[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

[actus]

[ it's like the crabs... ]

Ah... a little faster, maybe.

[ what is this, a sloth? why is this person a sloth? akira sort of blinks and is trying to blow out his fingers in the meantime. it's not doing all that much. usually it works, but with the torches extending from his fingers, well, it's highly unlikely he'll be able to put them out on his own. ]

[probablynoteren]

[Everyone has crabs again, this is their life now. Under the sea.

Lenka pauses and looks between the glass of water and the merrily dancing flames on Akira's fingertips -- at least they don't seem to be spreading, but in terms of moving faster he... is going to have to throw the water somehow, which means he'd have to take a step and potentially move more than necessary.

Or.

Or he could do what he's currently doing, which is throwing the entire glass at Akira's hands because clearly that's the fastest solution.]

Catch! Sorry.

[Bit late for the apology there. It's just a flick of the wrist but he still freezes once the motion's done, as though expecting something else to happen. Nothing does happen, though, except for the glass flying at Akira.]

[actus]

[ he doesn't catch it. it's kind of hard to in this state of existence, so the water splashes his hands, effectively putting them out, and ... also, the glass falls to the ground and shatters. sorry, palai. he'll ... pay for that? ]

... Thanks.

[ it isn't sarcastic. he's just relieved he isn't setting the whole place on fire. now that'd truly be embarrassing. ]

Ah, I should probably clean that up, though. [ the glass, he means. ]

[probablynoteren]

[Lenka flinches when the glass hits the ground -- it was probably bound to happen, with his spur of the moment solution and the fact that Akira and his fingers were very much occupied, but now they're standing on glass. Not his finest moment.

At least they're not standing on glass and on fire, though.]

Uh, I should be the one-- [he starts to protest reflexively because this is pretty much his fault, but then realizes -- right, him + moving = bad idea right now -- and trails off] ... You're okay?

[This is ridiculous and he's starting to get pins and needles from trying too hard to hold still, but at least he hopes neither of them got a glass shard in the ankle or something. Insult to injury...

On the other hand, some nearby Palai have noticed the spectacle and promptly come scurrying over. Is it a fight? A magic fight?? The audience is dying of curiosity!]

[actus]

[ why are there so many palai all of a sudden! he feels bad for the glass and he looks between the shards and then lenka. god, could this be anymore of a shit-show? ]

Yeah. I'm fine.

[ it's an apologetic smile and he glances down at the glass once more. ]

Maybe we should relocate...?

[probablynoteren]

Yes. Yes, that would be good.

[The answer is immediate, even if Lenka still doesn't start moving -- he's still in self-imposed quick movement jail, because given what he's learned about the effects of the vibrating pastries, any sudden movements would likely result in a rain of refrigerators in an enclosed space. So. Instead, he takes a moment to move all the glass shards into a pile with his feet.

Then he sort of. Starts carefully sidling away from the Palai, as more of them are arriving by the moment. Being jostled wouldn't be a great state of affairs, either.]

Sorry about the glass... We can, uh, discuss it later. [the Palai seem unconvinced, but it's actually about a different matter entirely] Uh, no, there's no fight. I promise?

[He throws a pleading look at Akira. How much more peaceful could they make themselves look?!]

[actus]

[ akira is tossing the palai another sheepish smile. maybe he'll come back later and help clean up things. this was mostly his fault, after all! he needs to take responsibility. ]

Nah. We're bitter enemies and were going to fight to the death.

[ it's said in utter deadpan, akira locking lizard-eyes... but then there's a lazy grin. ]

... Just kidding. He was helping me with my magic. Sorry. We'll help you clean it up later.

[ a respectful bow of his head and he's going to start... making a move...to try and leave the area and palai. come along fridge-master!! ]

[probablynoteren]

[Lenka's frozen up again at Akira's bald statement of absolutely-not-fact; he huffs a sigh of relief when he backtracks on it and shakes his head. Go figure his new accidental acquaintance of the hour would be someone who tends to joke at the wrong time, he's cursed with this type across universes, apparently.

When Akira starts up the sidling, Lenka follows, moving a little quicker now that they have a direction and doing his best to keep his eye on passing Palai and coven members. Eventually, somehow, at long last -- they make it to the door.

Lenka immediately shoves it shut behind them with a sigh of relief -- he may have celebrated a little bit prematurely, though, because once he turns around and lets himself lean against the door for a moment there's a funny crashing noise down the hall that pretty much sends him jumping out of his skin.

And now, for some reason, there's a hole in the window over there. He's kind of afraid to look.]

[actus]

[ ... that sound is absolutely unnerving. furthermore, he still isn't exactly sure what this guy's power is. nonetheless, he tosses a half-weary look between him and the hall. does he even want to know? ]

... Not it.

[ he says it in the utmost serious tone, a single finger lifting to touch his own nose.

he isn't sure if it'll work, or what awaits him down the hall, but he's certainly not going to head there first and be the first one to die in this "maybe" horror movie. he's binged too much to know that cheap trick! ]

[probablynoteren]

[Neither of them really want to know, but it's not like they can block the door to the Palai party hall forever, and that window isn't going to investigate itself. Much as Lenka actually would rather head in the opposite direction entirely, he's cursed with a sense of responsibility and also morbid curiosity.

Meaning.

He avoids Akira's eyes but gives his finger-to-nose moment a strange look. Wasn't his finger just on fire? Is that safe? Is that necessary?? Also, he's stalling; he'll finally start moving down the hall with the same careful, ponderous movements he was using inside. Maybe a tad faster.

If Akira happens to follow (is that wise? who knows), they'll both discover that the window was shattered from the inside, and there's a distinct large crack in the windowframe. Something large and unwieldy crashed here. Without regard for horror movie convention, Lenka marches up to it (at a stately pace) and sticks his head out a little.

Well. That particular garden ornament has probably seen better days. The majestic(?) Palai matron of this mansion is now wearing a rather deformed hat in the shape of... a mini-fridge? No, wait. It's a disembodied freezer. There are curious Palai gathered in the garden and ice cubes everywhere. They've probably never had hail from the second storey before. At least it looks like nobody got hit by anything larger than your average cube.

...

Lenka pulls his head back in and briefly considers pretending nothing happened.]