taxfest log | open

[sterngaze]

Who: Alenroux residents and visitors!
What: It's Taxfest: an Abadaran holy day celebrating the local community on the day taxes are collected
Where: The settlement in Alenroux
When: Mid April (Pelu)
Warnings: None expected (Warn as appropriate in headers!)

A HOLY DAY FOR TAXES

Every spring, after last year’s profits have been tallied and Alenroux’s snowy winter has melted away, the time comes for the local citizens to bequeath a portion of their earnings back to the growing little town; it’s tax season.

Over the past century, a tradition has grown in the quaint little settlement, influenced by the local church of Abadar: the holy celebration of Taxfest. On this special day, citizens celebrate the town, each other, and the future they hope to build together. It is a day for business, but also for contemplation, as priests cite the public works the citizens’ past contributions have funded and speak on those planned in coming years.

The business of the day is conducted in person. Rather than mailing cheques, residents hand theirs directly to collectors who go door to door all throughout the day, each accompanied by one of the temple priests or acolytes, who observe to ensure the proceedings are respectful and just. Abadar’s clergy thank each citizen for their contributions, offer comfort to the poor, and hear any concerns or suggestions about how the money should be best used.

Throughout the day, tax collectors from the town can be seen accompanied by white-robed acolytes, or priests in yellow-trimmed raiment. Aside from these busy individuals, most of the town’s folk spend their day on leisure, having earned a respite from the last year’s labours.

EVENING AFTERNOON FESTIVITIES

Traditionally, the festivities of Taxfest would begin with sunset. Due to Alenroux’s 48-hour day–night cycles, however, business is typically concluded well before noon, and the day’s celebrations begin when the sun is still high in the sky. Just as the morning had been dedicated to reflection on the year’s efforts, so the rest of the day is spent in celebration. Local tradition dictates that partying hard on Taxfest both honours the work of the past year and brings good luck in the one to come, so locals and visitors alike are encouraged to let their hair down and enjoy themselves thoroughly.

Throughout the town, entertainment and refreshments are on offer, organized by the Abadar’s temple and provided by local businesses. Offerings vary by neighbourhood, and over the years different parts of town have become a little competitive over who can throw the best festival celebration. Priests officially begin the festivities with a brief dedication to Abadar, to Alenroux’s town and to its people, and the rest of the day is devoted solely to merriment.

On the town’s eastern side, a spacious park hosts a cheerful, whirling mass of dancers in groups or in pairs, dancing to the tunes of talented musicians from around town. Food and drink stalls line the perimeter, luring people from their revels with sweet and savoury scents.

One of the stalls, selling little sweet buns with coins stamped on them, swears it’s good luck to find someone bearing a coloured token matching one you find inside your own bun. (Not all the buns have tokens, of course, so better buy a few!) Those with matching tokens will feel more trust and closeness with their matched person for the rest of the festival.

A broad plaza on the town’s west side sports a slightly more carnival air, with entertainers and game stalls taking up much of the available space, some offering rather strange prizes. One of the games, involving a spinning wheel covered with paper balloons, advertises a free drink at the associated tavern for anyone who can hit five balloons without hitting any “bad” ones. Bad balloons will burst in a puff of coloured smoke, causing a minor magic effect lasting for the next hour:

• Higher or lower voice
• Slight intoxication
• Ability to blow smoke or bubbles
• Small objects you hold float away (for a while) if released
• Small objects you touch stick to you as though magnetic
• Other harmless, temporary effects (Pick your own!)

In front of Abadar’s church, the clergy themselves host a cheerful (if quite obviously religious) celebration with tables of food and a hearty ration of wine for everyone in attendance. This year, it seems the clergy member to bless the wine was over-zealous, as partaking may instill feelings of contemplation even in those disinclined to melancholy. Hymns to Abadar are sung, and everyone who attends is given a token for an extra wine ration, which can be traded in by those who attend a church service within the next month.

Comments

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian nods a little, since admittedly, what Liem points out is quite fair. It’s not precisely what he’d meant by making the point, but it’s understood regardless. He makes a thoughtful little noise and frowns, but as Liem explains further, his expression brightens again. ]

Ah, I see.

[ Unsurprisingly, this seems to be something that Sebastian accepts far more. He’s a very orderly demon that follows rules and traditions, somehow… So, naturally, this helps convince him that it’s something worth doing. He does bring a hand to his chin lightly as he thinks about what might be fair or even something he would want (since now his idea of just asking for a wage and giving it away seems a bit ill-advised). ]

…Well. You offered lessons on cooking, as I recall? Would recipes from your home suffice? I have been attempting cuisine of other worlds since I arrived in Kenos, so adding to my repertoire would be nice…

[ truly sometimes it’s hard to remember that Sebastian is The Worst ]

[sterngaze]

[Though Liem is prepared to just give up on Sebastian’s offer entirely if he insists on offering his services for no compensation, he finds to his mixed pleasure that the demon accepts his preference without any quibbling whatsoever. Certainly it is convenient that Sebastian seems to understand his point of view so well—he’s just not sure if he likes the implications very much.

What does it say about him, if he and this fiend keep finding things in common?]

You want Taldan recipes?

[Liem blinks, surprised. Even though he knew that Sebastian cooked, he hadn’t expected this kind of suggestion when he brought up the matter of compensation. But, if the other man isn’t interested in money, recipes are certainly a more agreeable thing for him to ask for than some other, less savoury things he might want.]

I could provide some, yes. [Then, after a moment’s thought he adds,] I could even write them in Taldane. It could be instructive in more ways than one.

[cutlery]

[ It means that Sebastian is a weirdo, not you, Liem, don’t worry, ]

[ Sebastian does know it’s a bit of an odd request, though, so he nods with a serious expression. He perfectly means it, and thus Liem’s acceptance makes him smile, then brighten a little more at the additional usefulness. ]

Ah, yes. That would be perfect.

[ Since orderly as he is, naturally the additional opportunity is pleasing! ]

And if there are any that are a bit more difficult, if you would not mind providing feedback, I would also appreciate that. My sense of taste is very different, so my cooking is very… objective would be the best word for it. So feedback about what is incorrect is very valuable. Hopefully it is not as complex as an Indian curry, but that was also a very fun challenge…

[sterngaze]

[It’s so simple to make Sebastian happy, at least in this small, mundane way. Horribly, this almost makes Liem seriously wonder if, given the right set of circumstances, the demon couldn’t be persuaded to be a functional member of society. Especially given that Liem’s education specifically included areas in which violence and torment might be applied for the good of a greater populace—hashtag Just Inquisitor Things—he can pretty easily imagine Sebastian’s less-savoury proclivities being harnessed for useful ends. But nothing good lies down that road…]

On that, I couldn’t say.

[What is curry? What is “Indian”? Liem will just have to assume that Sebastian is speaking of a dish that is monstrously complicated to create well, given that difficult tasks generally seem to pose no trouble for him.]

But I wouldn’t expect too much complexity. All the recipes I still have, I had to simply recall from memory—and I don’t cook challenging dishes enough to have any memorized.

[He’s a busy man; he can’t be spending hours in the kitchen every single day. Mostly, he just has a few favourites he revisits for nostalgia.]

Even so, I certainly can provide feedback if you wish it.