[Semi-closed] Windblume

[startraveler]

Who: Genshin cast and friends!
Which: Semi-closed log
Where: Reverein
What: Genshins celebrating Windblume festival
Warnings: Alcohol. Will add if anything else comes up


[When Venti brings up Windblume, Bennett proposes to organize something similar here, in this still mysterious world of dreams. The idea is quickly approved - to those who come from Mondstadt, it will surely be a nostalgic event, to those who come from other regions it may be a chance to see a celebration from another land. To all, it will be a wonderful way to get to know one another, work together, bond over good food, drinks and a cheerful song.

With this plan in mind the preparation begin. Tables are borrowed from At Day's End, carefully set up outside with Gorou's help. The area is decorated with many flowers, as if to welcome the spring. The kitchen is busy, as Thoma, Aether and Ori make sure that everybody can have something they would like. The traveller's knowledge of everyone's favourite dishes definitely helps in that! The recipes he's learnt in many different parts of Teyvat come in handy and he's happy to teach them to his two friends.

Soon, the tables are full of amazing food and with Diluc's kind help there is also no shortage of drinks, both alcoholic and not. Now all that is left to do is for Venti to play his tune and for everyone to enjoy their time together.]

Comments

[startraveler]

1.
[As the celebration begins, Aether can be seen coming up to his friends, joining in for a small chat or trying out the various dishes. They've all worked hard to make this happen! He can't help but grin a little at how nice their gathering is and the new faces - of friends made in this world not in Teyvat - are equally pleasing to see.

At some point though, as if out of habit, Aether starts searching of things to do or help with. Maybe someone needs more drinks? Maybe they'd like something else to eat? Maybe there are empty dishes that need to be carried back to the kitchen?

The traveler clearly likes keeping himself busy, even at times like this. It's fine though. It just means that his companions can get more time to enjoy the celebration.]

2.
[Even though he knew he shouldn't do it, Aether was easily caught in the moment and accepted the wine that Venti offered him. It was supposed to be just one glass, only to taste, as he was always denied this chance back in Teyvat! As could have been expected though, Venti was too happy to get him more wine and the two spent time in good mood, over the drinks.

The problems really started when Aether decided to finally stand up.

But here he is now, completely not minding that his step is wobbly. The smile on his face is quite big, too.]

Hello, dearest friend! [He gets close, attempting to put an arm around the other person, happy to be in such good company, but in a way also to stabilize himself.] Would you like to join me for a drink? [And he still doesn't have enough.]

2

[concierto]

[Despite it being entirely Venti's fault that Aether is now a tipsy mess he has zero regrets inside of him! He's always been loose about the restrictions that alcohol can have. Besides- This is a celebration! Their own little Windblume away from home. To say that Venti is touched is ... quite the understatement. His heart feels very full.]

Aether! Another one? I'll be more than glad about it! Let's have another cheer!

[But should Aether really be having another one? Yes. Yes. He loops his arm around Aether as well as he pours the wine into the cups.]

Happy Windblume!

[startraveler]

[Aether is awfully happy when Venti accepts, grinning wide and leaning some more against the archon.]

Another one, then another one... We're here together, isn't this wonderful?

[And a good reason to have another cheer! The traveler chuckles softly, obviously not feeling like himself, but he hardly minds. The ground is swaying a little, but that's fine, too.

He grabs the cup of wine, then raises it up in the air with unsteady hand, not paying any attention that some wine spills here and there.]

Happy Windblume!

[concierto]

[What's a few splashes and spills here and there? Nothing at all! Venti only giggles and hugs closer to Aether's side!]

This might not be Mondstadt, but! I'm happy to see everyone celebrating all the same. Thank you for all your help, Aether.

[Now DRINK UP. Even more!!]

2!!!

[sangopearls]

[ Gorou hasn't had anything alcoholic (yet), but oh my god, Aether. He's a surprised when Aether casually slings his arm around Gorou's shoulders, but he doesn't draw back. He stays there and accepts his fate as being Aether's rock for the time being. He'll even go ahead and put an arm around the other boy's shoulders in an attempt to steady him a little more. ]

I wouldn't mind indulging a little, but are you feeling alright? Maybe we should get you some water...

[ Buddy...are you okay... ]

[startraveler]

[He giggles softly at that question as if Gorou has just told a very amusing joke. Then he proceeds to lean close, almost smashing his cheek against the other's.]

My dear beloved friend... I'm great! I've never been better, actually!

[He looks ahead, his brows furrowing for a second or two, before he grins again.]

The ground, on the other hand, is moving. [He makes a vague gesture.] But that's fine. We're in this strange world...

[He trails off, then nods a little.

Yes, he's perfectly fine. It's not him, it's just the earth moving under his feet.]

[sangopearls]

[ Ah...he's seen this before, with his other men. And, truth be told, he's also been this drunk before himself, so he can't help but laugh a little when Aether talks about the ground moving. ]

No, that's just you.

[ Gorou...

He notices the proximity between them, which brings him back to an all-too-familiar festival that they experienced together previously. It makes him a little nervous, and for a moment, his heart rate picks up speed -- but he gently nudges his friend towards a table, where he can gather his bearings a little. ]

Come on, let's get you seated. You'll feel better once you're sitting down.

1

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Well most of his companions get to enjoy the celebration. There is one person that it might be questionable for. Xiao, of course, is not one for being around a great many people. However he still is so curious. This rendition of Windblume happens to be one of them. It's not as if Xiao has experienced Windblume, though he knows of it.

So cue the fact that he is going to linger. However he doesn't seem too inclined to actually participate or do anything unless/until prompted. ]

[startraveler]

[Oh Xiao, dear Xiao. Aether spots him, thinks about it for a moment, then grabs a plat of almond tofu and goes right to the yaksha.]

Here, enjoy!

[Almond tofu will solve everything, no matter what Xiao himself may say!.]

And once you're done I'll have a super special task for you!

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Xiao is now suddenly holding a plate of almond tofu. For Aether to already have this prepared means that he had anticipated that Xiao would come. A bit presumptuous and the Yaksha is about to tell his companion this when something else is said instead.

It makes him narrow his eyes ever so slightly. ]

A special task?

[ What could Aether possibly think to ask of him? ]

[burnbrighter]

A 🐾 FESTIVE FEAST

[ With Ori and Aether’s help, there’s quite an array of food to choose from. One of the larger tables they managed to borrow from At Day’s End is covered with rows of plates - most bearing dishes from Teyvat, with Aether filling in the gaps in Thoma’s culinary knowledge with ease. There are many local specialties from Mondstadt, of course, but dishes from Liyue and Inazuma are also present - including some fried tofu for the honorable Lady Guuji. Ori has provided several desserts with a floral twist, such as small cakes made with berries and edible flowers.

All of these dishes have been made with a healthy application of dreamotion from Thoma, and one can’t help but feel a sense of warmth when you bite into a dish. No matter where you’re from, eating the food feels a bit like coming home.

Thoma himself can be found standing at one end of the table, handing out plates to anyone who walks up. ]

Here you go. I hope you’re hungry! There’s plenty of food.

B 🐾 GENERAL MINGLING

[ Outside of the above, Thoma is definitely around being the social butterfly he is.

He will politely turn down any offers of alcoholic drinks but he is willing to chat and hang out anyway. Also, as one of the few who have been in Reverein the longest, he is happy to answer questions about the town or dreamotion. Perhaps at one point a few of the stray dogs and cats that Thoma have been feeding wander into the celebration, and he needs some help rounding them up or keeping them off the food table. Anything goes!

If you want to plot something specific, hit me up, but otherwise, consider this your wildcard option. ]

b - I'm sorry, he's drunk

[startraveler]

[The time he spent drinking with Venti was pleasant, but he can't stay only in the archon's company! Today they all should celebrate together! And so the traveler seeks our his other friends and one of his victims just so happens to be Thoma. Despite being unable to walk in a straight line, Aether has a huge grin on his face as he grabs onto his companion with one hand to steady himself, while holding a cup of wine in another.]

Thoma, we have to drink together!

[He offers the cup to the other, then suddenly takes it back and looks at it with a deep frown, eyes squinting.]

...I'll get you juice.

[He may be drunk but he does remember that Thoma doesn't drink!

Aether attempts to direct himself towards the table to grab a glass of juice but the way he stumbles over his own feet isn't exactly promising that this will go well.]

aether no....

[burnbrighter]

[ Thoma feels a tug on his sleeve and looks down to find… ]

Aether?

[ A very tipsy Aether, oh dear. He reaches out a hand to help keep his friend steady, resting it against his back, and he’s about to politely decline the offered drink when the gears in Aether’s head turn enough to remind him of Thoma’s preferences. ]

It’s okay, you don’t…

[ Have to. But then Aether has already taken off. Thoma jogs after him to catch up, catching the Traveler around the shoulders with an arm to keep him upright. ]

Hey, don’t worry about that right now, okay? Why don’t we find someplace nice to sit down and eat?

shhh, it'll be fine

[startraveler]

[Of course he has to. He wants to celebrate with his friends and if those friends don't want to drink alcohol then it is his duty to find something to their liking-

But then he is halted by Thoma. He blinks, looking up at his friend as if his words are difficult to comprehend, before eventually giving a slow nod.]

If that's what you want... then okay.

[He leans a little more against the other, bringing his drink closer to himself again. He may or may not be pouting ever so slightly, seemingly sad that Thoma doesn't want to enjoy a drink with him.]

b

[inveilsible]

[ Sana actually got hauled in by Aether and oh boy she is so glad she can busy herself with work once she realizes there's a cat who just sprang onto the table. ]

Ah, wait, you shouldn't be up there..!

[ YOINK. ]

[burnbrighter]

[ Thoma might have caught a glimpse of her milling around while he was busy with the food, but he lost track of her again in all the excitement. Instead, he spots the cat hopping up onto the table and makes a grab for it himself, right when Sana appears to do the same. ]

Oh!

[ He jerks his hands back, letting her take the cat into her arms. ]

Looks like you beat me to it. How are you enjoying the celebration, Sana?

[inveilsible]

It... it's very lively.

[ Good? Bad? She's just been kind of hanging around the fringes nervously because there are a lot of people who seem to know each other here. For now, she just gently bundles the cat in her arms, and it starts purring and nuzzling into her shoulder. ]

This is a festival from your home?

A

[rotacalamitas]

[Bennett is an adventurer, and in his line of work, he rarely eats food that looks as good as it tastes. ...And sometimes it doesn't even taste all that good.

So this amazing spread, reserved just for him and the others? Well, it's pretty astounding. He's already struggling to keep himself from salivating too much.]

Whoa... You made all this, Thoma? You could give Good Hunter a run for their mora with this!

[burnbrighter]

Not all of it. I had help!

[ Thoma has only interacted with Bennett over the journals, but he’s not too surprised that the boy already knows his name. ]

Bennett, right? It’s nice to finally meet you. Please, help yourself. There’s plenty to go around.

[rotacalamitas]

Lemme guess, Aether helped too, right?

[He recognizes some of the Traveler's handiwork here.]

If that's the case, then don't mind if I do!

[He starts to head over to the food tables, but pauses mid-step. There was surely Inazuman cuisine here. He had no idea what Inazuman food was like.]

Umm... Is there anything spicy here I should watch out for?

[pureyang]

General Mingling
[Chongyun has never been to see a Windblume Festival on his own, only read about it or heard of it from others in Liyue who had the fortune to go see it for themselves. As such, he’s a little at a loss as to what it is one does during such a festival. From what he knows, it’s somewhat similar to the Lantern Rite, only with a focus on poems and flowers and… romance? He’s still unsure, but he knows it’s important to those who are here from Mondstadt.]

[If there’s any help needed with setting up or just in general, Chongyun will gladly volunteer his assistance; it’ll keep him preoccupied, at least. But once the event gets started, Chongyun… sort of sticks out like a sore thumb. He’s definitely a wallflower, preferring to linger on the outskirts of the festivities. He’s not really getting into any conversations or partaking in any dancing, but he is watching and politely following along. And if anyone tries to strike up a conversation with him, he’ll do his best to engage.]

I must apologize for my lack of involvement in the festivities. I’ve never attended a Windblume festival before, so this is all new to me.

Food and Drinks
[Fortunately, there’s a large spread of food to be eaten, and Chongyun eventually finds his way over to it once he starts feeling famished. Fortunately, it looks like they’ve made arrangements for a wide variety of foods available, including some cold noodles which he immediately grabs a bowl of.]

[He isn’t familiar with everything here, but if it’s a cold dish he’ll sample it, or wait for the hot dishes to cool off. Though when the wine gets passed around, he politely shakes his head.]

Ah, no thank you. I can’t really handle something like that.

[He knows how badly he reacts to something as simple as too much spice, Archons knows what’ll happen if he consumes alcohol.]

Windblume Offerings
[Windblume, it turns out, is both similar and different from the Lantern Rite and other festivals he’s gone to, and perhaps it’s best that he got to experience this as a small sampling of the real thing; he wonders what the real, full festival would look like in the city of Mondstadt. But one thing he does remember after talking to Venti was that an offering of sorts was to be made to the Anemo Archon during the festival. He’s not sure exactly what goes into the tribute offering, nor is he fully familiar with any specific rites or practices, but it feels wrong to leave out such an important part. It was customary to leave offerings for the adepti back in Liyue, after all, so it feels a little wrong to omit an offering to an Archon.]

[So near the end of the event, Chongyun will gather a few of the flowers scattered around, as well as a few food items and a bottle of wine, and find a quiet area nearby. Not too far from the festivities, but far enough to be out of the way. Once he finds a suitable location, he’ll set to work laying them out; first the flowers, then the food and wine. He didn’t have any incense sticks to burn, but he hopes that this will be enough. Then, he’ll kneel down and quietly bow his head in silent prayer. He’s never prayed to the Anemo Archon before, but he figures that at least a gesture like this would be deemed acceptable.]

[Though he didn’t want to disrupt those who were enjoying their own festivities, it’s entirely possible for someone to have noticed his actions and followed him.]

Wildcard
[Got your own idea for a starter? Feel free to make up your own starter, or PM me to plan something out!]

[startraveler]

[A wallflower? That won't do! Aether wants to make sure everybody has a good time during their little Windblume festival, so he's quick to approach Chongyun with a smile on his face.]

Don't worry about anything. Just relax, eat something, do something a little crazy if you like.

[Mondstadt is a nation of freedom so there really is no wrong answer to how to celebrate Windblume properly. Surely, Chongyun will find a way to enjoy it.

And Aether seems to have an idea how to help. Grinning, he offers his hand to his friend.]

...How about dancing with me first? And again, don't worry. I'm not an expert at dancing, so we'll figure this out together.

[pureyang]

[Rather than be reassured by that offer, Chongyun balks a little.]

I-I don't think that is wise..! I would hate to have cause a commotion during this festival due to my pure-yang spirit.

[Do you really want him dancing on tables, Aether?? That would be such a bad time, he's sure of it!]

[But he looks at Aether's outstretched hand for a moment, before looking up at the traveler.]

Are you sure? I'm just... this sort of thing is quite different from my normal training activities.

windblume offerings

[concierto]

[How funny that it is the anemo archon himself that seems to watch the boy go through the motions of it all. Giving an offering to a god that doesn't watch over his homeland. It makes his heart warm at how kind the boy is and makes him think of just how lucky Zhongli is to have such devoted and polite people.]

My, you don't think you're going a little overboard?

[Venti giggles teasingly as he eyes the bottle of wine sitting there...]

This is very kind of you.

[pureyang]

[Chongyun blinks and jumps a little in surprise, before relaxing when he sees just who it is. He offers a little shrug before turning back to adjust his little offering.]

I do not think so. Offerings of food and incense and other such items are quite common to leave for the adepti, let alone the grand offerings that would be presented before Rex Lapis.

[When everything looks to be laid out properly, Chongyun leans back a little bit.]

I did say the Anemo Archon should be given some form of tribute, even if it were not strictly necessary. My only regret is that I do not have incense or any knowledge of specific offerings to present. I am merely going off of anecdotal knowledge.