Whalefall Winter

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A whalefall winter is a seasonal phenomenon, where hundreds of whales pass away simultaneously in the Aphrodite Ocean. The event occurs at the beginning of the winter season, year after year. In novian culture, the whalefall winter is a magical time full of festive celebrations.

Whalefall winters are celebrated with songs and dance throughout the ocean. Novians celebrate the cycle of life and death, treating death as a noble end to the Natural Order.

A whalefall is the process of a whale carcass drifting to the ocean floor, creating localised ecosystems where it lands. As it decomposes it attracts countless creatures to feast on the remains. On Venus, a whalefall is a spectacle.

The end of the whalefall winter sees the new year on Venus.

Venusian Cetaceans

Over thirty species of cetacean exist on Venus, from the tiny pepperwhales to the solarvent gardenbacks, the second longest vertebrate species on the planet. The Aphrodite Ocean is home to half of these cetaceans, all of which gathering during whalefall winters.

Venusian Whales by Mochi

The most common cetacean species on Venus is the pygmy gardenback. These ten-metre long whales have moss-covered bodies, creating micro-ecosystems entirely dependent on these animals.

Venusian cetaceans are characterised by their segmented bodies. The head is almost entirely detached from the rest of the body, and the whales have a large hump on their back where the spine and ribs have fused into large bone plates.

Venusian Whalefalls

Whalefall Raiders

Due to the abundance of whale corpses this time of year, it is no surprise that the ocean floods with scavengers. Raiders use this time to catch millions of crustaceans and fish as food, waiting until the new year to sell them at higher prices. The raiding industry is discouraged, but no legislative action is taken against them and the practice is entirely legal.

A whalefall on Venus is a beautiful sight. When a marine animal dies, its magical aura transfers into the environment, dispersing in a flurry of bright lights. A single whalefall can be used as a beacon, lasting months at a time and stretching miles through the ocean. A whalefall winter lights up the entire Aphrodite Ocean in a warm golden glow.

Millions of creatures flock to the whalefalls, scavengers from small fish and sharks to benthic crustaceans and other arthropods, annelids, mussels, clams, and other small molluscs.

Due to the size of venusian whales and the general lack of nutritious resources in the planet's oceans, a single whalefall can feed millions.

Magical Aura

An aura of an organism can only be visually detected once it has passed away. Most organisms possess a small aura, practically unnoticeable. Venusian whales have a strong aura, seeping into the ocean as a golden glow when a whale dies.

The aura radiating from the whalefalls is soothing to the heart and soul, inducing an intoxicated state of bliss.

Novian Celebrations

Novian by Mochi

Small towns and cities alike signal the start of a whalefall winter with the sound of a cossamon shell. The shell is blown upon the deaths of the first few whales.

Many novians take the time to celebrate one's life and their achievements during this, while remembering those that came before them. Familial ancestors are presented with a shrine in one's home, adorned with personal items and decorations.

Cossamon Clams

Cossamon clams are gigantic molluscs found covering the seabed in the Aphrodite Ocean. They produce a high pitched whistling sound as they open and close their shells, and novians have replicated the same thing.

This period, known as Aqurea, lasts three days and is the most looked forward to out of the entire wintertime. On the third day it is customary to have a feast, different foods eaten in different places around the Aphrodite Ocean.

Most novians have more free time during the winter period, and it is spent enjoying one's hobbies, travelling, and spending time with relatives. The winter month is one of reminiscing, accepting change and transitions.

Singing

Music can be heard all throughout citystreets during Aqurea. The Aqurean Ballad is the most popular song during the winter.

Dancing

Dancing is common during Aqurea. Different regions have their own cultural dances tied to this event.

Resolutions

Making resolutions for the upcoming year is popular during the whalefall winter. Looking back on the previous year, and making changes for the better.

Observing Death in Novian Culture

Death is never something novians have feared. It is an inevitable part of life, and most novians believe in other stages of existence beyond death. Children are brought up fully aware of death and its meaning.

Many see death as a blessing, an end to a life that has gone on for too long.

Soooo, what's your plan for the new year?

Eat less clams. They don't agree with me but I LOVE THEM.

Okay... is that it?

You're acting like that's not an incredibly difficult resolution for me. You know me, I stuffed my bag full of clams at Jena's party because I literally can't go three hours without eating one.

— Two novians discussing their resolutions

Primary Related Location

Aphrodite Ocean

Important Locations

• Venus

Related Ethnicities

• Venusian

Related Species
Novian

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