May Event and Intro Log

[magicademymods]

May Event and Intro Log DAWN OF THE FIRST DAY May I Have This Dance? Though Diatu Magicademy has its share of social events, few capture the attention of the student body quite like the Twilight Ball -- that magical once-a-year dance that crosses the change of day into night and is given over entirely to the dance itself. The focus is not on political visitors, rival schools, local government, or hitting up alumni for money; it is entirely about the pleasure that comes from accompanying a charming and attractive person onto the dance floor and cutting the proverbial rug. It is entirely possible the Twilight Ball is beloved because the general student body is aggressively amorous, but no one admits that out loud. With the dance on the horizon, the mission of the day becomes finding a partner -- or asking the prettiest or nicest or most tsundere to the ball before anyone else does. The Sundered are particularly popular by virtue of being new, so students may find themselves fending off invitations or even crowds of people interested in being seen on their arms. Even the younger Sundered have a few people in their age group who'd like to pretend they're just as adult as the older students. To avoid the mob, one strategy is to find someone else in dire straits and agree to be their date, thus giving both of you protection now and then. Another, stranger, vastly more unorthodox strategy is to actually ask someone out legitimately... if you've got the guts. (The third strategy is to go with Headmaster Birony, who has been occasionally heard to bemoan loudly and publicly that she has nobody, HINT HINT. But who could possibly be THAT desperate?) Love Is In The Water Love potions are absolutely, positively, one hundred percent forbidden, on the grounds they tread far too close to the supremely black Curriculum of Dictation. This ultimate and unforgiving ban is every bit as effective as Anastara's rules limiting the speed of carts in the street to a horse's walk. So, yes, there's love potion in the water. Someone spilled an entire bucket in the river. These things happen. Luckily, as diluted as it is, the potion doesn't reach the levels of obsessive compulsion that the worst of them can; a person drinking a unfortunate draught instead simply finds themselves attracted in a weird and sharp sort of way to the first person they lay their eyes on, for a period of about thirty minutes. Diatu Magicademy is an inclusive and progressive institution, and consequently these potions affect and can target all manner of beings, from ducks and wolf-shifters to robots and dragons. They are pretty convenient about failing to bring about really skeevy pairings, though, so don't worry about being Hot For Professor. Special Delivery (aka the Least Embarrassing Prompt, which is a sad state of affairs) A quick, easy, profitable way to make some money this time of year is by delivering messages, packages, parcels, and treats to students who've caught the eye of another. Whether anonymous or gloriously identified, small token of esteem or bristling bundles of roses and chocolates, the population of the Magicademy takes particular delight in letting others know their feelings. Not always positive feelings, either -- glitter-bomb rejections have only recently begun to diminish in popularity, being replaced by Pie-To-The-Face spells. An enterprising student who adds their own spin to this hallowed ceremony of delivery can make bank; singing and performance are popular ways to enhance a message among Valhudor students, and a recent trend finds quartets delivering acapella harmonies to the recipients of love notes. But simple note hauling can still be worth your while... so long as you don't find yourself delivering a creepy confession from a weirdo to one of your dear friends. What are the odds of that happening, though? Research On the Sundered With the arrival of the Sundered come those wizards engaged in research on their presence here, now set to investigate what brought them here and how to get them home. All newly-arrived Sundered students are asked to meet with representatives of the research team, to introduce themselves and relate what they will of their homes. In addition, the team requests samples of blood, hair, and skin -- carefully magically collected, and the researchers will sign in the presence of the Sundered a Glyphed contract that forbids them from using the samples for a purpose they know will be harmful. (They quite understand your reasons to be suspicious of this collection! And they will not compel anyone who refuses even given these conditions.) This month, however, the research team informs its applicants that there is no magic being performed. Instead, they ask you to participate in partnered interviews, in which two Sundered compare their worlds and ask each other questions while the researchers take notes. They explain that they wish to find commonalities and differences between worlds, in the hopes that this will help them identify a larger pattern in how the Sundered were brought here. How is this bad enough to merit earning a reward this month? As it happens, the researchers who sit with the pair have an Intimation Crystal, which shines red every time someone speaks to deceive in its presence. Lie or omit information or cover with half-truths and the interviewer will ask you to go back and try again -- and they encourage you to speak on everything you can. You might end up venturing into dark or unpleasant territory in these interviews... DAWN OF THE SECOND DAY Welp, This Happened A quiet weekend morning is abruptly quiet no longer. With a tumultuous shuddering and an eerie, whistling roar, the first tendril of a far mightier being surges out of a wall on campus, venturing into the cloud-shadowed outdoors for the first time in its existence in this plane. Then, like a cloak shrugged off, the outbuilding it emerged from rises up only to crash to the ground as the Sundered creature rises up to claim it glory. It is a nightmare, a horror. A terrible, indescribable thing as large as a small building —a shapeless agglutination of protoplasmic bubbles, faintly self-luminous, and with myriads of temporary eyes forming and un-forming as pustules of light. For some inexplicable reason, it is colored in bands of purple, black, and gold, and several parts of it sprout white feathers. That's the bad news. The bad news is that this existential threat to reality does not go unnoticed, nor unchallenged. Mere moment after the Sundered creature makes it presence known, a cold wind begins to blow. The temperature abruptly drops thirty degrees, leaving those around in a clammy and miserable chill that feels like they've passed their whole body through one of the ghosts of Makerion Keep. This estimation is not too far wrong, for the pale off-white dragon that emerges from the clouds above is translucent and ethereal, save for the shining eyes of coldest blue that fix on the beast like pinpoints of fire. What a ghost dragon is doing here is anyone's guess, but when it opens its jaw to unleash a withering cone of necrotic energy at the Sundered creature, it demonstrates plainly that it will not brook this interloper on its domain. In other words, Diatu Magicademy is now home to a kaiju fight. That's the bad news. The BAD news is that both these creatures are, by their very nature, incredibly resistant to magic. So even as the professors spill out and split duties of getting students to safety and fending them off, the two beasts barely notice the arcane energy flashing through the air as they begin vigorously brawling. Thank goodness this is a weekend, or else you'd all have some serious trouble getting to class on time. Wonders Await? Diatu Magicademy is open to you in all its glory. But maybe you should deal with that mess first? We're just saying.

Comments

[noasark]

I don't know that he's worried so much as curious, [Noa notes idly, only to grimace when he looks back at the fight again.] Eugh. The words make enough sense, but this won't be any less pleasant...

Do you have any clue where these even came from?

[blue_ice]

I don't know. I was on my way to the library when it seemed to appear from nowhere. That happens too often around here.

[ He leans against a nearby wall as he watches a truly impressive bite attempt from the dragon. ]

I suppose you haven't heard anything? I'm wondering if it came from someone at the school at all...seems too powerful to be a student's doing.

[noasark]

They seem a little too close to home, all things considered... [There's some pointed staring at the violet-gold-black EYEBALL MESS, which might not so much resemble something but certainly has the right number of Key Traits.]

I haven't however- not about this at least. [Which is as far as he'll go admitting his lack of a proper information network at this time, but as it is.] I do wonder what 'one' will do when the 'other' is defeated if at all though, [Noa adds with morbid fascination.]

[blue_ice]

I'd hope it would go back to where it came from, but that might be a little optimistic.

[ He stares up at the fight, sighing as a truly terrifying spell is fired. ]

The way they're flying at each other---we should have an opening. Be ready to run.

[noasark]

Hmmm, a little... [They don't even know where it came from after all. Still- he nods, grimacing and glancing back to Adelai for a moment.]

...You have to run too, you know.

[There is a quiet, disgruntled 'Aaaauh' sound, but Noa's attention is back on the field- his hands on his bag strap as he prepares to bolt.]

[blue_ice]

Don't worry about me. It's my job to make sure you get there.

[ He stares up at the creatures, counts under his breath as they prepare a counterattack, and then...]

Now!

[ With those giraffe legs he can go pretty fast, but he's careful not to lose Noa. He's prepared to reach back and yeet him across the finish line if necessary, but...yeah. C'mon, bro. ]

[noasark]

[He doesn't see fit to correct Seto- he was talking to Adelai. He'll just see if the Penguin follows, really.

And fortunately, it can. Noa himself seems pretty spry too- though the robes are making it a hassle to run. Yeeting may indeed be necessary- especially since the tiny hobbling blue wonder actually IS threatening to outstrip the boy.]

Tch..! [Embarrassing!]

[blue_ice]

[ They're nearly there, but Noa...no. No. A bolt of lightning crackles overhead, and he can't let that happen. He's not about to lose him now, not when he's just getting to know him.

He lunges. grabs his brother, and makes a truly ridiculous leap, roughly hitting the dirt in the shelter of one of the spires. He hurts, and this is ridiculous, but at least he's safe.

Hopefully. ]

...Noa?

[noasark]

[Noa doesn't even see the lightning coming, which is either a testament to how inexperienced at this he is, or simply to how focused he was on running.

He definitely notices being hauled up like a piece of luggage however, and gives a fairly undignified squawk in reply...

One which is cut short with an equally shame-filled 'KGH-' sound that knocks the wind out of him.] Kfff-aaaaaaaa...

[The boy gasps for breath, pulling himself to his knees.] W...What...was that..?! [He wheezes, sounding far less angry than he likely is.

At least Adelai made it. Somehow. Best not to lose one's familiar that fast.]

[blue_ice]

Lightning, of course.

[ He rises and doesn't even bother trying to brush off his robes for once. With a grunt, he offers his hand. ]

I wasn't about to let you die.

[noasark]

NHm...Not exactly what I was referring to..! [He snaps, practically glaring at the hand before his attention is caught by the spot where lightning did strike.

Ah.

Mutely, he takes the hand while still staring at the spot.] That...

[That looks bad. Out there.]