Fall into Summer (OPEN)

[kleptofaeniac]

Some witch holidays were meant to be enjoyed by all, regardless of species, alliances or preference to magic. Holidays like Lammas! Think of it as witch Thanksgiving.

An old woman by the name of Agatha Chapman was of the personal opinion that there was just too much infighting between her fellow witches this year. Those Circle Midnight witches were practically children! Agatha had raised enough children to know they were just going through some rebellious phase. It would pass. But this wasn't the time for expressing such things. This was a time of togetherness! Which was why Agatha had, through her daughters and granddaughters, sent a very public invitation to the supernatural community:

~Lammas Day Celebration~

Come celebrate the great tradition of the first harvest and shorter days with a beach party and bonfire!
Food, fun, and sun! No limits on guests, bring your friends!

AUGUST 1^st 2015
12 PM - 2 AM
(public rituals @ 10 PM)

KINGSGATE CASTLE, JOSS GAP ROAD.
BROADSTAIRS.
KENT.

Transportation from the city will be provided from Victoria Station. Present this invitation at the ticket office.

You totally want to go right?


Like the invitation said, all guests transportation will be provided. The train happens to go directly from Victoria Station to the castle, which totals up to a two hour trip - giving plenty of time for people to run into one another on this train-ride. Let's get along everyone.

Upon the guests arrival everyone is greeted by the hostess; a very old, very cheerful lady who insists on being called Ms. Agatha. She introduces her daughters and their daughters. Hit on them at your own peril. After the brief introduction and delicately worded warning that no witch need reveal their coven to others, and no one need attempt to confront them about their choices, everyone is invited down the side of the slow incline of the cliffs to the beach. Time to have fun.

Lammas was traditionally a holiday to celebrate the last day of the wheat harvest. It seems like the witches hosting this party went all out in incorporating that. Golden colored canopies cover the tables that are set out for food. Along with them are large punch bowls filled with different colored liquids and a small bar for anyone who wants something a little stronger than fruit, both of which are abundant - after all this holiday was centered around a community feast. There seems to be a general theme following the decor; apples, cinnamon, and vanilla feature heavily in every dessert of pies, cakes, puddings and ice cream in very creative ways. The more savory foods, less so. But they all fall into the category of typical beach party foods.

There is a changing area towards the face of the cliffs along with bathrooms.

Another fun tradition of Lammas is competitive and athletic games! There are two volleyball nets set up, and what looks like an area for sandcastle building. The team that wins the most games, and the person who builds the best sandcastle wins a prize! The prize is a Maen Magl necklace. The stone is said to bring good luck and good health to the owner. Additionally, they can cure diseases of the eye if rubbed on one's eyelids.

If you're not interested in games, there's always the golden sand to relax and tan on and the water to swim in!

Later, after the sun sets a bonfire is constructed - you can help, but enough driftwood has been collected for the fire itself. As the sun sets, the women hosting the event let everyone know what the purpose of it is. The fire is meant to - while also help people make amazing smores, roasted corn, and apples wrapped in foil - allow the witches and everyone else in attendance to participate in the Lammas rituals. Everyone is encouraged to engage in the rituals, though no one is required to do so.

Nowadays, Lammas is the time to cast off bad habits, thoughts, and what is no longer needed in your life. This spiritual cleansing is represented by fire, and burning things. There are two that will be done tonight, but they won't take longer than thirty minutes when alls said and done. They maybe be performed in any order.

A ritual called 'Winnowing' is meant to cleanse, where everyone writes down negative emotions and bad habits they want to lose on a piece of paper. The witches in the group will all know the chant:

Blessing and curses
Come from the harvest
Return to the earth
To nourish next years

The paper is then thrown into the fire, where it will spark and disintegrate.

The second is highly encouraged for everyone to participate in, as the more people who do so, the more the blessings will be! Everyone is given nine sheaths of wheat, which they are to weave into a braid, and then attach a ribbon to the base of the braid. The witches in the circle around the bonfire should, as the braids are being done, chant:

We weave you and hail you
As queen of the corn
When all's gathered in and
When you are sown.

Once the braids are done, those that weaved them are meant to grab a piece of paper and write what blessing they wish for their friends to have, such as 'Friendship' or 'Mobility'. They must keep the blessing secret and secure it to the ribbon. The ribbons are meant to be kept till Imbolc - another witch holiday - and then be burned, while the ashes are meant to be kept on the individual until the next Lammas. Hope you'll attend that party wherever it is!

After the Ritual, there are plenty of smores to make and some lovely music to listen to while everyone gathers around the bonfire and relaxes until they want to leave. There is no curfew, but the witches hosting the party will be going back up to their flat in the castle around two in the morning.

Happy Lammas!

Comments

[goroesi]

{ beach }

There's something wonderful about the beach. Just something in the air makes a part of Maera feel freer than usual. She doesn't hesitate to shed her cover-up once she reaches the shoreline, revealing her bright swimsuit as she tosses her bag onto the sand. Her first priority, of course, is to head straight into the sea. Most of her time is spent walking aimlessly through the thigh-high water, laughing brightly every time a wave tries to knock her over. There's something soothing to her about moving with the flow - though she won't hesitate to fight back if anyone tries to splash her. Otherwise, she lies on a blanket in the sand, reading a book or eating a snack, remarking on the heavenly weather to anyone who approaches. "God, isn't the sun on your face just divine?"

She can also be found hanging around the volleyball nets to watch the games, though she won't opt to actually participate. After all, she has a pair of maen magl of her own. She'd much rather watch others compete for that prize.

{ bonfire }

As night falls, Maera slips her cover-up back on, sitting as near to the fire as she can to get warm. She takes the Lammas rituals seriously, writing down just one word ('temper') for the winnowing before making a long list of blessings for her friends and clients. It'll leave her pensive by the end of the night; she lingers by the fire for quite some time after ritual is over, commenting idly to anyone who approaches: "Makes you think, doesn't it?"

But Maera's never serious for too long. Soon, she'll rejoin the party, bumping shoulders with others and roasting (more like burning) some marshmallows on a stick.

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji splashed Maera with a small, expert flick of the wrist, a mischievous glint in his eye. A challenger has arrived.

"Wade in a little deeper, why don't ya? It's the ocean; no point if you don't at least get up to your neck!"

[goroesi]

She yelps and splashes him back immediately, though it's definitely a lot more inelegant. "I like it like this, Heiji," she protests, and her lips form a pout as she speaks. "It's the perfect balance of sun and sea. At least, until you came along and drenched me." Okay, that's a definite over-exaggeration.

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji laughed at that and dove under the waves, quick as a gannet. When he surfaced, he shook himself like a dog and held his hand out to her palmfirst. In it was a spiraling long shell.

"How 'bout that? Feel like a swim now?" He hadn't actually found it in the water, but bought it from a souvenir shop earlier, apparently just so he could try to convince someone to look for more with him.

[goroesi]

She shakes her head, even as she reaches out to touch the shell with a couple fingers. "I'm-- not a swimmer. I don't even like my head being underwater. I'm made for staring off into the sea and brooding. My dad always used to say it was the Welsh in me."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Oh," said Heiji, looking a little more sober. He couldn't imagine what it would be like, not being able to frolic in the waves as he wished. But clearly Maera lived that life. "Hey, I'm sorry. Buy you a drink later?"

[goroesi]

She smiles quickly, to let him know that she's not intending on being too serious. "Nothing to apologize for. It's just part of who I've always been, and now you know. But I'll take the drink. I like how you make offers like that."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Hmm. Bet I'm the only one who does," said Heiji. After all, the fae around here weren't known for giving away free things. So that was another way in which he was apparently a weirdo.

"Nice suit, by the way. You're gonna make all the human girls feel inadequate."

[goroesi]

"You're one of the very, very few, Heiji," she says with a laugh, looking out to the horizon before her attention returns to him, eyes glinting mischievously. "I can't help it. I always intend on toning it down for the sake of the other girls, but I just like dressing up. I like having reasons to look nice."

[ BONFIRE ]

[warmheartedly]

"Be careful!"

Maybe Clara is too old these days or a little too out of touch. She definitely doesn't understand why some of the younger gatherers around the bonfire are stuffing their mouths full of marshmallows, trying to speak a tongue twister through the fluffy sweets as their friends cheer them on. Is that something magic related? Maybe...?

Thank goodness she spots Maera at some point, her face lighting up as she goes to her friend with a cheery wave. "I hope you're having just as much fun as the others here. It's been such a lovely day."

[goroesi]

"Clara, you're here!" Maera's face lights up instantly upon seeing her dear friend. "It's been so much fun. Witches really know how to throw a party! We fae should get our acts together and try one for ourselves."

[warmheartedly]

"I wouldn't miss this for the world if I could," she tells her, honest and sincere and happy for her and the others. They should enjoy themselves while they can. "You and the others should throw one if you want to!

"Hopefully a requirement for a fun party won't involve having to always be on the beach," she jokes, though she does look worn around the edges. Maybe all the activities have been trying on her is all. Or maybe she's sad she couldn't join in the sports games.

[goroesi]

"Oh, is it hard to be this far away from your usual haunt?" Haha, get it. Maera looks at her sympathetically. "The beach is lovely, but if whenever we throw a fae party for everyone else, I'll push for it to be a little closer to home. How about that?"

[warmheartedly]

"A little bit thanks to the distance and the water but! I wouldn't trade this day for anything in the world right now." She gets to spend time with her after all. That's a wonderful plus.

"But yes. That'll be lovely, thank you Maera. I promise to bring a nice party gift for you and the others as a thank you! The least I can do for being so considerate to me." While she hates to be annoying to people, she's grateful that it's being taken into thought.

[goroesi]

Of course, the fae are a pretty exclusive sort. It remains to be seen if there ever will be a party where they invite others to join in. But for now, the offer is genuine - and the polite thing to say. "Did you used to come to the beach often back... before?" She's curious, because her family never really did.

[warmheartedly]

The sudden question has her thrown out of loop for a second but she goes along with it.

"Hmm... For both instances of family, my family in the Philippines and my family with Francisco here, I'm sorry to say but no. Not really, personally. I never had the time." Either working as the littlest maid to the houses in the barangay or working as a seamstress or cook somewhere in the city. "My sons on the other hand had a lot of chances to go by themselves when growing up. Always sneaking off in the weekends. No matter how much I yelled at them to not do that too."

Bonfire

[kleptofaeniac]

"About what?"

Kenzi is still working on her braid as Maera speaks, and looks up briefly at the girl while her hands still work the stalks of wheat. With such long hair, she's been practiced enough at performing the motion without looking.

[goroesi]

"You know. About... what you're doing to be better." She shrugs a little as she turns to look at the other girl, her hands clasped tightly together. "That's the point, right? Of the - um - winnowing part?

Bonfire

[blind_badass]

Overall, it had been an interesting and entertaining little party. At least he got the chance to meet new people, although he'd have to meet them again to really recognize the sound of their voices.

Which is why it does take him a moment to recognize Maera's voice. Possibly because she sounds sober, which makes him smile. "Good evening, Maera," Snake says.

Bonfire

[goroesi]

"Oh, Snake, you're here!" Maera says excitedly past the marshmallow in her mouth, quick to swallow the melted sugary treat. "I didn't see you before! Awesome party, right? Have you tried these s'mores?"

[blind_badass]

It was kind of amusing that Heiji had introduced him by his nickname and not his actual name. However, Snake did respond to both, so no harm, no foul. "Well, I didn't see you at all, so I guess we're square," he said, with a perfect poker face. "I haven't tried the s'mores yet. I find it hard to determine if the marshmallows are melted enough based on sound." Touching something on fire wouldn't work.

[goroesi]

"Let me make you one, then!" she says excitedly, scrambling to get the ingredients from the table before coming back to him. "There's something divine about eating by the sea. And these marshmallows are perfect - though I have a tendency to burn mine." She laughs a little ruefully as she starts to warm the marshmallow on her stick. "So how have you been since I last saw you?"

[blind_badass]

"Well, as I imagine, the best s'more has a slightly toasted marshmallow." Emphasis on slight. Eating a mouthful of ash wouldn't help even with chocolate and grahm cracker.

"I have been quite well. I've now been in town for a month and half and I'm finally getting the hang of my job, my neighborhood and public transportation." Not necessarily in that order. "What about you?"

[goroesi]

"Oh, it's the same-old, same-old with me," she says easily, though her concentration is focused on getting this marshmallow just right. "You know, carting things around for my higher-ups, partying hard, the usual."

Something occurs to her as she says that, and she pauses for a moment before asking, "hey- if you're here, then you must know about us, right?" From what she remembers, Heiji had gotten pretty frantic when she'd mentioned the Courts when they'd first met.

[blind_badass]

"I take it you have a demanding job?" And liked to drink a lot, but Snake keeps that thought to himself. Her next question did give him pause.

"Know about...?" He hadn't really been paying attention to that part of the gathering. But to be fair, he'd been talking with a ghost earlier. "I know there's a supernatural group here in London but I don't know a lot of details specifically, if that's what you're referring to. Somehow wandering around and asking people what kind of powers they have seems rude."