Thanksmasnewyearskwanzakkah 2016

[Murkus]

[Square]

The children, at the very least, spot Tuskfang and his accompaniment. They dash off toward him with short but energetic strides, and Adir struggles to accelerate after them without disturbing Russell. Not that the little guy would ever complain.

"Hi Tusk-fang!"

"Hi Tussfang!"

They twins crowd in front of him, shoulder to shoulder. They're dressed in winter clothes, sweaters and knitted wool caps, but probably not as thickly padded as the average child. Taking exception for the tumble of flowers on each of their heads, the Frescot boys inherited at least some resistance to cold from their old man.

[Artemis97]

Throne Room

"Oh, so driders are honored people? Then why are you here all alone? I would think people would be trying to come by and ask you for favors." Sarina has already had plenty of people do that to her. Mostly people in textile businesses.

[Throne Room]

"Oh, highly honored when we're chosen by the Spider Queen. There are some who are given this form as a punishment, but they are very different. Twisted mockeries of spider and drow. Monsters, barely animals." Arduliara seems to delight in explaining the plight of a common drider. "But I am crafted in my goddess' image. People respect that, and the power it represents. They dare not approach me so casually, for fear of angering me."

[Sitting Room]

"Well I can owe you for the healing but please let me enjoy the festivities bu giving you a little something anyways. After all if it wasn't for your family I would probably be sitting in a hotel room alone, sick or not. Plus I learned this spell in part because I thought it would be good to do at parties. You see my job I pretty boring, at least when I talk about it people's eyes tend to glaze over. And most of my magic I have picked up as a hobby is pretty unimpressive by nexus standards. But this one I rather like. So with your permission." Cait gets up and moves over to a table standing a bit like a nervous magician in front of a audience.

Cait's whole attitude at this point is put on like a very familiar mask. She has played the role of talented naive youth many times. Once for real and many more times to bait a trap. Plus the healing has put her in a good mood making it easy to act happy and eager to please the drowess. In this case the trap is to make sure she stays in Erelae's mind after today. Cait isn't sure what could come of that, but she figures it could be a useful connection in the future.

[Sitting Room]

Erelae nods to Cait. "Please do." She watches, intrigued.

[McBish]

[Sitting Room]

Cait smiles and starts producing items fro little pockets in her cloak. First a neatly folded piece of paper with a plain circle drawn on it. Cait practices freehand drawing circles often enough and keeps any results that seem usable for her magics. Next a fine looking mechanical pencil which she clicks a few times to make sure she has plenty of graphite. Then she takes off her watch and sets it on the table "above" the paper if you were looking down at it. The watch is another sign of wealth Cait has. The quiet ticking revealing its mechanical nature, but no mechanism to wind it is present, and it is keeping near perfect time. Then she pulls out a small pocket knife, the blade barely an inch long. She handles it like someone who has only used a knife to cut vegetables, no fighting skill showing. She holds the little thing in one hand using the thumb nail on the other hand to unfold it. She sets the knife down on the left of the paper.

She takes a deep breath reciting in her mind the words of the spell to make sure she has it. Then watching the seconds tick by on her watch he picks up the pencil and hovers it above the circle at the twelve o'clock position. When a new minute starts on her watch her hand starts moving. Drawing dashes in the circle dividing it into segments, large at first then smaller as her hand circles around the paper in rhythm with the ticking watch, though faster. Then she starts to draw curved lines from the outside of the circle to the center.

As she is drawing those lines she starts to speak, in French, a poem about a rose. Meanwhile her left hand reaches and picks up the knife twisting it around so she can run her thumb over the blade drawing blood. Now here is the real trick Cait thinks. She know leaving behind her own blood is silly and she has a bit of magical control over her body, so now while still concentrating on the spell she also makes the subtle shift I the blood in her thumb, changing its type and making it so no one could use it to track her.

As she finishes the short poem she places her bleeding thumb in the center of the circle and then slowly draws it up. As she does so the paper rises with her thumb, folding and rolling in on itself. In the end there is a three inch tall rose. The stem paper white, but the leaves seemed to have soaked in the blood and turned red. Cait picks it up carefully and hands it to Erelae. The stem seems rougher than normal paper, and the petals softer.

[Artemis97]

[Sitting Room]

Divoyn shifts slightly on his feet as Cait draws the knife, but he does nothing more than that. Erelae watches with interest as Cait weaves the intricate looking spell. The words in French sound foreign but beautiful to her. When the spell is finished, the drowess applauds before accepting the rose. "Wonderful! That was beautiful. Wherever did you learn to do that?"

[McBish]

[Sitting Room]

Cait sucks her bleeding thumb for a second giving a slight curtsy flaring her cloak out with her other hand. "A old book I managed to dig up in an old library. It was a small book filled with maybe a dozen spells. This was the only one I could make any sense of. It is sort of my hobby, I like the research, the hunt through old books to find hidden gems. Even if I can't produce anything big and powerful." She tucks away the knife and pencil back in the cloak.

[Artemis97]

[Sitting Room]

"Fascinating." Erelae says. "You know, you might want to track down my brother, if he isn't too busy. He has quite the library of spells."

[McBish]

[Sitting Room]

"Do you think he would let me see them? But I am sure he is busy." Access to a new magical library excites Cait. She doesn't always find a spell she can make work, but she usually learns something interesting.

[Reinholdt]

[Throne Room - Fayyaad]

"I was born into the Zafar family, one of the oldest in Moran-Ir," Fayyaad explains. "And I'm a tiefling, which was seen as a good omen... to my people, that is. Not so much for our oppressors. Musical chairs, though. Not a method of leader selection I've ever heard of."

[Throne Room]

"There are times where I think it might be more effective." Leah states with the air of cynical experience. "Who were your oppressors?"

[Morty]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

"You answer prayers? I figure I'm not a proper goddess because no one prays to me. That's good. I'd have no idea what to do if someone did," Brinika admits. "What's it like?"

[Throne Room - Fayyaad]

Fayyaad's tail flicks.

"A foreign empire. They worship a radiant deity and consider our faith to be heretical, and our god a demon. But they've got internal troubles and their grip is weakening."

[Fenric]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

Myobi glances at the ground, where someone has dropped a crumpled-up napkin

Oh, Brinika: you're so awesome. Would you please pick that napkin up? Thank you so much.

she smirks

A lot like that... not always quite so polite.

[Morty]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

Brinika's ears dip in confusion.

"So they just ask you to solve their problems? That's not very fair."

[Fenric]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

Brinika's ears dip in confusion.

"So they just ask you to solve their problems? That's not very fair."

Myobi shrugs

People are people: some requests are reasonable, some not so much, and some are just dumb. But yes, people do indeed ask for things to be done for them that they can and should just do themselves... though I wouldn't say "just" by any stretch: we get many sorts of requests, about many different things.

[Morty]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

"Do they ever do something for you? That'd be fair." It seems obvious to the tiny goblin.

[Artemis97]

[Sitting Room]

"If you let him bend your ear about how you do your magic, I'm sure he'll let you look at some things." Erelae assures Cait, but then frowns, thinking. "Of course, they'll mostly be in drow or abyssal, maybe draconic." She waves a hand. "I am sure he can find a way to translate them for you."

[McBish]

[Sitting Room]

"Oh that would be great. I am not that great with languages, I usually just memorize phrases by rote. I don't think I know any abyssal or drow, but I do know a phrase of draconic. 'An honor to meet you.' Which probably isn't that helpful in any magic spells." Her draconic is not good, the phrase is understandable but the accent is terrible. She used to know a few other phrases but they are mostly forgotten.

[Artemis97]

[Sitting Room]

"It would be helpful if you met an actual dragon." Erelae says with a grin. It was an expression similar to he father, Raril's, but it was doubtful Cait would recognize that. "But seriously, Sornnolu, my brother, would be thrilled to talk to another mage, especially one who's magic differs so much from our own."

[McBish]

[Sitting Room]

"I would be happy to talk to him. Though I never really consider myself a mage. I just dabble, but I would love the chance to learn something new." Cait says humbly. Most of her magic not granted by dark slumbering gods is fairly unimpressive. She has only recently taken up any serious study of magic beyond what she was taught as a child, those she tends to keep secret.

[Fenric]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

"Do they ever do something for you? That'd be fair." It seems obvious to the tiny goblin.

Myobi smiles

Oh, yes: more often than not. We'll certainly do favors sometimes, but cooperation works so much better.

[Morty]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

"Ooooh." That does make a lot more sense. "What do people do for gods?"

[Ashen Lilies]

[Square, and other places]

Arrivals!

First up is Kal. The smoking hawt tiefling is looking as dashing and debonair as ever, wearing dark trousers and a trim red jacket lined with white faux fur in a suave show of seasonally sensitive sartorial style.

Second up, a dark-skinned woman with a long braid lined with decorative tinsel, and a deep green long dress covered with a fluffy cream jacket over her shoulders.

Third, a duo! The pair meet up outside the gates to Delmah Phor - the first a young looking woman with short dark hair, bundled up in plaid, mittens, and a heavy scarf covering her neck and the bottom of her face, arguing with a tall, haughty looking elf dressed in a snow-white glittery dress that leaves her right arm and shoulder unseasonably bare, opposite the left shoulder carrying a pointy, ice-like epaulet.
"I don't see what this holiday has to do with our research." Says Lily, clutching her scarf. Even by her usual standards, her skin seems sickly pale, and dark circles shadow her grey eyes, though they seem bright with irritation.
"Nothing, actually. But the holiday is fun, and I wish to observe your homunculus in public. Impressive work, by the way, much like your construct. Unrefined, obviously flawed, but your thoroughness and attention to detail is nonetheless worthy of remark."
"...thank you." Says Lily, not bothering to soften her naked sarcasm.
"You're welcome." Says Geneviève dismissively. "Go have fun now. We'll work later."

And then they go their separate ways, Lily reluctantly, Geneviève with much more enthusiasm.

[Morty]

[Square]

Kal might find someone bump into him. A short hobgoblin in a quilted jacket, wandering around the Thanksmas area. Those strange elves give him the cr- oops. Who did he bump into - oh.

"Er, excuse me," he blurts out.

[Recaiden]

Gardens

"I used to play in the snow a lot as a kid. What do you think we should make? Snow-cats?" he asks her with a smile.

"I've never really done anything with snow. Let's start with something simple."
Leah sits down and starts rolling the snowflakes up into a ball.

[Giant Spruce]

Mia just nods. It's hard to get things to people here thought. They used machines just like tools and never seem to care if there is a spirit or not.

"So, what's your profession?" Mia asks changing the subject as they slow down so alice can watch the clockwork.

"I work with computers." Alice says, a little evasive. "I wouldn't say I'm any kind of professional."

[Reinholdt]

[Throne Room - Fayyaad]

Fayyaad's tail flicks.

"A foreign empire. They worship a radiant deity and consider our faith to be heretical, and our god a demon. But they've got internal troubles and their grip is weakening."

[Throne Room]

"Infernal and Internal troubles? Tsk." They tend to go hand in hand anyways, honestly. "Well I hope things become accommodating for you back home and you get to go home safely."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Square]

Kal might find someone bump into him. A short hobgoblin in a quilted jacket, wandering around the Thanksmas area. Those strange elves give him the cr- oops. Who did he bump into - oh.

"Er, excuse me," he blurts out.

[Square]

Whoops! Kal is bumped into by a hobgoblin! Luckily, hardened adventurer that he is, I don' think there will be any permanent damage.

Kal gives Batu a big smile in order to improve the situation. "Hey, it's all right. Merry Thanksmas.

[Fenric]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

"Ooooh." That does make a lot more sense. "What do people do for gods?"

Myobi explains

Well, to begin with, their worship does actually mean something: the goddess receives energy when people actively worship her. Beyond that, for us at least, it is forbidden for the goddess to directly act in the world. As a Messenger I have a slightly wider freedom to act, but it is still limited.
That means that we need people - clerics, followers, or people just looking for a favor - to be the ones to actually go out and do things: from building a temple to helping an old lady cross the street: mundane mortal activities must be completed by a mortal.

[Morty]

[Square]

Batu's not used to handsome men smiling at him, and is poorly-equipped to deal with this situation.

"Um, yes. Merry Thanksmas. I'm Batu. Son of Tengal, formerly. I like your costume."

[Throne Room - Fayyaad]

"Thank you. But enough about me," Fayyaad says. "You sound more like a Nexus native than I do, though appearances can be deceiving."

[Throne Room - Brinika]

"That's pretty complicated," Brinika decides. "Why can't gods do things directly?"

[Fenric]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

"That's pretty complicated," Brinika decides. "Why can't gods do things directly?"

Myobi chuckles softly

Because there is more than one, and many of them get along together about as well as spoiled toddlers. When they have interacted directly in the mortal realms, it has resulted in terrible battles more often than not: entire worlds have been completely destroyed that way.
So in order to avoid destroying the entire universe, they have all agreed to not act directly and if any one does then the others will all band together to punish them. Messengers and mortal agents quite simply lack the power to have so great an impact, and so it is far safer.

[Morty]

[Throne Room - Brinika]

"That makes sense." Brinika's ear tilts to the side. "I think one of my cousins is calling me. Bye, miss!" The little goblin drives away on her beetle.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Square]

Batu's not used to handsome men smiling at him, and is poorly-equipped to deal with this situation.

"Um, yes. Merry Thanksmas. I'm Batu. Son of Tengal, formerly. I like your costume."

[Square]

Well, it's more of just a whimsically thematic outfit than a costume... but Kal doesn't bother to correct him.

"Kal. Uh... Son of Eamon. Merry Thanksmas!"

Kal doesn't inquire after the 'formerly' part. He gets that.

[UncleWolf]

[Square]

Tuskfang and co. may spot a trio of Fey folk wandering through the gently falling snow! Adir Frescot meanders amidst the light and glistening ornamentation, holding a small bundled babe and shepherding two of his other boys as they go.

Bundled in his arms is the flower-headed Russell, the silent little green child. He reaches out to catch the falling snow, seeming irritated when his tiny fists close around nothing. The two elder lads, Cernunnos and Gwydion, seem more enthused with their glittering surroundings.

[Square]

Tuskfang was just getting familiar with his new metal-sniffing toy when he spotted his friends. He pulls on Pathfinder's paw excitedly.

"There's Cern an' Geedon! You gotta meet them, dad!"

Square

The Wolfen chuckles as his child drags him along. "Of course I do." He says before leaning over to scoop Tuskfang and his new toy up in his arms and even propping the former onto his shoulder to give the young child a height advantage as they walk towards the other family. Adir and his children will see Pathfinder as a large wolf-bodied man with a thick mane of fur braided down his back. His light brown fur is dyed red in many places with chevrons on his shoulders and striping across his broad chest. He's dressed in a pair of leather pants, though his right paw is heavily wrapped in brown cloth. It doesn't appear to be a bandage, just a wrapping he wears to hide his hand.

Once they arrive, the Wolfen kneels to allow his son to clamber down on his own.

Entrance

A large Moose-Driven sleigh arrives, bells jingling as it comes to a slow stop, and the lavender hued driver looks behind her at the children in the back with a grin. "We're here! Don't climb out just yet, we'll help you down." Jezebel explains to the kids as she slips off the driver's bench before offering Cessie a hand down.

Sergei doesn't listen to his mother of course and simply slips over the side, leaving his sleeping sister snoring in the back under her warm blanket and hat.