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

[grim_heaper]

"Noise. Monsters that listen to the Reapers and erase players. Like you." He smirked.

[bearshermark]

Now he was definitely being insulted, but in terms he didn't understand. Eleven breathed a short sigh.

"We're from different worlds, so I don't really know what you're speaking of. If you'd rather not explain, you can ask me if you like."

[grim_heaper]

"Listen up. No matter what they told you here, please excuse my dear aunt sally. You're dead, zero. As a doornail. Your life? Garbage. CRUNCH. Add it to the heap. You're in the Reaper's game now. That's why you can't contact home or go back, you zetta moron. The only one who gets to come back is whoever wins that game. Reapers like me? This is our world. We just let you factoring hectopascals play in it."

[bearshermark]

Eleven stared, heart racing and face draining of color. Something edged with razored wings fluttered about his stomach, threatening to make him ill.

His fists clenched and he stood. "I'm not dead!" He snapped with unusual temper. "Hendrik is from a time after me. I survived. You're wrong."

[grim_heaper]

This only seemed to amuse him. He leaned back, unconcerned. "Memory manipulation is a standard Conductor trick. Played one week with a kid who couldn't remember dying at all, recently. Had zero clue. I saw him die in the RG, I saw who killed him. So don't be so zetta sure of what you think you know."

And since he thinks this all to be truth, the crystals aren't registering any lies.

[bearshermark]

His teeth clenched, a quick impulsive strength to match in the curl of his fists.

"This isn't your world," he grit out. "You don't have any power here. You are just like the rest of us."

[grim_heaper]

He laughed. "So zetta lame. I've regained plenty of my powers already to erase players. I'd say ask Sora, but hey... anyone seen that zero recently?" he smirked. "Erased the man with the gong... sadly, he was lying about that gong keeping people safe, erasing him didn't erase more people as I hoped. Still, could always take you next of you're so zetta eager."

Woops u did the thing

[bearshermark]

Eleven's breath shallowed, awareness dimming just as lightning bolted through his arms and slammed straight through his knuckles toward his research partner's face.

[magicademynpcs]

Saying the spell strikes the translucent limb that slammed down between the pair would be overselling it. It simply vanishes into it, and does not come out the other side.

sssssssssssSummoner.

The hiss of the mental word cuts through the mind like a razor, leaving behind the sense of a deep bleeding wound so narrow it is painless.

Assssssssssssssailant.

Tell me. Why was I risssssssssssssen from sssssssssssleeeep eternal?

[grim_heaper]

She embraced the densation, thrilled at the appearance of his new Noise. "Soh Cah Toa," He said pleased. "Over all? To aid me. Not usually one for partners, and playing nice with others, but you I actually like," he said with a grin. "At the moment, this zero was trying to subtract my words. You can erase him if you want. You should get a snack after such a long nap, anyway." Sorry, kiddo. But there was no calculation in an equation of his new dragon Noise or some random player. It wasn't a balanced equation at all, and X will always mark the spot.

[bearshermark]

The voice cut through the burst of sudden anger and pit it straight through to cold terror. Even if he were not the Luminary, Eleven recognized Power when it Spoke.

He startled back, heart pounding and craning for a source. But what was it, that this person spoke to with such malevolent glee- the power to erase people from existence?

His hands shook. "I cannot afford to be erased- to do so would condemn Yggdrasil and the rest of my world. I do not take such threats lightly, but I would apologize for my unthinking transgression that woke you."

[magicademynpcs]

The dragon looks between the two, head curling back till its neck was practically in an S shape.

So you, it says, pointing to Sho, suddenly businesslike and without any evidence of the haunting hissed tones of before, woke me up because you think I would deign to acknowledge you, and you, here it indicates Eleven, think you are involved in this in any way other than flinging lightning at the summoner.

Without waiting for them to confirm, it tips its head way, way back. Human! it says, all exasperation and weariness. This is why we enslaved you all back in the day, you know. You earned it!

Wow did my dyslexia make a mess of my post. >.<

[grim_heaper]

He laughed. "I think you plus me can own this pathetic UG. Besides, you've already seen challenges here enough to keep you entertained for a week. stick with me and you'll have food and fun for infinity!"

Someone is so unphased by the casual threat of being enslaved.

[bearshermark]

Eleven's eyes dropped, brows furrowing over a frown and turning over the arm he vaguely recalled throwing at the summoner's face. Lightning? But he didn't..

Though he was rather sure the dragon spirit had addressed him, he dipped his head and bit his tongue against saying as much.

"Apologies.." The spirit didn't sound ready to heed its summoner's instruction- rather the opposite, in fact. Enslavement? He shivered and clasped his hands together.

Benevolent Goddess, please guide my actions through your great wisdom. A malevolent summoner under a spirit's thrall threatens our existence.

[grim_heaper]

Like that zero could win over his wonderful Noise with a fake apology. Ha!

[magicademynpcs]

Stop. Just stop. Both of you.

Squeezing its piercing blue eyes shut, the dragon seems to slump slightly.

Answer my questions on the instant. What has happened to Ascelion? What place is this?

[bearshermark]

"A-Anastara, Great Spirit," Eleven managed, thrown by the sudden query. He locked eyes with the summoner, wary though not quite as hostile. If his actions weren't his own..?

"This is Diatu Magicademy." He's only heard rumors of Ascelion, and not enough to say what was happening with it.

[grim_heaper]

"This is the UG of this area, The school is just a small part of it. And you and me? We're going to rule it all. Composer and top Noise. Unless you'd rather be a Game Master or Conductor? Whatever it takes to find our beauty."

[magicademynpcs]

Stop babbling nonsense. The spirit shifts its attention away from the Summoner and onto the Assailant. Your answer tells me nothing. Explain.

[bearshermark]

Eleven's pulse raced, mouth running dry. "Yes.."

How ancient was this spirit, and just how long had it been sleeping? For the first time since his enrollment, he wished he'd taken History. Yggdrasil above, but what could happen should he explain things so simply as to accidentally insult this being's intelligence?

He sent another brief prayer off to both of his goddesses, as well as a more desperate one to the Spirit of the Land.

"Anastara floats above the Tenscore Kingdoms," he recited, attempting to recall similar words. "And this school was founded to train wizards to better their mastery over magic."

Ascelion, he realized with a jolt, was the name of the island itself. Eleven smiled, relief and gratitude flooding through and dropping his shoulders. Raida would have his every coin when he went to pray this evening.

"Ascelion has grown, Great Spirit, and now supports both wizards and those of us newly arrived as Sundered into this world."

[grim_heaper]

"I'm all for you adding to your intel and all, but he's recently dead, new to the UG. We can go find you one of the zeroes who have been here a whole zetta lot longer, or add ourselves to the library for a while. You'll multiply the information you get."

[magicademynpcs]

He is blatantly not dead, Summoner. The dragon looks at its 'hand' thoughtfully, flexing and unflexing claws in the general shape of fingers. It seems to be thinking. And I think I have learned much, if wizards now believe magic can be taught in school. Much indeed.

It cannot be said that the dragon smiles, for its facial structures are so far from human as to make such a gesture alien. But the cruel mischief in its expression is unmistakable.

You had no idea you were calling upon me, did you.

[grim_heaper]

Great, his Noise was either delusional or unable to sense players as players. Well, he could factor that later. "Something as zetta awesome as you specifically, no. But now that you're here...." He grinned.

[bearshermark]

Reading threat in the shift of claws, Eleven takes a step back, his fingers itching for his sword. The words sound more like a threat to the summoner than himself, but much as he appreciates the dragon spirit affirming that he is indeed alive, neither would he see that change out of carelessness.

Even still, he remains a touch concerned for his fellow student despite their disagreement.

"Proper instruction aids in averting disaster," he adds in quiet defence of Diatu.

[magicademynpcs]

And bastardizes magic in the process. Apropos for you humans. Case in point...

Turning its head to focus entirely on Sho now, the dragon lets out a huff of white fog that chills the air around them even at a distance.

You are no Summoner. You are a misbegotten child tampering with that you do not understand, like all your kind. Perversely, the only thing I owe you is gratitude for awakening me without binding or restriction. That debt... I shall not repay, for gratitude is no trait I possess.