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

[testygirl]

That begs a particular question, and Aira eyes Renne again rather seriously.

"So what if we Outlanders decide to stay?"

[straykitty]

"I don't think we would have the right to ask someone to abandon their past life for a world as unkind as this."

Renne's tone is much softer and more pensive, the "we" could certainly also mean "I".

[testygirl]

"You don't have the right to tell us what to do one way or the other."

That accompanied by a little hmph. Though Aira's pouty expression breaks once she considers Renne's angle.

"... Heh. Why don't you just admit that you wouldn't have the heart to kill me if we ever did end up in a serious fight?"

[straykitty]

Renne gives Aira an impish grin and doesn't miss a single beat.

"I wouldn't need to, I'd just knock you out and whisk you off to a secure location~"

[testygirl]

"N-No way! I can't ever let myself get captured again. Period. I'd die from the humiliation and it'd be all the same!"

Classic hyperbole, but clearly she harbors some real anguish at the possibility.

[straykitty]

"You speak like you're in any position to resist~"

[testygirl]

"I'm still working on some secret techniques that'll totally destroy you."

This is true in the sense that she keeps trying to brainstorm ideas, but she's mostly come up empty. Aira flops back over the table, now with some sleepiness from the drink kicking in.

"Whatever. Once the time comes, you should just come through the gate with me, and live in Japan."

[straykitty]

"That is a thought, I suppose. But I don't think I could leave my family behind like that. I owe them far too much, and I can't abandon them after they fought so hard to save me."

[testygirl]

"... Yeah. I shouldn't have gone there, huh?"

Though Aira only ends up smiling to herself, and she shifts to a more comfortable resting position. It's really just nice knowing that Renne has some loving support, despite all of her... Renne-ness.

"A little while after I joined the Corsairs, I met Miss Shu, and she gave me a fortune. I asked if my dad and my friends would be OK without me while I'm stuck here." She pauses. "Maybe I shouldn't put so much faith in a fortune, but based on what she said, I'm pretty set on staying until things here are actually peaceful."

[straykitty]

"I wouldn't say I'm prone to trusting fortunes as a general rule, but I'm more inclined to trust Shu's than I am most others."

It's almost an agreement, at any rate.

"I think peace is going to be quite a ways away. The Empire's not one to take our actions lying down."

[testygirl]

"Mhm. Lying down doesn't sound so bad, though..."

Aira yawns. She further nestles herself against the table, and her eyelids droop.

"We'll win. I don't care how long it takes."

[straykitty]

"We will, but first, we best get you to your room. Come."

Renne makes her way over and pulls Aira up. She'll carry her if she has to.

[testygirl]

"Thaaaanks."

Aira is considering that the bedroom in her cute little house in Elysium, so.

"My room is kind of far..."

Seems like she's fine on her feet, at least, while resting against Renne's shoulder with one arm snaked around her.

[straykitty]

"Yeah, I don't think we're getting you through the Crimson Portal in your state, I'd be worried your essence would miss the mark and you'd be adrift in the Ether for eternity. Come. You shall have the honor of using my room for the night."

She makes no particular reaction to Aira's closeness.

[testygirl]

Aira would be a lot more self-conscious about all of this if she wasn't so sleepy and inebriated.

"I'm really, really honored. And I promise I'll be good."

That's a pledge made in earnest. Aira continues to use Renne for support as they shuffle along, but only so much that she doesn't fall on her face. Otherwise she keeps her hands to herself.

[straykitty]

Renne's room is rather tidy, adorned with rather soft and feminine frills and lace in what Aira would definitely recognize as akin to the gothic lolita style in her home world. Her scythe is carefully hung from the wall, held aloft by firmly placed pegs and polished to an absolute mirror shine.

Without any particular ceremony, Renne dumps Aira into her bed, before taking a seat at her desk, a faint smile of amusement playing on her lips.

[testygirl]

A sober Aira would happily admire the scythe and all the other bits of decor. She thinks it's nice that Renne displays her favorite weapon, particularly while showcasing its immaculate upkeep. Aira treats her hair the same way.

"Oof."

She flops to the bed and doesn't initially adjust, keeping her unceremoniously dumped position while staring up at the ceiling.

"... I'll be OK, if you want to go back to the party."

[straykitty]

Renne has already opened a book and is sitting elegantly at her desk reading.

"Nonsense. I would never leave a guest alone. I have already had ample time to enjoy the party."

[testygirl]

That answer gets a blink and a soft hum.

"How come you're stickler for being polite, but then you can like—" Aira uses one curved finger to lazily slash around at the air "—dismember a bunch of guys without batting an eye."

[straykitty]

Renne's smile is crooked but her expression is wistful.

"We're reaching subjects that will probably need discussing someday, but are probably not for tonight."

[testygirl]

There's a fairly long pause. Either Aira is lost in thought, or she's finally passed out. It's the former, but her voice has gotten groggier.

"You don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to."

She's speaking generally, whether that's clear or not. Aira wiggles her way under the covers, then curls on her side, getting comfortable.

"I won't stop liking you either way." A yawn. "If you were worried..."

[straykitty]

"I know."

Renne twirls her hair in one hand thoughtfully, the book held in her other.

"My past is perhaps far more unpleasant than I think you realize. But they are things you must understand if you truly intend to approach me in such a way. I am damaged, moreso than you can begin to understand."

She chuckles humorlessly.

"I'd say beyond repair, but my sister is quite insistent on the contrary. I never knew they could be such troublesome creatures."

[testygirl]

Aira squirms a bit at that word: damaged.

"Your sister..." She trails off for a second, then remembers. "Fish Fear Me? Yeah, sorry, I'm with her. If she loves you, then obviously she doesn't want to hear you call yourself stuff like that. It hurts."

Renne's words do carry a lot of weight. On most days, when Aira considers what awful things might have happened to Renne in the past, she's sure that she can handle even the darkest of truths. But Renne isn't the type to exaggerate, so inevitably, her warning does stir up a sense of foreboding.

"... But, I'm sorry. When you're ready to tell me, I'll make sure I'm ready, too."

[straykitty]

"It's hardly a conversation for the state you're in. If you're feeling up to it, we can talk more later."

[testygirl]

"Yeah. Night..."

Renne doesn't have to tell her twice—or actually she has, hasn't she? In the end, it still takes a little while for Aira to fall asleep, since she can't easily stop her thoughts from whirling around and around. Fatigue and drunkenness do eventually win out, and she ends up looking rather peaceful while snoozing away.