hard three times. Silence carries for a moment and clapping comes from the shadow beyond the water barrels and the drums slowly start back up following the lead as a few voices begins singing, one from each direction and new dancers come up. George was waiting for Brownwyn for this, a hymn to the Wyld as a gift. The Voices begin "I am the firebird!" / "I am his daughter!" / "I am the firebird's child!" / "I am a firebird!" / "I am his daughter!" / "And like the flame, I am wild wild wild wild."
<OOC> George says, "Firebird's Child by S.J. Tucker. http://youtu.be/fdYj-j2pgcY"
As a musician, it was natural for Antoine to follow the flow - silencing when the pause happens, then helping to build the tempo again with slaps to the guitar and strumming of the strings. He stomps his foot as well, watching and cheering with his performance.
Aaaaaw hell yeah. Bronwyn cannot contain herself. Literally. She changes, the girl everyone knows and loves literally splitting and revealing something closer to her true form. Not human. Far, far from human and she just moves to the music, swaying side to side
Tabia has seen Bronwyn take on other forms, though this one is new to her. She can't resist giving up the drums and joining in with the dance as well. She's no more a formally trained dancer than she is a drummer, but here, at least, she's free to let the music move her, rather than just keeping a beat.
The song continues and if a participant is willing to let the song and the spirits drive its not hard at all to join in. Though it can get a little warm as things go on. The bonfire seems to be dancing to and streaks of sparks and embers lick out to spin around the dancers in general and Bronwyn in particular "To see a maiden dance around a fire is not so strange" / "but fire dances round the limbs of this uncommon maid!" / "Be brave enough to burn and you'll be brave enough to fly!" / "Join your sister Solace as she lights the morning sky!"
Totally not a dancer - Antoine keeps the music going, blinking in surprise at the changing form of Bronwynn. Not that he has any clue what's happening to her! He keeps his eyes on the dancers, never missing a beat as the music plays on.
Bronwyn is no dancer either, but she still moves to the music, edging closer and closer to the fire. This is her thing. Like, no for real. This.. THIS.. is something that the Nereid can relate to. She seems a little lost to the music as it plays and she just lets the sparks swirl around and lead her where it will
The younger Strider Ragabash, for her part, is perfectly content to take on a supporting role in the dance, so long as she's part of it. Tabia blinks away sweat as her acrobatics continue to draw her ever closer to the fire.
The dancing and drumming continue long after anyone's lost track of something so weavery as /words/. The sentiment and emotion of glorying in creativity, of embracing passion, of keeping in touch with the Wyld within fills the beach for what could have been only minutes or could have been an hour or more. Eventually George circles back to the break in the rythym and slams three sharp beats on his drum. Bringing silence and stillness to everyone except perhaps Bronwyn and the crackling of the bonfire.
The slamming stop is adhered to, Antoine sliding his hands from the guitar to sling it back over his shoulder. His eyes are still transfixed on the forms of Bronwyn and Tabia.
And finally, with that silence, the nereid collapses. Plop. Just a dimunitive little.. what DO you call that thing?.. for a few moments and then, slowly, she shifts more toward human, then a little more toward raccoon, then off to .. something else.. before she finally settles back into her Bronwyn form, even with clothing. "That... that.. was.... " words. What even ARE those things?
Tabia might not collapse, but neither is she moving to do much other than to try and catch her breath again. She does, however, manage a nod of clear agreement with Bronwyn's sentiment.
George grins, and sets aside his drum as other celebrants catch their breath and their composure. He makes his way over to one of the marked barrels and gets a drink and nods to Bronwyn and Tabia "Yup. Sure was."
Antoine chuckles. "Never seen anything like that before... that was primal." He offers over, moving over towards the drinks himself. His fingers look a bit red, raw from the strumming.
Nereid manages to push herself up on wobbly feet and stumbles her way over toward the drinks as well. "That was really something," she says, then shakes her head at Antoine. "No. Not Primal. Wyld. That was something straight from the Creation rites themselves, the way things are SUPPOSED to be."
Tabia is the last to make her way over there, and for once, she even eschews alcohol in favor of simple water.
George nods again and looks out to sea "Had a dream that made me think of Bennu, it's a good time of year for a celebration. I've learned to listen when I get those sorts of hunches."
Antoine shrugs. "Primal, Wyld - feels the same to me." He offers with a grin. "I will take your word for it, though." A nod to the Nereid. A grin to George. "Good dream to follow, I bet. Seems to be what the world needs."
"There's a difference. Anyone can touch the primal. But it takes something special.. like tonight.. to be really Wyld. It's natural to all of us, but we repress it instinctually. Because it's SCARY sometimes." She grins over at George and bounces a little on her heels. "Can I sing a song, George?" There's a twinkle in her eye, a spark of.. well, it isn't madness, but it's SOMETHING
Tabia flops herself down onto the sand of the beach as she drinks her water, looking from George to Bronwyn. It's pretty clear that _she_ hopes George agrees.
George grins and nods to Bronwyn as he refills his water and finds himself a seat "This world sang to the Wyld and now the Wyld sings back. It seems right."
Bronwyn nods and she takes a long drink of the first thing that passes through her hand. She chugs the whole thing down and then sets it aside. She lets out a tiny little burrrrp and then clears her throat and she begins to hum quietly to herself. Her voice isn't that pretty, but it snags the attention IMMEDIATELY, leaving one maybe a little breathless, a little terrified, a little in love - or lust at least. It plays on the deeper emotions, even beyond the wolf nature, to something old, ancient, terrifyingly beautiful.
Her voice rises just a little bit and they might even be able to FEEL the song, each note resonating deeper and deeper into the psyche, the soul, the little animal part of the brain and it draws a person toward Bronwyn. She is the center, she is the everything, she is All. Louder, brighter, still no words, just a few notes that tangle together and trip over one another.. then it's gone. It might leave one a little confused, a little scared, a little lonely.. but only for a moment. Bronwyn just smiles. "That's Wyld."
Antoine would say something, but his mouth is open - almost slack-jawed at the emotion and depth of the song. He took a step closer without realizing, blinking and planting his feet once the song ends. A blink. A blush. "I should get home." A swift nod.
Journey approaches from up the beach, looking up at the fire, walking towards it like a beacon, out of direct earshot for the moment but walking that way.
George nods and dumps a cup of water from one of the barrels over his head as Bronwyn finishes her 'song'. Then Antoine gets a nod farewell "The ferry will be heading back shortly once people get themselves pulled together. You're welcome to wait aboard if you like."
Tabia's eyes close, though she reaches out as if she might touch the song itself. Failing that, of course, assuming Bronwyn allows it, Tabia will reach out to take her hand. Only a gentle pressure exerted, the barest squeeze, as she tries to find words that might fit, and comes up short.
Bronwyn gives Tabia's hand a little squeeze too and then grins ever so brilliantly at Antoine. "Have a good night." George also gets a nod. "That happens. You okay? I DID ask." Then she spots Journey off in the distance and sighs. "Journey! You missed my song." How RUDE of him!
Antoine nods to George, then Bronwyn, still a bit dazed. He shuffles off towards the ferry, suddenly very much in need of getting home to his mate.
Journey looks up as he comes into earshot and smiles, to people, "Hi folks." Then Bronwyn, "Oh, you were singing?" He looks around to the others more closely, and nods, "Yeah you were singing, sorry I missed it." He says, shrugging, "My bad."
George nods and gives Bronwyn a grin "Everything's good. This is what tonight was for." Journey gets a nod "Its been quite a night."
Bronwyn just grins and flops back onto the sand with a sigh and a stretch and a nice little purr of pure elation. "No one EVER lets me sing. So, cool of you, George. I don't thinik..." She looks after Tabia and Antoine. "I don't think I messed them up TOO bad... this time."
Journey chuckles, looking after the others leaving, and nods, "They looks like they'll be fine." He looks over to George, nodding, "Yeah, what's been happening?" He asks, moving over to find something to drink.
George is by one of the water barrels that's marked with the Heron glyph of Bennu "Part of honoring Bennu, if he finds the performances pleasing and burny enough he keeps people from being changed too much, at least in ways that would make them unable to sing and dance for them again."
"Think that's why they aren't puddles of goo?" Bronwyn pouts just a little bit. "I guess that makes sense. Thanks, Benny!" She waves up at the sky
Journey grins, nodding, "Well, that does make sense." He chuckles, nodding, then to Bronwyn, "Sorry you didn't get to gooify people." He says and rubs the back of his neck, "Looks like I caught the tail end of things."
George nods and offers his own echoing wave to the sky before answering Journey "Just a bit yeah, might be some folks sticking around but the super high energy bits just wrapped up."
