[EVENT] THE TIES THAT BIND US

[khuimods]

Characters: Everyone!
Date: February 14-28
Location: All around Aifaran
Situation: The last two weeks of February celebrate Tine's Commemoration, a celebration of renewing friendships and signaling forgiveness.
Warnings/Rating: Shouldn't need any, but add to subject lines as needed!


During the last week of February, the mood shifts around the city. The tension over the missing Kin'nal girl eases some, and there's a lot of talk of renewal and remembrance. In the days leading up to the 14th, some shopkeepers begin reorganizing to make space to feature knotworks and related crafts, and photos on Xa Xa feature knots in process, some made by special artisans. If asked, they will say that all of this is in preparation for Tine's Commemoration, two weeks that are dedicated to renewing and recognizing friendships, forgiving past grievances, and recognizing our most important ties through an exchange of intricately tied knots.

There are specific knots and knot colors meant to signify different kinds of relationships. Friendship knots come in white and blue. White is for the bond of new friends, blue to recognize the joy of old friends. The blue knots typically are added together in a series, one made for each year of the friendship and tied to each other sequentially. More complicated knots are made when forgiving a grudge or past grievance, or to tell someone that they are considered family. While not a major focus of the exchange, there are also multi-colored knots for romantic relationships.

In recognition of this tradition's roots, there is also an ornate tassel knot made for those who have been lost. The color signifies if they have been lost to death (black, often laced with another color like blue for the sea) or the Dreaming (gray). Most have the person's name woven into them, either on a metal disc or a piece of fabric. Rather than being worn, these knots are hung by the door as a waysign: come home; your spirit may rest here.

Shops around the city sell these knots, but there are also ample opportunities to tie your own! The Tifaut in particular take this tradition to heart and have areas set up at several of the city's parks and civic centers, including one at the Dreaming Bridge. They teach knot-making and provide materials (with a suggested donation for those who can afford it), or you can bring your own cord! Making knots of recycled material, like old clothing or retired fishing rope, can add special meaning to the creation - some believe that doing so means sharing a part of yourself with the intended recipient.

Knots can be worn as jewelry or braided into hair (or sometimes hair itself gets tied, with one friend attending to the other's hairdo), and it's customary to keep them on your person throughout the month. While they can be given or exchanged all on their own, it isn't uncommon for knots to come with small gifts or trinkets as well. After February comes to a close, it's important to store the knots somewhere safe, often in a special box or bag with numerous pockets.

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OOC Notes: This is an open, game-wide event for your characters to participate in (or try and avoid, if they're that type) as much or little as they want to. New Dreamfolk are always popular integrations of these kinds of festivals in the city, so you can write yours attracting lots of positive attention if you'd like.

Provided below are some starters, but you can make your own too if none of these work for you!

Comments

TIFAUT BOOTH - DREAMING BRIDGE

[khuimods]

Given the Dreamfolk's influence on the development of this tradition, it's no surprise that the Tifaut have set up Knot-tying 101 on the ground floor of the Dreaming Bridge. Two or three Tifauti are in attendance each day at wide tables, ready to teach and engage in conversation with Dreamfolk or anyone who happens to stop by from the street.

[priforprince]

[ There may be an abundance of supplies, but something else appears to be dwindling: chairs. The longer the event goes, the fewer chairs shall be found at the tables. How mysterious.

Unless, of course, one happens to see Shikyoin Hibiki glance about, pick up a chair when she thinks no one is watching, and walk off with it. Then there's really no mystery at all, except where she's going with said chair. ]

[powertotearer]

[Eiji is really interested in working on the knots, but whenever he stops by the table, there never seem to be enough chairs.

He finally sees one, but then he notices some girl walking off with a chair.]

Huh?

[That's...annoying, really. Weird, but definitely annoying. He should at least follow and see what she needs the chair for, since there are so few chairs left.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki, either heedless or blase about her new entourage, carries this chair through the Dreaming Bridge. She's heading towards one of the residential wings.

Her objective becomes obvious once they reach that particular hallway, as the rest of the missing chairs are....piled up in front of one of the doors.

She has constructed a barricade. ]

[powertotearer]

[Okay, that is...what.

There's absolutely no reason to be barricading the doors there. Why?]

What are you doing?

[priforprince]

Preventative measures. [ Hibiki puts the chair aside long enough to move some of the chairs out of the way so she can enter the barricade. Then, backing up, she begins replacing them to wall herself away from the hall.

And the new one...Where should this new one go? ]

[powertotearer]

Preventative? For what? Why are you trying to block this off? Nobody can get through.

[He's really trying to be patient, but as far as he can tell, this is ridiculous.]

[priforprince]

This festival is distasteful to me.

[ Here is a good place for this chair. Hibiki adds it, satisfied with her handiwork. ]

I'll wait it out here.

[powertotearer]

So you just take the chairs away from people who are having fun?

[He's seen selfishness, but this hurts on a whole different level. Nobody was doing any harm to her. She's just ruining things because she's not happy?]

Why don't you like it?

[priforprince]

Nothing is hindering anyone from standing.

[ She ignores that last question, though. It's....personal.

And involves a word she is pretty sure she will not be able to say successfully. ]

These two need to have a positive thread at some point. :)

[ninjainviolet]

[ Whoops. She's spotted by one ninja. Although, Sheena doesn't think much of it at first, since others have been moving chairs to empty places at tables.

That is, until Hibiki moves in a direction decidedly away from the area.

Curious, Sheena starts to quietly follow. ]

they do they do

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki is being very matter-of-fact about this whole business. The chair, and she with it, are headed more towards the residential area of the building...

...where a whole lot of its brother and sister chairs are waiting for it, piled up outside of a door in a makeshift wall of sorts. Hibiki heads for this pile, preparing to figure out the best place to add to this masterwork of construction. ]

:D

[ninjainviolet]

[ Sheena is still following, her expression now a mix of curiosity and amusement when she realizes where they're headed.

Seeing the growing pile ahead, the ninja stops and looks for a moment before speaking. ]

What's with the fort?

[priforprince]

It's a barricade.

[ Said flatly, as if this much should be obvious to any observer. Which, in Hibiki's opinion, it should.

She stands back from the barricade to better consider chair placement. ]

[ninjainviolet]

Okay. "Barricade".

[ Still looks like a fort to Sheena. ]

So, why are you building it, anyway?

[priforprince]

Self-defense.

[ Ah. This chair should go....there.

And Hibiki needs to be on the other side of the barricade. She begins moving chairs aside to make room for herself. ]

[ninjainviolet]

[ Cue a mental sigh. ]

From what? What do you need defending from?

[ And Sheena is just going to inch closer, her expression concerned. ]

Who's got you afraid?

[spoilsfun]

[ Conan didn't have any interest in the friendship parts of the event. But he very rarely passed up the chance to pick up some new knowledge. You never knew when it could come in useful.

He climbs up on a chair near one of the tables and tries to get the attention of one of the Tifauti.]

[sanzulines]

Kid had initially thought that the knot-tying booth was a great idea! But it quickly became evident that the young shinigami didn't do learning so well, and expected his work to be perfect on the first try.

Which is why he's presently sliding off the chair in a heap on the ground, muttering tearfully about how his knot isn't symmetrical and therefore horrible and pathetic, ad nauseam.

[lasergrenades]

Pepper isn't exactly an arts-and-crafts type of person, but during her time in this world there have been a number of events and festivals where she's had a lot of fun making things. This is a totally new craft for her, and it seems like an ideal way to meet new people.

She has a not-insignificant list of people to make knots for, and plans to make some extra white ones for good measure. Not all in one sitting, however, since there's no real rush. Pepper is likely to drag friends new and old to the table at the Dreaming Bridge if only because it's easier to corner them.

[colonelnope]

Eve is, okay, not completely sure about the art, but if she's learned one thing it's that she can never be sure what is or isn't going to come in handy later.

So when Pepper drags her down to the table, Eve puts up only token resistance about not being great at art. "If you're sure about this," she says as creative cords loom in her vision. "You going to be making a lot of these?"

[lasergrenades]

Such activities are a vital element of roommate bonding, Pepper reasons.

"That's the idea," she confirms, smiling broadly. "Not all at once, but I knew a lot of people from before who are still here, and I've already made a bunch of new friends. Plus, people come and go all the time, so I might not be around next year or someone else might not be, so anyone who shows up in between now and the next festival might miss out. If I have extras, then I can give people those or use them to remind myself how to make more."

Arrivals and departures are a part of living here, and while that will inevitably come with some sadness, this can be a silver lining.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you aren't gonna go in the for the hair-braiding special," she adds, teasing.

[colonelnope]

Ritual braiding is still not the weirdest thing Eve's seen, but she's not sure she'd call it a vital element of roommate bonding.

"Well, it's sure better than some holidays." Eve drops into one of the provided chairs, prodding half-heartedly at the laid-out cords. She'll put a bit more heart into it in a minute or two, for Pepper's sake, once she's warmed up to the idea.

Probably.

There's a snort of a laugh at Pepper's last. "It's a bit much," she says.

This is only partially because all of Eve's Librarians are at home. Really.

[lasergrenades]

It's the principle of the thing, Eve.

"Yeah, this one hasn't been taken over by Hallmark," Pepper agrees, squinting at a fiddly bit of one of the knots she's learned to tie that's a little more complex. "And hopefully won't ever, that'd be pretty weird if someone launched a Hallmark store here. Plus: good use for recycled fabrics. Meaningful and eco-friendly."

She beams at her friend, and before long giggles quietly. This effectively distracts her from the knot, of course. "C'mon, it'd be super handy to have paracord in your hair, though. That stuff is useful."

[colonelnope]

"God, save me from Hallmark stores." Eve prods a little more, then leans over to see what Pepper's doing. It looks more complicated than useful.

Look, she knows good, solid knots. This fiddly stuff is squarely in the realm of Art.

Eve flattens a hand in the air, tilts it as though to say maybe. "Have to get it out before you can use it. If you're locked up, sure. Most of the time it's probably better as a bracelet. Or a hairtie, I guess." Just not braided in.