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 gets quite a long, brutal sigh.

"I don't wish to at all. But there's definitely some stuff at the shop I should check on..."

[straykitty]

"We shall have time enough another day. And we can have further... conversations when you are ready."

[testygirl]

"Okay. I mean, there's nothing super urgent on my end, but..."

She figures Renne has plenty of important work to do, deadly and prolific genius that she is. Still, Aira appears to deliberate something, with shyness seeping back into her demeanor.

"... Would you, um. Let me brush your hair before I go? It'd really give me a boost."

[straykitty]

"I would like that. Shall we go?"

[testygirl]

"Yeah!"

Aira unceremoniously snarfs down the rest of her breakfast, then flutters to her feet, looking quite pleased. The boost is already in effect, it seems, and she'll follow Renne back to her room with a hop in her step.

[straykitty]

Renne seems mostly amused by the proceedings as they head back to her room.

"Shall I sit?"

[testygirl]

"Hehe. Anywhere you want, Miss. Can I borrow a brush?"

Aira almost always has a compact brush on her person, but she figures Renne probably has a better quality one in her space that she likes to use.

[straykitty]

"In the bathroom drawer."

Renne takes a seat at her desk and brushes her hair back behind her ears. The brush is, as said, in the tidy attached bathroom unit inside one of the drawers under the sink.

[testygirl]

Aira finds the brush easily enough, happily humming as she does, then she pulls up a seat behind Renne.

"I actually haven't done this in a while."

Aside from her own hair, but that's a special regimen. Aira starts at the ends, as one does, and her muscle memory immediately kicks in. Her strokes are gentle and deliberate, with a technique that puts hardly any strain on the scalp.

[straykitty]

"Even if it's been some time, I can tell you're quite skilled."

[testygirl]

Aira is great at receiving compliments, typically, but here she actually feels a bit sheepish.

"W-Well, yeah. Have I even told you about all the ways I used to bust my butt to become the most popular girl in school? Help another girl with her hair and you can win her over easy-peasy."

[straykitty]

Renne chuckles.

"Surprisingly cunning, for some reason you always struck me as a bit more straightforward."

[testygirl]

"Because that's how I try to be. I don't like using people that way anymore."

There's some pride in her voice—and regret, too. Aira builds to some longer brushstrokes, still as smooth as how she started.

[straykitty]

"Commendable, really. It's not an easy habit to break."

Renne's tone certainly implies she hasn't been quite as successful.

[testygirl]

"It took something pretty dramatic."

Aira frowns a little, belatedly recognizing what Renne was implying.

"... If you've been using me for something this whole time, then you better fess up."

She's joking, but there's still a slightly threatening edge to her voice. It might be hard for Renne to imagine, but among her friends back home, it's Aira who's the scary one.

[straykitty]

"If every you believe me to be using you, you are welcome to inform my sister. She has ways of discouraging me from such habits. Typically via a knuckle to the head."

If Renne is at all perturbed by Aira's tone, she doesn't show it.

[testygirl]

That gets an easy giggle.

"Wow, no way. She can get away with that?"

[straykitty]

Renne chuckles.

"You might not believe it but my sister is really strong, and my brother is also a former Enforcer. Either of them can beat me quite handily, so long as they can get in close."

[testygirl]

"Oh, come on, I know a super kick-ass lady when I see one. Whenever we meet, she has to teach me at least a few of her techniques. And I can treat her to Aira's Supreme Brushing Routine, too."

She remembers the long hair. Like, secondary to the fish, but the hair also.

[straykitty]

Renne laughs.

"I don't think you'll have much trouble convincing her, she's always happy to teach people. A real 'ally of justice' type."

[testygirl]

Aira is nearly finished with her hair now, and her pace slows a little.

"Did she inspire you to fight for justice, too?"

The question is framed innocently, though Aira knows full well that Renne doesn't view herself as the same kind of heroic person.

[straykitty]

Renne laughs.

"I don't fight for justice. I fight for them. They saved me, and I will never be able to repay them. So, I do what I can."

[testygirl]

Aira's expression sobers a bit, and she ponders a reply. There are two, three more languid strokes, then she sets the brush down on Renne's desk as a sign of completion.

"Ahem. If they fight for justice, and you fight for them, then that basically counts."

[straykitty]

"If you say so."

Renne doesn't sound particularly convinced, but neither is she particularly concerned.

[testygirl]

Aira won't press the point, either. As a finishing touch, she fixes up Renne's ribbon, untying and retying it so that it's sitting nice and centered.

"Alright! All done."

She sighs, satisfied, but also not thrilled by the prospect of leaving Renne to go work.

"I suppose I should head back..."