[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

[rootandbranch]

[Geir watches the new additions longingly. the Palai children are totally in the right. he'd be so much cooler with more spikes.]

I wish you could give them to me for real. You said it's called-- alchemy, right?

[he watches the kids dangling. Alphonse said it was a common field of study where he's from... he wonders when he started learning it. as a child, like these Palai? Geir has a vague idea that for scholars and people who learn things, it starts early.]

Could you teach anyone else?

[alphonse]

There's no reason someone else couldn't learn, but I don't think I'm cut out to be a teacher. It takes [being completely and utterly terrifying in every possible way] the right kind of personality, or you could end up doing more harm than good.

[rootandbranch]

Oh... that's too bad. I wondered if you couldn't teach the Palai.

[Geir shakes his head regretfully. that would be a much easier way for them to make weapons and cope with their dead parents, after all.]

They need a lot of help. But what kind of person is better at teaching?

[alphonse]

[Dead parents + alchemy is the worst combination.]

Without knowing how long we'll be here and with no other resources to leave behind, I'd probably be teaching them just enough to be dangerous to themselves. Alchemy's useful, but it's really powerful too.

The best teachers don't just teach alchemy by the book. It's more about how alchemy fits into the world as a whole, and how important it is to respect that. And even then...

[Well. A great teacher didn't stop him from ending up this way. He shakes his head, abandoning the thought.]

I don't know. Maybe there's no perfect way to do it.

[rootandbranch]

[he puts the thought aside to find Geir watching him with unabashed interest. where does this guy get this stuff? he's never heard anything like it before-- when his family taught him to fight, in a haphazard sort of way as he started to challenge them, "how to use your power" was never considered at all, and "how it fits into the world as a whole" was not discussed. it sort of makes sense -- Geir's ultimate role was not supposed to be to fit into the world -- but the difference in approach is still startling.]

I guess so... you say a lot of weird things. What does it matter what they do with it in the world? Won't they just defend themselves and do what they want?

[alphonse]

In my country, there's an old saying about how alchemists are supposed to serve the people. It doesn't always end up that way, but the idea behind it is that every person contributes to the flow of the world, so it's important to have a positive impact.

The more someone understands the big picture and the way things are connected, the better suited they're going to be to become an alchemist. When I was being taught, my teacher included a lot of fighting training to show how the principles of alchemy could be applied to all kinds of things you'd never expect.

[Out of context it all sounds a little too philosophical for his taste, and he gives a short laugh.]

But like I said, I'm not an expert. I've gotten it wrong plenty of times.

[rootandbranch]

That all sounds like something an old hermit or wizard would say, but I don't really get how fighting makes you better at giving back to the world... maybe I just don't get it.

[he looks with Alphonse with a great deal of interest, though. Alphonse seems like a very smart, thoughtful person.]

You might not be an expert, but you really sound like you care about it when you talk about it. That's interesting.

[alphonse]

[An old hermit or a wizard... Sometimes it's lucky for Al's social life that he doesn't have facial expressions.

To the rest, he simply nods.]

I've been studying alchemy for as long as I can remember, so it's really important to me. But most people have something like that, right?

[General, because he can't begin to guess what the equivalent might be for Geir.]

[rootandbranch]

Something... they study?

[Geir certainly doesn't have something like that, but he wonders suddenly if he WOULD, if he hadn't been asleep waiting for the end of the world. what would he be passionate about? he can't imagine any more than Alphonse can. there's something scary about that.]

...I don't know. Maybe everyone does.

[alphonse]

Not necessarily study, but something they're passionate about or just really enjoy doing.

[The look he's giving Geir could be read as expectant, but sensing the confusion his tone turns more thoughtful.]

I don't think everyone figures it out as early as I did, though. Sometimes it takes a lot of searching.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir hears his confusion and thoughtfulness and feels the need to speak to it in some way... his tone is almost apologetic. clearly this is one of those things that you typically know already.]

Sorry. I didn't wake up that long ago, so... I don't really know what I like yet. I'll figure it out.

[alphonse]

It's nothing to be sorry for. You've got all the time you need and it's not like there's a right or wrong way to do it. I know being here is weird, but getting to see new worlds is a pretty great opportunity to try new things too.

[Objectively, theirs is an amazing situation. If Al didn't have existing obligations and intense distrust of all things Qri he'd be a lot more excited about it.]

How long have you been [a hint of hesitation; did he hear that part right?] awake?

[rootandbranch]

[Alphonse isn't the only one with a distrust of all things Qri... maybe if Geir had an opportunity to actually talk to her, he'd feel differently, but for now he's assuming she's brought them here for her own purposes. still, he doesn't have other obligations, and Alphonse is correct that this is interesting.]

. . . about a month. I'd been sleeping for a long time before that.

[try a few thousand years]

[alphonse]

That's it? Geez, that's not enough time to adjust to your own world, much less all this.

[How unfair.]

[rootandbranch]

[Geir flutters and refolds his wings, carefully holding the small model Geir that Alphonse made him closer against himself.]

It's a long story, but I don't mind being here instead of there. It's just... complicated.

[alphonse]

[Al nods but doesn't pry. Complicated stories he'd rather not tell are familiar territory, so he's not going to begrudge anyone else their privacy. Geir did say he showed up alongside someone important to him, so Al assumes that probably makes the circumstances easier to handle.]

Well, the important thing is making the most of where you are.

[It's then that he notices a couple of the Palai kids are watching and adopts a faux conspiratorial voice that makes them stop playing long enough to listen in like they're about to be told a vital secret.]

And the best thing you can do in another world... is try as many different kinds of food as possible.

[rootandbranch]

Oh!

[it hadn't occurred to Geir quite that way, but... Alphonse has a powerful point. truly a genius and a learned man. he reacts with the same wide-eyed approval as all of the kids, who start clamoring for sweets at Alphonse's revelation.]

You're right.

[alphonse]

[Live the dream for both of them, Geir!]

I'd start with the pastries. In fact, I think there are some they made special just for the party.

[Talk like that is going to do anything but dissuade the kids from the sweets agenda, and Al looks at them with amusement.]

And I guess I know what I'm doing for the rest of the night.

[If he can wrangle them into some semblance of order. Should he make them eat dinner first? Will a qualified adult ever show up to claim them? We just don't know.]

[rootandbranch]

These bread desserts are really good! They're called pastries? Hey, you should try some...

[despite being old enough for it, Geir is apparently not going to take the role of "qualified adult." and who knows, maybe all these kids' qualified adults are dead. that's a cheerful thought.]

[alphonse]

If there are any left when these guys get done.

[Fortunately, he's not going to try to rope Geir into playing babysitter. With some coaxing, Al manages to get the kids into a semi-organized mini mob and gives Geir a wave before beginning to march them off. The statue can stay for now.]

Enjoy the party. I'll see you around.

[They're both pretty hard guys to miss, after all.]

[rootandbranch]

Haha... got it. Good luck!

[Geir will let them go for now.]