http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/beltanesouthern_glen_path2.jpg
Beltane " The Southern Glen " April 30th- May 2nd
THE PATH Leading its many guests is a path strewn with Beltane magic. The trees appear to be all in full bloom and shedding their fragrant petals lazily to all those who pass beneath them. The path seems to accommodate any shape or size of Rhydinian (Native or visiting) and is well worn already. To the right and left of the path sit standing torches that burn to keep shadows at bay. Above in the trees suspended by magic"paper lanterns and fae lights bob and weave on an invisible sea of air. The paper lanterns and fae lights come in every color spring blooms in, changing shades at whim. Near the path generally unseen, the elves of Rhydin ethereally sing. Be it songs dedicated to spring, chants to their gods, or simple blessings to those who pass them by—their voices tend to soothe. Snippets of them might even be spotted by their distant torches bobbing like fireflies between massive tree trunks.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/maypole.jpg THE BELTANE CELEBRATIONS Upon reaching the end of the path guests are thrust into the wonderful chaos that is Beltane. Starting from the middle of one of the largest natural clearing one will find the looming May Pole as well as the two monstrous piles of wood for the great Beltane fires. Nearby the fires guests could spot a dais specifically built for any ceremonies as well as for the entertainment. Outward from this as far as the clearing went an impressive array of multi-colored, textured tents could be seen. Some of the fabric and wood constructions were personal and some public—the latter easier to identify by their wide open gauzy tent flaps in addition to the pillows and blankets strewn about for those who are enjoying Beltane to take rest. (Or fall down in should they be too full of "merry-making.") There are also little 'Rest Stops' sprinkled all over the Glen; bales of hay, blankets, stumps and chairs readily found. Medical tents were marked obviously, watering tents for party-goers not interested in drinking, and mysterious tents unmarked for the brave lurked between.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/Tent_of_Bealtein.jpghttp://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/beltane_fire.jpghttp://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/Fire_Dancer_6_by_Falln_Stock.jpg http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/Bonfire_by_Mar_jus.jpghttp://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/places_to_sit_and_rest_beltane.jpg Fire dancers, jugglers weave around troll racers in wheel barrels, kissing booths, dunk booths, game booths. Acrobats and more dart through the crowd dazzling as many as possible. Potion makers slyly slither up to the unawares (or even perhaps, the aware) selling love potions and promising any dream granted in a tiny glass vial. Who's to say if what they claim will be real magic or hogwash"
Lazy streams and little babbling brooks decorated with hundreds of tiny flowers and floating lanterns wind through some parts of the festival, leading those who have a hankering for it to one of the several lakes, ponds and springs within the Glen. Each have been maintained and decorated by unseen hands"glowing fae-lights delve in and out water lighting the ripples in soft colors. Towels, blankets and pillows have been strewn by the banks for those who wish to swim.
Above all of the celebration in the trees throughout the entire area more paper lanterns and fae-lights like the ones on the pathway to the festival float, ensuring that so long as party-goers stay in the area, no path is entirely darkened during the night and hopefully will help those a little too full of spirits and wines to find their way back should they go wandering.
THE SOUNDS The change from the mesmerizing elven chants of the Beltane Path to the Beltane celebration in general might be a bit of a shock at first. Tribal drums, pan pipes, lutes, guitars, flutes, chanting, singing, jigs and reels float from every corner of the tents and booths. Musicians, bards and entertainers move freely through the crowd and through the booths and bonfires. Some entertainers will pick stationary fires to settle themselves and sing. A few more might build smaller stages to enact plays or attract more from the crowd. Some musicians sing with voice alone, their voices mingling with the hopeful sounds of booth keepers hawking their wares.
Shouts, laughter, giggling, squealing and merry making drift in and out with it too, and although at first it may sound like sheer chaos, eventually it appears to meld together somehow. The one constant is the deep, steady thrum of the drums"creating the thriving heart beat to it all.
THE TASTES Two massive Food & Drink tents have been built a few steps away from the central dais and main bonfires. They can be easily spotted no matter where one is at Beltane. One tent's wooden placard depicts a plate and fork while the other depicts a wooden, frothy tankard. Near them and no less impressive is the Silver Mark Co. beer tent, where swarms of hard working beer maids enter and exit, carrying their samples of Heideland Hefeweizen, their brand new wheat beer which will premiere at this year's Beltane celebration. And of course, selling or handing out samples of any of the other fine Silver Mark Co. beers both staple and brand new.
Many Rhydin bakeries, restaurants and family artisan business have donated to the plethora of flavors to be found under the thick tents shade. Food from earth, from Faerun, from Coruscant, Westeros"to name just the very tip of the iceberg"can be found plated and waiting or freshly cooked to order. Chinks of glasses and plates, smells of spices and meats, frying and baking overwhelm the sounds of Beltane festival when guests come near. The drink tent is as much as a marvel as the food tent. Glasses, tankards, snifters, flutes, mugs of all shapes, sizes and material await with poured drinks"or of course, one can ask to have something poured for them. Men and women laden heavily with orders zip in about the tent and out. Of course, guests should be cautious with what drink they pick up on trays, however. As with Beltane before there is a buzz about that a very special Fae wine will be flowing this year too. Mingling with the regular wine some might note a ridiculously, rich, red sparkling wine with an exquisite scent. It is said to be the wine from one of the Fae realms that grants the ability to see fairies for the evening as well as being a...well...rather potent aphrodisiac! It is also rumored that the barrier between the world of Rhydin and Fae becomes even thinner and easier to navigate in-between—some unsuspecting revelers may be kidnapped and brought into the fairy realm forever!
—But no one believes old myths and tales like that! Do they"
THERE"S ALWAYS MORE Of course, that wasn't everything to be found at Beltane. The myriad of people, foods, drinks, entertainers and decorations to be discovered could not possibly be described all at once or in one place. Rhydin is a place of magic, mundane or not"and to say that it the eclectic celebration of Beltane was as varied as the people one could find in Rhydin would be a bit of an understatement. Truly, Rhydin's diversity appears to have melded joyfully together for three nights of amazing fun.
There is no telling what enchantment an adventurous soul may find around the slip of a gauzy tent, behind the bobble of a mystical lantern, or by following the soft giggling trail of a fairy's wing.
Princess Edane....heard a voice singing on a May Eve like this, and followed half awake and half asleep, until she came into the Land of Faery, where nobody gets old and godly and grave, where nobody gets old and crafty and wise, where nobody gets old and bitter of tongue.
~William Butler Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894
((This is only the general setting. Players are ALWAYS encouraged to NPC, add to, and weave their own tales into Beltane this year. For those who cannot make it for the evenings of Beltane, please feel free to reply and RP in this thread as if your character were at Beltane :) Thank you SO much for making Beltane what it is—amazing and awesome! If you have any questions, comments please send a PM to RDI Risa. If you have any questions or comments during the festival, please send an IM to RDI Risa (and be patient ;)
Check out The Crowning of the May Queen music list HERE! Click HERE for Lighting of the Bonfires music. ))
THE PATH Leading its many guests is a path strewn with Beltane magic. The trees appear to be all in full bloom and shedding their fragrant petals lazily to all those who pass beneath them. The path seems to accommodate any shape or size of Rhydinian (Native or visiting) and is well worn already. To the right and left of the path sit standing torches that burn to keep shadows at bay. Above in the trees suspended by magic"paper lanterns and fae lights bob and weave on an invisible sea of air. The paper lanterns and fae lights come in every color spring blooms in, changing shades at whim. Near the path generally unseen, the elves of Rhydin ethereally sing. Be it songs dedicated to spring, chants to their gods, or simple blessings to those who pass them by—their voices tend to soothe. Snippets of them might even be spotted by their distant torches bobbing like fireflies between massive tree trunks.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/maypole.jpg THE BELTANE CELEBRATIONS Upon reaching the end of the path guests are thrust into the wonderful chaos that is Beltane. Starting from the middle of one of the largest natural clearing one will find the looming May Pole as well as the two monstrous piles of wood for the great Beltane fires. Nearby the fires guests could spot a dais specifically built for any ceremonies as well as for the entertainment. Outward from this as far as the clearing went an impressive array of multi-colored, textured tents could be seen. Some of the fabric and wood constructions were personal and some public—the latter easier to identify by their wide open gauzy tent flaps in addition to the pillows and blankets strewn about for those who are enjoying Beltane to take rest. (Or fall down in should they be too full of "merry-making.") There are also little 'Rest Stops' sprinkled all over the Glen; bales of hay, blankets, stumps and chairs readily found. Medical tents were marked obviously, watering tents for party-goers not interested in drinking, and mysterious tents unmarked for the brave lurked between.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/Tent_of_Bealtein.jpghttp://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/beltane_fire.jpghttp://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/Fire_Dancer_6_by_Falln_Stock.jpg http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/Bonfire_by_Mar_jus.jpghttp://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k497/Pinkisnotevil/Beltane%202011/places_to_sit_and_rest_beltane.jpg Fire dancers, jugglers weave around troll racers in wheel barrels, kissing booths, dunk booths, game booths. Acrobats and more dart through the crowd dazzling as many as possible. Potion makers slyly slither up to the unawares (or even perhaps, the aware) selling love potions and promising any dream granted in a tiny glass vial. Who's to say if what they claim will be real magic or hogwash"
Lazy streams and little babbling brooks decorated with hundreds of tiny flowers and floating lanterns wind through some parts of the festival, leading those who have a hankering for it to one of the several lakes, ponds and springs within the Glen. Each have been maintained and decorated by unseen hands"glowing fae-lights delve in and out water lighting the ripples in soft colors. Towels, blankets and pillows have been strewn by the banks for those who wish to swim.
Above all of the celebration in the trees throughout the entire area more paper lanterns and fae-lights like the ones on the pathway to the festival float, ensuring that so long as party-goers stay in the area, no path is entirely darkened during the night and hopefully will help those a little too full of spirits and wines to find their way back should they go wandering.
THE SOUNDS The change from the mesmerizing elven chants of the Beltane Path to the Beltane celebration in general might be a bit of a shock at first. Tribal drums, pan pipes, lutes, guitars, flutes, chanting, singing, jigs and reels float from every corner of the tents and booths. Musicians, bards and entertainers move freely through the crowd and through the booths and bonfires. Some entertainers will pick stationary fires to settle themselves and sing. A few more might build smaller stages to enact plays or attract more from the crowd. Some musicians sing with voice alone, their voices mingling with the hopeful sounds of booth keepers hawking their wares.
Shouts, laughter, giggling, squealing and merry making drift in and out with it too, and although at first it may sound like sheer chaos, eventually it appears to meld together somehow. The one constant is the deep, steady thrum of the drums"creating the thriving heart beat to it all.
THE TASTES Two massive Food & Drink tents have been built a few steps away from the central dais and main bonfires. They can be easily spotted no matter where one is at Beltane. One tent's wooden placard depicts a plate and fork while the other depicts a wooden, frothy tankard. Near them and no less impressive is the Silver Mark Co. beer tent, where swarms of hard working beer maids enter and exit, carrying their samples of Heideland Hefeweizen, their brand new wheat beer which will premiere at this year's Beltane celebration. And of course, selling or handing out samples of any of the other fine Silver Mark Co. beers both staple and brand new.
Many Rhydin bakeries, restaurants and family artisan business have donated to the plethora of flavors to be found under the thick tents shade. Food from earth, from Faerun, from Coruscant, Westeros"to name just the very tip of the iceberg"can be found plated and waiting or freshly cooked to order. Chinks of glasses and plates, smells of spices and meats, frying and baking overwhelm the sounds of Beltane festival when guests come near. The drink tent is as much as a marvel as the food tent. Glasses, tankards, snifters, flutes, mugs of all shapes, sizes and material await with poured drinks"or of course, one can ask to have something poured for them. Men and women laden heavily with orders zip in about the tent and out. Of course, guests should be cautious with what drink they pick up on trays, however. As with Beltane before there is a buzz about that a very special Fae wine will be flowing this year too. Mingling with the regular wine some might note a ridiculously, rich, red sparkling wine with an exquisite scent. It is said to be the wine from one of the Fae realms that grants the ability to see fairies for the evening as well as being a...well...rather potent aphrodisiac! It is also rumored that the barrier between the world of Rhydin and Fae becomes even thinner and easier to navigate in-between—some unsuspecting revelers may be kidnapped and brought into the fairy realm forever!
—But no one believes old myths and tales like that! Do they"
THERE"S ALWAYS MORE Of course, that wasn't everything to be found at Beltane. The myriad of people, foods, drinks, entertainers and decorations to be discovered could not possibly be described all at once or in one place. Rhydin is a place of magic, mundane or not"and to say that it the eclectic celebration of Beltane was as varied as the people one could find in Rhydin would be a bit of an understatement. Truly, Rhydin's diversity appears to have melded joyfully together for three nights of amazing fun.
There is no telling what enchantment an adventurous soul may find around the slip of a gauzy tent, behind the bobble of a mystical lantern, or by following the soft giggling trail of a fairy's wing.
Princess Edane....heard a voice singing on a May Eve like this, and followed half awake and half asleep, until she came into the Land of Faery, where nobody gets old and godly and grave, where nobody gets old and crafty and wise, where nobody gets old and bitter of tongue.
~William Butler Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894
((This is only the general setting. Players are ALWAYS encouraged to NPC, add to, and weave their own tales into Beltane this year. For those who cannot make it for the evenings of Beltane, please feel free to reply and RP in this thread as if your character were at Beltane :) Thank you SO much for making Beltane what it is—amazing and awesome! If you have any questions, comments please send a PM to RDI Risa. If you have any questions or comments during the festival, please send an IM to RDI Risa (and be patient ;)
Check out The Crowning of the May Queen music list HERE! Click HERE for Lighting of the Bonfires music. ))