It’s a special time of year and the sword army is invited to come down from their citadels and celebrate. What? A summer festival, an offering to the gods, or perhaps a special ceremony of sorts. The normally quiet, rural village at the foot of the mountains will transform for the night with lanterns, fireworks, and music all around but first! Some preparations need to be done. Did you really think you would be invited down here without having to do some work? Prepare to dance, prepare to sing, prepare for a night of fun.
1. CEREMONY PRACTICE
At the citadel, a new chore has been added to the list: ceremonial practice! The swords selected to perform at the festival will have to practice their song and dance or else they'll risk embarrassment in front of the crowds. Or maybe this entire thing is embarrassing... either way, this is your duty! Saniwa's orders! Where and when is up to you but you better be ready.
2. PREPARING THE OFFERINGS
Those who aren’t practicing have been going on a lot of expeditions lately, haven’t they? Some of the materials brought back from missions has been set aside to take to the festival and offer later. The same can be said for the crops in the field, the alcohol that is suddenly off limits, and ah… do you smell that food from the kitchen? Yeah, that isn’t for you either. These are offerings to the gods though so don’t you dare try to get greedy! Are you listening?!
3. SPECIAL CLOTHES
You can’t wear those same old clothes. They’re all torn and worn or just not appropriate at all for the type of festival you’re going to. The organization has all of your measurements and has sent special robes for the spirits and saniwa to wear. It even comes complete with accessories! What’s taking you so long? We should have left twenty minutes ago. Do you need help? Or are you trying to perfect your appearances for your big debut?
4. PERFORMANCE
Everyone is dancing and everyone is singing. Are you one of the performers? Or are they dancing to you? What kind of songs are you hearing? What dances are you watching? Did you see the ceremonial sword dance? Or maybe you were invited to dance in a special performance with your saniwa! When the performance is over, make sure to congratulate the performers on a job well done… or tease your friend.
5. PAY RESPECTS
After the festive ceremonies, a more somber moment takes place. Remember, we are fighting a war and it’s important to remember those that have fallen. The swords that were broken and damaged beyond repair are gathered up and taken to a sacred fire so that their spirits can be purified and reborn. Later, all of those offerings you have been saving are offered up to the gods for their blessings. One by one, you can come up to the shrine or fire and say your prayers.
6. SPECIAL SUMMONING
What better day to summon a sword spirit on the day you’ve made offerings to the gods and have prayed for good fortune? Maybe it’s a first-time saniwa summoning their first spirit or a veteran saniwa trying their luck. Maybe a saniwa has tried to purify a particularly corrupt sword tonight... Either way, a special spirit is going to be born tonight. Are you the spirit? Happy summoning day to you all.
7. FESTIVITIES
The ceremonies are finally over! Wow, that sure took up a lot of time, huh? There are still a couple of more hours left in the night so enjoy the festivities. Try the food, play the shooting games, win a couple of prizes. How many goldfish can you catch? Or maybe the important question is: How are you going to take care of this goldfish? At the end of the night, you can catch the fireworks before the night ends.
8. WILDCARD
Pick your own adventure.
This is a meme inspired by this plurk. What if the saniwa had to perform other duties besides just summoning swords to fight? What if they had to take part in special ceremonies? What if they had to invite their swords to perform with them? Feel free to get as creative as you want with this prompt as far as things like: Why are they celebrating? How often do they get to leave the citadel? Etc.
[ It's evident to everyone in the citadel that Nameless has been avoiding his future self. Perhaps it's some kind of complex that's dogged him, but the younger (?) tachi has always made it clear that he wasn't interested.
Except maybe not this time.
Everyone's gathered at the roaring fire, and Nameless is no exception. The flames' reflection dance in his purple eyes, both intact, and he takes up a position a few paces away from his future self.
He has had no memories of being burned, but that didn't mean he hasn't been there where people were pushed into the roaring flames. ]
Mitsutada is... well, he's not bothered, per se. Everyone comes to their own conclusions, their own decisions. He's not going to push when he's not wanted or where he won't be heard. When Nameless first arrived, Hasebe cornered Mitsutada, telling him he should say something. To introduce himself, tell the stories he could remember.
He'd considered it. But when he gained a cool shoulder and a silent avoidance, he let it slide. A bridge to be crossed on another day.
They stand near each other now, faces almost an exact copy. Mitsutada's single gold eye shines brightly, flickering flames enhancing the color. His eyepatch is firmly in place, a testament to his history. Quietly, he regards his past, gaze intense even if it's been halved. ]
Do you know this? [ The fire. Burning. Mitsutada doesn't know, because he's never asked before now. ]
[ Although Nameless and Mitsutada carried the same features, a few minutes' observation would immediately differentiate them. The younger one's gaze was sharper, his frigid expression a drastic contract to his older self's warmth and confidence. A sign of being branded by two different masters, a reminder of how much the swords' pasts defined them. ]
This...?
[ He answers. A start, at least - but he lowers his eyes for a moment, as if recalling. ]
I know fire. [ Not from being in it, of course. Nobunaga treasured him - them - too much. ]
The Master used it in strategy.
[ Does Mitsutada remember the siege of Mount Hiei? Flames painted the sky red that night. ]
[ They have their differences, and Mitsutada sees how much they stand out in sharp relief when compared. When he thinks about it, he's reminded of the years long past. Of his time serving Nobunaga. A master that some did not enjoy, but he had found his place with.
Because they had been treasured, hadn't they been? ]
He did. That isn't what I speak of, though. You're still young.
[ Had he really been so stiff? Mitsutada flashes his younger self a small, warm smile. They're both swords, but he's learned more human behaviors. He isn't against this knowledge, how humans operate. In some ways, it grounds him more and more in this world. ]
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tachizuru) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
130bladeworks2015-08-14 04:05 pm
no subject
ayy here we go
Except maybe not this time.
Everyone's gathered at the roaring fire, and Nameless is no exception. The flames' reflection dance in his purple eyes, both intact, and he takes up a position a few paces away from his future self.
He has had no memories of being burned, but that didn't mean he hasn't been there where people were pushed into the roaring flames. ]
no subject
Mitsutada is... well, he's not bothered, per se. Everyone comes to their own conclusions, their own decisions. He's not going to push when he's not wanted or where he won't be heard. When Nameless first arrived, Hasebe cornered Mitsutada, telling him he should say something. To introduce himself, tell the stories he could remember.
He'd considered it. But when he gained a cool shoulder and a silent avoidance, he let it slide. A bridge to be crossed on another day.
They stand near each other now, faces almost an exact copy. Mitsutada's single gold eye shines brightly, flickering flames enhancing the color. His eyepatch is firmly in place, a testament to his history. Quietly, he regards his past, gaze intense even if it's been halved. ]
Do you know this? [ The fire. Burning. Mitsutada doesn't know, because he's never asked before now. ]
no subject
This...?
[ He answers. A start, at least - but he lowers his eyes for a moment, as if recalling. ]
I know fire. [ Not from being in it, of course. Nobunaga treasured him - them - too much. ]
The Master used it in strategy.
[ Does Mitsutada remember the siege of Mount Hiei? Flames painted the sky red that night. ]
no subject
Because they had been treasured, hadn't they been? ]
He did. That isn't what I speak of, though. You're still young.
[ Had he really been so stiff? Mitsutada flashes his younger self a small, warm smile. They're both swords, but he's learned more human behaviors. He isn't against this knowledge, how humans operate. In some ways, it grounds him more and more in this world. ]