Scene #903: Day of the Dead

Owner	Pose
Noh	Fall is primarily the domain of the Pumpkin King, but here during the second of November (and the first as well) there are corners of Fall dedicated to something else; a festive time with fancy decorated skulls, and alters for the rememberance of others. In one such corner of fall, a Graveyard has been taken over by many people, all tending to the graves, laying out decorative flowers, and candles, and close to a mosoleum at the top of a hill, Noh Body has set out a pair of large tables, laiden with all kinds of food. Churros, and sweet breads, and meat dishes, and sweet meals of cakes and candies and petit fors. Tamales and sweet sausages and chorizo. Paper decorations, cut out of festive sheets of many colors, have been hung around the table; all decorated with skulls and flowers. Marigolds serve as a centerpeice, and as well a large tray of them have been set out for those who gather. Noh is, herself, at the moment, dressed rather nice, and lighting a bunch of tea candles she's placed on the top of a tomb stone in the shake of a cross. She's wearing a 'lei' of marigolds of many colors, and is soon laying out a small cluster of them on the soil of the grave.
Freya	Freya has never been to a 'day of the dead' festival herself but when she heard about it she had to come and see what it was all about. She just looking around at the decorations and the people milling about. She dressed up herself keeping on her costume she had made for herself for Halloween. She thankfully she human size, she overshadow the party at her normal size!
Faruja	For the record, Inquisitor Faruja Senra likes Noh's little festival-slash-observance of the dead thus far. The ratpriest came along partially to ensure the half-vampire isn't creating cults or other such Heretical nonsense, and partially out of curiousity. He's come dressed in slightly different colors today: white robes with a multitude of stoles and other clerical vestments. He too lays out flowers ritually, stopping to pray beside each grave, as well as offer a few kind words and blessings to those also showing their respects. Eventually? He'll wind up near Noh. "Lady Noh, I admit, there were doubts in mine mind about this. However, I am impressed. This is a touching ceremony, celebrating life and those departed alike."
Jonothon Starsmore	It had actually been Angelo Espinosa, a friend of Jono's (who called himself 'Skin' when he was beating heads in, thanks to the roughly six or so feet of extra skin he could mentally control), who found out about this first. Sadly, both he and Jubliee were still in the infirmary thanks to a rogue Sentinel attack, leaving Jono the only one free. Promising to get both of them a few candy skulls if there were any, Jono headed to the ceremony. Angelo had told him to bring marigolds, and Jono had done that, stopping to buy a small bouquet before coming there. He'd also brought some nice paper art that Angelo had made, a sheet or so of tissue paper that had a dancing skeleton cut into it. He's a little confused as to what to do beyond that, though... Angelo didn't really give him too many details...
Vanessa Selby	Vanessa figures she might as well take try and take her mind off her problems. Plus, this was a change of pace from what the Confederate cafeteria was serving. She doesn't recognize anyone here, maybe she needs to get out more. Of course the fact the Union's presence was strong here didn't help matters either. She's helping herself to a churro as she looks around.
Noh	Noh smiles as she looks up from the flowers she has laid out. "You not give me credit for it, Father Faruja; it was not I come up with it. I merely observe it, no?" she smiles, and slowly stands, then gestures about at all the other people walking thourgh the cemetary; there are small families tending the graves of their loved ones, some laying out parcels of small loaves of decorated bread, others leaving wrapped cheeseburgers and fries on the graves, all of them also adding a colorful sugar skull to the grave marker, or lighting candles as Noh has done. "The Day of the Dead originated long long ago, longer than even I have been alive. I do not know who first began it, but I know many years ago I first observed it in Mexico with my old Master. I have always been taken by this; it is a time to not only recognize a person's death, but to celebrate their life." She smiles, then gestures to the table. "Here we have the foods of celebration; each represents things specific to the day. The skulls are gifts for the living and the dead alike; they represent life, death, and what comes beyond." She picks up a string of the skulls, and hands two each to Faaruja, Freya, Vanessa, and Jono, with a smile, before hanging one about her own neck from a string. She picks up a bowll of salt then, and sprinkles some on her head, before reaching up to do the same to the others: "Salt represents life, long life, short life, it is always there." She sets the bowl down, and then picks up a basket of the small sweet bread loaves: "These are Pan de muerto, Bread of the Dead. We lay these down on the graves or at our alters so that the dead may feast in the afterlife," She turns, and sets a loaf down on the grave she had been tending. She turns and gestures again at the table. "Fruit represents good luck, and long life, and also serves to give our departed hope that they may be returned to us in a seed, or a future life." She smiles. Then picks up a bottle of water from a bucet of ice: "And water we give to the dead, because on their journey to visit us this day, they get thirsty."
Freya	Freya takes the string skulls of course and puts them around her neck it a bit creepy, she doesn't want to be impolte. She listens to Noh talk about the Day of the Dead. All very intersting!
Faruja	Faruja smiles right back, with just enough softness to be respectful. "Of course. But 'tis pleasing to know that ye do." He's rarely seen his fellow Unionites observe religious rites, and Noh is certainly earning herself brownie points tonight. The rat listens with occasional nods. He rubs his chin thoughtfully. The necklace is taken without complaint, and he resists the urge to chomp one of the skulls before one is placed upon his neck. When he's sprinkled with salt? Those ears of his wiggle a bit! Otherwise, he doesn't complain. Then, Faruja is swiftly getting into the ceremony proper. First, he starts with the bread. A few loaves are picked up, cut, and distributed amongst graves. He bows before each, praying, before starting to do the same to the next. He'll let the others handle the other aspects! Of those present, he /does/ note Jono. The man gets a bow, and a nod of greetings before he's looking back to Noh. "Art there any particular gestures or prayers that art customary, with each? I wouldst not wish to insult the departed." He inquires, eye rarely leaving Noh for cues. Freya and the fox-like woman do catch his gaze, and each receive a cross of the chest and a bow. "Lord's blessings, my Children." The priest-rat offers, before doing the same with Jono. To him, it's a bit more warm.
Vanessa Selby	Vanessa wears the string skulls as well. It's not really her sort of thing but she suppose it's not worth making a huge argument about either. She now wonders if anyone would care when she dies, she's not exactly herself any more. The thought makes her frown a bit. She sprinkles herself with salt a bit, cringing a bit when it gets in her ears. "I'm not really the religious type." She openly admits.
Jonothon Starsmore	Jono blinks as he's handed some skulls? He nods. "Thank yer," he replies, and then quiets to listen to the rest of it. Though he winces a little when sprinkled with salt. Not as though he was hurt, but as though he was surprised. Angelo should really have told him more about it, but he was concerned Jono would miss it. 'You'll figure it out,' Angelo had said. Didn't stop Jono from feeling awkward, of course. A return nod to Faruja is given as the rat-priest bows in greeting. And Jono will distribute what he's got as well, following Faruja's example. A priest would know this kind of thing, right? Vanessa's statement gets a nod from Jono. "Me either," he agrees. "Still, it's showin' that yer haven't forgotten the dead. Bein' forgotten's worse than bein' dead." Unless Vanessa is immune to telepathy, of course. Then she won't hear Jono speak. But he'll look in her direction, so she'll still know he's talking to her. Faruja's cross-signing at Jono gets a 'smile'. His face is mostly covered, so it has to be shown in the eyes more than anything else. "Thank yer," he offers to the Burmecian. "You too." He feels a bit awkward saying 'Lord's blessings', thanks to aforementioned un-religiousness, but he respects Faruja's devotion.
Noh	"The dead like to hear us speak, to tell them what has happened in the world they have left behind, or to introduce them to children who may have been born since their passing," Noh says, with a kind smile to Faruja, setting the bottle of water down, but only after opening it. "The woman I am tending here liked cats when she was alive; so this is why I bring her these," She says, drawing politely a box of cat shaped cookies from her backpack, and setting some out upon the grave. "There are no prayers to be said, simply, let them know they are thought of, and that they are missed, but that we live on until the day we meet them again." She grins a little. She notices Jono's marigolds and scoops up some o the flowers she brought. "Marigolds are especially special for the Day of the Dead, we bring them so that their sweet fragrance and bright colors can lead the dead back to the land of the living as spirits, to find their food and gifts, and their families when they visit. They lead a spirit back to their grave if they have beocme lost or wandered too far." She smiles, pulling some petals, and sprinkling them on the ground, murmuring softly in Spanish: "<We welcome you, Mother of Cats, among us to walk, we welcome your friends,, we open our arms to you, to accept your gifts and offerings and wish you then a safe journey back to the beyond.>" She then smiles. Then gestures to Jono's cutouts, as well as her own: "The Cut Papers are to decorate the graves, and to let the spirits know this is a festive time in their honor." She says, then smiles, moving to leave a loaf of the bread on another grave. "The spirits cannot actually eat their offerings, but they can taste and sup of the essance of life each offering holds; When the candles burn out, we take the food away, and split it among our relatives, so that we may all share in the same supper as our ancestors; we know they have tasted it for it has lost all nutritional value and taste that we would find dear."
Freya	This is a pretty detailed cermony! Freya feeling a bit overwelmed by all of this. She think she just going to stick to the sidelines and obverse, unless someone drags her into doing something.
Vanessa Selby	While Vanessa's mind is hard to penterate but it's not invincible and she gets Jono's message nodding. "It certainly is very elaborate, I'm not sure many people would go through all this trouble for someone they might not see again." She can't imagine doing so herself."
Faruja	Faruja listens, and takes the hint from Noh. This ceremony is personal. He bows to the dhampire, and finds a grave. He looks down. A soldier, died in battle. The grave mentions lives saved. He takes one of the fruits, then places it there. "Oh ye Valiant Warrior, felled in midst of chaos and bloody war, may ye walk the purest of roads to the Almighty! Know thee that all remember thine sacrifice that they may life in safety and peace, thine blood spilled naught in vain. Amen!" He can't help it, he prays anyway. Then, a nod to Jono. "Of course." Then? He's walking towards Freya after picking up some more of that fruit. "Come, come, my Lady! There art many unvisited graves, all hands art needed!" Then he's all but dragging her over to one of the graves, should she allow it! It seems to be the grave of a /lawyer/ of all people. "Say something...kind." About a lawyer. Good luck, Freya.
Noh	"We are all born, and we all will one day die," Noh speaks softly, "This is what The Day of the Dead is about; a reminder that life is breif, that death is but the next adventure, and that we are all one, alive, dead." She smiles, then gestures. "When you have cleaned a grave, and left an offering, some eat something yourself from the table. I brought enough for everyone. But do not try to eat the sugar skulls, they are mostly keepsakes more than treats." She grins. Then the dhampir turns and slips toward the mosoleum, where she sits down on the steps, and ends up looking out at the graveyard in the slowly pending twilight; where candles flicker and familys still gather.
Freya	Freya erks and get dragged by "Ahh okay!", she blinks. A lawyer? "umm I sure you did you best job you could and you did you help out alot of people in life!", how is that?
Jonothon Starsmore	Jono will also put the marigolds near the graves as well-- if they act as a beacon, they'll need to be near the graves. And the paper art he'll place on the graves as per Noh's instruction. The message is clear-- hey ghosts, it's a party, a party for dead people! Come dance and play! At least, that's the rather funny thought that passes through his head. No one ever said Jono didn't have a sense of humor. It just happens to be a particularly morbid one. Vanessa's words of never seeing the person again get a nod. "That's especially why people do. Because there's no reward for it. Nothin' ter be gained from doing it. But nothin' lost either. That's when yer know it's really out 'o kindness." Makes sense to him, anyway.
Faruja	Faruja grins mightily at Freya! He kneels, crosses his chest, and then stands. "Amen. May those whom ye hath helped never forget thine time and effort in saving life and livlihood." Faruja then turns back to Noh. "Well then, to the table we go! God's blessings upon thee, Lady Noh, for organizing all of this!" Then, Freya is offered an arm, and he may well lead her off to the eating table. A clawed digit spears a churro. Nomnomnom! "Inquisitor Faruja Senra, my Lady. Well met." He strikes up, conversationally.
Freya	Freya smiles and take the arm, following Faruja. "I'm Freya..", not quite the impressive name as Faruja. Inquistor? That title brings up some unplesant memories. She pushes those memories away, can't let the past could your jugement. She takes a churoo as well, looking it over a bit, she never had one before, and then takes bite out of it.