Spring may have been a leisurely season, a transition from winter and its standstill and back into the daily work life so many mhoats find familiar and welcome. Now, though it's time for the endless buzz of activity that comes every summer across the mhoat islands. The First Light Festival is looming and the largest event in the mhoat calendar is sending every mhoat into preparation mode. Craftsmen have been commissioned by the various islands to make various wares, decorations, and other such items that vendors during the festival sell. Meanwhile, temples have been crafting their finest decorations to create beautiful altars where mhoats can make special offerings to the deities during the festival. Needless to say, there isn't much rest happening for anyone in the month leading up to the grand festivities and even less at its onset.
Alongside the anticipation of the festival, there is also the slightest shift in the weather across all the islands. The turtonics have begun their migration toward the tropical waters of the mhoat world, to gather and perform the magic ritual that will bring a new island into existence. Many mhoats will find early festival activities being set up on the various beaches and cliffsides of the islands, as everyone gathers to watch the migration as islands meet and travel in groups with one another until they eventually gather in the location, marking the start of the festivities.
Festival Fun
Beyond the core activities of the season, there is an entire sprawling festival covering the coastlines and main cities of each of the islands in attendance. The scale of the festival is so vast, that an individual could spend the entire season trying to experience all there is to offer and still not experience it all.
Stalls dot all the festival grounds with merchants selling various delicious foods, fair games, and a variety of goods created purely for the festival. It's common for friend groups to form and spend the day wandering the festival after making their offerings or viewing the progress of the migration. They may wander the food stalls trying the many foods on offer, some of which can only be eaten during this very festival. Full bellies lead to energy, so the festival games draw in the more excitable groups. Ring Toss, Dart Games, Dunk Tanks, and so many other games that one could hardly list them all are available for a bit of friendly competition.
Once energy is spent there are many places for sitting to rest while watching a variety of performers from singers, acrobats, dancers, and magic users for those attending the festival to appreciate. Or those who still wish to walk the festival may find themselves drawn to the various merchants selling festival-themed items, a trinket to take home to remember the occasion, from masks, charms, bags, and a variety of items.
Turtonic Ritual
Celebration across the islands peaks at the performance of the Turtonic Ritual, Mynrosians from all walks of life crowding the floating boardwalks that span the very center of the festival where the turtonics gather. It's here that they perform a grand feat of magic, the creation of a new turtonic island!
It will be years before these young turtonics leave their nursery clutches, and even longer before any creature of Mynros will settle on their backs, but even so their creation is a mark of progress, of hope for continued life in a world where Mynrosian's do their part, culling back mushrooms and rooting out parasitic creatures to improve the health of their island homes. For this reason, young turtonics are adored by the creatures of Mynros, and catching a glimpse of these young creatures after their creation is viewed as a sign of good fortune.
The completion of the ritual marks the winding down of festivities, the energy gathering before the event being let out in one grand celebration, and winding down as Mynrosians turn their mind toward the incoming autumn and preparations for winter.
Grand Light Display
Second only to the turtonic ritual, the grand light displays are something Mynrosians look forward to for months before the festival begins. Every year the island leaders gather various masters in the use of light magic to create grand displays that will fill the night skies of Mynros throughout the festival season.
These displays tend to be visual displays that depict ancient tales directly related to the festival itself. Some common themes on display are the creation of mhoats with Yel and Myn at its center, visual depictions of the turtonic ritual itself usually meant to prepare the young for the ritual itself, or the tale of Asteria whose light magic vanquished an endless night.
While these larger displays are dedicated to well-known tales, there are various displays that happen on a smaller scale throughout the festival grounds. These are often dedicated to other celestials from the pantheon or important figures from each island's history.
Hot Springs
A major aspect of First Light is that Mynrosians make offerings at the temples, in hopes of drawing the blessing of celestials who represent specific aspects of life. Livinia may bless those seeking fortune in love or a farmer may seek out Agrarius' favor to bless their crops to aid a bountiful fall harvest. Whatever the reason, there is a very important ritual that must be completed before any offering is made, the cleansing of a Mynrosian's magic.
To aid the influx of visitors during the festival, numerous small bathhouses open in the areas surrounding a temple. These hot springs, both natural and artificial become a place for Mynrosians to relax and contemplate their needs, to consider their offering of gifts and words that are meant to sway the celestial to their cause.
The ritual begins with a shower, washing away the accumulated grime of a day spent out in the press of crowds and the activity of the festival. Next, they sink into the warm waters of a communal pool where small citrus fruit are shared and calm chatter fills the air, relaxing the body and energizing the soul. Last, a fresh robe is donned, provided by the temples for those who go through the bathhouse ritual.