Lore Book: Wellspring Day
Added 2022-09-20 21:24:13 +0000 UTCAs morning continues, children spill out onto the streets to play as adults prepare for the events of the day. After all the priests have been cleansed, the oldest Drehmari begin to make their way to the purification sites first,
Finally, when the sun is at its highest point, a great gong from the Tide Queen's personal collection is rung, and the shores are filled by visitors from across the realm. For that one day only, the Tidal Dynasty is open to traffic from abroad! They come in droves to celebrate and bathe in the rivers and bathhouses. After all citizens have been purified, the waters are then opened to foreigners. Great lines form from the outskirts to the center of the twin cities as runners sell them drinks and anything and everything smothered in kehma.
As the sun gets lower in the sky and sunset begins, most citizens gather outside the Tidal Palace in Firteid for the Tide Queen's balcony speech. Her comments are typically brief, but full of strength and vitality, outlining her goals for the next year. Then, as she returns to her quarters, the final phase of the festivities begin.
In the center of Vulteid, a great play takes place, telling the history of the realm. In the beginning, it only told the story of the Deity War, but every year it adds more details and actors from throughout the realm. The author of this account has had the fortune of seeing the Living Archive on seventeen occasions and even contributing to its script. Surrounded by a ring of nine thousand lanterns, the atmosphere is timeless.
Finally, as the lines run out and the Living Archive concludes, outsiders are sent onto their ships and escorted out of Tidal lands. Citizens return to their homes and fall into beds. While the next week's cleanup is one of the hardest parts of the year, the magic of Wellspring Day is worth the hardship.
