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

[outofyourshadow]

[Ahah.]

Since it seems to be too late for you anyway, "critique" them all you want. I won't stop you for that.

[noasark]

Appreciated, [He starts, before pausing. Wait-]

....Ah. ...They do this often don't they.

[The fact that there can be a warning committee gave it away, but no harm in checking on that right?]

[outofyourshadow]

[She snorts.]

Botch things up? Oh, for sure.

[noasark]

Hnnnghh....

[There is a slight groan...

...And Noa doesn't go in.] ...Which is to say criticism is going to be useless....how wonderful, [he moans, holding his face with one hand.]

Just what did they do last time? ...And how was it...reversed for that matter, [He adds, taking his hand down only to glare at the mark on his arm again.]

[outofyourshadow]

[She glances down at the ground, not really wanting to answer.]

...Last time, they tried developing a spell that they hoped would connect to our respective worlds to create passages there. It didn't work, and all it really did was show us visions of home.

Which doesn't sound all that terrible...unless you have a pretty bad history.

[Which she does, if her tone is anything to go by.]

[noasark]

[As someone who also has bad history, but also no place in his world...

His expression is somewhat disgusted.] Eugh. I'd have done everything to avoid that sort of spell to begin with. The only reason I'm participating in this, is to see about a way to stay for good...

[He's polite enough not to ask about her bad history. That would just be rude.]

[outofyourshadow]

[That's fair. In turn, she doesn't ask about his comment, because she has a fair idea of what he means, but it's not really any of her business.]

I'd give 'em a couple of days. Maybe when they're less busy, they'll have a better chance of working on something that isn't a complete disaster.

[noasark]

[A continued glance is fixed on his arm.] I'll just have to hope the same goes for these then...figures.

[Tch! He attempts to shake it off for now at least, looking to Lena.] ...Well at least coming this way wasn't a waste though... ...what's your name? [He adds, raising a slight brow with the question.]

[outofyourshadow]

Yeah. From what I've heard of this spell, it's pretty tame. But they're lucky no one's ended up somewhere dangerous yet.

[Yet.]

Lena. [Then, because it's only fair.] What's yours?

[noasark]

Or off the island... [He mutters, quietly pulling himself from that thought.] Ah-

Noa, [He answers, nodding. No need for surnames, if she isn't providing hers, he decides. Best to stay on even ground.] I appreciate the warning- and the information, [he adds with a slight smirk.] ...Even if I was a bit late for it.

[outofyourshadow]

[She shrugs.]

They do this every month, so at least you know for next time.

[noasark]

I suppose I do. [Ahh! There is that.]

Thanks again then.

[He'll probably just wander off to other business, from here now.]

[outofyourshadow]

[With a nod, she gives him a two-fingered salut.]

No problem.