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]

[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?

[woo_oo]

[A little excited squeal-]

Can we fist bump? I love fist bumping!

[darkenedmoon]

I fail to see why we should not! I have only learned of such a thing, but.

[Really, Yotsuyu is of the mindset that just about anything is permissible, if Webby gets joy out of it. Save for the really dangerous things, or alcohol. She lowers her fisted hand to the duckling's height.]

[woo_oo]

Yay!

[Fist, bumped! She giggles with glee before NOMing her dog, happy happy happy.]

Mmmm~!

[darkenedmoon]

[Yotsuyu only chuckles, but then attempts to eat her hot dog as daintily as she can. It's quite the endeavor, since she may have gone a tiny bit overboard on the ketchup.]

It certainly has an interesting flavor. Both the hot dog and the ketchup. I cannot say I have ever had anything like it...

I think I like it, though!

[woo_oo]

Aw, I knew you would! And friendship is the best condiment.

[This is... slightly garbled, as she talks while her mouth is full.]

[darkenedmoon]

[It just makes Yotsuyu laugh--after she has swallowed, since manners are fairly well ingrained in her and that would be rude. But it's not like she takes Webby to task for it.]

Thank you, Webby. I dare say I am having fun.

[woo_oo]

You're welcome! Fun's the best thing to have!

[darkenedmoon]

You seem to be good inspiration for that. At least for me. [And she chuckles again.]

I never did get to have much of a childhood, so revisiting it with you is no bad thing.