Qixi Prep

+EVENT: The Qixi festival (aka Chinese Valentine's Day) is happening! According to legend, the goddess Zhi Nu (the star Vega) fell in love with the farmer boy Niu Lang (the star Altair), but was disapproved by her mother goddess. As punishment, they were separated by the Milky Way and could only meet once a year on this night. Their love was not allowed, thus they were banished to opposite sides of the Silver River (symbolizing the Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, a flock of magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for one day.

Wu Hong Feng, also known as Fenix, Baron of the Red Diamond Court in Tijuana, is inviting his western cousins from across the border in the Duchy of the Setting Sun to come and celebrate this most joyous and magical evening at El Fenix, in Barrio Chino, in a grand gesture of establishing formal and informal bi-lateral relations between the territories.

*** All Titled Changelings and public Commoner leaders will receive a formal invitation to attend ***

There will be a public facing celebration in El Fenix to kick-off the festivities, followed by a Shen/Fae only reception in the back room, and a Hsien/Fae only private ceremony in and tour of the Phoenix Nest that anchors the Hsien Holding.

OOC: A Social event to seed cross sub-sphere PRPs. There may be a light bit of +dice excitement, depending on the mix and mood of those attending, and to give the Western Changelings a sense of the flavor of their Eastern counterparts's world. If you have any special requests for your PC, please @mail them to Fenix in advance so that they can be worked into the event.

QiXi-Festival(#17557)

	THE QIXI FESTIVAL!

	The Qixi Festival is a Chinese traditional festival celebrating the annual meeting of the cowherd and the weaver girl in mythology. Qi means seven in Chinese, and Xi means night in Chinese, so Qixi points out that the cowherd and the weaver maid meet with each other on the night of seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar every year, so Qixi Festival is also called Double Seventh Festival, Seventh Evening Festival or Night of Sevens.

	The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl is a Chinese folk tale. The tale of the cowherd and the weaver girl is a love story between Zhinu the weaver girl, symbolizing the star Vega and Niulang the cowherd, symbolizing the star Altair. Their love was not allowed, thus they were banished to opposite sides of the heavenly river (symbolizing the Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, a flock of magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for one day!

	The room has been appropriately decorated in the spirit of the tale of literally star-crossed lovers. Cast in low light, the focus of tonight's festivities is a handcrafted bridge of magpies in the center of the room that is carved from a mix of black and white jade. The bridge is especially illuminated to highlight the intricate craftsmanship of the jade carving. Descending from the ceiling and suspended above the bridge are two figurines carved from wood- the weaver girl and the cowherd, arms outstretched towards one another, love and adoration shining in the look they give one another.

	A cool dense fog spills out onto the floor, and the walls and ceiling are illuminated with projections of stars, the pinpoints of light creating an illusion of the cosmos above the clouds.