faderift | Under the Second Moon

Under the Second Moon

WHO: Everyone Ever. It's your party!
WHAT: S a t i n a l i a !
WHEN: 1st of Umbralis
WHERE: Kirkwall and the Gallows
NOTES: I volunteered as tribute but have no authority save what having like three free hours has granted me. :D

Once dedicated to the Old Goddess of Freedom, Zazikel—but now attributed more to the second moon, Satina—this holiday is accompanied by wild celebration, the wearing of masks, and naming the town fool as ruler for a day.

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The Gallows

Even tamped down by both the imminence of Corypheus's assault on Ghislain and the doleful pleading eyes of the Seneschal the Inquisition means to do its due diligence to Satinalia, its members beginning to appear fairly early on in the afternoon in anything from simple mask to full and elaborate costume, largely eager to let off some of the pressure that has been building ever since the news of the unanticipated battlefield broke.

Along with handcrafted decorations made from cunningly re-purposed bits of scrap... everything... that liven the main areas of the fortress it seems like someone has gone absolutely ham on decorations of the webbed variety. The hours can nearly be told by the yells of disgust and shrieks of surprise—and the laughter of companions—that rise above other chatter to mark yet another victim of this particularly sticky prank of an adornment.

The courtyard is the site of much preparation during the daylight hours, and then well-lit and filled with a feast that is simple but plentiful at dusk. Also plentiful: wine. Some clever person acquired an immensity of cheap horrible wine, floated some bundles of equally cheap spices in it to make the poor quality slightly less obvious, and set it to heat in a large cauldron over one of the temporary fire pits that has been constructed. It's good there's a late start tomorrow. Music is largely provided by the members of the Inquisition that make practice of it, and as a result, dancing is less an organized affair and more something that just breaks out every so often.

It is also true to its name tonight, some intrepid souls having decided that the opposite sides of it were the best places to set up the rival “throne rooms” that are mostly benches dragged into configuration in front of stacked and blanketed bales of hay. It's not much, but not much is necessary: the true decorations of the impromptu Fools' Courts are the personalities of their respective rulers, each of whom seems to have already collected a small zealous following eager to accomplish whatever ridiculousness they are set to in an effort to depart the normalcy that contains a fight for the Inquisition that is no longer skirmish mission after skirmish mission but full battle, pitched and outright.

(Are half of them wearing... beribboned and otherwise decorated toilet seats of cloth, wood, or folded paper around their necks? Better choose your allegiance wisely, I guess!)

The island fortress has enough nooks and secluded spaces that some privacy can be found even in the midst of full-scale celebration. In seeking unoccupied places, however, every once in a while—around a corner, down a hall—shadows raise and move oddly at the corner of your vision, although a second harder look always seems to reveal only flickering torchlight.

It's a strange night.

The City of Kirkwall

While the threat of war looms here also, rather than dampen itself, the city outside the Inquisition's stronghold has turned that nervous energy outward in frenetic release.

The festival atmosphere persists all day: the markets are bright, packed with both shops and shoppers, filled with those intrepid celebrants who have already donned mask, costume, or both, and loud with the laughter of children running in wild packs to prank and pickpocket the unwary. Trickery is tolerated, if not openly encouraged and rewarded, especially if clever. Even so, the city guard is out in force, just in case someone gets a bit too excited.

Once the sun goes down, the city is lit in a way that almost recalls the events that earned Marian Hawke her title. Fires, large and small, blaze along the streets well past midnight, although it is torch and brazier rather than barricade and home, and while the streets are further lit by the bright light of both moons, one can imagine it is the second moon's light that better illuminates the revelries below.

And revelries there are, with abandon. Near every street has its ardent lovers, its merrymakers, its gleeful dancing and laughter. And, to go with them, its footpads, its drunkards, its whores and gamblers taking their games to the cobblestones. Satinalia's freedom is a little freer when what lurks on the horizon has come close enough that one can nearly catch the threatening glint of its red crystal in the darkness.

Moreso, when you live in a city that knows what it is to burn.

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Inessa has promised she would attend (at least for a while) and she does, in her deep blue mage dress robes and a matching blue mask. Scanning the area, she avoids the Fool's Courts altogether and just clears the edge of that chaos when Kain's distinct dragon mask is spotted. A relieved smile forms as she moves to join him, trying her best not to get in the way of the enthusiastic dancers all around.

"There you are. Might I have a dance?"

Spontaneous dance parties are most definitely not Kain's scene, as evidenced by his awkward stance and continued attempts to find a way out. He'd need to work himself up to dancing, especially in the excitable way these revelers are doing. He's saved from the whole dilemma when Inessa approaches. It's a lot less awkward dancing with someone else, after all, isn't it? And besides that, they need something like this, a moment to just enjoy themselves.

"You certainly might." He manages to lighten up, at least a little, as he adds, "Was this what you meant, that night we were talking about things not going to plan all the time?"

She chuckles at that, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Not directly...but I suppose it suits, doesn't it? Don't worry, I won't be a demanding dance partner. I have no desire -or ability- to echo what some of our allies are doing." But that seems a given; when it comes to Kain, she has complete trust that he'll do what makes them both most comfortable.

"Good, because I'm afraid they never taught us some of those dance moves back home…" Though there had been countless boring lessons all the same, which means that Kain is very much a better dancer than he'd be willing to admit. It definitely helps, of course, that he's well balanced and such from his combat experiences. "Anyway, shall we?"

Now that he's got Inessa there, he also feels so much less self conscious than he did a moment ago. He starts off a little stiff at first, but then gradually eases into it.

"Of course." Inessa smiles up at him, squashing down her self-consciousness. It's not a contest and no one's likely watching them anyway. She increases her pace a little only to keep up with Kain's longer strides, otherwise content to keep this as relaxed as possible.

It's a rather lively tune that they've started with, one which Kain doesn't know all that well, which does mean he's relying less on his practiced dance moves and having to improvise more. Of course, he starts off a little bit stiff, but the more they dance, the more he eases into it.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but... it's good that we have this time, to celebrate..." With so much going on and undoubtedly about to, he figures it's necessary for morale improvement.

Improvisation is perfectly fine with Inessa, as long as she can keep up. Her soft smile grows a bit as she notes his increasing ease, glad to see him loosen up for a while. Kain has needed this...and if she allows herself to admit it, so has she.

"It never comes often enough, does it? That's all the more reason to savor the moment while we can, before it's gone."

It's the first in a long time that he's not preoccupied with something else, and that he's not mired in some kind of dark lines of thought related to the shard in his hand. No, tonight is not for any of that. He's determined to just enjoy this festival for what it is. Even if he's not the partying type, he can still manage this much. As for making up dance moves... well, he's got that well covered, really. He's just taking from what he knows and changing it a bit, and following the lead of others around them. It's not so bad at all. He even smiles a bit, enjoying himself.

"You're right, of course. We do need to enjoy it for all it's worth, before the moment is gone. Who knows when the next chance for such a thing will be? I love your mask, by the way... You look stunning overall."

That smile tells Inessa all she needs to know. If the usually somber Kain can manage to relax enough for this, then nudging them both out into the celebration was well worth it. She smiles back, her pale cheeks growing pink. "Thank you; I didn't have much time to prepare, not this year. I'm not like you, with masks at the ready...though I do love seeing what you will choose each time."

It always takes him a while to warm up to this sort of thing, but it's so much easier when he's with his favorite company. He shakes his head. "You're still perfectly beautiful to me, no matter what you're wearing. Even if it was plaidweave." Well, perhaps that's not a good idea, but he would still accept her if she chose that as a favorite pattern. Maker knows, he still owns that one crazy Orlesian-made outfit that looks fit for a circus. "Hmm... perhaps though... perhaps we ought to start building up a collection of them for you, as well. And Garahel, he could always use more masks. Or at least kaddis."

The music slows now, and Kain eases his pace to follow it. Ah, there... this is a much more pleasant sort of a dance, something he's a bit more familiar with. He can make it happen anyway.

Inessa good-naturedly wrinkles her nose at mention of plaidweave. "If the Wardens had incorporated plaidweave part of their uniform, that might have been a dealbreaker even for me." No one who risks their lives as they do deserve that fate.

That she chuckles as the music slows, tilting her amused gaze upward. "If I accumulated a collection, people would think me a subject of the Empire. As a proud Fereldan, I can't in good conscience support courting that assumption."

"You and me both..." Though obviously, Kain is the far worse about fashion, given certain misguided outfits he's worn in the past. Still, he can manage when it comes to matching something to go with a mask, that's something he can always readily do.

The dance is going at a nice, relaxing pace now. Perfect. He definitely has a good feel for this. "Hm... I suppose you're right, you wouldn't want to seem too much like a defector. Just one really fancy one, though. Your favorite animal, perhaps." Since, well, it's more than obvious what is Kain's favorite.

"A mabari mask? I suppose that would be acceptable, as no one from the empire would ever be caught dead wearing it." Griffons are lovely, to be sure, and they're her second favorite forever. But mabari, for personal reasons, will always be closest to her heart.

The relaxed pace is perfect, allowing her to move and converse without difficulty in either. Well, not except having to speak above passing partygoers here and there.

Kain is amused by that, since it's what he would have guessed, too. "You've provided me with quite the challenge, you now... finding a mask maker who would go for such an obvious Ferelden symbol. Still, for your sake, I'm more than willing to try. The good part is that you would have something fully unique."

It really is more comfortable at this point, dancing along together, the whole thing feeling natural... and better, so much better than some forced ballroom setting. He rather likes the contrast that this has to that.

"If you succeed, you would be the stuff of legends." Nevermind being a Warden or anchor-bearer or dragon enthusiast, getting someone to make a mabari mask would be truly astonishing and worthy of note. She hums happily to the music, grateful for the chance to enjoy this before crowds become too intoxicated and rowdy.

"If I become legendary, will there be a song about that? But you know me, I can't resist a challenge." He's often thought what it would be like for them, how they'll be depicted in stories for future Wardens, with their ridiculously named griffons and all. But, yes, he'll have to take his time to shop around. After all, it may be hard to find one who can craft a well-made mabari for one thing, but for another, he still wants it to be of the highest quality. He has a couple of crafters who he favors, so he might start there.

It's definitely turned out to be relaxing, getting to dance like this, being outside of a more formal setting. He probably would have liked all of that dancing way back when a lot more, if it were outside of ballrooms and the like. There's less pressure this way.

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Under the Second Moon

Gallows

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