Event #09: THE FETE OF KNOWLEDGE

[vivalamods]

EVENT #09: THE FETE OF KNOWLEDGE

As the month wears on, the Imperial forces withdraw, tired of scouring the seas in attempts to pick off individual Corsair ships, have slunk back to their masters. During this time, the Corsairs were hard at work finishing the Crimson Portal in Asphodel, and for the first time ever the Corsairs now have four waypoints - an enormous gain as they welcome the refugees from Vindess.

The refugees themselves are settling about as well as can be expected. Tension is still high, while the people are grateful for being saved from certain doom, a lifetime of propaganda doesn’t fade away in an instant and they remain wary, upset at the loss of their homes and way of life. Struggle is natural, and thus, the Corsairs have prepared for the second phase of the resettlement operation - the Fete of Knowledge.

As Asphodel residents stream into the Vault, music - the kind never permitted under Imperial auspices - echoes through the halls. Although the hammering of munitions is ever-present, this music is meant to reverberate through the caverns, echoing upon itself to build into even greater harmonies. This is music of the Crimson Corsairs, made to suit their purposes and circumstances. A salve for aching hearts and a beauty to bring a tear to the eye, the Vault is ready to prove that as the last repository of forbidden knowledge in the world, the wonders they hold welcome all who have the minds to seek it.

With the spring thaw well underway there is still much to be done, but the Corsairs have worked to complete it as best they can. Thus, most everyone within the three, no, four cities should find some time to partake in the Fete. As the week-long festivities commence, Corsairs are welcomed to take a much-needed break and celebrate their triumphs.

Join the Performance

The music of the day is a beautiful choral arrangement, repeated on the hour to echo through the halls, the verses building upon each other. While not enough to drown out the bombing, it’s a gorgeous piece and one that somehow provides a measure of peace and comfort. Any and all are welcome to lend their voices, there are several parts for any vocal range with the more complex vocalizations being handled by experienced musicians. And, best of all, any who aid in the song are gifted a jug of honey wine, a salve for a sore throat and a delicious delicacy besides.

Debate Hall

The Debate Hall is often lively, and during the Fete it has been repurposed to serve as the center of introduction to rhetoric. Debates between people of roughly equivalent skill are held throughout the Fete, and the topic of debate can be anything the participants choose. Debates over best foods, fashion, or even the odd lyrical exchange of truly hair-raising insults, just about any kind of confrontational discourse is currently on display for the amusement of refugees and Corsairs alike. Corsairs are free to join the stage, so long as they honor the traditions of the hall - settle disputes with words, not blades. At least while you’re in the hall, anyway.

Banquet Hall

The Corsairs have tapped their stores to create a truly enormous feast of delicacies only found in the Eternal Ocean. Aquatic creatures of all sorts grace the tables, as well as some of the native flora and fauna of Elysium’s fields, prepared to absolute perfection. And then, of course, there is the grog, free-flowing and plentiful to help take the edge off the trauma of the resettlement. The mood is mostly festive, with sober bouncers on hand to eject any Corsairs who might get a bit too belligerent while soaking in libations.

Dueling Hall

Sometimes words are not enough, and the Corsairs have set up a dueling hall within the Vault for people to test their skills against each other in controlled environments. Ether is dampened in the Dueling Hall, so while one can cast spells as they might, the lethality is far reduced, a once-searing flame is now a gentle warmth and a block of ice a pleasant mist. This, along with padded weaponry, make for a fine way for Corsairs to both test their skill and show off for the masses, with any number of interesting rules in play to make the contests of strength more interesting and enjoyable to watch. With many a pair from the Debate Hall making their way to the Dueling Hall to continue their disputes, the hall is busy for the entirety of the Fete.

Story Hall

A Story Hall has been set up near the library for actors and orators to read and sometimes act out the books and stories found within the library. While the townsfolk of Vindess are not entirely illiterate, their lower class nature as mine workers means that many cannot read, or read well, and this hall gives them an opportunity to experience the wonder of the written word, of story and legend, and to hear the histories the Empire has long suppressed. The Story Hall is always looking for more orators and actors to read or act out books and plays, and it is one of the most heavily trafficked areas in the Fete, with the Vindess residents hungry for these once-forbidden tales.

Wildcard

The Fete of Knowledge is all about sharing, so there are any number of activities, and Corsairs are encouraged to come up with their own to keep the Fete moving. You may use this prompt to do whatever you wish. Enjoy the party!

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Comments

[singlemilletgrain]

"How curious."

There are, of course, always stories about spirits that could only be seen by the pure-hearted - or the childlike or the fae-touched or any number of arbitrary criteria, but these were usually faerie stories. She did not think there was much practical use in being invisible to all but a few specific individuals of the human race.

"They must have their own society entirely, then, if they do not partake of yours. Have you spent much time with them? Is that why they gave you such a gift?"

[newmemorywhodis]

"...Don't remember why," Link says. It's one of those memories that he'd never fully recovered; he had vague, fragmented snapshots of the bag, and the koroks, and the forest. He was pretty sure they gave it to him. But...why did they? Did they tell him? Link didn't know.

At least other parts of her questioning where easier to answer; when she asks about him spending a lot of time with them, he nods.

"Koroks like hiding," he says. "I find their puzzles."

[singlemilletgrain]

"...Puzzles?"

This is a bit confusing, for he had just said that the vast majority of people couldn't see them. ...Did they hide puzzles for each other to find?

"What sort of puzzles do you mean?" ...Jigsaws?

[newmemorywhodis]

Link hums a negative. That wasn't exactly the kind of puzzle that koroks tended to make.

"They make...something out of place?" He says, head tilted to one side as he thinks. "Rocks that make a shape, with one missing. Circle of lilies in the water. Yellow flowers that move when you touch them."

[singlemilletgrain]

"So... it's a bit of an elaborate hide-and-seek game? But... only you can play?"

She blinks for a brief moment. This seems like a lot of effort to go through for these little critters to... entertain themselves? Or to entertain Link, perhaps?

"They must truly be very fond of you. And you of them, if you go to lengths to seek them out. How many Koroks are there?"

[newmemorywhodis]

Link thinks about it a little. And then nods - with a shrug. Yes, it's an elaborate hide-and-seek game. But he doesn't know if he's the only one who can play; maybe koroks would play with others, if they could?

"Hundreds," he says. "They give me korok seeds. Then Hetsu takes them, and makes my bag carry more."