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

[darkenedmoon]

Do you know what mochi is? Sort of like that, but the rice flour pastry is thicker. Most of them have sweet red bean paste inside, but ichigo daifuku are built around strawberries. Those are my favorite!

[Yotsuyu immediately goes to haggle with the vendor. An exchange of coins takes place after a short time, and is offered both a plate with an assortment of daifuku on it--including her desired ichigo daifuku--and two smaller bags as well. One bag, she takes and secrets in the sleeve of her kimono, and the other bag she gives to Webby.]

The plate, we'll share now. I am certain you have friends you would like to share some with, so here is a bag of them for later, eh?

[woo_oo]

[Oh wow, those ingredients sound super yummy. Her eyes are glittering - but she gasps in glee as she's offered the bag.]

Really, the whole thing? You're so nice, Yotsuyu!

[Hope you don't mind a sudden hug!]

[darkenedmoon]

[From Webby, hugs are permissable. Anyone else might find her sidestepping with her usual grace, but not this sweet duckling child. Still, Webby's comment makes her chuckle.]

I am most decidedly not nice, but you have buttered me up, eh? Just by being your sweet self. So yes, the whole bag, but share with your friends. If you give yourself a stomach ache by being greedy, I shall not be sorry!

[It's mostly teasing in tone, save for the part about her NOT being nice. Well. These days she's trying to be nicer, but the road isn't always easy. Though it's simplicity itself to be kind to Webby.]

[woo_oo]

[Nope, you're nice, she's settled on that. She giggles a bit before letting go, wiggling with glee. She likes you so much.]

Okay~! I give you my word, it will be divided evenly among my friends.

[She even holds up a hand. Junior Woodchuck's honor!]

Aaand since you count as a friend, do you want one?

[darkenedmoon]

Oh, no, we have a plate to share, recall! We have our own, so those are for all your other friends.

[Of whom she is sure Webby has many. Who could say no to this adorable duckling? She couldn't, although Webby does have being a child going for her.]

You may be stuffing yourself--if I were your age, I likely would--but I also need to watch my figure. Eating too much means I will have a pot belly, and I do not want that!

[woo_oo]

Oh, yeah, we should stay fit.

[Not because of anything like how they look, but one needs to be fit to fight monsters and climb mountains at any given time.]

Well... after we stuff our faces, we could up our training and exercise.

[darkenedmoon]

[Yotsuyu cares about her looks! More than a little bit. But no, she needs to be able to run and use her dexterity, so...working out.]

Even more walking around the city or the school grounds would suffice, yes. But as you say, stuffing our faces first. Nutrition is important! Though I would like more than just daifuku. The hot dog!!

[Some of this stuff is sort of nutritious, anyway. It's not entirely sugar. Don't tell Webby, healthy sweets??]

[woo_oo]

Oh right, I almost forgot! Let's get going!

[Just gunna grab Yotsuyu's hand to jog with her-]

[darkenedmoon]

[She hadn't been expecting that, so she makes a noise of surprise, but allows herself to be dragged along for a moment, before hurrying up to keep up with Webby. Not too hard, really--Webby is smaller than she is, after all.]

I do hope you know where the hot dogs are!

[woo_oo]

I think they're... right around that corner!

[on the one hand, her memory is great. On the other hand, she's overwhelmed with excitement.]

[darkenedmoon]

[Yotsuyu is amused enough that even if the vendor isn't right there, her temperament won't change from that bemusement.]

You are sure you won't be ill from too many sweets tonight? I feel as if I should find you candied ginger, just in case you need to settle your stomach.

[She's not really scolding, but she'd certainly feel bad if Webby made herself sick.]

[woo_oo]

[Aaaand she's distracted again.]

Ginger can be made into candy?!

[darkenedmoon]

[Yotsuyu is only slightly startled by that question.]

Yes? It's used in confections where I am from, made by boiling sugar and ginger together, and then letting the ginger dry--sometimes they dust it with sugar as well, before it's fully dry. The syrup is good, too...

But ginger calms the stomach if it's unsettled, as well. It's a palatable way for medicine for a sour stomach.

[As she has found, at least from her world, other sour-stomach remedies, beyond peppermints or peppermint tea, are truly wretched.]

[woo_oo]

I am definitely going to remember that, it sounds really good!

[Then, turns right back around.]

Back to the hot dog hunt!

[darkenedmoon]

Ha! I was thinking of sending you back with some! As a precaution, if we can find any. I know the young are resilient, but I would rather you not be ill from overindulgence!

[Not chiding at all, but Yotsuyu figures that Webby's enthusiasm extends to food...which seems to have been proven so far. Still, she allows herself to be tugged along on the hot dog hunt!]

[woo_oo]

[And only ignoring sound advice because-]

Look, look, look, there it is!

[darkenedmoon]

[Mostly because she's a child and she can't help it. Yotsuyu understands this; though it was long ago, she was once a child as well, if not for long.]

The hot dog! How should I have it? I know I would tell you how to eat yakitori the best way, if we came across some. Tell me! Or order one for me as you would have it?

[This seems like a good idea, at least for now, in her excitement. She might regret it later.]

[woo_oo]

Well, I've never had any before today... but from the way I saw other people eating it, you gotta practically drown it in ketchup.

It looks gross and tastes delicious.

[darkenedmoon]

I have eaten things that looked 'gross' and were wonderful, I suppose this will be no different. But pray tell, what is ketchup? I have not heard of it.

So have you actually tried these...hot dogs? Or will we be trying it together?

[The idea amuses Yotsuyu, but she's still a bit curious about it all.]

[woo_oo]

It's tomatoes! With some sugar, I think, but mostly tomatoes.

I had one earlier, but I shoved it down my throat so fast I don't think I actually tasted it.

[darkenedmoon]

Oh. Tomatoes are all right. Not my favorite, but not horrible either. This is acceptable.

[She nods, then.] Are they giving them away for free, or should I be readying my coin purse?

[Truly either way is all right by Yotsuyu, she is just asking for clarification purposes.]

[woo_oo]

[She holds up a palm, stop right there!]

I'll be paying this time, a friend for a friend!

[darkenedmoon]

All right, all right, so be it! I suppose I did buy you daifuku, you may return the favor.

[She inclines her head graciously. She'll allow it.]

[woo_oo]

So now we're even!

[Webby does have to reach, being a small duckling, but she manages to pay and order.]

[darkenedmoon]

That suffices. And you have my thanks, Webby. I shall enjoy this!

[For all that Yotsuyu is excited, she does wait patiently for her hot dog, and carefully watches how Webby applies ketchup to hers.]

Do we toast? Fist bump? Or just eat?