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

[treno_nobleman]

If he could see, if he could recognize the gesture given to him, his irritation would have been all the greater. As it was, he continued down the path with a flippant gesture with one hand, step hastening as he went. He was growing tired of this, enough that he would rather take to his dormitory than the wilds with this woman hot on his heels. At least the men there would ignore him... for a time.

"Please, don't let me stop you." Damn the woman, damn the familiars. Califleur couldn't help herself - she was near about attached to his side, but it did him no favor. HIs mood had spoiled, and he was having none of it. "There's a whole world out there just waiting for you to walk right into it. Or after it, as the case may be."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Riiiight." Isabel muttered that under her breath. Chaos snapped his head up to look at her, copper eyes narrowing. He knew that tone of voice out of his charge, and he did not approve. She was up to something.

"You're right," she said, raising her voice--he was walking away, after all, and she wanted to get one last zinger off. "But the world doesn't have its head so firmly wedged up its buttcheeks, and you do!"

Nailed it!

If a cat could roll his eyes, Chaos would have done that. Instead, he lifted a paw to his face. No, he wasn't washing it...he was facepawing. Isabel needed to learn more sense...

[treno_nobleman]

That does get a sharp, severe look from him. He's well acquainted with the idea of teasing, but this woman clearly knew what she was doing when she was following him, and really, he has about had it up to here with the nonsense. He has stopped vacating the area, and in fact, is looking at her quite sternly now, well aware of what that phrase means, even if the rest of the language these young hooligans has developed may bewilder him at times.

"Since I feel you need to be reminded, you came to me with no greeting, no hello, not even a note of your presence. You only started following me. Then, when I wasn't falling down at your feet with acceptance of your actions, you started singing to me in songs, part of the lyrics were, as I recall, words telling me that you would follow me until I love you."

By this time, his tail is lashing in irritation. Califleur, well versed in her master's anger, is sitting to the side, watching with wide eyes. She's not going to get in the middle of this, but she hopes Isabel can deal, and she gives a worried chuff, as if it will do any of them any good. Still, Kuja presses on, hands on his hips. "I understand it may be difficult to contain yourself in my presence, but please. Show a little decorum. You're making quite the spectacle of yourself, and I've had enough of it."