#bareet

The city was quiet in the cloudy evening hour of 7.  Odd and unusual for the usually busy city, mixed with monsters and humans alike, hustling and bustling from place to place.

Suddenly, the sky had a white line of light open in the center of the city.

Multiple colors puddled and sparked from that line as it opened. Pulsing and tearing. It dripped and ripped until....

A massive, unstable fusion fell from the sky. Over 50 feet tall, it looked around to get it’s bearings and find a safer place to unfuse. “There.” A frightening cacophony of voices said, pointing to an open park with only a few trees standing. “We. Go. There.”  The mass of hooves and arms carefully maneuvered the buildings, ignoring the scared civilians and making their way to the park, where they unfused in a flash of light and wind. In place of the colossal fusion, stood five figures.

The largest turned to their striped friend,”Bareet, we made it! I cannot believe we made it!” She smiled, speaking in a heavy French accent.  “Back to Earth. It is good to see our old home again.” The tiger striped one said. Their feminine voice dripped with a Russian accent. “After we complete our task, I vould love to see zhe world again. It ‘as been so long!” “Mogi, relax. We vill find the Missing Ones soon enough and we can try to reopen Gateways vit their help.”

“I am so excited! I have never been to Earth before! This is a very important moment for me!” “Yes Eried, dearie! But let’s not forget the job we must complete first!” The taller said to the excited Eried. “Moira! You don’t understand! I’ve never seen the Old Gates before! I’m just excited!” Eried grinned.

The last looked at the group,”Now, my Travel. Let’s not lose ourselves. And don’t forget, humans still roam this world and caution must be our friend. So in the meantime,...”

The Knowone do not celebrate Christmas. They celebrate the Winter Solstice and then a week long holiday known to them as Androgaiandae (Literally translated to Andromeda and Gaia Day). Androgaiandae is a creation holiday for the Knowone, celebrating the union of their Celestial Birther, Andromeda, and their First Guard, Gaia, or The Earth.

One of their primary forms of celebration is dawning their Robes of Fulfillment, or Untanda Iracongai (In the Knowone tongue). These robes cover their arms and legs almost completely, leaving their hands and faces free. This is one of the rare occasions where there is a near uniform garment that Knowone must adhere to. Though they can have the collar adjusted as low as on the shoulders and collar bone and can be allowed to have a plunging center line. These silk robes have symbols that represent the wearer made from precious metals. Each symbol is either combined or patterned to flow in a certain way.

Once these robes are worn, the ceremonies begin on the Solstice with each Knowone singing a Swan Song to bring a close to the year and have their magic renewed by Andromeda. This Swan Song must have a form of significance to the Knowone singing it. It can be any song they want, but it must have meaning to them. The Knowone believe that when they sing their Swan Song to the dying year, Andromeda will hear it and her heart will reach out to her descendants and their magic renews with her Blessing of Love and Individuality, or her Kir Gahko.

(Whittaker’s song- Maid of Culmore from Celtic Thunder)

(Mogi’s song- Dernière Danse from Indila)

(Moira’s song- Níl Sé’n Lá from Celtic Woman)

(Bareet’s song- The Hymn of Acxiom from Vienna Teng)

(Eried’s Song- Where the Lonely Ones Roam from Digital Daggers)

With any large celebration, the food is always the most important part of the gathering.  Gohgah Cake is made from a marbled red sponge cake with a dark chocolate drizzle that has 5 stripes exactly. Each stripe representing the first 5 worlds to welcome the Knowone in their travels across the universe. The triangle shape is to represent the first three Knowone, Caldur, Gahbar, and Kyl. The hole in the center representing eyes and their importance to Knowone culture.

Tenzuha Bread is made with a black grain that turns a dark grey when everything is mixed to make this special bread. Three lines are cut on top and the black flour is sprinkled on top before baking. This bread is a food staple named after a Knowone hero called Tenzuha the Shattered.  Tenzuha was a Knowone with no magic due to his horn being shattered into pieces when he was a young pup. Having never knowing magic, he had to get creative on his form of learning. On a planet who’s name has been lost to time, a colony of Knowone were experiencing a drought and suffering a food shortage. Tenzuha took it upon himself to wander the planet and eventually found the seeds of Yal Tu, or Black Wheat. With a bit of work, he made the bread to sustain the colony until the drought passed.

Fire pits are fairly common for Androgaiandae, with potatoes being nearly universal, you can always find them in Knowone recipes. Now, meat is extremely important in the celebrations and how it’s prepared is part of the practice. Even the kind of string and the kind of herbs used on the meat is important to the ceremonies they practice.