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

[darkenedmoon]

[Yotsuyu looks up at the call, brows arching at the sight of an unfamiliar duck. The plant sees this as an opportunity, and lunges with its blade out--and she swings her fan up to bunt the blade away, spinning out from its attack.]

Perhaps it is not the best I have ever had, but if I leave it here, you must admit it might threaten someone who might not have the means to subdue or defend against it, eh?

[Clearly, Yotsuyu is not one of those, as she snaps her fan shut and brings it down on the frond wielding the blade, effectively disarming it--and then giving it a thwap on the pitcher for good measure. It is clearly regretting its life choices already, and magic hasn't even factored into the equation yet.]

[talkyourwayout]

Well, sure, but that's not really your problem, right?

[...Okay, that had sounded bad, even for someone who went along with being called the "evil triplet." Louie made a sheepish sound and went on.]

Or, maybe it'll learn a lesson from dealing with you?

[He's certainly impressed with her skill in combat, though. There's potential there.]

[darkenedmoon]

No, you are correct, it is not, but... [Well, here, Louie might get the impression that Yotsuyu is not just doing this out of the so-called goodness of her heart. He might not be able to see the wicked glint in her eyes, but her smile has equal malice in it. At least it isn't directed at him.]

I am enjoying myself, and this harms none of the students at least. And this one--well, it offered itself to me! Such a charming insinuation, how could I refuse? I do hope it might learn something, but...it is a plant.

Ah, also, here, you may take this. [Maybe not the best life decision she's ever made, but she kicks the knife away from the plant's seeking fronds, and towards the duck. Not too close, she has no intent of harming him. Just arming him.]

[talkyourwayout]

[Louie is well-versed in not doing things for seemingly altruistic reasons, and her smile does kind of give her away. Well, if she's having fun... After all, t's not like she's really going to be able to bring that back to her dorm. Right?]

Yeah, I'm not sure plants are big on being taught things, although-

[The rest of that sentence is gone as he stares down at the item by his feet. That sure is a knife, and he picks it up the one way may pick up a mess left by their pet.]

Oh. Uh, thanks?

[darkenedmoon]

I am confident that I can...educate it. [Even if otherwise he is perfectly correct, and otherwise it would be questionable to see if the plant would stand to learn anything. And then she chuckles quietly.]

You need not use it, youngling. You can always sell it or some such--they do have things like pawn shops here, yes?

[A swish or three of her fan as she casts Modification against the pitcher plant, and a snap and thwap of it as the plant is bound and nearly knocked helpless at her sandaled feet. Yotsuyu thought about asking the young duck to carry it, but--no. She lifted it herself and tucked it against her hip.]

So, may I make the assumption that you are one of Lena and Webby's friends?

[talkyourwayout]

Oh, sell it! [He grins; now she's speaking his language.] Yeah, that I can handle. Thanks!

[Also, wow, he's definitely impressed by her swift defeat of the plant. The grin only grows.]

That was pretty cool! And yeah, Webby and Lena are friends from back home.

[darkenedmoon]

They are my friends from here. [Yotsuyu chuckles again at that, quiet.] At least this thing shall not be making trouble, eh?

[The plant earns itself a small shake, and just looks...subdued as it can. Best not to earn her ire. Even if it kind of already has.]

I am afraid they have never shared your name with me, though I imagine that is more you have never come up. I am Yotsuyu goe Brutus, and I dare say it is a pleasure.

[She gives something of a bow, which might be easier if she wasn't holding the plant, but she isn't about to let it go now.]

[talkyourwayout]

[It wasn't surprising to hear that this cool, tough woman had found herself on Webby and Lena's good side, really. Still, it was good to hear they were making friends, especially Lena.

And then he remembers he's mad at Lena, and decides to stop thinking about that real fast.]

Nice to meet you, Yotsuyu. I'm Louie Duck.

[He gives her a little nod in response to the bow, and is quite glad she's not letting go of the plant, yes.]

[darkenedmoon]

Louie. I shall remember that. Or do my best, in any case--though there are not that many ducks here. So I do not think I shall have a difficult time remembering!

[She pauses as the plant twitches in her grip, and she looks down at it, a frown crossing her lips.]

I do not wish to cut our discussion short by any means--but I do believe for safety's sake, it is best if I do so. I need to take this one back to my quarters and educate it on its new lot in life.

[Which probably sounds more than a bit sinister, but really, Yotsuyu's plan is to make it a glorified guard plant, and actually take care of it.]