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

[puzzlers]

Yugi lets himself be fled by Fluttershy until they reach the courtyard. Peregrin occasionally looks over his shoulder to see if they have either lost the bullies or they're still in hor pursuit.

"Is that..." He does see the dorsal fin.

[shiningkindness]

She nodded, they barely stepped out into the courtyard before the ground rose up from under their feet.

The bullies continued to chase them, but they weren't able to keep up as Ballet sped through the ground, carrying the three of them on her back.

[puzzlers]

"Thanks for the lift, Ballet." The bullies were definitely not going to be able to catch up to them now. "I don't think they would have stopped chasing us..." And honestly he's still not sure they're not going to turn up if they don't find somewhere to hide.

[shiningkindness]

The land whale gave a low rumble in response, and Fluttershy took a seat as Ballet continued to glide through the ground.

"I-I don't think so either..." she replied softly. "W-We should probably...stay somewhere hidden for a while until things die down a bit."

[puzzlers]

"I think that's a good idea. But we should also see about finding somewhere we can rinse this stuff off." Assuming that'd do the trick. "Maybe we can slip into one of the dorms. I'm in Aer et Calculum and I know how to get into Purifeul." Not that it was impossible, but sometimes those stupid math equations could be difficult. "Find a chance of clothes and pretend we're somebody else for a few hours. H- Heh."

[shiningkindness]

She managed a faint smile at that, then glanced off thoughtfully.

"O-Or we could head to Eiather...that's where I'm at."

And honestly, she just wanted to hide in her own room for a while.

[puzzlers]

"We can do that."

He's sure she'd feel more comfortable in her own dorm.

"To Eiather." He couldn't blame her, but maybe after she cleaned herself of the goo he could think of something to help her take her mind off things and make her feel better.

[shiningkindness]

With a smile smile, she nodded, and Ballet turned to head to the Eiather dorms.

Luckily, Eiather was pretty normal as far as the dorms went, so they were able to get in fairly easily. And Fluttershy seemed a bit more relaxed as they stepped inside, if only because there didn't seem to be anyone else around at the moment.

"Th-Thank you again for all your help," she said once they were in the safety of the house's common room. "I'm sorry about all the trouble."

[puzzlers]

He holds on tight as Ballet turns toward the Eiather dorms. He's never been there, so he's pretty excited to take a look. When they get there he marvels at the dorm, which is definitely different from his own.

"Oh, ah, d- don't mention it. I'm just glad I was able to help and I'm sorry those guys started picking on you. I can't stand people like that..." He trailed off, sighing. "But, really, don't worry about it. If you're alright now though, I might sneak back to my dorm for a shower, haha."

[shiningkindness]

She nodded a bit. "M-Mm, I...think I'm all right," she said. She also didn't want to take up too much of his time.

"I-If you want, Ballet can give you a ride back to your dorm? Just in case those...guys are still around."

[puzzlers]

"I appreciate the offer, but I think it's best if she's here with you." Just knowing that her familiar was outside, ready and waiting, might give Fluttershy some comfort.

"I should be able to sneak back. That's one of the plus's of being small." He gives a laugh. "And maybe we can talk about that club when we're both feeling better, alright? I'm looking forward to it. I'll see you later, alright?"

[shiningkindness]

Hesitating for a moment, she then nodded with a small smile. "O-Okay...I'll see you later. J-Just be careful on your way back."