鬼KYOKAN

[mikraitios]

Who: Castor, Pollux, and maybe you?
When: September 16
Where: At the edge of the shoreline on the beach
Summary: A sacrifice for Jenny!
Warnings: It's an animal sacrifice but the actual thing isn't like, graphic.

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Once the preparations are complete in the mid-afternoon, Castor and Pollux will gather anyone who's interested in attending and begin the sacrifice. As royalty among humans and ancient gods themselves, they are willing to offer a gracious demonstration of how to pay your respects to the gods, beginning with a prayer, but anyone who decides to stay is encouraged to participate—whether by talking with one another or tossing seeds during the ritual, anything so that they could be considered involved themselves.

Once anybody who stops by is ready and quieted down, they will lift their arms to the sky to call upon "Jenny" — a goddess of storms. Just imagine it goes something loosely along the lines of: "We, the Dioscuri, know of your search— while we hope that today's offering pleases you, know that we will reunite you with your brothers. In return, we ask that when we quit this voyage, you offer us, the passengers, your shelter alongside them as we return to where we should be."

Only the ones who don't piss her off is kind of an unsaid implication, but really, it seems like a fair enough trade, right?

The star of the show is a local boar that the two of them brought down together. Next to the makeshift altar, it can be found dressed up in what looks like a very fluffy pink silk scarf, which is tied in a ribbon around it's belly. Once it has agreed to the sacrifice, it's cooked over the open fire, and a certain amount is set aside especially for Jenny—the rest, though? Once the meat has finished cooking, it's distributed among everyone else in attendance, as well as any mangos and other foodstuffs that the guests might have their eyes on. No matter what you decide to accept, you're told that it should be finished by evening.

And when the feast is complete, everyone is invited to participate in games. Whether it's sprint races, jumping competitions, spear throwing, or... frisbee because proper discus' probably aren't available here and Castor sure as hell isn't letting a human touch his, everyone is encouraged to take part and enjoy themselves. (Including if anybody would like to make their own top-levels too!)

Comments

[winepouring]

And when two people well work together, they make great things possible. Lady Pollux also did excellent work.

[ They still did it together, even if he has no idea where Castor's work ended and Pollux's work begun, so his statement stands! ]

Are these the sorts of festivities you enjoy? Lady Pollux had mentioned that the two of you were honored in this way before. It's certainly a lively and spirited atmosphere here.

[ Which he doesn't expect from Castor!! Please, enlighten him. ]

[mikraitios]

( Mmmmm yeah okay that gets a pass. As long as Pollux is acknowledged first and foremost, that's the most important aspect to Castor. )

Yeah. This is the type of sacrifice that would be performed in Greece.

( The ritualized cooking of the meat and prayer of gratitude, the shared feast among as many as wished to participate, and then the games and other opportunities through which to get to know one another... He doesn't think that what they've managed to achieve is anything to scoff at, but still— )

It would normally be a much grander event.

( They're working with both what and who they have, however; when the humans and others aboard this ship don't know any better, it's taken some convincing, to say the least. )

[winepouring]

Even grander than this?

[ He's genuinely surprised, taking a look around once more. The scent of cooked meat is still hanging in the air, and there wasn't an insignificant amount of people, all things considered.

He folds his arms across his chest. ]

The places where these used to be held must have been proper, thriving cities with devoted believers and priests to manage and make preparations. With only one day on this island, you've still managed this whole ritual—and to honor a god not everyone here has even heard of, at that. Isn't it still impressive that this is has been as grand as it is?

[ If Shi Qingxuan is to honor the Dioscuri, is this the sort of ritual that should be preformed...? It's really sounding that way. Really making him feel like he has his work cut out for him! ]

I can only imagine what the festivals in your honor must have been like compared to this...

[ Like... gold vessels and a feast large enough to feed a few hundred, songs being played and performances being held, all lasting into the night... (...on a beach.) ]

[mikraitios]

( Why is he being praised so much? At first, it's easy enough to simply acknowledge the truth of what Shi Qingxuan is saying, but as he goes on and it loops back around to their own arrangements... Castor watches the other express all this with indifference, but inside he's the lady with floating math equations meme. )

Yeah...

( He can't exactly deny the fact that it is impressive, particularly Pollux's efforts and contributions. Being the one to receive these sentiments though? This is so weird. He crosses his arms out of a lack of anything better to do with his hands. )

That's true of the Olympians, but we mostly watched over travelers.

( Not much padding to their pockets, he means to say. Zeus would have a sacrifice of a hundred oxen. The Panathenaea included games that lasted several days after the festival. In contrast, the Dioscuri have never really asked so much; simple offerings of respect and acknowledgement from those who would take to the seas or look to them in times of need.

Grains and other harvest foods composed theirs more often than not, but the fact that everyone understood the importance and shared the same respect for them was in and of itself more impressive than what they've managed to scrounge up here, Castor thinks. Which, he supposes, means that he should turn this around somehow. )

It's good if you've enjoyed it though. Pollux will be happy.