March Event and Intro Log

[magicademymods]

March Event and Intro Log Golem On The Loose The rain never stops. Water and mud track all over campus. Diligent cleaning golems stomp about, mopping and scrubbing and polishing and then going back to do it all over again, and again, and again... One of them seems to have had it. The renegade golem bursts into Kedrigan Hall -- interrupting classes and disrupting labwork to furiously seize students and scrub every last scrap of mud and dirt off of them. All the halls have been locked off with "Under Cleaning" signs, and anyone who enters them meets with the golem's wrath, as it violently plays a pre-recorded message about not interfering with groundskeeping and deploys a giant claw-like tool to grab the interloper and put them back on unforbidden ground. The professors, who are after all completely immune to the golem's attention by its very design, seem to think this is a good learning opportunity for students. Is it? Horrible Spell Doom? "Are you sure you're ready for the test on Advanced Gaseous Discovery?" one upperclassman asks the other. "Of course I'm sure," the second says confidently. Whipping out a wand from a holster on her belt, she sweeps her wand through the air gracefully, pronouncing several Osmarian sigils as she draws them. Probably. "See, that's a blue cloud--" Said blue cloud, which puffs into being as the last syllable left her lips, abruptly doubls in size. Then it doubles in size again. And again. The upperclassmen, who have been in Diatu for several years and know exactly what this sort of thing means, don't hesitate. Not even stopping to share a glance between them, they run like crazy, leaving the growing cloud behind just as classes let out and students begin to enter the halls. But... surely it doesn't have any weird and wacky side effects, right? The Bala-inlota Parade (aka The Non-Horrible Prompt) To celebrate the start of the Bala-inlota season, Anastara spares no expense. The great parade and associated festival stretches the whole weekend, and the whole city puts on their colors and turns out for the fun. Enterprising vendors sell food, drinks, and souvenirs ranging from small and crude figurines to magical constructs that shine field displays onto flat surfaces so you can watch the action up-close! (Good luck affording that, students.) Practically any sort of entertainment you could want appears on the streets and canals of Anastara, and food and drink flow freely. 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, the team has developed a Sundering spell that they warn is crude and unpolished, because the Curriculum is so unpracticed. They hope it will connect to your home worlds and establish a magical link they can build off of to open further passages. No promises! And to those who do undergo this spellwork... it has a certain side effect of confusion, as brief images from your home world flicker across your vision for a few hours afterwards. Wonders Await Diatu Magicademy is open to you in all its glory. Have fun!

A Special Note

If you thread out one or more scenes based on the confusion from "Research on the Sundered", respond to the comment on this post with a link to that thread. The results of this will be revealed next month! (It is, we're afraid, not a regain, lest your participation be based solely on that hope!)

Comments

[bearshermark]

Eleven drained the rest of his beer and briefly scouted about for a place to set the glass or else get a refill.

"You need another beer," he advised Hendrik. "You're still too serious. Don't make me order you to lighten up."

[unswervingcompanion]

"And here I do not think you need another." Hendrik commented dryly. But still, the knight got each of them another round, relieving the Luminary of his empty mug as well as his two. This time though he only got himself one mug and handed over a new full mug to Eleven.

"You cannot order someone to change their personality." And this was said before Hendrik took a drink from his frothing mug.

[bearshermark]

Really? Is that true? The dark thought flashed through his mind with an impulsive vengeance before he could stop it, but fortunately, the challenge did not make it to his lips. It was an anger meant for someone else, anyway.

The beer went a long way in helping chase it away. Mindful of the direction of his thoughts however, Eleven took to this one more slowly.

"I know.. I just wish you weren't obligated to protect me- that no one was. I wonder who everyone really is and think that maybe I won't ever know because of what I am. I think that's why I like this place and the people I've met here."

[unswervingcompanion]

"I obligated myself." Hendrik said, stopping abruptly to turn to face the Luminary. "And I do understand that you carry a heavy burden in restoring light to our world. But know this, you do not walk alone here nor did you back home. You have friends here and you should cherish those that you have while you can. And mayhaps we can find a way to defeat the darkness here."

It was his clumsy way of telling the Luminary that he wasn't alone and that he would try to share in the burden. "Start where you are, and work from there. Here is all that you have, and for now, make the most of it." It was something similar to what he had told Yotsuyu when she had told him of her plight and how things had gone for her back in her home world.

[bearshermark]

Eleven looked up at Hendrik, not quite expecting him to stop to offer encouragement or advice. For the first time, he found himself grateful for the knight's presence. He might not need a protector, and Hendrik might not be one of his friends, but he understood.

For now, that would be enough.

"Mm," he said, voice echoing into his beer glass as he ducked his head back to it, "I'm doing that, I think. I know what I have to do and I'm not going to forget that, but I would appreciate it if you could call me by my name, here."

[unswervingcompanion]

"I shall try." But really Hendrik couldn't make any promises. Luminary came to his lips faster than anything else. And probably at the speed at which the current subject was consuming that beer. But Eleven was an adult in their world, and besides, there was the whole saving the world burden.

So he sighed and figured if the Luminary was going to drink, he wasn't going to do it lightly. Let him learn and at least Hendrik could carry him back and let him sleep off the effects of the alcohol. This, of course, wouldn't save him from the hangover that would plague him in the morning, but live and learn, or tough love.

The knight grabbed another round for the Luminary and handed that to him. That should keep the other busy and quiet, but somehow Hendrik doubted it.

[bearshermark]

Eleven laughed brightly, accepting the fresh beer with a grin. "Now you're trying to get me drunk."

He'd intended to slow down, but now that he had another glass waiting, saw no reason not to polish off his second. It went down nice and easy, and he was pretty sure he was starting to feel it.

But that was fine. Getting drunk sounded like the best idea he'd ever had. A shame he hadn't been able to do it sooner; it would have made the Fall easier to deal with.

"You're a decent guy, Hendrik. ..We should've been allies sooner."

[unswervingcompanion]

Nope, Eleven shattered the quiet thing right off. "Better to make sure that you're safe instead of being in a dangerous place while you are not thinking clearly." In other words, Hendrik could keep an eye on the Luminary while he drank. And then the knight would be able to carry him safely. It was better than the other being off by himself or to get into who knew what trouble either by himself or someone else.

That last comment got a 'hmph' out of the taller man. Hendrik had wished that himself, that he'd known a great many things about Jasper, the King, and the Luminary being the Luminary and not the Darkspawn as he'd been fed. And then there was the whole matter of not knowing Princess Jade was alive and well.

The knight clenched his fists as he walked and spoke his next words."To think of how loyally I carried out the King's orders then fills me with shame. But my regrets are worth naught now, and no apology will suffice."

He stopped and gazed off into the distance for a moment before continuing with a small shake of his head. "No, all I can do now is fight alongside you in the battle against Mordegon. I vow that I will defend you with my life if needs be."

[bearshermark]

"I'm still thinking clearly," he defended, though he was aware that would probably change soon. Still, he thought it was important for Hendrik should know he wasn't that drunk yet.

But he bit his lip, eyes lowering to watch his feet. He was relatively sure he was still walking just fine- another good sign. His shoulders hunched.

"It won't be. I'll be strong enough, this time. I have to be."

[unswervingcompanion]

With a sigh that he couldn't dwell on this, Hendrik turned to look at the Luminary, nodding at his words.

"No one can predict what lies ahead, but we can make sure that we are always prepared for battle. And you will do well when the time comes. Of that, I hold no doubt."

The knight then looked at the Luminary trying to figure out if the other was going to collapse or not. "Are you still able to walk?"

[bearshermark]

"Yes," he said, resolute as he raised the glass to his lips again.

"Let's talk about something else," he decided, and veered as far away from destiny as it was possible to get. "How are your classes going?"

[unswervingcompanion]

That question had the knight swerve right back around and the fists clenched again. "I confess, I was never academic. Even when King Carnelian took it upon himself to educate me, I would often glaze over during lessons. The few things I did learn have stood me in good stead ever since. Needless to say, I now wish I had taken my studies more seriously."

He sighed. "I find at times that I go back to being that same boy."

Jasper would be great at this sort of thing, but Hendrik didn't equal his childhood friend.

[bearshermark]

Oddly enough, that made him feel a bit better.

"Yeah, I'm not good at them, either. The studying for six classes every day- it's a lot. Are you at least interested in any of them?"

[unswervingcompanion]

He thought a moment. "History of the Tenscore Kingdoms, Law, Etiquette, and Discovery." Sundering and Intimation were challenging and the latter caused him to rethink many of his choices as a knight. Blindly following orders wasn't an excuse. The world had changed and blind loyalty to others was no longer enough.

Jasper would definitely revel in all of the magic and the heavens knew that Hendrik had faced that magic as it grew in strength and power along the way. That dark spell that his former friend had used had dropped him to his knees. But Hendrik knew he had to bear the brunt of it or the Luminary might have been lost to all of the people of Erdrea.

Fortunately, none of the knight's own endeavors had succeeded in killing Eleven. And no amount of atoning, whether it would be on Mount Pang Lai or elsewhere would've ever relieved him of that heinous crime had he succeeded.

[bearshermark]

Eleven nodded. "Most of them. That's good. I like half of mine. Discovery relies too much on Osmarius sigils though..."

He drank more as they wandered the festival- talking about their classes and complaining about them in turn. He enthused about Intimation and Religion, drawing loose parallels from Raida to Yggdrasil in a self-directed ramble only to be distracted by different displays of magic and leave various threads of conversation unfinished.

But it was a good-natured and moderately giggly teenager that found himself stumbling into Hendrik more and more until he gave up on walking unassisted entirely.

"This's nice," he declared, leaning against Hendrik and words slurring a bit. His mind was pleasantly nowhere in particular. "Need t' do more often."

[unswervingcompanion]

Hendrik was making sure to keep an eye on the crowd as they walked and chatted. He also made sure to eat more as well as they passed more and more people. The food still wasn't as good as it was at home and the knight tried to keep his mind off of the classes that he suffered through. Jasper was the better scholar and this place was definitely more suited for that sharp mind.

Patiently time and again when the Luminary crashed into him Hendrik thought to just pick the youth up and carry him back to his room, but the giggles kept coming, so he would dismiss the thought.

But finally, when the other leaned on him, the knight knew the other had just about had enough. "Are you ready to head home then?"

Why yes he is amused at this point.

[bearshermark]

"Mmn, yeah, okay." He was having trouble pushing off and standing straight though.

Everything struck him as funny in that moment- Hendrik, his own difficulty with something that should be simple, and the thought of this place as home. He laughed until he nearly felt sick with it, then collapsed against his new protector.

He took in deep breaths of cool night air as the bout of giddiness petered off. "'M not gonna make it."

[unswervingcompanion]

He stood there waiting and it didn't seem like the Luminary was still in his right mind. So when the other collapsed against him, the knight shook his head.

Without another word, Hendrik picked up his drunken charge and carried him in his arms back to the other's room.