driftfleet | May the Best of your Todays be the Worst of your Tomorrows

The morning of the final day of the year - called Last Eve - brings with it a soft, gentle chorus of bells. No matter what town or city you've found yourself in, the tradition is the same: a simple scale plays every hour throughout the day - a melodic, slow countdown to all the festivities to come tonight. People - especially children! - run through the streets ringing hand-held bells of their own, all in the name of good luck and best wishes for the upcoming year. Don't want to wait for the night to start the party? Don't worry! There's plenty to do all day long, too!

A ringing melody in the wind

You thought the festivals throughout the month were extravagant? Well, they're nothing compared to the parades today! Marching bands, performers, and dance crews show off routines they've been preparing for months, candy flies through the air for all of the parade-goers to catch and keep... The floats are elaborate and grand, with humongous shapes in bright colors. A lot of heart, soul, and expert craftsmanship went into these, and it shows. Some parades have set themes, others are just a representation of the towns that give them and what they've put together to share with everyone... but all of them are full of love, joy, and good luck wishes for the upcoming year. Maybe you're part of the parade - riding on a float, tossing out candy, singing or playing an instrument... or maybe you're just there to watch! No matter which way, it's going to be a good time.

The waters may be too cold to swim in, but that's why boats exist! Once the sun goes down, the natural glow of the water is even more breathtaking set against the black, starry skies -- and local tradition is to spend Last Eve out on the water in some way! From rowboats, paddle boats, and sailboats to motorized party boats with loudly blasting music and flashing lights, or huge luxury liners with all the fancy trimmings of fine dining and entertainment -- no matter what kind of boat you want, you're going to have a great time ringing in the new year on the water. Get your party boat on! Or, spend a romantic evening with your loved one on a crewed private charter! Or, row out on your own and meet up with other rowers. Bring snacks~ and a life vest - safety first!

The best part, though, isn't Last Eve... it's First Dawn. Once it gets closer and closer to midnight, and the bells begin to chime louder, and faster, and more jubilant... that's when the real light show begins.

Light up the skies!

Almost every inch of the night sky is covered in bright lights and brilliant hues as fireworks soar through the black. The breathtaking display reflects in the glowing waters, which seem to mimic all the colors back like a visual echo. And with the backdrop of the bells' song, this is how the new year comes to Libuscha IV.

So - Happy Last Eve, and Happy First Dawn. Enjoy your holiday, dear Fleet. ♥

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(( This post is a mingle for all of your New Year / Last Eve / First Dawn Celebration needs. Go forth and have fun! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us. o7

And on a final note: Happy New Year, Drift Fleet. ♥! Thank you for spending your RP time with us. We're absolutely convinced that you're all the best players out there, and we love you for coming on this journey with us. May the next year be full of fun, happiness, and of course, some shenanigans~ ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ his lips curve a little. ]

I don't know yet. This belongs to me but I have never been fond of it.

Hah... yeah, that can make things awkward. The way I see it, the only way to figure things out is to keep using it 'til you decide. Manipulating an existing spell is always a good skill, so can you make the hail fly horizontal instead?

[Like a bunch of tiny iceballs. That'd be a pretty good attack, actually.]

[ hmm, he could tweak it with his own telekinesis. loki concentrates on the casket, and the hail shifts direction. ]

It seems to obey my every whim.

Huh... well, that's a perk in your favour, at least. I've known some magical artifacts that give some real kickback whether you use it right or not.

[Lookin' at you, Umbra Staff, you piece of shit.]

Mmm. I am familiar. My brother used to hold a hammer to summon thunderstorms.

[ and many other things. but loki never had anything like that. all his magic, everything he was, he had to work for it. ]

Yeah, he told me about that- and that it broke. Too bad, it would've been pretty cool to see. But this- [She gestures at the box.] If you've got natural affinity for it, you shouldn't even need it for your ice magic. My guess is, it's acting as a focus to kickstart your training.

[ that is an interesting point and loki hadn't thought to consider it. ]

The Casket as a focal point?

Sure! Magic items have all sorts of properties, and some give you access to spells you wouldn't normally be able to cast, or enhance abilities you already have. What if it's the latter instead of the former?

[ loki rubs his chin. ]

It is possible. Though hard to fathom with the Casket.

Do you know its origins? Where it came from, who used it before you, stuff like that?

[ another long pause before loki responds. ]

My birth father used it. The Casket hails from Jotunheim, a frozen realm.

[THE PLOT THICKENS. She hums thoughtfully as one more piece slides into place. If he's at least half from a frozen land...]

So that could contribute to you having elemental affinity and why you can safely use it, or it might just be the natural properties of the artifact... damn, it could really go one way or the other, here.

[The one benefit to her being mostly unaware of his lore means that even if she felt so inclined (which she does not, because fuck that noise), she can't judge him on the Jotunheim bit- the name means nothing to her. Her intrigue still lies with the casket, which is getting very interesting.]

I could examine it, if you want. Magically, I mean- without touching it. Might get you some extra insight.

[ it is not that her offer makes him uneasy. it is that the casket represents a great deal of loki's own issues. ]

As long as you're careful.

No worries, babe, I'm a pro.

[She winks and rolls to her feet, moving to stand in front of where he's holding the casket. She reaches her hands out towards it, halting at a safe distance, and focuses all her attention on it. Her eyes begin to glow with a silvery sheen as she uses her identification spell, the magic swirling around them in the form of tiny ribbons of mystical knowledge. After a moment she speaks again, calling out a list of traits as the information reaches her.]

Man, you weren't kidding. It's... really powerful, but it's got some heavy latches keeping that shit chained back. That's our lovely captors at work, I assume. Other than that, it's like somebody caught a winter storm and locked it up inside. The limits on wielding it are... characteristic? That usually means it's race-related. Let's see... definitely channeling its own magic, not yours- I think if it wasn't for the danger factor, anybody could use it to cast ice spells of some sort. Feels like those are mostly limited to destructive techniques, though.

[She takes a step back as the glimmer fades from her eyes, scratching at the back of her neck.]

That's it. I guess it just confirmed what we'd already half-guessed... not sure if it's good or bad news, but hey, better to know, right?

[ he nods slowly. at least it is the casket and not something else given to him. his feelings remain mixed, but this is . . . his now. why deny that birthright? ]

Thank you. That was informative.

No problemo.

[She pauses for a moment, brows furrowing. He's still a hard read, but she can at least gather that things are complicated, to put it lightly, in ways that she won't understand with what little she knows of him. And complicated can often play tricks on the mind. She's not a fan of that.]

I'll tell you one more thing, and this is just an educated guess, but... that casket? Could not create those illusions you were working on when I got here. They were way too intricate for something that's built to produce such raw power. You're making it your own, and that's not something just anybody could do.

[ he chuckles softly. ]

I thought as much. Though it is good to hear. Most often the Casket is used as a blunt instrument of destruction. I rather not use it in such a manner though.

Yeah, I think this stuff is more fun, so long as there isn't some big bad to wreck. That's when nasty ice magic comes in handy.

[She glances around and shrugs her shoulders.]

A nice peaceful planet like this? Hardly the place for it.

[ nice and peaceful. it grates on him, despite himself. to see places like this existing. ]

Well, I have no plans on it.

Good to know.

[She watches the snow and ice for a few long moments, just drinking in the oddly soothing sight, then gives him a light couple of pats on the shoulder.]

I'm heading back- got a few deliveries to make before the next party starts. Keep practicing, yeah? And let me know if you want some company when you're goin' at it.

[ he smiles despite himself. ]

I will inform you.

May the Best of your Todays be the Worst of your Tomorrows

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