[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

[sealeted]

Hi, Vern.

[Hakuno tilts her head back and gives him a little wave.]

How are you today?

[rootbound]

Um, normal-sized. . .

[awkwaaard]

Do you need a hand? Or -- a very small umbrella --

[sealeted]

Yes please.

[Look, don't make it awkward. Hakuno isn't.]

It's a bit... a bit of a chore, getting around like this right now.

[rootbound]

Okay, yeah. We're getting puddles really fast. We can move indoors...?

[braces a bit internally for the contact, then crouches down and offers a hand to her to climb on]

[sealeted]

That might be for the best...

[She carefully clambers onto his palm, her wet, bare feet slipping once or twice before she's securely seated.]

Sorry for the imposition.

[rootbound]

[slightly amused, cupping his other hand overhead to serve as an impromptu rain shield]

Don't worry about it. I'm going to guess you didn't decide to shrink on purpose in the middle of a rainstorm.

[sealeted]

No, it was the pastries. Something about them sort of... got me stuck halfway with my power.

[Her damp tail gives a disgruntled wriggle, tickling along the seam of his fingers.]

It wasn't a huge issue until the rain kicked in.

[rootbound]

[resists the urge to shake his hand, because, like, he at least knows that accidentally tossing a small person off it after picking them up is bad etiquette]

So your usual power would be...squirrel transformation? I guess it really did stick you halfway...well, where did you need to go? There's probably cloth to be found in most of these marketplace...places.

[sealeted]

Well, anywhere dry is fine. Back to the coven, under some sort of covered table... I don't want to put you to any trouble.

[rootbound]

It gives me an excuse to away from the crowd for a bit, it's fine. Hm, unless you wanted to leave the party already?

[sealeted]

I'm fine either way. ...I should probably stop eating, until I know for certain what got me stuck like this. but, are you doing okay? It's not too much?

[rootbound]

It'll probably get overwhelming if I pick up two or three more mysteriously shrunken people, but fortunately I don't think anyone's been hit with that particular bug. Don't worry about it. I didn't eat much yet either, so whatever it is probably missed me for now.

[sealeted]

Heh.

[She's the lucky one, apparently.]

Have you been eating well otherwise? Things got hectic, so we never got the chance to go and shop together.

[rootbound]

Mmhm. Geir starts meaningfully poking me in the ribs if he notices I don't eat enough, and he always notices. His eyes are too big to miss things.

[he ducks under an overhang as the Palai raise it against the rain, lifting the hand acting as umbrella from over Hakuno's head]

I haven't forgotten we wanted to go shopping, though. Just, it seems like it might distract the Palai if we tried to do it now. I'd rather they be as prepared for their fight as possible.

[sealeted]

Yeah, it's not really a good time to go sight-seeing.

[Everyone deserves a chance to mourn and rebuild in peace.]

[rootbound]

Yeah, not with all the weapons and kids around.

[sighs]

One of them's gonna want to cuddle you at some point, probably.

[sealeted]

The kids?

[She rubs her chin thoughtfully.]

As long as they ask, I don't think I would mind all that much.

[rootbound]

You're a braver soul than me. They're hard to pry off.