Mini-Event: Skywhale + Day of Lefkokó

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The Skywhale & Day of Lefkokó
🜙 The Skywhale
	After fierce retaliation and an increase in city-wide defensive power and measures, it seems as if the orc attacks have, at least for the moment, begun to subside. Along with the lessened threat of orc ambushes, the first storms of winter have died down to a gentle and occasional snow flurry, leaving the world peacefully blanketed in powder snow and a calm stillness. The City of the Free Peoples take this time to celebrate the final repairs of the airship, the Skywhale. With sail balloon once more filled and the engines working hard to keep the air within it warm, easier and safer travel is once more available. The Skywhale leaves once a day in the early morning to head for Didymos, and today is its maiden voyage since the repairs. Thalassa has changed greatly in the last century, blossoming into a massive port and military city, with resources and opportunities unavailable in the more eclectic Cty of the Free Peoples. Restless legs may find their chance to stretch to a new experience. Sail the skies aboard the Skywhale and see Thalassa's grand transformation to Didymos for yourself. Catch the voyage back before nightfall, or remain in Didymos until the ship's return the following day. There is plenty to see and do in the city by the sea. You can even see Logistykon's reef from aboard the Skywhale's deck as it swings around to dock. It is a grim but beautiful sight in the clear blue waters. While the threat of fire and orc ambush has diminished greatly, the City of the Free Peoples is filled with a sense of unease and discomfort as repairs on the city and attempts to put lives back together continue. Murmurs of discontent slip through the city streets, along with rumors that this is all Lykos' fault or accusations that the Captain might be hiding something. For every murmur of distrust, however, there are counters of the heroics and quick action that helped keep the city strong and beat the orcs back. There has still been no word from Krimnos or the airship, Valiant, that usually hails from the cliff city daily. Messengers have not made their wing from the city and those sent to the cliffs have not returned. It's not unusual for this time of year, but the absence is felt keenly by traveling merchants who need to get their wares to or from the city. A journey by horse or on foot would be risky, but the potential rewards for escorting a company up to the cliffs could prove significant.
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🜙 Day of Lefkokó
	No matter what city you find yourself in, the dawn of the 17th sees a change in mood and atmosphere across Idan. Snow has stopped falling and the sky is a bright, clear blue. The weather warms enough to cause water to drip softly from the icicles hanging off every awning and outcrop. Decorations of magical or crafted snowflake art and blue ice flames line city streets and building windows, and jovial merriment spills out into the streets. A sweet wine made from frostberries, warm honey-mead, and spiced apple drinks are offered in taverns, inns, and small shops or homes, a free offering to be had with sweet or spiced cheeses and spiced or candied nuts and fruits. It's a celebration that is far from unfamiliar, one that has been celebrated for centuries across Idan's towns and cities, though the methods and particulars of the celebration have always varied from place to place and people to people. December is the month of the White Raven, and in particular, this day is a day to honor him. Lefkokó, the deity of dance, freedom, madness, and cunning sits at the head of the cause of these festivities and his domains are the focus of the celebrations. Today is a day of dance, drinking, and games of skill and chance. A day to test your bluffing skills, show off, and take deep joy and pride in the liberties and opportunities available to all. Few work on this day, beyond the essentials, and everyone who is able to takes part in this moment of freedom and relaxed expectations or responsibilities. The cities are alive with music and dancing, and the taverns are a swirl of chaos amidst high stake games of cunning and chance. Clever minds clash over riddles, old and new, and as the day progresses a lack of sobriety becomes increasingly evident in the streets and establishments alike. As the sun reaches the highest point in the sky and the shadows dwindle to near nothingness, the aviaries of all three cities release the newest flock of rare juvenile snow ravens to their freedom, letting them take wing to the skies for their first ever flights. The flocks of snow ravens, the most coveted of magic familiars, fly off to the wildlands after practicing their acrobatic feats and visiting various areas of the city in search of food to give them energy for the journey ahead. Once they take their leave of the city, many begin to seek out hidden trinkets, magical herbs, and small, rare items across Idan with a precise and dedicated focus. Those who honor Lefkokó by celebrating in his name may be visited by his rare and clever emissaries later in the month with an offering of thanks from Lefkokó himself.
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🜙 A Warning.
	By the 18th the orc camp has been abandoned, the animals freed and the orcs, whatever was left of them, appear to have fled. Retreat is unusual, even more so for them to cut their creatures loose and flee without triumph or trophy, but this is something different. Many of the weapons, trinkets, and armors coveted by the warring orcs have been left behind, and the fires trampled and stamped out with apparent urgency. Tracks lead to the south a few miles and then vanish into snow in the direction of Lake Atéleio. It and the land south and west of it are consumed in a blizzard blown over from the sea, and tracking beyond that point becomes nearly impossible, though by this point it is assumed the Orcs have retreated to Spear Valley. Whether or not they will return is unclear. Those in the City of the Free Peoples on the 18th will receive another message, this one from a less mysterious source, addressing the coming dangers. Though the attacks have set preparations back a few weeks I would like to quell any worries. The Long Night approaches, but you are a city of strong, brave folk. The threats on the horizon will not be the end of this city any more than these raucous attacks have been. Supplies can be claimed from the defender's camp for any struggling to make the necessary preparations. Those who have lost their homes will be provided shelter and supplies. When the Long Night comes, keep your children indoors, your fires stoked, and your buildings shuttered. There is nothing to fear. Your defenders will keep you safe. -Captain Lykos Several hours later a second and then a third message is received across all kingdoms. It comes only to the couriers of the awakened. The first comes as an audio message: A dull scraping sound followed by the click and whine of metal dragging across stone and the dripping of thick, viscous liquid somewhere distant. It ends abruptly and a simple thought message, short and uncomfortable, follows it. silarclupes irom otnemem The message has no signature.

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Comments

[starwords]

That's generous of you. [And a good thing too, because David has no coin to his name currently and isn't entirely sure what to do about it. It isn't as if he can just create money out of thin air and his control over his magic is too sporadic to rely on just yet.

He takes one of the flagons when she returns, his gaze drifting around the room, taking in the general atmosphere of people getting into the spirit of the day.]

Is it always like this, on the raven's day?

[consecrates]

Pretty much.

[ Davina takes a seat across him, Blaise jumping off of her shoulder and onto the table to take a sniff of the mead.

The merriment, the dancing and singing—it's something she's missed about the city. There would be performers in the square, citizens dancing without a care about the conflict outside their walls. She'd join but well, she's learned early on that her talents lie elsewhere than dancing or singing. ]

Just be prepared, though, in case one of the girls invite you to dance.

[starwords]

I'd be honored. [There's an earnest tone to his voice when he says that, twisting in his seat to watch the dancing and general atmosphere around them. When he turns back to here it's with that warm, slightly daydreamer's smile back on his face. Dancing had always caught his attention. There was such freedom in it, and a certain level of passion that couldn't be ignored. Enjoyment of life's simple pleasures and a celebration of music and movement.

He drinks and sinks comfortably into his seat, his free hand disappearing to tangle in Waffles' long, wavy fur beside him. The canine clambers up onto a seat and then rests his chin heavily on the table, looking back and forth from David to Davina to see if either of them might have a snack he can win from them with big, doleful eyes.]

I'm not very practiced, but I would give it my best.

[consecrates]

[ She'd offer Waffles a bit of her fruit tart but Blaise is currently prowling her side of the table, keeping her from reaching out towards the other animas or the other way around. Davina laughs amusedly, scooping him away when the cat tries to take a swipe at his nose.

Stop it, cat. Let's not make enemies right off the bat. ]

I'm guessing you like dancing, then. [ His enthusiasm is very contagious since earlier, finding herself easily swept away by his pace. And she doesn't really mind it, as she thinks he's quite an interesting person. ]

I'd invite you but I have two left feet. [ Davina takes a sip of her mead, looking across the tavern. She lifts her chin a little, smiling. ] But those girls over there seem interested.

[starwords]

Music is a kind of freedom no one can take from you. Dancing is just an extension of that. [If he had been able to choose the temple of his services rather than being consigned to one by his parents to help cure him of his madness, he would have chosen the raven. Seyra was a lovely goddess, and what she stood for was remarkably good, in most cases, but David knew who and what he was. He and the raven god had much more in common right down to the madness within.

He follows her gaze and the girls catch him looking their way, waving fingers in his direction. He smiles but ducks his head, shaking it slightly before drinking a deeper sip of the warming liquor. There's a tilted smile that isn't bashful so much as disbelieving and he finds himself carding fingers through his own hair, trying to straighten out the mess.]

I think I'll sit it out for now. [He offers the rest of the pastry part of his warmed treat to Waffles when he finishes and rests his chin on his hand, watching people jovially dance about the tavern. The atmosphere is so warm and open. So different from the strict routine and rules of the temple. He had never adjusted and never would have, too chaotic in his own nature even without his quirks. His focus drifts back to Davina, and his smile returns.]

I'm sure Lefkokó doesn't mind left-footed dancers. No one here is sober enough to notice, at least, if you change your mind. I'm probably worse than you are. No one's ever told me. [Just because he had a thirst for music and dancing didn't mean he was any good and he honestly didn't know. He couldn't watch himself dance.]

[consecrates]

[ Davina shakes her head with a laugh, taking a draft of her mead while watching the other individuals in the tavern. They clearly don't care or notice anything else other than their alcohol, their dance partner or their money being gambled away, even laughing boisterously when someone spilled mead on another. This kind of chaos, it's certainly nostalgic of the years she's spent in Thalassa a long time ago.

Another sip of her drink, and she puts her flagon down, her cat jumping back onto the table. This time around, she doesn't attempt to gather him back into her arms and onto her shoulder, standing up and grabbing onto David's arm to drag him to the dance floor. ]

C'mon, up you go. [ She'll write this one down as a night she lost all good judgment but hey, he did say no one would notice, right? ] Let's make Lefkokó regret ever having a festival.