October Event Log

[magicademymods]

October Event Log Fall Cleaning Suddenly and without warning, the lighting in or near every building on campus goes red. A second later, a deep alarm rises in volume as the buildings begin to shake. The faculty barely bat an eye as they direct students to get outside quickly. "Fall cleaning," they explain wearily to those students who have never experienced this phenomenon. Older students offer their own explanation as they move: at some point every fall the buildings of the Magicademy rearrange themselves so the cleaning golems can repair their foundations, tend to the ground around them, keep them from sinking into the caverns, that sort of thing. Totally harmless. Well, until you realize no one knows where your House tower went. Or till you need to get to class promptly except Kedrigan Hall is in the middle of a lake somehow. Or till the Library of Starchime is down in the middle of the lab caverns and you have to try to study while students practice magic in the aisles. But it's okay! This will only last for a couple of days! You can get by, right? The Bonfire To say goodbye to the warmth and hello to the frost, the Magicademy celebrates the changing of seasons with a great bonfire. A massive conglomeration of burning wood sends flame licking up some sixty feet into the air, and the warmth pouring from the huge fire wards off any hint of cold from those nearby. By tradition, the bonfire burns till morning, and many students have bedrolls or tents or even straight-out beds parked nearby so they can take their spot in keeping it lit. Others have brought food and drink, enough to selflessly share with everyone. The whole things is one big party, really; House rivalries and personal animosities and music duels are all set aside for a night as the campus unites in solidarity. It's one of the nicer times you could ask for. This Is Halloween Bad news. Terrible news. The worst news imaginable. Headmaster Birony has found out about Halloween. Diatu Magicademy is nothing but orange and black now. Carved pumpkins wander the campus and aggressively pose for anyone who glances their way (or doesn't...). Spiderwebs litter every hallways and passage, complete with spiders that patiently move their webs out of the way and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience with a sort of weariness that says they know exactly who to blame for this. A twelve-foot-high menorah sits in the Great Hall, leading some to suspect that the Headmaster's Intimations to learn more about the holiday did not produce universally-accurate results. Headmaster Birony herself patrols the grounds like a madwoman, slinging extra spookiness wherever she passes and occasionally Discovering costumes straight onto the innocent students she passes. "Spirit of the season!" she yells before fleeing, candy and toilet paper left behind in her path. If by this point you are questioning whether the Headmaster ever does actual work, rest assured you're not the first, nor will you be the last, to wonder that. Research on the SUNDERDOG! (Sunderdog!) SUNDERDOG! (Sunderdog!) This month's assignment, for those willing to undertake it: actually nothing disastrous! Instead, the researchers ask that you compare your world to another Sundered student's, then report back to them on the differences and similarities. They're most interested in magic styles, but anything you give them will have value!

Comments

[burningbrighter]

"...Must be your roguish charm. I think they think you're a pirate."

Sunset tries to create a bubble spell to push them off, because she's not a monster enough to just stand by and watch. But she's not making much headway.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"You're my witness, okay? I tried!"

Jecht reared back, then kicked one pumpkin so hard it splattered into a veritable aurora of chunks and candle pieces. Yeah, mess with a star sportsman like him? A legendary guardian?

"The rest of you guys want any?!"

[burningbrighter]

"Oh...oh," Sunset flinches, carefully dusting off her robes to ensure they're not covered in pumpkin puree.

"That's one way to take care of it. Are you all right?"

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"Sure, I'm argh!" Another pumpkin looped a vine around his legs, making him stagger and struggle not to tip over.

[burningbrighter]

"Hey, stop it!"

Sunset's first instinct is to cast a fire spell on the pumpkin. It sort of works...a little too well. She immediately follows up with a water spell.

"Sorry! Just---agh, let go!"

She'll try to yank him out while stomping on the vine.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"I know I'm famous and awesome but come on!" Jecht furiously kicked his leg, in no small part because ouch, toasty! Skipping backwards with Sunset's help, he jerked himself free. "Get out of here!"

[burningbrighter]

"And don't come back!"

Sunset wiped her brow, and after a moment of thought she threw down a line of salt from her pocket. Would that help? Probably not. But in the spirit of the season she'd armed herself with some of the old superstitions.

"Probably not the best time to pick a pumpkin from the patch."

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Well, it didn't repel them so much as stopping the pumpkins in confusion. Which was as good as, for the moment.

"Who let that woman run a school anyway? Come on, let's get outta here!"

[burningbrighter]

"Right!"

And Sunset was too happy to lead the way out of there, a broomstick held in front of her to fend off any more approaching vines. Once they were safely in a nice stony area, she dusted herself off.

"You okay...Mr. Jecht?"

That was his name, right?

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

At the 'Mr.', Jecht gave her a faintly horrified look, though it quickly passed. "Heh, yeah, I'm too tough for those guys to really bother. Thanks for the assist though, that was a pain!"