Greetings, all --

Serenade of Scarlatan 1018AF will mark the beginning of our year of festivities! Thanks so much to everybody who has participated in coordinating and planning, whether it's a single event or a whole city's worth!

(And yes, it is currently Miraman, but time is a tricky beast so I'm at least posting this one early!)


OPENING CEREMONY
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There will be two Opening Ceremony and Tour held at the Hall of Visionaries in Meropis, which is located at coordinates 68395. I will be holding two openings and tours to account for a variety of folks' waking times.

For anyone unable to make it to the guided tour, Historian Jurixe has set up posters to provide people an opportunity to go on a self-guided tour. The start of this self-guided tour is located at the original site of the Restoration, a rocky beach. Those coordinates are 17521.

WHEN ARE THE OPENING CELEBRATIONS?
Keep in mind that time is slippery and thinking about it too much will simply give you a headache. My intended times for these celebrations are as follows, but keep in mind I may be completely mad. Still, I will shout before the events and even offer to lead a group to Meropis ahead of time.

- Opening Ceremony 1: Scarlatan serenade +4
- Opening Ceremony 2: Scarlatan serenade +15


GETTING TO MEROPIS
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During the year of the festival the usual PORTAL that is North of New Thera will be available to access the continent of Meropis. Head to NONT (Coordinates: 1299) and ENTER the PORTAL.


JOURNALING, SCARLATAN 1018AF
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We will again have journaling prompts throughout the year, which I will be posting for each month's news post. You may keep a journal to track your participation throughout the festival. While I will be posting prompts monthly (though I may not have a prompt for -every- month, not sure yet), you can fill out the prompts at any time before the end of the festival.

I believe that at the end of the festival you will send me your journal for review, and I will send it back, and then you will receive some kind of prize or gift.

For SCARLATAN 1018AF's prompts, complete at least one of the following:

- Attend the Opening Ceremony and Tour and write down your thoughts on what you saw, heard, and learned.

or

Go on the self-guided tour (starting at the rocky beach). Write down your thoughts on the history of the Asterian Restoration, and anything you learned.


CARTS
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Throughout the festival year there will be carts along the Asterian Peninsula on Meropis with assortments of wares from many different places. Make sure to stop by and peruse what's on offer!

Everybody who applied for a cart should have received a location assignment from Lady Yilui. If you have any question about location, obtaining carts, or anything else, please reach out to her. And thanks, Yilui, for your work on cart-coordination!


UPCOMING EVENTS
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For event organizers, keep in mind that it is best to publicize your events based on MONTH and SERENADE +/- amount, rather than specific day of the month.

Ero's Serenade is earlier in the month than I had originally anticipated, so while I will make a separate news post for Ero, I want to just post some of the late Scarlatan/early Ero events so you know to keep an ear out! I will post the additional events as they get closer.

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[ SCARLATAN SERENADE +4 ], [ SCARLATAN SERENADE +15 ] Asterian Festival Opening Ceremony and Tour

Hall of Visionaries, Meropis (Coordinates: 68395)

The opening ceremony of the Asterian Festival of Celebration, conducted by Festival Director and Asterian Curator Mhuswys.

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[ ERO SERENADE -4 ] Lady Lorielan's Order: Sects, Symbols, and Sanctums of Enlightenment & Nishnatoba

A seminar on the sects, the symbols, and the sanctums of the Jade Empress, followed by a game of strategy played among Samatha.

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[ ERO SERENADE -2 ] Lady Gaia's Order: The Nymphean Octave and The Swarm

Join the High Coven of the Earth for a bug bath.

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[ ERO SERENADE ] Lord Prospero's Order: The Festival of Investment: An impossible commission

A high vantage point, Meropis (Coordinates: 32588)

An active presentation involving five different interpretations of how Patronage and Wealth interact, an examination of Value.

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[ ERO SERENADE +3 ] Devotees of the Fountain clan: Vigil for Lady Indrani

A serene chapel of remembrance, Meropis (Coordinates: 68705)

Come honour the fallen Goddess Indrani, and learn of our past, and how we may apply it to our future.

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Thanks, all.

-- Mhuswys Danial

Penned by my hand on the 5th of Miraman, in the year 1018 AF.