AURADON

Nuit de Mille Ètoiles (Night of A Thousand Stars)  is the first day of Rose Fest, is named due to the fairy dust left behind by The Three Good Fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. When night falls, they fly above the kingdom, sprinkling a bit of magic over the kingdom to protect from unwanted and otherwise dangerous guests from making an appearance at Aurora’s birthday. This is a night that truly brings Aurorians together, as people would gather out on their porches, singing songs and waiting for a glimpse of the fairies flying overhead. Children fashion jars, bags and other devices to try and capture a bit of fairy dust to keep and show off to their friends the next day.

REGULATION OF MAGIC AMENDMENT: When magic began to become regulated, there was concern over what would happen to Night of a Thousand Stars. Though the protection spell was no longer needed because all villains would be relocated to the Isle, it was a part of Aurorian tradition. The Three Good Fairies, having retired magic once again, deliberated for an extensive amount of time before coming to the decision that ceasing the use of magic deemed non-essential would be most beneficial to Auradon and its safety. The tradition was amended to include a televised broadcast from the The Three Good Fairies wishing Aurorians good tidings, but the people felt it lacked the magic of previous years.

AFTER THE DISSOLVE OF THE BARRIER:  After going through the records of Auroria, and under the rule of King Ben, a proposition by Princess Audrey  was made to reinstate the use of magic for the festival. It was passed and for the first time in twenty three years, The Three Good Fairies took to the skies once again, continuing the tradition. 

Jour de Floraison ( Day of Bloom ) is the second day of Rose Fest as well as Queen Aurora’s birthday. Much like the day of her christening, the entire kingdom, as well as anyone else who wishes to celebrate, is invited to the castle. The streets of Auroria are filled with townsfolk typically singing, waving flags, dancing, playing instruments and handing out roses of pink or blue to each other. While the townsfolk make their way to the castle, the Royal Family holds a breakfast where they are blessed by the Three Good Fairies to ensure nothing bad happens to them. A second breakfast is then hosting for those who come to the castle bearing gifts.

 BIRTHS IN THE ROYAL FAMILY: Jour de Floraison is also celebrated with the birth of every new child in the immediate Royal Family. The pink and blue roses act as a sort of guessing game or bet amongst the townsfolk as to what the gender of the new child will be.

Jour de Dissimulation ( Day of Concealment ) falls on the third day of Rose Fest.  This day begins the forty-eight hour period in which the Royal Family is not permitted to leave the castle, contact anyone outside the immediate family and visitors are prohibited. It is an homage to how Aurora disappeared from the kingdom and spent sixteen years in hiding with the Three Good Fairies. The Royal Family uses this time to bond, since royalty often limits leisure time with family.

Jour de Sommeil ( Day of Slumber ), the fourth day of Rose Fest, is a day where citizens are encouraged to not leave their homes for twenty-four hours, an homage to the sleeping spell in the Three Good Fairies put on the kingdom when Aurora pricked her finger. Though it is not required by law to participate, most places such as shops, businesses and schools close their doors. Most people use this time to prepare for the Rose Ball.

Jour de Mille Roses ( Day of a Thousand Roses ) is the fifth day of Rose Fest and also known as Castlecoming, acting as an all day festival. Prior to the Rose Ball, the quiet streets are filled with vendors, performances, music, games and the townsfolk making as much noise as they possibly can to wake up the town and make sure the Royal Family can hear them all the way in the castle. 

Kissing is a common occurance on this day, similar to the New Year’s tradition of kissing when the ball drops. People toss roses from their balcony, making it seem as if the flowers are falling from the sky. It is said that if you kiss someone when the first roses begin to fall, that your relationship with them will last the year.

When the night falls, the royal family makes their grand appearance at the Rose Ball. People from all over Auradon are invited to attend. The festivities continue until the sun comes up the next day.

Rose Feast happens on the sixth day. Given the extensive partying of the night before, the feast does not commence until midday or later. Royal family and friends are invited to the castle. This is a day to wind down and express gratitude. 

Jour d'aurore ( Day of Aurora ) is the seventh and final day of Rose Fest. At dawn the Three Good Fairies make their final passage of Auroria. If you listen closely, you can hear them singing.

𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

French Quarter

When it comes to the hustle and bustle of nightlife, The French Quarter is the place to go. Various boutiques, restaurants, historical museums and cafes line this district’s notable Bourbon Street. Perhaps the most noteworthy restaurant would be Tiana’s Palace. No one can call themselves a resident of Maldonia if they haven’t eaten there at least once. If you’re looking for a place to take a scenic oil lantern lit walk by the coast, Lover’s Lane is the place to go. Week by week, fresh seafood and other goods come into the Maldonia Ports. The St. James Steamboat offers a scenic cruise around the waters, candlelit dinners and is often used for wedding parties and other events. When it comes to the finer things in life, this is the district to visit. 

Arts District

The arts are an integral part of Maldonia’s culture, which explains why there’s a whole district for it. Museums, jazz clubs, art exhibitions, food festivals, restaurants and more can be found in this district. It’s just as alive during the day as it is during the night. Trumpets can be heard pouring out of venues such as Cezar’s, an exclusive underground jazz club, The Big Boys, a swing dancing club or the Prince’s Place, named after (then) Prince Naveen who can sometimes be found entertaining the masses. For fashion enthusiasts, Mardi Gras Couture houses costumes from every Mardi Gras parade held. At Piccady Park, residents can rent swan shaped paddle boats to go out on Piccady Lake. Colorful murals decorate every wall and parades featuring floats, lights and beautifully adorned dancers happen every month. If it’s history, creativity and fun one is looking for, this is the hub for that.

Garden District

Named for its lush gardens, The Garden District is one of the wealthiest districts in Maldonia. Cuore Della Maldonia which translates to ‘ Heart of Maldonia ’ is the palace for the ruling family. Surrounding the area are luxury homes, sprawling parks and businesses that anyone with deep pockets can enjoy. People from all over come together to Trinity Church for Sunday services, regardless of which part of Maldonia they live in. 

Uptown

Uptown is another wealthy district of Maldonia, but much more lively than the Garden District. While older generations favor the sleepy Garden District, young folks tend to gravitate toward Uptown. You can find a line out the door for Antidote, an exclusive twenty one and up night club. When it comes to buying engagement rings or expensive jewelry, Charlotte & Co. and Noni Rose offer premier selections made with jewels forged from the Cinderellasburg mines. For those who like to create, Imagin-knit sells everything from sewing machines and fabric to baking supplies. For those who value a nice cup of tea and a good book, Thinking Cup Cafe offers both and a scenic view of Lucciola Park. Take a stroll down Magnolia Boulevard and admire the sunset and the scenic ocean views after a long day.

West End

The West End is a lower income area offering affordable housing for many of Maldonia’s residents. Homes are tightly packed together and essential businesses are nearby for easy access. Sissy’s and Al’s are a beauty shop and a barber shop respectfully owned by siblings Sissy and Al and they can often be heard hollering at each other from across the street. Kingston High is the high school for those not attending Auradon Prep, while Miss Kelly’s is a primary school / day care for younger children. Rock’N’Bowl is a popular spot for bowling, arcade games and indoor roller skating that people of all ages and skill sets can enjoy.

Downtown

Downtown is the largest district and is split into two distinct parts. The West Side serves as a metropolis with plenty of things to do, see and eat. Auntie Jean’s Diner is a popular spot that is open twenty four seven that serves Southern comfort food. For those coming in from the South from East Riding, grabbing a bite here before booking a room in the Suite Life Inn is ideal. The East Side of Downtown serves as the campus for Maldonia University, a private research university. Serving a total of 52,876 students, MU has an acceptance rate of 20%. After a week of grueling classes, students can be found pouring into the west side of downtown or taking the street cars to the other districts.

Street Car Lines

Overview: Founded by King Gabriel Valois, the city of Felicity has been a source of agricultural prosperity since long before the formation of Auradon and today remains one of the largest suppliers of crops to the rest of the world. What began as a rural farming town has since grown into something much larger, its once small yet stable population transforming into something bigger than most could have ever imagined. With rich soil and successful harvest, much of the prosperity was attributed to the goddess Fortuna, who was worshipped by a pair of farmers within the outskirts of what was then just a village. Gabriel was quick to notice this and declared Fortuna as the patron goddess of Felicity, erecting a statue in her honor in the center of the village. It’s a statue that remains there to this day. 

At its formation, there was little more than a cluster of homes and bountiful fields but everything changed with the discovery of the network of crystal caves underneath the town, a discovery that would change Felicity for good. A man by the name of Theodore Butler Carr came to King Gabriel with the request of attempting to mine in the dangerous caves on the edge of town, and with the understanding that all materials discovered would belong to Gabriel, the request was granted. It was a long and arduous process but eventually, he broke through to an entire underground network of caves, the walls lined in crystals that seemed to be almost alive. Theodore brought news back to the King and upon further inspection, it was determined that the crystals were a versatile source of magic that could be harnessed and used. The crystal was dubbed Vanarite and while nearly nonexistent throughout the rest of the world, there was an abundance of it to be found beneath Felicity. Thus, the crystal boom began.

The Crystal Boom: When the discovery of a rare yet adaptable resource hit the world, spreading largely by word of mouth, Felicity went from a small town to a bustling area. People in search of prosperity and opportunity flooded the town in the hopes of starting anew and beginning their lives in a town filled with magic. With Carr at the forefront, he led expedition after expedition into the caves, retrieving the resource and bringing it back to the king, who offered Carr a slice of wealth in return for all he had done. Quickly growing to become one of the richest and most prominent figures in the city, the Carr name holds weight even today and is still closely associated with House Valois. However, it quickly became clear that the caves were seemingly endless and nearly impossible to accurately map, but the deeper one went, the more crystals they would discover. For generations the caves, along with the ample crop production, boosted Felicity into being a prosperous area where all people had food on the table and a bed to sleep in at night.

This only grew as the magic that had been harvested was eventually applied to furthering technology in ways it never had before. Over time, it reached a point where everything in Felicity ran on magic in some form. The lights in all the homes, the machines used for harvesting, the power source behind every little thing could be traced back to Vanarite. Magic was accepted and even encouraged within the walls of Felicity and when King Ramsey married Magdalene, a well-known and powerful sorceress, it was only encouraged further. 

A New Age: By the time of King Ramsey’s reign, the caves had still not been fully explored. There had been a few setbacks over the course of centuries and some monarchs had pulled people out of the caves entirely, stopping expeditions due to fears of stripping the caves completely and putting the focus on further agriculture production instead. Ramsey believed in both, putting resources and time into all fields with the belief that for true prosperity, a city must pride itself on a multitude of aspects, not just one. Under his instruction, the crystal caves were mapped with further detail and it was discovered that they led directly into the Forbidden Mountain and to Maleficent’s castle. Due to fears of Maleficent discovering them, Ramsey put a halt to the search, forbidding anyone from stepping foot onto or beneath the mountain range that was occupied by the villain. Shortly after, the United Kingdoms of Auradon was formed.

The way of life in Felicity had to change completely. With the new laws surrounding magic and its use, the focus was pulled away from the caves and instead put towards entering a new age, that relied less on magic and more on science. Many of the inventions and technology that relied on Vanarite has since been retired and it exists as nothing more than relics of a different yet recent time. While it was not always easy to make the change, Ramsey thought the city better because of it. Being part of Auradon meant growing in ways that would have been impossible before and with the Isle of the Lost, they were now safe from any harm that could have come to them as a result of the villain that resided so close by. If agriculture was large before, it was massive now, exporting crops of all kinds to all corners of Auradon.

The Fall of Queen Magdalene: Vanarite was still harvested, but slowly and with less focus on it than there had previously been. Efforts were made to make an appeal and prove that the material could be immensely useful throughout all of Auradon, but with a country that was still in its early years, it was an issue that didn’t take precedence. It was something that didn’t sit well with Queen Magdalene, who had grown up seeing the beauty in magic and all of the wonderful things that could be accomplished with Vanarite. She had seen how people would light up at the amazing things one could do with magic and all of the good that could be achieved with it. She didn’t think it fair to strip it away from everyone, but she and Ramsey failed to see eye to eye. She thought that they should continue to do as they wished, that no one would notice or care enough if there was still a bit of magic everywhere, but Ramsey feared what would happen if they did. He saw opportunity with Auradon and he didn’t wish to destroy that chance.

Magdalene believed that she just had to show her husband what she meant. They had recently had a child, and she didn’t want to raise their son without magic. They had always intended to train him just like she had been and it felt like a betrayal to lose that opportunity. Knowing that there was an abundance of magical artifacts just through the caves, she traversed to the Forbidden Mountain, finding her way to the castle that now sat empty. But she was unprepared for what might be inside and she didn’t take as much care as she should. She found herself pulled in by a dark magic and the power it granted her was overwhelming. When she returned to Ramsey and told him what she had found, he was horrified and believed that any pathway to the mountains should be destroyed so no one from Felicity could access the evil with ease.

Filled with anger at the idea of destroying such knowledge, she retaliated, swearing that she would do anything to make sure that never happened, that she would steal their son away and raise him in an environment where he wouldn’t be stifled or shut down. Fearful of the safety of himself and his child, Ramsey had Magdalene sent to the Isle of the Lost and shut down all operations in the caves, ceasing any efforts to dig into the Forbidden Mountains to retrieve more Vanarite. Mining of crystals was halted and the projects completely abandoned before any entry to both the mountains and the caves became strictly forbidden. Due to the sudden shutdown, most supplies and equipment were just left behind and forgotten about, leaving pieces of history forever buried in the caves to be discovered by any souls brave enough to disregard the law and enter into the caves.