#ghlanternrite2024

We may not know where our wishes will end up. But together, they will light up the night sky and turn it as bright as day.

ABUNDANCE:

[NEW YEAR MARKETS] - With so many vendors setting up shop, now is the best time to purchase a trinket as a reminder of the new year, or to get some much needed errands done.

[WANMIN MEAT CART] - Despite how short a trip it is, Chef Mao has some classic recipes right on the water, along with some brand new cuisines just for the Lantern Rite. Try some classic Mora Meat pastry, Dragon Beard Noodles, or his latest: Rex Lapis’ Delight! 

[XINYUE KIOSK DESSERT CART] - If sweet treats are more your thing, just a few spots down is a stand specially reserved for Xinyue Kiosk’s brilliant desserts! Buy one dessert, get one free “New Moon Cake,” with not one, not two, but SEVEN original fillings.

[TEA TASTING] - Third-Round Knockout is offering a rare, once a year opportunity to personally taste test some of their newest flavors. Jasmine Pearl, Dragon Cinnamon Oolong, Aged Golden Dawn, Phoenix Fire Oolong, why not indulge in some of the finer things in life?

ELATION:

[DRAGON DANCE] - Join the Lantern Rite parade! With so many dragon puppets needing twice as many hands, join the show and dance until you drop.

[MAHJONG] - How about one of Liyue’s quickest games? Mahjong, known for its lightning rounds and fast-paced gameplay, is a classic this time a year. Surely you won’t be here all night…

[SHADOW PUPPETS] - Puppet shows are quite popular this time of year, using lights and small paper designs to convey thrilling tales. Comedies, Romance, Tragedies, woe, these poor hearts will be forever changed.

[DRESS UP] - Red and gold, the colors of each festival this time of year, are absolutely stunning. Glimmer and shine for the kamera, dress up and serve on the runway.

BEAUTY:

[LANTERN MAKING] - Each year, we send up glorious lanterns with our thoughts, prayers, and hopes for the future, and what makes them so special is that no one lantern is the same. Create your own work of art to carry on into the vast expanses of the night.

[CUSTOM FIREWORKS] - Art is passion and desire, fleeting as it is eternal. With brilliant dyes, light up the night in a wondrous explosion for just a moment, and create those lasting memories.

[DRAGON CHARMS] - Representing good luck and strength, creating a little charm of the dragon itself can often inspire hope while passing into the next year. Though, many Adepti now have become popular faces of such ornaments.

[JADE TALISMAN] - Pure and indestructible, jade is the embodiment of virtue and benevolence. Taking days to etch at a time, these talismans are truly a rare and valuable gift.

HARMONY:

[WORSHIPPING ADEPTI] - The protectors of Liyue are often secluded and forgotten about per their distance, though for the Lantern Rite, small shrines of each prominent Adeptus are made. With incense burning, make a prayer or offering to the illuminated beasts.

[PROSPERITY TOSS] - A common tradition to signify the end of the year and the birth of a new one is to create a bowl of fruits, vegetables, fish, and other fresh foods, and to feast. Many restaurants host these during the Lantern Rite to bring us together.

[RED ENVELOPES] - Though much more common, a sign of good faith and friendship often comes in the form of a red envelope. Containing a small sum of mora, each envelope is a gesture of amity.

albedo has never needed a special day to treat klee accordingly. even so, the festivities and merriment make a golden foiled gift feel all the more magical. he squats to klee's height, a gloved arm beckoning her closer—the other arm waits patiently behind his back, seconds away from revealing the surprise of the hour.

"happy lantern rite, klee." albedo draws out a red pocket, presenting it to his younger sister. "i think red quite suits you. did you know? it's the color of a hero, of sparks, and particularly in liyue... of 'luck'. just like your clovers."

just like everything that has led him to here. there could be no greater fortune than what she has given him. ten, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand mora has nothing on it.

"now, make sure not to spend it all in one place, yes?" a palm cups the side of her head—albedo's language of doting is silent like snowfall, but certain as the imprint of footprints left in its powdery white blanket. "you mustn't forget to indulge yourself, either. i'm very proud of how responsible you've been growing in your adventures."

received: albedo's red pocket! a weighted crimson envelope packed even heavier with mora. 100,000 mora, to be exact. happy lantern rite!

little sun was almost too eager to be anchored by her other half, smiling from cheek to cheek, her chest rising in uneven breaths as she panted and tried to collect herself before her brother. after all, running to and fro in a game of chase with the other children of the harbor surely put her out of breath! but no matter how breathless, how dizzy with excitement, this mage's gaze immediately stuck to the arm albedo kept extended behind him. round, bright eyes narrowed, her mouth opening to maybe exclaim her surprise before all of her attention is pulled back to his face. to his smile, mainly.

thus, she giggled, tawny skin flushing merely from excessive joy as she nodded, "happy lantern rite, big brother! i━━" but a gasp interrupted her; her gasp, to be specific. a red pocket was raised to her gaze, bright and golden and full and hers! all hers!! klee squealed and hopped on the tips of her boots, anchored only by the hand albedo gently had on her arm, keeping her close enough within the invisible bubble of their conversation.

her first red envelope of the year! or, well, that's how the tradition went... but! it was a first! klee giggled until the mirth trembled her shoulders and her voice spilled into the sweetest fit of laughter, her arms outstretched, not to reach for the envelope, but instead for her brother. she practically tripped into his arms, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck and trapping the crimson pocket between their bodies.

"klee knows! klee knows! mama said she knew red would be my color ever since... well! ever!" little sun held him closer, laughing against his skin until she pulled back, still smiling, still bright. gloved hands carefully took the crimson envelope, holding that, too, close to her chest as she swayed on dizzy feet. a softer fit of laughter slipped from her at the touch of albedo's hand against her head, thus, she pressed back into the embrace.

klee's assurance came in the form of little uh-huhs and happy mhms. she nodded, "i promise! klee will be diligent with this." but her promise came too early, as albedo hadn't finished. and, when he did, his words left her in a silent, wide-eyed state. she blinked, rapidly, bright eyes unable to fathom what he had said.

but then, little sun laughed, a small sound, glancing away albeit nervously, kicking her foot against the wood of the harbor beneath them. "oh, big brother..." she whispered, clutching onto the red pocket as though it were him, hugging it to her chest until she remembered that, unlike her parents, he was tangible; kneeling before her with a gentle smile.

　　　　　　❝　FAREWELL, happy dreams of the past 　　　　　　the rosiness in my cheeks has already gone pale 　　　　　　the joys, the sorrows soon will end, 　　　　　　the tomb confines all mortals! 　　　　　　do not cry or place flowers at my grave, 　　　　　　do not place a cross with my name to cover these bones! 　　　　　　ah, the misguided desire to smile; 　　　　　　god pardon and accept me.

　　　　　　　　　　　 ♕

lights, camera, curtain! furina has arrived at the liyue harbor lantern festival.

please read below for more information on the details of her being here; i've taken some creative liberty to work her into the occasion as more than just her attending a festival out of curiosity, to provide more potential avenues for interaction!

ENTRER EN SCENE : furina de fontaine.

— it wouldn't be furina if we didn't start with the look. due to her reason for being here, she had a custom tailor, working together with liyuean fashion consultants, put together an attire in which she'll be seen in all public capacities at lantern rite. it's a marriage between liyuean and fontainean designs, and, as furina has heard that it is considered the year of the dragon, has many dragon patterns and motifs inked and embroidered throughout. she also has her hair done up ( its in its long pneuma look ) in a french bun with a few curled loose locks in front, and a gold hairpiece also in the shape of a dragon

— speaking of the reason she's here: furina is preparing for a new production that's made its way through fontaine's social buzz. it's a well-known liyuean opera that's reached international popularity due to a recent manhwa adaptation that took bookstores across teyvat by storm, titled grove of wild boars. fontaine is putting together their own stage adaptation, and furina is serving as a consultant to the director, who, while talented, is still young and inexperienced with the industry. she's here with most of the production crew mostly on research, and the timing just happened to line up with lantern rite. so why not enjoy both!

— though furina will also be busy with production research, she enjoys social and lively atmospheres, and will rarely say no to being approached or introduced to a new experience. she'll most likely be found: around the opera houses and venues; around the nearby areas both urban and wilderness with the production crew; any stand selling sweets; ( occasionally ) squirreled away somewhere quiet and remote to have a moment to decompress

inbox :　open for interactions! dont gotta ask just yeet em in i want to emphasize i'm going to be doing all event interactions as minis with a 250 wc challenge to keep things manageable for myself below are also some specific plot ideas i'm tossing out if you'd like to do something more unique and plotted! please leave a comment with the symbol if you're interested in grabbing a specific plot and i'll get back to you ( it also helps if you leave ur discord if ur comfortable. if not, i'll tumblr dm you )

🍨 after sampling xinyue kiosk's dessert stand, she has to experience the full dining experience at the restaurant herself, especially after learning about its gourmet, luxury service and ambiance! but for a once-archon, for whom attending lavish banquets was once bread and butter, furina finds herself . . . unable to justify the cost of it now, even without chevalmarin's scolding. but she looks so forlorn out there, eyeing the menu. won't you take pity on her?

🐦‍ plenty in the team had told léandre it wouldn't be a good idea to bring his umbrella finches on the trip, but the director-slash-bird-enthusiast simply couldn't bear the thought of leaving his beloved pets behind. and in an unexpected accident, the completely-expected happened — startled by the wild popping of liyue's firecrackers, the birds escaped their cage! all five of them. and you, for one reason or another, have been pulled into helping retrieve them.

💎 while on a walk on some quieter rural roads outside the city, the jade pendant furina had bought earlier in the day suddenly shatters around her wrist. isn't it supposed to be indestructible? —what furina doesn't realize is that jade is meant to ward away evil. only, the evil now fast approaching was far too strong for one measly jade piece to handle.

🕯️ the adepti are such a core part of liyue's cultural shaping and belief system that furina felt the need to visit one of the shrines and pay her respects. only, she can't help but feel that something doesn't sit right about a fake ex-archon offering prayers to a divine being. you catch her in such a rare state of conflict and hesitation, otherwise alone. ( a ruminative, melancholy angled prompt )

"have you been enjoying your time off?" kaveh asks, only to briefly turn away. he then draws forth a small parcel and letter, offering both to his guest. "this is long overdue, but thankfully the timing's worked out for us. the rite really is something, isn't it?"

Wriothesley, I'll admit that our last run-in left quite the impression on me — in more ways than one, as I'm sure you can imagine. Have you worked with jade before? Its hard exterior presents even the most experienced craftsmen with a laborious challenge. To carve and shape the stone into a new product is a tedious process in every meaning of the word. That's what makes the end result such an impressive feat. Every profession comes with its own hardships, yours being no different. I won't pretend to know them, but from our time together, I feel confident drawing this comparison. Working with unyielding exteriors is a taxing process in of itself. I would guess that, much like jade, it takes skill, patience, and an unwavering will to help shape a broken person into a polished gem. You grant people the opportunity to change and evolve. I'd argue there's no gift as precious. After all, what is the point of living if we can't mold our existence into something meaningful? Just as you instill hope in others, I sincerely hope the new year affords you the same. Regardless of the path you choose, may your choices bring you great peace and prosperity.

Signed with a flourish,

— Kaveh

RECEIVED: Jade Talisman, Modified Storage Box A round disk roughly the size of one's palm. Two dancing dragons have been etched onto its surface - a testament to the aptitude of Liyue's craftsmen. It has been placed into a metallic box with emulative designs. Inspired by their first run-in (and perhaps the recipient's interest in Mehrak?) the gifter has taken it upon himself to equip it with abilities emulating his beloved toolbox's. Largely simplified, of course, but should the recipient be curious enough to investigate...

Encountering faces both new and old is the heart of Liyue’s Lantern Rite, so glimpsing the Sumeran architect among the crowd of festival-goers - an eye-catching gem in his own right, yet carefully fitted in the middle of the mirth and merriment like he had belonged there all along - comes with not as much surprise as it does joy. Although their last meeting had been mostly one-sided, it had not sullied the impression the man had left on Wriothesley, so he joins Kaveh at the nearby table with an amicable smile.

"Truthfully, I didn't expect to run into so many familiar faces here, but I suppose that's a testament to the Rite's fame,” he says as he pulls the chair out on the other side of the small, round table. It’s the last one with any open space, Wriothesley notices, and glances back half-apologetically.

”You weren’t saving this spot for anyone, were you?” He can’t entirely believe that Kaveh would be here by himself, or that he had not been waiting for someone else to join him, but he decides to take the invitation, and Kaveh’s assurance, at face value, and settles into the chair with arms folded across his chest. With an entire sea between them ordinarily, the opportunity to catch up is a rare and precious one, and Wriothesley has a number of questions ready to pick back up where they had left off. Kaveh, however, beats him to it. The little box he presents, resembling a Sumeran meka, renders him speechless for half a beat - the only sign that the Duke, rarely caught off guard, has finally lost his footing.

“I don’t remember wagering a bet with you,” he recovers lightheartedly, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward to accept the gift, first turning it over to examine the details of the box, then opening it to the beautifully crafted charm housed within. Such a token of sincerity is almost foreign to him, and for all of his experience with the theatrical art of gift-giving and receiving in Fontaine, Wriothesley finds himself at a loss, expression soft, a thoughtful smile illuminated by the green glow from the box’s projection, as he holds the gift in reverent silence.

“Is this your design?” he asks after a moment, glancing back across the table at Kaveh. “That reminds me: I’d actually hoped to meet you again to talk about a commission…”

- - -

Only once alone does Wriothesley open the accompanying letter to read its heartfelt contents. The words describe a man he would liken to the jade artisans to which the letter draws its comparison more than to his own reflection, and he finds it difficult to believe that he had left such an impression on the architect during their brief acquaintance. It’s a precious reminder, however, of the way water shapes the seabed, and the seabed shapes the shore, and hidden between the lines, Wriothesley thinks he can catch glimpses of the author himself.

“why— monsieur neuvillette! what a pleasant surprise.” rather, really more surprise than anything else. lyney was starting to think that the iudex never took a break for himself. magician smiles, sketches a bow before him, then gestures down the street. “i was on my way to see a shadow puppet show. it's a fun trick, playing with light and shadows. i thought lynette and i might be able to find a way to incorporate it into our shows.” head tilts, a sparkle in violet eyes. “i hear they're adapting a fontainian drama today. perhaps you might enjoy it?”

"Ah, Mr. Lyney. Likewise. I did not expect to run into you all the way in Liyue."

Granted, for a lot of people, Neuvillette will be even more of an unusual sight to encounter outside of his office, even more so outside of his country. Chances for such indulgences are few and far between - and even when they do present themselves, it is not a given that he will make use of them, sometimes simply choosing to stay put.

The thicker the walls of routine that one surrounds oneself with, the more difficult it becomes to force open the door.

While the Iudex cannot exactly claim to be well familiar with Lyney, having very little contact with the Fatuus outside of that one trial and an occasional magic show that he approves but does not always find the time to attend - he does quickly notice a distinct abnormality regarding his presence, namely the absence of his sister. A cause for confusion, perhaps, but not enough to pry. Maybe she simply decided to stay home, or maybe she has something else to do - whatever that might be, given their occupation. But here and now, it does not matter. Until he sees the siblings once again in the defendant's seat at the Opera Epiclese, it is none of his business. There is value to be had in respect for privacy.

And so, he shrugs it off, focusing instead on Lyney's words.

"A shadow puppet show? That would be quite the novelty in Fontaine, I believe. I can certainly see it becoming popular, especially with the twists and adaptations you two could introduce with your style and creativity." The compliment is genuine and heartfelt on his part. The magician's suggestion prompts a moment of consideration, before Neuvillette nods, a polite smile replacing the neutral expression.

"That does sound enjoyable, indeed. I believe I will attend it as well, then. Thank you for the suggestion."

A small pause.

━━━━ little sun practically buzzed with excitement, suddenly overwhelmed by the thought of having everything and nothing at her fingertips; hands that knew the burn of lights unlike those that would soon fill the lanterns scattered across the pathways. scarlet eyes widened just a tad when she managed to sneak a peek through the curtain of the window, as if unable to express just how curious she was.

it mattered not that the lantern rite was simply in the beginnings of its performance━━for all of teyvat, she reminded herself. throughout the night, klee would be in the presence of natives and foreigners. faces she could recognize and those she couldn’t match a name to face for. and that thought, in its simplest form, made klee feel…

small, in a way. it made her realize just how large the world really was; how tiny she and her heart was in comparison. but the fear that gripped her chest and pursed her lips into a trembling pout disappeared once an abrupt halt of the carriage forced her to rock back against albedo’s arm. the tiny contraption she had been fidgeting with━━twisting knobs, resetting the locks of each button, syncing the gear rotations━━fell into her lap, clicking shut and folding in on itself as a result.

but klee was so starry-eyed that the possibility of it slipping entirely hardly reached her. “are we here? albedo, are we here? did we make it, finally?” she exclaimed, pushing the contraption off of her lap and freeing her arms from the strap of her rucksack before stumbling out of the carriage’s backdoor.

when her boots had hit the earth, little sun would have been gone in a sprint if not for albedo’s hands quickly hoisting her into his hold. she shouted on instinct, laughing and kicking her feet as he carried her back to the... oh, right! 

“teehee, sorry, big brother! klee forgot we brought our equipment with us… hehe… can we at least, unpack after it turns dark? klee wants to see what stalls they’re gonna have open tonight! how else will we know what to take as a souvenir?" little sun pressed her hands together, smiling big and bright enough to hurt, "please? pretty pretty please with a pretty spider on top━━?”

.          masterlist.

⟡ peace talismans: 5 / 5, as of feb 11th ( links: i, ii, iii, iv, v ) ⟡ inbox: open & accepting lantern rite interactions whether based on prompt or not! ⟡ threads: do tell me beforehand if a specific ask will be turned into a thread, so i can log it in and be prepared!

if this little sun had to be honest, she’d argue that the hype over crabs was lame! why, you ask? well, you couldn’t eat them without breaking them open. they could cut you with their spikes. they had spikes. they could cut you if you broke it open. they had to be broken open. and a whole lot of other complaints that she made sure to add in her rambling, which she directed at the tall, dark-haired man sitting beside her:

“...and klee never knows how to clean them beforehand! did you know you were ‘pose to clean a crab before eating it? like all of the guts and stuff? i mean… i did, but… bleh, anyway, i━━oh. are you done?”

he had to be, since there had been little cracks and pops the entire time she ranted. and, to fill her cup of curiosity, klee put her hands on the table and leaned forward, peering into the smaller bowl in front of him━━taken from where it was beside her bigger, ceramic bowl of fruits and fish ( not that many vegetables. she’d rather not ).

scarlet eyes widened, her mouth agape in surprise. “no way, you broke it so fast! wowww, can you do the others? i…” a pause; guilt blossomed across her face in the slightest blush. thus, klee looked down at her hands, laughing nervously as she continued, “well, uhm, yeah, i have others. like, klee has a lot of others. but she wasn't taking them to waste them! really! she just couldn’t say no to all of the nice guys giving them away…”

however, she smiled brightly, and away went the awkward instinct! “but you’re really really strong, sir, so you’d be fine cracking the rest, right?”

For every one of Klee's frustrated huffs, Wriothesley commiserated with a well-timed groan, and "Is that so?"s weaved in between complaints drew out explanations that reminded him that children, if allowed, lived in a world of fantasy - of monstrous crabs with terrible spikes, and the wars undertaken to catch and cook them. So he merely hummed at the inconsistencies between her stories and reality, smiling to himself as he worked on the task she had presented to him with so much seriousness. She couldn't have possibly guessed that he had cracked crabs when he was her age (her apparent age, that is), or that he had only ever seen them as spiny obstacles to cut his hands on for the Mora to survive another day.

Tough callouses and tougher leather wraps protected his hands now, and Klee's warm, lively chatter made those stormy memories feel as distant as a dream. The table they occupied was tucked off to the side of the balcony on the restaurant's second floor, from which drifted kitchen noise, the muffled hum of lighthearted conversation, and the tantalizing scent of frying spices that hung ever-present over the harbor. Every now and then, Klee's animated storytelling would bump against his shoulder, or rock the table beneath them, and Wriothesley found that his smile was more than just patient appeasement.

With the last joint broken, and its meat torn out and deposited with the growing collection in the bowl in front of him, he leaned back in his chair to let Klee assess his work.

"More, huh?" A glance behind her found the bowls of bright red crustaceans still in one piece gathered near the table. Wriothesley let out a soft snort of laughter, but pushed back from the table to retrieve one of them.

"You got it, Boss."

Choosing the fullest of the collection, he returned to his chair to get to work.

“mister neuvillette!” little sun raced toward the man, in a slight waddle-like run as to not drop the bags of flatbread crackers stacked in her arms. “hi! it’s been sooo long since we… oh.”

bright eyes met those near her own height, wide-eyed just as hers were. but where her ears were pointed, this girl’s ears were long and upright. their hands, too, were different from one another’s and, if she thought too hard on it, her head would start to hurt. klee blinked, rapidly, until her surprise blossomed into reddened cheeks and wide, enthusiastic smiles. oh well! different or not, a friend of neuvillette’s was a friend of hers!

“hi there!” klee happily exclaimed, nodding quick enough to make herself dizzy, “i’m klee! you’re very pretty! klee really likes your eyes!”

then, as if she had forgotten, little sun’s head bowed in an attempt to gesture to the bags in her arms, though it mattered little since she ended up raising them in neuvillette's direction instead. “a kind man gave klee crackers to pass around! though you can eat some, he said to share a few with the koi fish! something about… harmony? and the… and the moon! klee remembers him saying something about the moon!”

"Ah, Klee. Hello there."

The sight of the little girl brought a smile to Neuvillette's face as he watched her run towards him. Just as she said, it had been a while since their previous meeting - and this time the circumstances are much friendlier, the Garde dragging her by the hand by force nowhere to be seen.

He intends to continue with the greetings (and inquire as to her adult guardians' whereabouts) - but pauses as Klee notices Elida, electing to allow the greeting to take place first.

Elida's ears twitch as she skips over towards Klee to meet her. At the compliment, she giggles, a slight blush blooming on her cheeks. "Aww, thank you! I think you're very pretty too, I love your ears! And clothes, too! I'm Elida, nice to meet you!"

Neuvillette nods. "That's right. I don't think you had a chance to meet a Melusine during your visit to Fontaine. Well, I hope you can get along."

(Come to think of it, they would probably have some fun with the "fish blasting" together, but... That might be best left unsaid. He knows Klee said it was not dangerous, but when it comes to the Melusines, he remains unconvinced.)

Speaking of fish, however, his attention is redirected back to Klee when she raises a small bag in her arms towards him.