[WORLD ONE | POST-UVI CELEBRATION]

[spellbindmods]

Who: Coven members and Palai
Where: In and around the Aimintas marketplace
When: Day 39
Open/Closed: Open to All

After an appropriate amount of time for mourning, the Palai have shifted into a more positive mood -- they're a very resilient species, though there is a bit of a muted tone to their celebration. The whole event is a little hodge-podge, mostly because they aren't used to having to celebrate with the coven members added to the guest list. The Palai have gathered together all of their people and have invited the coven members to a small, intimate gathering -- the purpose of the event is to thank them for their service in fighting the Uvi, and the success of freezing the Uvi in their home. While no one knows how long the Uvi will stay gone, any amount of time without the Uvi being a concern is fine by them. The event takes place in the very center of the marketplace, with the Palai interacting on the fringes of the party throughout the rest of the large building. The coven members have time to spend by themselves, but there's room for moving around on their own and also spending time with the Palai if they so choose. A ▢ One of the more noticeable editions to the food the Palai have provided is a large pile of sweet, sugar dusted pastries. You may notice that something about them seems...odd, to say the least. It looks as if the pastries are vibrating slightly, but they smell divine. If you're so inclined to ask what the deal is, these pastries are magically infused by Eltos, which somehow gives them a sweeter flavor and enhances the sensation of tastebuds. The Palai sometimes eat these before meals in order to better the flavor of their entire spread -- though adding this energized magic to an already magical being means magic powers may be a little off kilter. Don't be surprised if suddenly your abilities go a little crazy. B ▢ The Palai aren't participating the party for two big reasons. One, the purpose is to celebrate the victory of coven members. The other reason, however, is one that may be more interesting to outsiders. While previously the Palai were peaceful people, happy to exist submitting to the Uvi, the coven's show of strength and valor has inspired them to be more aggressive in their approaches. Grown Palai can be seen working on makeshift weapons, but the idea of smaller tools like slingshots have already been constructed and almost perfected. The Palai youth have discovered these tools and are playing with them gleefully, though occasionally hitting each other -- and potentially you -- with energized, paralyzing rocks fueled with Elto energy. Watch out or you might get zapped! C ▢ Other Palai youth aren't as fortunate to be so distracted and happy. While fewer Palai died during this attack, the casualty number wasn't zero. Most Palai children still have at least one family member to care for them, but they're still a little disconnected from their people by means of grief. Some are milling about with the coven members, trying to eat or pester them for attention. If you're good with kids this may be more your speed, but those bad with children can find this irritating. Some Palai youth are more muted, however, content to just sit and listen to stories or eavesdrop on conversations. D ▢ For some people, rain isn't that big an issue -- but it certainly puts a damper (get it?) on a party. The Palai seem a bit confused by the sudden shower that comes in heavy as the evening dies down. The Palai have never experienced rain before, using irrigation systems and existing ground water as their means of hydration (both for themselves and for plants). Because the rain is coming from the ocean, the drops are large and salty, and the marketplace quickly begins to flood. The Palai move the party indoors for the most part, but that doesn't mean you or the food aren't already soaked. It's much warming underneath the roofs in the marketplace, but that doesn't provide much relief since the ocean rain is warm and humid. E ▢ Wildcard! How will your character handle this violent and volatile situation.

Comments

[rebells]

[His mouth twitches. He sits down, after a moment, and motions for the Palai child to sit next to him.]

Yes, most people don't tend to like getting wet. I'm Jay, by the way. It's good to meet you.

[rootandbranch]

[dragon makes for a fairly comfortable couch -- solid and warmer than a human's skin, nearly hot to the touch. Geir moves his head a bit closer to look at Jay directly.]

I'm Geir. You were one of the people in the message, right? You helped plan the fight.

[rebells]

Yes, that's right. Thank you for your help during the raid, by the way.

[rootandbranch]

You don't have to thank me. I was just doing what I wanted.

[it's not said as harshly as (for example) Jay might have said it -- just thoughtful. still watching him.]

It went okay, anyway.

[rebells]

[Excuse you!!!!! No, uh. Jay considers Geir, and the corner of his mouth quirks up again.]

Is that right? Well, thank you anyway. And it could have gone much worse, yes.

[rootandbranch]

What happens next? I didn't really have a lot of time to find out about... much of anything, after we got here. I mean, before the attack happened.

[Geir's briefly distracted by the Palai baby with Jay when it gets over its shyness enough to peer around its protector at him -- he extends his nose towards the tiny creature, eyes nearly crossing to keep it in his line of vision when the child reaches out to carefully pet his scales.]

[rebells]

[Oh, no, cute . . . Jay hides a smile.]

That's a complicated question. The person who brought us here hasn't been terribly clear about what, exactly, she wants us to do.

But there are things to be done. The Uvi will most likely be attacking again at some point, for instance. And there are other unresolved matters.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir lifts his eyes levelly from the baby Palai to Jay's face, steady and a little questioning. his tone is neutral, thoughtful]

You want to help all these lizard guys before we go too, huh.

[rebells]

[His expression closes off, and he looks out into the distance, where it's still raining over the marketplace.]

. . . I think at this point, we're intertwined whether we like it or not. The Uvi certainly won't be happy that we thwarted their efforts to this extent.

[rootandbranch]

If we leave before they come back, that wouldn't matter...

[sounds sort of sad about it.]

[rebells]

No. I suppose not. It would be left to the Palai to bear their anger, then.

[He's silent for a long moment. There's no reason for him to care about leaving the Palai in danger. He's not an altruistic person. But--]

. . . there is every chance, however, that that won't happen. We can't count on it.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir watched him with sharp thoughtfulness through that moment of internal struggle. he gets the feeling that Jay isn't saying everything he's thinking.]

You don't like the idea of leaving them on their own, do you?

[is that what he's feeling? with no prior experience, it's hard to tell.]

[rebells]

[They're a bit like the Oresoren, perhaps. Just a little.]

. . . I'd have to be a sadist to enjoy the thought. It isn't likely to end well for them.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir... inches his snout a little closer to Jay...

what is it like to think about things that way? there's a longing in him; part of him wants to know.]

I guess.

[his father would laugh. his relatives would shake their heads and shrug philosophically. they aren't strong enough, aren't they? it's a shame when weakness isn't defended, but sometimes it happens.]

If no one pities weak people, they die.

[rebells]

[He's not saying that out of a lack of familiarity with sadists, mind you. This line of thinking is somewhat familiar to him, too.]

. . . it's not necessarily a matter of pity. People see value in others for reasons other than strength.

[rootandbranch]

Like?

[it's not that Geir isn't starting to evolve his own opinions on that, but it never hurts to get more...]

[rebells]

[He is so not equipped to answer this question.]

Kindness. Intelligence. Skills in areas that don't have to do with fighting. Anything you like.

[rootandbranch]

I met someone who said he thinks about everyone like they're someone who could be his friend, or have their own friends like his, so he wants to help them. I don't think the Uvi feel that way.

I wonder how much we'll have time to do before we go.

[rebells]

That I don't know. We're operating at the whims of Qri, except she doesn't seem to have all that many whims. Not ones she's telling us about, at any rate.

[rootandbranch]

[DEEP SIGH. Geir does not seem super impressed with Qri.]

Uh-huh. The thing about needing this power no one's heard of to keep everything going is pretty suspicious, but I guess it's fine for now. We had stuff we needed to get away from at home, anyway.

[rebells]

[Jay is in agreement on that point! If not the other one--he has things on his world he can admit he's probably better off away from, but he wouldn't call it 'fine' that Qri's essentially kidnapped them.

Not that he particularly wants to talk about that.]

What sort of things?

[rootandbranch]

[Geir isn't exactly sure how to describe what's going on back home. the end of the world? family trouble? some combination of both?

he settles on a medium-evasive compromise:]

My family wants me to do something I don't want to do right now. So I'm hiding out.

[rebells]

. . . is being here easier than telling them you don't want to do it?

[Kind of a leading question. He's very aware that whoever Geir's family are, they might not just take 'no' for an answer.]

[rootandbranch]

Much easier.

[Geir isn't even sure what exactly they would do to try to compel him to live out his destiny. would they even try? maybe they would just stand back expectantly and wait for him to scrounge up the strength and knowledge to carve a new destiny alone. he doesn't have that power yet, and without it...]

Have you ever had something to do, where if you don't do it, nothing else in your life makes sense?

[rebells]

No.

[Read: 'yes, continuously for the first ten years of my life, but like hell am I saying that.' He shifts from his perch on Geir's tail, looking uncomfortable.]

No one needs some kind of guiding purpose for their life to have meaning. They only think they do.