Location: City of Gorias
Φ For six days a festival has been raging on within the city of Gorias, and the entire providence of Gorias.
The beastkin during the festivals made it a point to dress in clothes far more ornate than usual; wearing flowers throughout their bodies, or dressing in clothes made entirely out of plants.
Clothes made out of animals had the motif of using materials from animals their innate beast was hunted or were hunted by as a sign of greater connection.
The druids made clothes out of plants that could be modified with their beast blood battle, allowing them to change their designs of the clothes, and throughout the city, designated druids were given instructions to change the clothes of those who passed by.
Many wore jewellery such as brooches, pins, armlets, rings, and torcs against the animal parts of their bodies as a way to honour their heritage, while many others decorated their bodies with paint or tattoos which represent ancient stories or those who they called gods throughout their history.
For their hair, they wore many different types of braids, and it was common to take some hair from your tails and use it when making the braid and staining it with blood to represent the fusion between animal and man.
However for beastkin who didn’t have hair due to being a certain type of beastkin, they would make artificial braids out of plants throughout their heads, and with the help of druids, they would be temporally attached to them.
Many musicians filled the area playing their heart out on their instruments of choice, but harps were far more prominent than others and filled each and every area of the city.
The different groups of musicians moved around, and using their druid-made instruments, they were able to create sounds that when exposed to each beastkin sense sounded different, allowing many people in one area to hear multiple different songs from one person.
But in coordination with them, those who served food whether big or small, made efforts to make specific food types in different areas, which made the beastkin who ate those food types crowd into those areas allowing the musicians to move in a predetermined pattern, that made is so that everyone could hear their playing.
At the same time as all of this, a parade moved throughout the city. Those who marched in it played music and danced, but also in the parade there were many floats that incorporated wonderbeasts into them, and riders would move through the area showcasing all of the different wonderbeasts, some would even use this time as advertising to sell them off.
During the parade, the most spectacular wonderbeasts were the tiritrexs' which all bore an appearance similar to that of the Tiritrex of Nialathrú, as it was its ancestor.
The tiritrex’s open their mouths and let out a blast of sunlight that exploded making a beautiful sight for those below.
Still, those who hadn’t enjoyed the festival, and the rowdy kids who couldn’t behave within the city, were all able to move to an open field just outside the city where many different games were played.
The kids played a game where they carried sticks made of wood and flung special boluses at each other. When the boluses hit, they puff up into a ball of cotton knocking the player out of the game.
The young kids play this game to have fun, but it also allows the young children to use their innate animal abilities and enhanced senses in a way that is non-lethal while letting them use their bodies without restrictions.
But this leads to many different matches being unfair, due to many of the kids' physical attributes removing a sense of fairness. So, the adults join in every now and then to make sure fun is maintained when a group has a genetic advantage.
Throughout the streets, the druids held exhibits showing off their latest inventions to all the beastkin who passed by, many using this event as a form of crowdfunding to further their research.
They showcased boluses that clean dirty water, a flour substance that improves soil health, an artificial flower that feeds off of man-eating parasites within the soil, and an artificial aquarium which is capable of regrowing its insides allowing people to keep fish as pets.
Medicine made from plant extract that numbs pain, plants that automatically devour waste and send it to the soil, plants that can forcefully boil water, even plants that have the ability to turn lots of sunlight into water, sunflowers which shine bright lights, prosthetics.
And the most incredible invention to all was from the house of Céilús which gave a presentation and showed.
In front of all the people gathered, and he says, “To all those who live in the cities I am sure you have had issues with getting water, and cleaning waste. While we can use wonderbeasts to recycle them and hire cleaners that is such lowly behaviour for us members of the Tuatha Dé Dannan.
So we of House Céilús have found a new way to do things. Look here is a little man-eating parasite. But don’t fear because using what we have learned from it, us druids have become able to reverse engineer a lot of it for our benefit.
Now this ball I hold in my right hand uses many of the same aspects of the parasite, but when implanted in the ground it would grow to look like that of the sewage systems found within the Red Branch castles, granted as long as we carve out its path beforehand.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
The inside of the plant pipes would be waterproof but they would also be self-cleaning, and unlike the sewage systems we would not have to have a large group of people working on this, druids could essentially do it themselves saving us an incredible amount of time and money.
The system would not only be able to clean up your waste, but put toilets in every single house, and we even might be able to put individual fountains in everyone’s house, and the best part is that it would be far quicker and cheaper to make than a castle.
But to make this a reality we of House Céilús need your help and your funding, and the quicker we get this done the faster we never have to handle our own waste ever again.”
The crowd goes wild with many of the people in front of the two members of house Céilús going wild. But the two of them start to talk amongst themselves.
“Hey Roi, is it a good idea to allow one of the four kings of Tir na n-iontas to go around asking citizens for money, especially if they are not from our providence?”
“What other choice do we have, the research requires money to keep us fed and rebuy plants after we make a mistake!”
“But isn’t this kind of shameful?”
“We have no other choice, at this point we are about to go into debt over how much money we owe the house of Éire. Our queen is gifted in conversation, but even she can’t borrow that much before that filthy piece of trash starts getting a bit too annoying.”
“I see, I see but still this feels low class.”
“Never feel like that, my boy. Remember no matter how much money you take from people in Gorias, Lugh will always make sure they are still all fed and housed. So, rip these people off as much as necessary.”
“How heartless.”
The druids all continue to show off their inventions with many getting the funding they need from people and nobles who walk past.
At the height of the celebration, the young king stands at the top of a fountain in the middle of the city, and beside him, the Druids use their abilities to make plants grow.
The plants grow into a shape that resembles a horn, and in that moment Setanta shouts, “SOON WE WILL BE WELCOMING A NEW MEMBER INTO THE HOUSE OF FAOLÁIN, SO ALL OF YOU MAKE SURE TO CELEBRATE HER UNION WITH OUR KING, AND THE EVENTUALLY CHILDREN THEY WILL BRING!”
The people shout in response to this, and Setanta says, “Everything is going according to plan. It looks like my planning is perfect.”
One of the druids beside Setanta says, “You seem to be going all out today?”
“Because my father requested, I gather everyone into a single area tomorrow for his wedding. It going to take a lot of time, so I had to push all of the things I wanted to do tomorrow into today.”
“I didn’t think Lugh wanted that big of an audience?”
“It seems my father enjoys being praised as much as everyone else. So, let’s let this festival rage on even more.”
With the combined efforts of everyone, the festival continues through the day up until nightfall.
Many at this time have gone to rest, but for those who stay up many of the beastkin put on performances showcasing the stories of the ones they call gods.
The pieced together stories passed down from oral traditions along with Biorg, and Cumhaill's research. Using wonderbeasts, druids, and dance they make them as real as possible.
Each day four heroes are chosen, and their stories are put on for all to watch. The birth of those known as gods, the heroes who conquered great beasts in the past, and even Lugh the god’s battle against the humans who had their souls cursed, Fomorians.
And as the people enjoy these stories being performed all throughout Gorias.
An exclusive party between the Red branch and their guests have begun within the castle. The different houses of the Red branch are all gathered and met in one place.
Φ Drinking beside another old man, the horse beastkin Ruán Ó Lúcogadh says, “Don’t you think you're getting too old for that Dedad, we are both passed our primes and drinking an entire barrel might kill you.”
The lion beastkin Dedad Ó Laoch says, “Drinking this providence into poverty is my revenge for Cú Culainn killing my brother, and besides my son is already ready to take over my house so why should I stop?”
With a stressed-out look, Ruán says, “I wonder if our providence of Findias is going to be ok with Niall at its head.”
“I thought the same, but he has been taking his studying, and training far more seriously. He even started to learn the saviour's song.”
Surprized Ruán says, “What happened to bring this about?”
“It seems the son of Lugh has become some kind of rival to him, so he wants to crush him. The talented need motivation or they become stale, Findias will be fine with Cú Raoi at the helm.”
Φ Standing by her lonesome an armadillo beastkin who has rather well-defined muscles rests looking directly at the heads of the house of Éire and the house of Céilús.
Soon a shark beastkin walks up to her, and says, “Treasa Ó Cathal, why do you look so glum even at a party?”
Treasa stares at the smiling and cocky woman who walks up to her, and she says, “Líra Ó Máirseáil, how unpleasant it is to see you.”
“You say that but only one of us of looks like she is not relaxed at a wedding.”
“Because unlike you I have people to watch.”
Laying against the wall with her, Líra says, “Cathal’s the sturdy protectors of the empire whose defence can never be broken through, those who pushed the east back when they invaded into our lands. The house which watches over both the Sealbhóirs, and the Éires in Falias, and a bunch of uptight workaholics who don’t even know how to relax.”
Annoyed, Treasa says, “The Máirseáil, the house who have masted the seas but use that ability to go on nonsensical adventures to satiate their curiosity.”
“Hey, we bring back delicious gifts from where we go to.”
Glaring at Líra she says, “Don’t try and pretend like that was your intention.”
Líra gets a little bit spoked so she changes the topic and says, “I know having to live in the same providence as those sneaky and greedy bastards can put you on edge, but you are allowed to just enjoy yourself.”
“I can’t because I don’t know what Medb and pests are cooking.”
“My king Medb is actually rather great if you got to know her, beside it is only thanks to her that women like us are even allowed to be in charge of our houses.”
Blushing a bit, Treasa says, “Well I guess that is true. I should at least thank her for that.”
Standing up and hugging Treasa, Líra says, “That's my cute little dillo.”
As they walk forward Treasa says, “Call me that again, and I will squash you.”
“Right, Right.”
Leaders of the Red Branch.
Of Gorias
Faoláin the Shining. Led by Lugh
Fuinseog the Hunter. Led by Donald
Serlasracht the smiths. Led by Éamonn
Of Murias
Céilús the ingenious. Led by Medb
Máirseáil the storm. Led by Líra
Cumhaill the wise. Led by Fráech
Of Falias
Éire the bountiful. Led by Dagda
Cathal the protectors. Led by Treasa
Sealbhóir the tricky. Led by Bricriu
Of Findias
Laoch the fierce. Led by Dedad
Biorg the spiritual. Led by Findabair
Lúcogadh the swift. Led by Ruan