April Event and Intro Log

[magicademymods]

April Event and Intro Log Plants Off The Path Green grass and radiant flower gardens bracket all the major walks on campus, and fragrant scents fill the air all around. Note the key words "major walks" there. Move off the common paths and onto 'shortcuts' or less frequented areas of the vast campus and things are quite different. Here, the plants grow just as experience with this chaotic and often dangerous school would lead you to expect. Broad-leafed stalks stretch upwards, petals unfolding to reveal long jets of fire instead of a sensible stamen. Bushes have large toothy mouths, and viciously swallow anyone who comes near (though they are still just bushes, and the victims end up on the their other side just a few scratches worse for wear). A tree grows quills instead of needles; another sprouts paper airplanes instead of leaves. An extremely aggressive pitcher-plant wanders the pathways, mugging students at knifepoint. It's a jungle out there. Bullies, Of Course Surely a Magicademy, with many students already adults and with such an emphasis on learning and control, wouldn't have those who used their magic for such petty ends as making others suffer? Uh-huh. A pack of bullies with more spell experience than wisdom has banded together to take delight in the suffering of others. They overtly pick on the small, the meek, and those with less magical skill; they torment the larger, the bold, and the powerful in secret. Worse, they are the clever sorts of bullies, who go out of their way not to get caught and not to do anything that can't be played off or explained away. Maybe you attracted their attention by looking weak enough to pick on. Or strong enough to need to be taken down a notch. Or weird enough that you were the Other and thus lesser. Or pretty/handsome enough that you needed to look less attractive so they would look more so. They are pretty good at justifying picking on anyone, really. Are they pestering you by magical tripping or property destruction? Playing keep-away with your class books? Better be careful how you respond; their fathers might hear about it. Wind At The Docks (aka The Prompt Where You Don't Get Mugged) The winds of spring bring something of a dark pastime to Anastara -- dockwatching. Aware that a sudden blast of air can rip across the island at a moment's notice, crowds gather at the docks with the air of those expecting spectacle. All too often, they are rewarded -- in the wake of a sudden wind, airships list violently, or bump into each other, or desperately pull sails and power up their flotation cores to avoid a worse collision. Curses fly through the air, and sometimes even spells. With luck, the audience might even see a pair of vessels engage in an all-out air duel, as two captains driven by pride or vengeance refuse to back down. Now, to their credit, the assembled people aren't heartless. If a ship truly looks to be in trouble, or if it's smashed to the ground or into a dock, the people of Anastara don't hesitate to help those on board to safety or ensure that they don't go down with their ship. But mostly it's watching the chaos. It IS quite a show... 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 Glyph designed to detect any influence of the magic on you. Painted on your arm, it will shine with a bright light when a Sundering effect attempts to influence you. They explain that they believe the Sundered are still subject to either the spell that brought them here or new ones, because they have detected remnants of Sundering magic in the wake of students who have mysteriously disappeared. They ask only that you report back when it lights up. Problem: when the Glyph erupts, either because of the Glyph itself or the spell it has detected... those who bear it find themselves no longer where they started. Perhaps they find themselves in a classroom late at night. Or the wrong dormitory. Or in the Great Hall in their nightshirt. Or for the utterly lowbrow amongst you, a restroom occupied by the wrong gender. Whatever the case: sorry. 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 some sort of regain this month!)

Comments

Bullies

[unswervingcompanion]

Hendrik wasn't completely sure but he was pretty sure that he'd seen someone racing down the hall with their pants on fire. It made him do a double take and the knight couldn't remember the last time that he'd seen anyone run quite that fast here at least.

Wondering if the students had gone mad, the man's next steps had him come to a complete halt as he looked at a ..dragon. And it was talking, and not in a threatening manner as he was used to. And in all actuality, it appeared to be friendly and inquiring if he was alright.

"I am quite alright." You're going to have to forgive a surprised knight.

[holdyourhorns]

The air is still a bit smoky and really there's no other suspect for who attacked that student. Which totally wasn't without reason.

"Well. That guy should be too. With all the magic around here, it shouldn't take too long to get a little dragon fire put out."

Also clearly the knight is looking at a young dragon that hasn't quite thought his decision through. "... He deserved it, really."

[unswervingcompanion]

"So you set the student's pants on fire because he deserved it." There may or may not be some amusement behind that question. Hendrik is really good at a poker face so there's no physical smile, it's just in the tone. Dragons back home eat people so this was definitely a different sight.

"I take it by that, you mean that you were merely defending yourself?" With this question, the knight is trying to figure out what would cause the dragon to set someone's pants on fire. 'He deserved it' is pretty vague.

But there's no judgment in the tone, just someone trying to figure out why the whole school seemed turned upside down in one way or another today.

[holdyourhorns]

"Defending someone else, actually!" he says rather proudly. "Helping those in need, driving off enemies... it's not too different from what I do back home."

Which must be even more interesting to hear.

"I'm Spyro, and you?"

[unswervingcompanion]

Hearing this, Hendrik had to admit that he was impressed with this dragon. "You were defending someone else?" And yes, there's definitely surprise in his tone. Helping those in need, driving off enemies, well that all certainly sounded familiar.

"My name is Hendrik, and it is an honor to meet you Spyro. And if I dare say, you almost sound as if you could be a knight back in your world."

[holdyourhorns]

"A knight?"

... Despite not being very familiar with knights besides what the armor looks like, Spyro is nonetheless intrigued.

"Are you one of those? I've only ever seen them in plays. But I always did want to be like the Peace Keeper dragons."

[unswervingcompanion]

He nodded. "I am a knight of Heliodor, though I am sure that name means nothing here." And of that he was certain.

"A play?" This is asked with surprise because it conjured a mental image of the knights of Heliodor on a stage. It was an amusing thought and would be interesting.

But then the other thing that Spyro mentioned had Hendrik intrigued.

"And what is the code of a Peace Keeper dragon?"

[holdyourhorns]

"That battle is first and foremost for keeping peace and order!" Ah now, look at how excited the young dragon is.

"Because they're the biggest and strongest, they can take down anything threatening our home! Showing anyone that thinks of messing with us or stealing dragon eggs who's boss!" Spyro poises himself as if he's some sort of ferocious big cat while he announces this.

"And it seems like they know something important about me. I still don't know what that thing is to this day, but I've defeated the likes of Gnasty Gnorc and the Sorceress when the rest of the dragons couldn't, so I think I'm ready for whatever it is whenever they are!"

[unswervingcompanion]

Hendrik is amused and Spyro reminds him of the young boys that would come to the castle with dreams to become fellow knights of Heliodor. They were full of much the same excitement and enthusiasm, determined to work hard and earn their knighthood.

"So your mettle has been tested." This was noted, and still, the knight couldn't completely shake the amusement out of his tone. "In that case, if you have already defeated enemies that others could not, then surely you must be ready."

And well, if Spyro had others that depended on him and he'd come through for them, that spoke volumes of his capability.

[holdyourhorns]

And at this rate, if Spyro keeps up with his entirely truthful boasting, he'll give himself a swollen head to go along with unbridled dragon pride. Nonetheless, it's encouraging at the same time, considering the 'welcome party' that greeted him upon arrival. An experience the young dragon would rather not repeat or remember.

"Right!" Thankfully for his own sake, Spyro coincidentally doesn't go on unprompted about other feats.

[unswervingcompanion]

The knight is definitely impressed. "I am sure this school will have need of you more often than not. I have often wondered myself if they have some sort of guard here to keep the students and the instructors safe. But if they do, then you should definitely fit on that team."

Hendrik thought a moment and nodded.

"I will stop by and ask one of my instructors. If they have such a position, shall I let you know?"

This seems like a decent point to close too

[holdyourhorns]

"Yeah, I'll keep it in mind if the option's open!"

Upon declaring so, the dragon sits up even straighter- head held up high and proudly.