--Empire-- The Festival of Lights (Final Week of the Year)
Dec 8, 2014 0:28:11 GMT
Post by LucasP on Dec 8, 2014 0:28:11 GMT
The Festival of Lights has its origins from a thousand years ago, at the beginnings of the Empire. When his most holy Emperor, the first ruler of the Empire, perished just after the winter solstice (and ascended to his divine throne), his successor ordered a year long celebration as the greatest man the empire will have ever known joined the Divinity and blessed his people.
Every year after the Winter Solstice, the entire Empire celebrates the ascension of their god-king: for the last week of the year, generally from the winter solstice until the last night of Fellnigh, Imperials procure lights. Lots, and lots of lights.
During this time, the city of Vandemere is an almost blindingly bright place to be at night. Millions of lights, of thousands of colors, brighten everything. The rich purchase thousands of sunrods that they hang from chandeliers, and decorate their manses with them. Even the poor quarter, known for having a population treated worse than the slaves in the Empire (the slaves have some rights, after all), is brightly lit. Alchemists, with government based grants, coat torches and other cheaply made items, with a variety of oils and powders to create different colors of flame.
During this week of revelry, very little gets accomplished by anyone in the empire. It is a time of relaxation and celebration, where the most worked servants are given perfunctory duties only. Slaves are often given the entire week to themselves, except for the most basic of chores. For those that are required by the nature of their duties to work during this time of year (the military, for example), they're often given triple-pay in exchange for their continued services.
Thousands of performers fill the streets, farmers bring their best fruits and vegetables left from their harvests, and the drink flows almost freely. Many taverns stock up throughout the year, so that during this week they can sell more liquor, at a marked up rate, than they could for any other time throughout of the year.
In Tel-Vinrae, the Empire is allowed to celebrate this holiday of festivities by decorating their own homes, manses, businesses and establishments in similar manners. As such, the Gentile District is almost always brightly lit during this week, as the manses of the district, as well as the Cathedral and the Arena, are all decorated accordingly. Several businesses throughout the Golden Way and the Canal's District are similarly decorated - as are homes throughout the residential district and even some of the Favela's within the Deadman's Knot. Occasionally, the docks are similarly illuminated as a vessel near or in port decorates itself for the festivities, though their lights are soon doused when they head back out to sea - so as not to be a night-time target for pirates or brigands. Slaves within the Imperial homes are given a restricted leave to take the week in celebration, and find their way into the taverns and similar establishments to enjoy their time off from their duties, relax, and remember the year past, or look to the year ahead.
There are, of course, some minor political repercussions from this - some homes are lit so brightly as to disturb their neighbors, which can lead to petty conflicts between adjoining properties - especially if one is Omicron and the other Imperial - and some businesses are shut down for the week despite their festive decorations due to their owners taking a much needed vacation. However, the general commerce and function of Tel-Vinrae is typically unaffected by the celebration, and order is maintained through Eladrin policies and acceptance, and all are reminded that the Eladrin are fair in their allowance of festival celebrations throughout the city and the entirety of the year.
Every year after the Winter Solstice, the entire Empire celebrates the ascension of their god-king: for the last week of the year, generally from the winter solstice until the last night of Fellnigh, Imperials procure lights. Lots, and lots of lights.
During this time, the city of Vandemere is an almost blindingly bright place to be at night. Millions of lights, of thousands of colors, brighten everything. The rich purchase thousands of sunrods that they hang from chandeliers, and decorate their manses with them. Even the poor quarter, known for having a population treated worse than the slaves in the Empire (the slaves have some rights, after all), is brightly lit. Alchemists, with government based grants, coat torches and other cheaply made items, with a variety of oils and powders to create different colors of flame.
During this week of revelry, very little gets accomplished by anyone in the empire. It is a time of relaxation and celebration, where the most worked servants are given perfunctory duties only. Slaves are often given the entire week to themselves, except for the most basic of chores. For those that are required by the nature of their duties to work during this time of year (the military, for example), they're often given triple-pay in exchange for their continued services.
Thousands of performers fill the streets, farmers bring their best fruits and vegetables left from their harvests, and the drink flows almost freely. Many taverns stock up throughout the year, so that during this week they can sell more liquor, at a marked up rate, than they could for any other time throughout of the year.
In Tel-Vinrae, the Empire is allowed to celebrate this holiday of festivities by decorating their own homes, manses, businesses and establishments in similar manners. As such, the Gentile District is almost always brightly lit during this week, as the manses of the district, as well as the Cathedral and the Arena, are all decorated accordingly. Several businesses throughout the Golden Way and the Canal's District are similarly decorated - as are homes throughout the residential district and even some of the Favela's within the Deadman's Knot. Occasionally, the docks are similarly illuminated as a vessel near or in port decorates itself for the festivities, though their lights are soon doused when they head back out to sea - so as not to be a night-time target for pirates or brigands. Slaves within the Imperial homes are given a restricted leave to take the week in celebration, and find their way into the taverns and similar establishments to enjoy their time off from their duties, relax, and remember the year past, or look to the year ahead.
There are, of course, some minor political repercussions from this - some homes are lit so brightly as to disturb their neighbors, which can lead to petty conflicts between adjoining properties - especially if one is Omicron and the other Imperial - and some businesses are shut down for the week despite their festive decorations due to their owners taking a much needed vacation. However, the general commerce and function of Tel-Vinrae is typically unaffected by the celebration, and order is maintained through Eladrin policies and acceptance, and all are reminded that the Eladrin are fair in their allowance of festival celebrations throughout the city and the entirety of the year.