[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]

Hmph! I don't know if you're right about that.

[Geir nudges him back!!!!!! RETURN OF THE REVENGE? this is an extremely serious existential conversation.]

Either way, why would having something broken make you less of a person? As far as I can tell, you can either be a person or an-- um, thing? Um... a weapon. Or a tool. Breaking only makes you useless if you're that.

People don't have to do, they just have to be. And figure out what they're being. Right? So what does feeling wrong even have to do with it?

[Odin's balls, he hopes he's understanding this correctly. if he has to deal with the pressure of not only having feelings but figuring out if they're the right ones, he's going to fall over.]

[splinten]

[Dirk makes a disgruntled noise because Geir is better at nudging. He has the dragon advantage.]

It matters because you hurt people. You fuck up. And since you're fucked up in your very goddamned essence of being, you'll never be able to stop fucking up except by completely opting out.

But you aren't like that, dude. You're capable of learning, changing, and growing. You have potential.

[rootandbranch]

[is that the first non-deadpan reaction Dirk has given today? truly this has become intense.]

You don't know that either. Maybe I'll try and find out I shouldn't have tried. Or it's too hard for me. You don't know that. I don't know that.

[splinten]

[This is Very intense as they sit curled up in a dragon in the rain.]

Of course I do. I've met you. You've been learning and growing in the span of our few conversations.

[rootandbranch]

[a dragon fort is the superior way to hide out from the elements. waterproof, warm, questions the philosophical basis of your own self-loathing.]

Yeah, well, if I end up hurting Vern, I'm gonna regret it really quick, won't I!

[splinten]

Regret doesn't make you not a person. It doesn't even make you bad at being a person.

[rootandbranch]

What.

Freyja's jewels, you just said the opposite of that.

[splinten]

[Today, A Good Dragon Learns About Chronic Depression]

It isn't the regret part, it's being hopeless.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir goes completely silent for at least two full minutes, eyes slitted, keen memory poring over every aspect of their conversation so far. finally he ventures a summary:]

So what you're saying is, if you're a broken person, you can doubt that you're a real one, 'cause you have no hope that you'll do anything but "keep hurting people" even if you regret it. But just hurting people and regretting it doesn't count you out, as long as there's still hope you can improve.

That's still sheep's piss, Dirk. Doesn't that assume that the point of being a person is to not hurt people? I know that's not true.

[splinten]

Maybe it ain't the point, but if you're like that then you're just some heartless motherfucker and everyone would be better off if I just didn't exist.

[




Whoops, pronouns.]

[rootandbranch]

Mmmh, I guess I get what you're saying now, but it sounds like you're wrong? You seem like a nice person, and you keep talking about how you feel bad about whatever you did, and you're not even that old for a human. It'll probably be okay.

[this pronouncement isn't delivered in a rousing protagonist speech or with the hush of someone who TRULY KNOWS DIRK'S EVIL NOW, just with the same air of friendly, pragmatic interest as Geir's tone for most of the rest of this conversation. he is talking philosophy and opining an opinion. isn't that what they're doing?]

You're just not the kind of person you want to be yet. Geez, I guess on top of working to be a person, you have figure out what you want to do with that, too. And then how to do it... this is a pain!

[splinten]

[Dirk stares at him for a moment.

And then he puts his face in his hands.]

Yes. Yes, Geir. It's definitely a pain.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir noses at him with friendly concern. that's rough, buddy.]

Oh, well. If we have to do it, at least everyone else does too.

[splinten]

[Geir is Impossible.]

That isn't exactly what I'd term standard fare optimism.

[rootandbranch]

Aw, should I give a speech about how our arms are strong and our wills are stronger? I don't even have arms. Either kind.

[splinten]

We should count those for the sake of your stirring delivery of speeches. [He indicates the limbs]

[rootandbranch]

Maybe I'll try sometime! I think Thor was always really drunk by the time he got going with those, though. I used to hide under the table.

[splinten]

God, I do not want to see you drunk.

[rootandbranch]

Hahahahaha!

[nudges Dirk again, fondly]

If I'm ever planning to get drunk I'll make sure you've either escaped first, or you're drunk too!

[splinten]

[So many dragon nudges, What Do.]

I'll take the escape option, thanks.

[HE DISLIKES INTOXICANTS]

[rootandbranch]

After you're the one to tell me to get drunk? Oh, Dirk.

[amused...

he sticks his head outside the sheltering wing a bit; the rain is still coming down steadily, if not so hard as when it started.]

I guess this rain just isn't going to stop.

[splinten]

[Dirk glances after him.]

Likely not. It's a hard call to make without the usual signs. [Clouds and temperature and the like are how Dirk usually judges rainfall. Those aren't really applicable.]

[rootandbranch]

Where are you going after this? Do you live in that house thing? I could take you, if you don't want to get too wet.

[splinten]

I've been camping on the edge of the city. [They're going to have to set up something for the rainfall because of that. But he doesn't consider that Geir's problem, so he doesn't voice it.] I'm a little curious how you'd take me while keeping me dry. Do I walk under your outstretched wings?

[rootandbranch]

Or I could just carry you! That'd be faster, too.

[Geir doesn't know much about normal campsites. he'll be able to recognize if Dirk's area is flooding, but it doesn't occur to him that the gear might not be correct. while he understands needing shelter, he's not fully connected to the knowledge that humans can't just sleep out in the rain like he can.]