2023.02.02 Imbolc

02.02.23 Imbolc Celebration
Lighting the Balefire for Imbolc at the Rhapsody Freehold.
IC Date	02.02.23
Players	Clementine, Janneke, Kieran, Persy, Sebastian
Location	Rhapsody Freehold, The Blue Boar Inn
Prp/Tp	Imbolc Celebration (ST: Clementine)
Spheres	Changeling

Janneke is balancing a large tray as she moves into the yard, skirts swishing with her steps. She beams at the sight of the bonfire, and then spies the buffet, heading over with her tray. Once the lid is drawn off, it's revealed to be tiny mini-cupcake-sized confections, made with swirled chocolate-and-vanilla frosting and curls of chocolate shavings. Ah, pastry for the collection! Once the addition to the offerings is made, she slips aside to let other people get into the table, and skips cheerfully toward the bar, trading one of the cupcakes for a frothy hot drink of some kind festooned with a cinnamon stick.

Just outside the Blue Board Inn, a bonfire has been setup in a fire pit. Twinkling lights have been strung all around the yard and out down the road to the ruins of the Rhapsody Freehold through the holly and wisteria. Poles have been placed strategically along the way with lanterns hanging from them to line the road there. They are all different as each lantern have been brought in by someone special for this event. Some poles have no lantern yet, as they are open for others to place them as they arrive.

Food and drink are plentiful with an outdoor bar setup with a boggan bartender at the ready. The buffet of food is spectacular with the most fanciful roasts and meats, veggies, fruits, and breads and pastries.

In front of the Blue Boar itself is a stage setup with musicians playing favorites as requested, or just keeping it lively with danceable music.

Clementine is bustling around, fretting and fussing making sure things are all setup. "Frank, please get the teapots over here. I have special cozies I just made for them." Then she's over next to the bonfire, making sure there is plenty of wood to go in as the night continues. Finally she wipes her hands on the apron she has on, and takes it off. "Persy! You got the lanterns?" She turns around looking for Persy, but not sure where she went. Or she's blind tonight. Seeing Janneke, she approaches her then, forgetting Persy for the moment. "Hello! I am not sure we have met yet! I'm Clementine Dunbar."

Kieran is near the stage, chatting idly with a few of the other musicians, and laughing at some probably horribly off-color remark just made by a Redcap sporting, of all things, a tuba. Across her back, and over the dark green of her cape, rests her electric-blue Gretsch hollowbody guitar. Every so often, she glances up toward the stage, possibly gauging whether the current group of cheerfully-burbling songbird pooka are anywhere near done (ok, one of them might be a chicken pooka, but really, nobody's going to call them out for it at a party), and then looks out across the yard before resuming her conversation.

Persy isn't fussing and fretting. She's straight up making threats and waving a pair of knitting needles at people. Not loudly. Not overtly. But there it is. See that? She tucks the needles back into her apron and snags a few of the lanterns. "Get the rest," she mutters to someone else and happily stomps over to start placing things where they belong

Janneke smiles warmly and extends her hand amiably. "We haven't yet -- I'm Juniper Jupiter. Or JJ for short. I've met Persy, though. I'm new about here." A pause, as she notes the scene, grins at the sight of Kee with guitar intact, and then catches the sotto voce threats from the other twin. "Do you need a hand or two getting things in order? I'm happy to help." Hey, she doesn't want to get the needles! Nobody wants the needles!

Clementine smiles to Janneke as she is introduced. "Oh good! I have heard about you! So very glad you are here. Any chance you can play something tonight? No pressure, but figure if you have all the talent with musical instruments, perhaps you play as well? But really, just have a good time tonight. I think we are pretty good now. The food is out, bar is handled, fire is going. Just need to kick up the good times before the firebrands arrive." The party is getting started, and more people are making their way into the yard.

Kieran certainly doesn't want to get the needles! Thankfully, she's completely oblivious about the possibility of getting the needles, so that all works out. She is, however, continuing to be alert for the possibility of overly-aggressive balls of yarn. Can't be too careful around craft supplies, you know.

Janneke winces at the question Clementine asks. "Well, I can carry a tune, and I can do basics, but... I'm not much of a performer." Gamely, she shrugs and adds, "But once people are drunk enough, they won't care, right?" She giggles. "I've only met a few people here so far -- so busy getting the business running, but now I have a little more time to be social. Plus, I couldn't miss the Balefire lighting party!" She's almost painfully cheerful, but it's a party, after all.

It's okay, Janneke, someone has just arrived to counteract some of that pain. "Well, I mean you /could/," Sebastian murmurs, voice a bare whisper. "But what would be the fun in that?"

Clementine laughs! "Tonight is for fun, celebration, and the lighting of the Balefire. I'm sure there will be enough drinking all music will sound good. Just glad that you could make it and join us!" She directs her toward some lanterns sitting on a table next tothe inn. "If you did not have a lantern of your own, we have some over there. You can light it with the bonfire and then put it up on the pathway to Rhapsody." As Sebastian appears she waves to the man. "Glad you could join us!"

Janneke smiles fondly at Sebastian's approach, offering a chuckle at his quip. "H'lo, Sebastian," she offers, fingerwaving. "No fun in that at all. And now I've seen my second freehold here. Still need to figure out what on earth to do with the former Market shop attached to my new place." She ohs and regards the lanterns with a long glance, and nods. "I couldn't find my old one buried in my toolroom," she admits, "Thank you!"

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Kieran rolls Charisma(4) + Performance(3) (7 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes.
1 2 5 5 +8 +8 9
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Kieran looks up as the Songbirds finish up their warbling set. What? No, really, they're actually 'The Songbirds'? Huh. Who knew? The short one's still a chicken pooka. Fite meh, McNuggets. As they clear off the stage, Kee takes a slow, deep breath, and gets poked in a good-natured 'g'wan, ya goof' kind of way by the Oompah Band Redcap with the tuba. Catching her balance, she laughs and shakes a finger at him, before mounting the stage, nerves mostly forgotten.

Just another night, just another party. Just playin' for drinks and tips, as usual. Right. Sure. Sliding the guitar from her back, she begins slowly plucking out a slow melody that's almost evocative of a burbling brook. After a few moments, she adds her voice in low counterpoint.

"Gabbaim molta Bríde
Ionmhain í le hÉirinn
Ionhain le gach tír í
Molaímis go léir i..."

Kieran's pronunciation isn't /great/, probably learned by rote, but that doesn't stop her.

Lóchrann geal na Laighneach
A' soilsiú feadh na tíre
Cean ar óghaibh Éireann
Ceann na mban ar míne

Tig an geimhreadh dian dubh
A' gearradh lena ghéire
Ach ar Lá 'le Bríde
Gar dúinn earrach Éireann..."

With that, the melody shifts into a more normal rhythm; the song is not yet over.

Clementine smiles, "Feel free to pick one out. Now you say you have a market shop? Are you talking in the Lost in Time Market?" She asks with some intrigue. "Perhaps you could offer something musical there?" And that is when Kieran beings with a song. "Oh perfect!" She invites the others to get closer for the performance. She claps along softly as others are getting into it that are around. More and more of the party goers give attention and there are some whoops and hollers from the boggans.

Janneke nods, saying, "I took over the old location of Off the Record, and it's attached to Reves, or where it used to be, in the Lost in Time Market. I still have all the stock, weirdly. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it. In time, perhaps I can sift through all those dreams, find out where they belong." JJ offers a wry expression with those words. "I haven't decided what to do with that shop, yet. Musical, oh, that's an idea -- maybe a musical space..." She smiles, and follows as they move closer to the stage fo the performances, clapping along and stomping to the beat -- or as much as one Boggan can, at least.

Sebastian arches a brow at Janneke's suggestion, wandering around the area and raising his voice as best he can. Which isn't much, of course. "Sing for your bill of sale, huh?"

Kieran's words shift, too, into English as the pace picks up.

"Brighid of the sunrise
Rising in the morning
Rising with the springtime
Greening all the land

"See you in the soft cloud
See you in the raindrop
See you in the winds of change
Blowing through the land

"You the red eared white cow
Nourishing the people
Nourish now the hunger
Souls longing in our land

"Bird that is unfolding
Now the time's upon us
Only have we eyes to see"

The rhythm pauses, last chord fading out, before, "Your Epiphany"

Kee's head lowers, left hand coming down to mute the strings of the guitar as she begins to thump out a soft, almost heart-beat 'dum-dum' on the instrument's hollow body. As the beat continues, she intones, "Gabbaim molta Bríde
Ionmhain í le hÉirinn
Ionhain le gach tír í
Molaímis go léir i..."

Taking a deep breath, she bows, and steps back down from the stage. Almost immediately, she's laughing and poking at the Oompah Redcap again, pointing up at the stage and clearly urging his little group to get their asses up there. Damned if she's gonna be the only one making a fool of herself!

Clementine loves this song, and is swaying back and forth and back and forth. She closes her eyes and raises her hands, as if in praise as it goes along. If only she could dance! Well, she does in her own head, but her feet stay on the ground here. When Kieran finishes she is clapping wildly, "WHOO!!" She looks to the boggan standing next to her, "I know Kee! She was great!" She cheers some more!

The next group is indeed the Oompah band, and they push and shove each other in jest as they get up onto the stage. They are a bit unorganized, but soon enough that Redcap is counting them off with his foot stomping the beat and they are off to the races with a great instrumental! Tick.

Janneke chuckles softly at Sebastian's comment and murmurs back, "Maybe... wouldn't be the first time I had to do something like that." She falls silent again when Kee begins to sing once more -- and now she can appreciate the words as more than just pretty sounds; after all, Imbolc is Blessed Brigid's day. When Kee comes down, JJ cheers gamely, arms in the air, then points at Tuba Redcap with an impish smile. She agrees with Clem, "I fixed Kee's guitar not too long ago -- and she *was* great!" Look, Kee, you have a Boggan Fan Club!

Kieran slings the guitar across her back again, and moves over toward where Clem, JJ, and Sebastien are. "Hey, guys! See that, JJ, plays sweet as ever, yeah? Even for a mook like myself."

Clementine shakes her head, "I cannot believe that is the same guitar after what you described. JJ, you are more than a talent, you are a miracle worker! A boon to all boggans!" She means that whole heartedly. "I'd love to come by and see your place sometime."

Janneke high-fives Kee and says, "I'm so happy about that -- I was worried about the wood eating some of the low end but it sounds like I didn't have anything to fret about." As Clementine speaks, JJ is overwhelmed by the praise; her cheeks turn ruddy and she smiles, replying, "High praise! And you're welcome any time you like, it's at D and 5th. It took me the better part of a week to put her back together, but... well, it's all about speaking to the splinters, to be honest. I had to talk to a *lot* of pieces to put her back to rights."

Sebastian wanders over again, peering at Janneke as she explains about the splinters. "Whoa, you reassembled a working door? Where's it lead to, or have you tried opening it yet?"

Kieran just gives Sebastian a /look/, at that, but says nothing.

Clementine has to blink and think a moment as Sebastian speaks. "Working... door..." It takes a good minute and then she exclaims, "Kitty!" Yes, she gets it. "You know, I have not tried that with wood and splinters. I tend to work more with gears and fiber. I am never quite sure if they understand me, but sometimes I get a glimmer. I'll come by sometime. You would be fantastic to come check out the flea market with us. Have you heard about that place? I really think there is some treasure of some sort. Something lost and just waiting to be found."

Janneke blinks at the question. "No, no, it was Kieran's guitar I put back together. I think maybe I skipped a topic in there too fast or something." She seems distinctly confused at his question, but she shrugs, smiles, and drains her drink. "Did I miss something?" Clementine's next statements make her nod eagerly, and say, "Well, I can't talk to the electronics at the moment, too complex, but I can manage the wood. I can still *fix* it all, though. The flea market? Oh, I love flea markets -- even if you don't find anything, the chase is the fun part!"

"Especially if the fleas are trained to sing," Sebastian points out, not having missed a beat from the door diversion. "I was half expecting Kee's backing band to turn out to be a cricket and a singing saw."

As Sebastian is speaking, the Oompah band exits the stage. There are rounds of cheering and laughter around them. Next up on the stage is of course, some lumberjack looking Trolls with yes, Saws that they play, as well as one with a washboard and set of spoons, and another with an empty jug. If you did not know better, you might think they were right out of the Country Bear Jamboree. Just larger! And less hair, more stoney skin.

Clementine nodnods to Janneke! "Oh exactly. I went by this place last week, and well.. see my sister and I like to craft and there was a knitting group there. It's a whole thing with food trucks and gaming going on and all. While I was there, the yarn balls I had in my bag? Well they tend to be inhabited by sprites that like to follow me around and get into mischief. They went nuts there. This was so unusual. The owner even had to catch one of them. So I just know there is something there to be found. Maybe multiple things."

Janneke giggles at the image of a chorus of fleas, and the idea of Kee's backing band. "We need to help Kee find some fellow musicians so she'll stick around," she opines, nodding sagely. The saw-band makes her grin, and she murmurs something about 'down-home industrial music.' The description of the flea market in its reality sounds appealing to JJ, from her reaction. She blinks and then laughs again softly at the idea of sprites. "I find the occasional Never in the shop, chimera of assorted sorts, but I think you may need to help your little friends find their way home. Or at least... somewhere. But ooh, seeking treasure, that sounds like fun!"

Kieran says, "Pffft. A cricket. Do I look like Buddy Holly?" One eyebrow lifts challengingly, like she's just /daring/ him to say she does. Then she gives JJ an exasperated look, "I don't need a band! Sheesh... I'm fine as-is, people."

"I was gonna say Elvis," Sebastian answers Kieran, taking a step back to take himself out of immediate swatting range. "Costello. And I wonder if the yarn balls smelled cats in the area and panicked; I know I would if I were one of them myself."

As the Lumberjacks finish up, one of the takes a stool and places a microphone down lower. He puts a shoebox on it and walks away. It seems like nothing is going to happen, and then the lid to the box opens up and out comes... A frogtime band! About 3 frogs are playing instruments, while one with a top hat and cane stands up and begins to sing and dance!

Then the sounds of many feet can be heard coming, with what may be a marching band? No! It is the Fire Brands - they have arrived! Carrying lanterns, some with flags, others instruments like lutes, drums, wooden flutes, they arrive with all the pomp and circumstance of a marching band. These travelers are making their way through and following the lanterns setup toward the Rhapsody Freehold. Inviting those here to go with them on the short trip, they are on their mission to replenish the balefire.

Clementine grins at Sebastian, "That is a fair assessment. I know the cats we have had would LOVE to mess with those yarn balls." She grins to Janneke, "We'll have to make a date of it. I know Persy wants to go, and probably Sebastian and Kee are in too?" She looks excited about it. "I just know this will be a fun adventure." As the firebrands arrive, she claps her hands and waves to them. "Oh this is a good omen they have arrived!"

Janneke sings to Kee, "Ooooh, wee, you look just like Buddy Holly..." She then ducks, grinning broadly. "The yarn balls sniffed out one mortal enemy but managed not to avoid the needles?" Oh, the NEEDLES again! She nods again eagerly at the declaration, and says, "Oh, it's a date! I'm definitely in!" JJ cheers as the Fire Brands enter, and joins into the well-omened procession, tugging the others along with them. Somehow she winds up lost among taller Kithain as the march goes, but she seemed merry about it at the very least.

Kieran heaves an aggrieved sigh. "These are my friends..." As the Fire Brands come in, she moves to fall into step, and even whistling a bit to herself...

And yes, that is 'whistle while you work'.

Sebastian squints at the latest group of musicians to crash the party. Seeing one frog is kind of neat, but three of them at once? "...uh, yeah, check please, table one? Thanks." He's addressing the Fire Nation warriors, heedless of how they'll probably ignore him and keep right on marching.

Clementine takes up a place to go along with the firebrands as they and their entourage goes along the road to the Rhapsody Freehold. Surely Persy is not far behind, as well as many of the other Boggans.

As the fire brands arrive, the whole contingent spreads out around to circle the balefire. There is a HUGE Prismatic Dragon there, standing all proud of the balefire, with the caretakers flanking him. Fletcher Potts on the right, and Quentin Oates on the left. None of them are getting in the way, but the Dragon is /certainly/ keeping a close watch to be sure no one messes this up.

The firebrands make their declarations and together bring their lanterns together and in this important ceremony, the lanterns touch and lower toward th balefire before ti rises like a volcanic eruption! The colors are spectacular, showing all along the spectrum of colors before settling back down to a stronger version of what it was before.

Cheers can be heard as the fire brands back off and are called to reassemble. It is over before you know it and they begin to march on off again down the silver road to the next balefire to replenish.

Kieran's cheers blend with all of the others, before she withdraws a few steps. After all, good party or no, she hasn't presented herself to the Hold, and has no right of hearth here.

And has Sebastian done so? Even if he has, he's had time to lose track of it by now. The hierarchy of court is not his natural stomping grounds by a long shot. Still, he keeps his distance as well, if only to avoid getting trampled by a parade crowd with more enthusiasm than perception.

Fletcher and Quentin come forward in front of the rest of the locals that remain and state, "Welcome everyone and thank you for being here for this auspicious occasion." Fletcher states to them all. "With the changes over the last year, we are grateful for the replenishment of the balefire and hope that you all will return here often. So long as you do not disturb the mighty dragon, you are welcome to visit and enjoy what the Rhapsody Freehold has to offer." Quentin gives a thumbs up - it seems he is not much into public speaking. The dragon gives a mighty roar and then ambles back to its hideout as crowds are not its thing.

Clementine softly claps for Fletcher and Quentin and offers herself, "There are still plenty of food and drink and festivites at the Blue Boar Inn tonight! Come join us as we celebrate the coming year!" She'll lead the way down the short road back to where the party is, thanking everyone for coming as she does.