[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

[potentite]

What! Of course not! What a load of horse hockey! You're not stupid!

[splinten]

So how am I overestimating your ability?

[potentite]

I— I don't know, maybe?

[splinten]

What do you think your power can do?

[potentite]

Um... well, our prickly pal told me that, um, I'm a servant? A frightfully powerful one? It didn't make much sense to me. He wanted me to beat him up. Ummm, and the probability... I guess it's similar? Complementary?

[splinten]

I'm pretty sure that dude was talking out of his ass.

[Like. That was just his impression of undyingUmbrage.]

And maybe a little harder on the kinks than I thought.

[DUDE WANTED JAKE TO BEAT HIM UP???]

[potentite]

[Jake considers the kink bit for a minute and makes a face. Well, that does explain a couple of things.]

Are you sure he wasn't right?

[splinten]

I don't know if he was right or wrong either way. I'm just reasonably convinced that he was talking bullshit based on his prejudices about class, humans, and apparently sex.

[Dirk's mind also strays to beating people up as courtship and he's a little irritated because it makes more sense to tussle equally to test each other's strength—wait no he doesn't want to think about that.]

I think the point of Sburb was self-discovery. That likely includes our powers.

[potentite]

[Speaking of, Jake misses sparring with Dirk but he doesn't mention it. Though he does snort.]

Mm, well, I guess I 'discovered' a few things, sure.

[Like a bottomless well of self-loathing.]

[splinten]

[Dirk gives him that elbow nudge again.]

Not the time to quit, Indy.

[potentite]

[He smiles a little.]

Just wanted to point out the game didn't help me much.

[splinten]

I'm not entirely convinced it helped any of us with anything.

[Their session SUCKED]

[potentite]

So, what do you think I was meant to discover?

[splinten]

I don't know.

[With a pause, he looks at Jake.]

Do you think destruction can be a good thing?

[potentite]

Of course it can. [He doesn't need to think about it for even a second.] What sort of world would we have if nothing ended? Nature depends on it.

[splinten]

We might have a different kind of nature. The whole issue of scarcity and resources would vanish. Violence would go with it.

[potentite]

Nothing would ever change, though.

[splinten]

Perfect things aren't usually asked to.

[potentite]

Mm, but... [How does he put this?] Lately, I keep wishing I could go back. Um, to how things used to be? But... even if I did, the problems were still right under my nose. I just didn't acknowledge them. I don't think anything is perfect.

[splinten]

[He pauses, then, and glances at Jake.]

So you wouldn't go back to it.

[potentite]

[He hesitates.] It's tempting. Very very tempting. But... if I did... [He glances up at Dirk.] I'd just be ignoring how miserable we all were again, right?

[splinten]

We'd all be ignoring it. I'd be missing your obvious hints and deliberately shoving away Jane just because she had a natural advantage on me.

[potentite]

[Jake tilts his head, frowning.] What do those statements mean?

[splinten]

Jane's a girl, and you hinted past the point of plausible deniability on my part that you weren't comfortable with Brobot or the Autoresponder.

[potentite]

Uh... Wait are those connected thoughts or separate?