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rosavelle2026-02-01 12:11 pm
royaldecreemods) wrote in rosavelle2026-02-01 12:11 pm
Entry tags:
Event: Budwake
PREPARATION
It's midway through Fallow that the advisors are given the heads up from Nadeshiko that Rosavelle is stirring and that can only mean one thing: Budwake has arrived!
What the heck even is the Budwake, you ask? Nadeshiko wastes no time explaining it; Budwake is a week-long, kingdom-wide effort to prepare the island for the first true thaw of the soil. Fields are turned, flowerbeds cleared, tools checked, mended and blessed for the coming warmth.
For anyone suddenly realizing they own exactly zero farm-appropriate outfits, the castle has you covered for anything from boots to gloves and even some surprisingly fancy sets of overalls. Callie appears among the preparations as well, also bundled up and outdoorsy, though they clarify with a sheepish smile that they'll be spending Budwake in the Everbloom's Greenhouse, tending to the sacred tree itself. Future sovereign's duty, apparently.
The familiar ferry boats carry everyone down the canals toward Rosavelle, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people hauling tools and farming gear. Once ashore, it's easy to figure out where you need to go - a steady flow of townsfolk are already heading toward the open fields at the kingdom's edge, laughing and chatting all the way. Whatever's happening, it's clearly happening there.
Once everyone has arrived, the crowd gathers around a stretch of marked earth that’s dark and damp but still hard and compacted with frost. A voice rings out, calling a name the advisors likely don't recognize, and older woman steps forward. You can tell at first glance that she must be a farmer of some sort; her hair is bleached nearly white by years of sun and salt and her face is deeply lined by long, honest work. Someone hands her a tall harrow.
She grips it, grins and with a sweeping, theatrical swing drives it down into the ground. The soil breaks with a wet, satisfying crunch - and the field erupts into cheers. Laughter, applause, shouts of encouragement echo across the land as the thaw is officially broken.
Budwake has begun!
What the heck even is the Budwake, you ask? Nadeshiko wastes no time explaining it; Budwake is a week-long, kingdom-wide effort to prepare the island for the first true thaw of the soil. Fields are turned, flowerbeds cleared, tools checked, mended and blessed for the coming warmth.
For anyone suddenly realizing they own exactly zero farm-appropriate outfits, the castle has you covered for anything from boots to gloves and even some surprisingly fancy sets of overalls. Callie appears among the preparations as well, also bundled up and outdoorsy, though they clarify with a sheepish smile that they'll be spending Budwake in the Everbloom's Greenhouse, tending to the sacred tree itself. Future sovereign's duty, apparently.
The familiar ferry boats carry everyone down the canals toward Rosavelle, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people hauling tools and farming gear. Once ashore, it's easy to figure out where you need to go - a steady flow of townsfolk are already heading toward the open fields at the kingdom's edge, laughing and chatting all the way. Whatever's happening, it's clearly happening there.
Once everyone has arrived, the crowd gathers around a stretch of marked earth that’s dark and damp but still hard and compacted with frost. A voice rings out, calling a name the advisors likely don't recognize, and older woman steps forward. You can tell at first glance that she must be a farmer of some sort; her hair is bleached nearly white by years of sun and salt and her face is deeply lined by long, honest work. Someone hands her a tall harrow.
She grips it, grins and with a sweeping, theatrical swing drives it down into the ground. The soil breaks with a wet, satisfying crunch - and the field erupts into cheers. Laughter, applause, shouts of encouragement echo across the land as the thaw is officially broken.
Budwake has begun!
BUDWAKE
So what exactly is there to do during Budwake? Well… basically everything! The list of tasks is seemingly endless and even if you're not the outdoorsy type, there's always something somewhere for you to contribute. But if you need some ideas to get started, here's a snapshot of what's going on around Rosavelle over the week of Budwake;
- ❊ Across the outskirts of Rosavelle, volunteers gather in the many fields to help in finishing breaking up the winter thaw. Plows and harrows are dragged through damp soil with a satisfying crunch, winter-compacted ground finally giving way. Some folks focus on clearing stones, dead roots and frost-bitten debris, while others carefully re-mark crop rows and field boundaries lost to snow and ice. Horses also play a central role in Budwake labor, harnessed to tillers and carts with patient professionalism. Volunteers are needed to guide, soothe and supervise them, brush mud from their coats, make sure they get proper breaks and to keep Gold Ship from strapping herself to a cart and challenging the horses to a race. You know, just as a hypothetical.
❊ Community sheds - and in particular, Marigold Hall - open their doors for Repair and Care Days to make sure that everyone's tools are in tip-top condition for the hard work ahead. No matter what ails your equipment, there's someone who can help. A team of volunteers in the back of the Hall handles the big repairs - cracked handles, dulled blades, rusted parts - while others staff the tables at the front, ready to tackle small fixes. Tools are sorted, counted and redistributed as needed, ensuring everyone is ready to contribute their part to the island's agricultural success.
❊ Along the canals and promenades, both private gardens and public flowerbeds are carefully cleared of dormant growth and winter debris so the colourful sprouts of Blooming will have plenty of space to grow. Volunteers here help clear away dead leaves and stems and in public spaces, assist gardeners in planting the very first seeds of the season. It's slower, more delicate work than the fields, often done in pairs or small groups and while it's arguably less vital to the island's functioning than the field preparation, it's no less vital to the island's heart.
❊ Down by the coast, crews from Maerlys focus on livestock care in preparation for their release back into the fields once the weather warms up. Pens are repaired, feeding troughs scrubbed and filled and the animals are checked for health issues. While the adults handle the more demanding work of mending fences and loading feed, the younger islanders happily take charge of the smaller tasks: brushing mud-caked wool, counting sheep and goats and ensuring every creature has a clean place to rest. There's also a smaller, more select group of volunteers invited to assist in ensuring the coral reefs offshore remain healthy - diving into the freezing waters to clear away debris, gently scrub away harmful algae and monitor the local sea life for signs of stress or illness.
❊ Kitchens around Rosavelle - but in particular, those at the castle - shift into high gear with the sole purpose of producing endless supplies of easy-to-carry meals for Budwake volunteers. Steaming soups, crusty breads, hearty hand pies and magically insulated flasks of who even knows what are packed in wicker baskets and loaded onto wagons that will trundle out to the fields and work sites. Volunteers in the castle kitchens assist the chefs and their underlings in chopping, mixing and wrapping countless meals. If you were looking for a less outdoorsy way to contribute, offering to help peel potatoes for stew or pack lunchboxes might just be your speed.
❊ With parents and caretakers pulled into Budwake work across the island, Little Buds Atelier opens its doors wider than ever. Volunteers are invited to help supervise the children of the island, running games, telling stories and keeping them occupied until their families are finished with their tasks. The caretakers also use this as an opportunity to teach kids why Budwake matters by leading simple lessons about planting seeds and explaining how everyone's hard work now helps the whole kingdom bloom later.
AFTER-TILL FEAST
After a solid week of early mornings, late nights and hard work… Budwake has come to an end and Rosavelle looks all the better for it. Things everywhere across the island look refreshed and everything that needed to be done has been done. The city is poised on the edge of warmer days, ready to bloom.
Which, naturally, means it's time to eat everything.
The evening of the final day of Budwake is the After-Till Feast, a long-standing Rosavellan tradition and a mostly practical celebration In castle kitchens and community halls alike, cooks have unanimously declared that every odd, end and “this will absolutely go bad if we wait” is officially fair game. The result is a glorious spread of soups, stews, pies, fritters and casseroles ready to fill your bellies after days of hard labor. The advisors are warmly invited to join the festivities down in Rosavelle itself, though there's no shortage of excellent food waiting up at the castle too.
Down in the city, the celebration is busy but mellow - after all that work, nobody really has the energy to do much more than sit down and talk over food. The mood is relaxed, the food is genuinely excellent and there's a shared sense of quiet pride in work well done.
Up at the castle, the feast is a bit more austere, as expected, and held in the Hearthsong Salon. Callie is present, despite looking as though they’re running on fumes. At some point between courses, exhaustion finally claims its due and Their Highness nods off at the table, head resting on folded arms, utterly unbothered.
However you choose to celebrate, the night ends the same way. Full, weary and deeply satisfied, everyone eventually makes their way home, reassured that Rosavelle is ready for what comes next.
Which, naturally, means it's time to eat everything.
The evening of the final day of Budwake is the After-Till Feast, a long-standing Rosavellan tradition and a mostly practical celebration In castle kitchens and community halls alike, cooks have unanimously declared that every odd, end and “this will absolutely go bad if we wait” is officially fair game. The result is a glorious spread of soups, stews, pies, fritters and casseroles ready to fill your bellies after days of hard labor. The advisors are warmly invited to join the festivities down in Rosavelle itself, though there's no shortage of excellent food waiting up at the castle too.
Down in the city, the celebration is busy but mellow - after all that work, nobody really has the energy to do much more than sit down and talk over food. The mood is relaxed, the food is genuinely excellent and there's a shared sense of quiet pride in work well done.
Up at the castle, the feast is a bit more austere, as expected, and held in the Hearthsong Salon. Callie is present, despite looking as though they’re running on fumes. At some point between courses, exhaustion finally claims its due and Their Highness nods off at the table, head resting on folded arms, utterly unbothered.
However you choose to celebrate, the night ends the same way. Full, weary and deeply satisfied, everyone eventually makes their way home, reassured that Rosavelle is ready for what comes next.