usir | Event #6 Arkoda's Awakening & the Wyrm Moon

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Arkoda's Awakening & the Wyrm Moon

🜙 Arkoda's Awakening.

	With the emergence of hibernating creatures and the arrival of the thaw, Arkoda's awakening is being celebrated across Idan. In Krimnos, King Sitka, adorned with the white laurels of peace, announces the opening of the Krimnos Greenhouse to all of Idan, the many magical plants within it available to any in the general public who might have need of them. The Hymn of the Mountains tolls out gently from the crystal bells in Arkoda's temple, and the Krimnos knights hold a competition of skill in Hippogriff Flight Courses, Aerial Jousting, Archery, Armed Combat, and Unarmed Combat that is open to all. Participants have the chance to take on the mantle for themselves and join Krimnos' Knights, with the winners of each category potentially acquiring a rare Hippogriff from the Krimnos Aviary or a horse from the stables and a hefty sum of gold. In Didymos the celebration is split between the quarters. In the overlook quarter Queen Adira pardons a number of people from serving out time for their crimes with the option of joining the crew of any of the large fishing fleets or assisting the academies in keeping the buildings orderly, and a celebration of the Didymos justice system includes debates and elections for the Queen's staff of judges and advisors. In the ocean quarter, the fishermen are celebrated with sea shanties, shoreline bonfires, dancing, music, and a jubilee for the upcoming spring, all culminating in a grand feast where the main dishes feature fish, berries, boars, rabbits, fruits, nuts, and various honeyed sweets and drinks. No one talks about the shortage of fish in the bay, or the dragon that emerged from it last month. In the chaos surrounding the City of the Free Peoples, a group of rebel fighters in conflict with the city's current self-proclaimed leader are holding a celebration for anyone to attend at the Immortal Duke well into the night that focuses on bolstering spirits and joyfully, loudly, singing and dancing in spite of Captain Koroc's threats. Oddly, the Defenders seem unwilling to make a move on the heavily warded inn and everyone who joins in seems to lose their worries and cares the moment they step foot over the threshold. An elf with blond and brown streaked hair offers support and uplifting words and gives a speech at one point in the night that seems to really rally the crowded inn's crowd, promising that brighter days are soon to come and that before long the city will belong to the people once more, with no need to fear their true leader. There is even a mocking play that makes light of the former and current rulers. An armadillo beastfolk depicts Captain Lykos as timid and uncertain, waffling over decisions and eventually curling himself into an armored ball and rolling away off stage. An orc with horns on his head plays Koroc as a bullish brute that charges a mysterious masked and taunting character with a cape, careening right off the stage behind him and into a pile of prop boxes where he is 'slain' by his own stupidity.

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🜙 Arkoda's Awakening: Potion Seller

	The black markets of the three cities are constantly moving, never lingering in the same place for long. You may not have even known you were in it, were it not for the battle-scarred hyena and his human friend calling out to you with a gruff barked "Hey," followed by a smooth as silk sing-song "I know what you've been searching for." Against your better instincts, you find yourself compelled, stepping one foot after the next over to the harmless looking alchemy market stand. Nearly a hundred colorful bottles and vials of assorted shaped are stacked and stored around the lantern-lit stand. "You'll know which potion you need when you find it." The singsong voice of the woman washes against you like a reassuring touch, and she holds both hands out palms up, gesturing to her many wares. The leering hyena beastfolk beside her grins dangerously at you, winking. "If you think you can handle them." There's something unusual about them, they almost seem to shimmer in the light. As you pick up one of their offered vials you feel a dizzying sensation as if the earth has suddenly gone out from beneath your feet. You catch yourself on a tree and look up to find yourself standing in the middle of a mostly empty marsh somewhere between Didymos and the City of the Free Peoples. You're disoriented, confused, and your head is pounding. It feels as if you just went on an all-night drinking bender. The vial is gone, as is the market, but you aren't alone. Another individual is picking themselves up out of the marsh beside you, feeling the same effects of an unfortunate encounter with the tricksters or perhaps they were just out for a walk when you appeared out of nowhere and knocked into them.
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🜙 The Wyrm Moon: Wolves of Atrómitos

	King Ardis and his men have set up camp in an abandoned village near the outskirts of the City of the Free Peoples while the roguish leader of Didymos' ocean quarter attempts to get Captain Koroc to agree to assisted mediation from him and his men. So far his request has been repeatedly scoffed at by the towering red orc who views the man's attempts at diplomacy as a power grab. Dozens of rebels remain locked in custody of the Defenders and the knights of the City of the Free Peoples seem on edge, an air of anxious and paranoid tension rampant in the warcamp while a feeling of distrust and fear permeates the city itself. Prior to the Wyrm Moon, Captain Koroc declares that King Ardis' presence is an act of war and that the city is now under his rule. The City of the Free Peoples is still in a state of internal conflict. Their unofficial leader, Captain Lykos, has been missing since the end of December and in the wake of his disappearance, a red orc named Koroc has declared himself the new leader of the Defenders of the City. His greed for power has progressed over the months he has been in command of the army of Defenders, and he has now claimed himself King Koroc, rightful ruler of the city and its people, calling the city once more by the more familiar name of Atrómitos. His erratic, increasingly violent behavior and the fairly fresh scars covering one of his arms make him an even more fearsome sight than the already over-sized orc had previously been to behold. Even his most trusted fellow Defenders seem nervous in his presence. Dervish, the smaller orc that has been at his side since Captain Lykos' disappearance is quieter, remaining behind him rather than beside him. Dozens of citizens are locked up in cells in a makeshift Defender's warcamp prison and a struggle for power has risen to the surface. King Ardis is willing to help find a diplomatic solution by force if necessary, waiting outside the city with a small force of soldiers and putting out calls for information on the situation to help him help the people of the city. The newly recovered Captain Lykos is laying low, assessing the state of the city and searching the network for supporters to reach out to while he waits out the full moon. The rebels numbers are depleted but their current leader, an enterprising elf named Lorna with connections willing to fund her attempts to take back the city, is reorganizing her people and recruiting people to the cause of putting the city in saner, more capable hands. Koroc's new leadership seems to involve enforcing militaristic force and overbearing control over the city, but he is making broad claims of returning the city to its former glory, assuring his people that when he is in power, Didymos and Krimnos will give their city the respect they've been denied since the fall of Atrómitos Things have come to a violent final head, and the actions of everyone involved over the next few weeks could alter the City of the Free Peoples forever. As the full moon rises over the city's internal conflict, fearsome howls fill the brightly moonlit night and dozens of werewolves emerge from the shadows, attacking the newly re-named Atrómitos and the city's outskirts with a pack mentality rarely seen in the usually lone, cursed creatures. They hunt together, clawing their way from the wilderness toward the city, eyes blood red in the night, their black fur allowing them to melt into the shadows. The defenders can be seen all over the outskirts of the city, armed and ready, their response time impressive. Dervish leads them, and they beat back the werewolf attack. It's clear the werewolves are out for blood. Some of them make it through the Defenders' defensive lines, but many of the creatures retreat and turn their claws and teeth on the farmers and King Ardis' camp.

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🜙 The Wyrm Moon: Dawn of Dragons.

	Under the light of the larger than usual wyrm moon, the claimed dragon eggs scattered across Idan begin to hatch. The dragons that emerge from the eggs have no magical abilities, no flight, and no voice, but their personalities will grow and define rapidly. All but one of the hatching eggs found its way into the clutches of an awakened, for better or for worse. A lone egg, hidden away in a crate on Didymos' shore is found by the Didymos guards on patrol sometime after the waters have cleared. They take their discovery to Queen Adira, who is faced with a startling discovery. Another dragon outside Didymos. A proud denizen of truth and justice, she makes a courier post visible to all of Didymos, allowing them to see the hatchling for themselves, and explaining the circumstances of its discovery. She admits she is unaware of whether or not there may be more such creatures but assures her citizens that her scholars will be closely monitoring the hatchling. It is a frightening awakening for Didymos, but Queen Adira insists that until they know where it came from, if there are more of them, and if this creature is a threat, she and her advisors will be keeping it contained and monitored. Its kind may have destroyed the kingdoms of old, but she implores her people not to let that color their judgment. Frowning, she reluctantly admits that the actions of the people and creatures of the past must not be used to sentence people and creatures of the present and that if they travel down that road it would darken the clarity of justice they uphold in Didymos. Understandably, reactions throughout the city are wildly mixed.

🜙 Note.

	April's plot write-up will feature a follow up on both the Einjar Excursion and the Wyrm Moon events. Next month players will be helping to decide the future of the City of Free Peoples: Its name, its leader, and how it reforms following the conflict that has divided it and caused a rift of fear and confusion between its people.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Tiredness does not come as a surprise, not with all that has been taking place. Six imagines they will all be exhausted by the end of the night, the threat that curls around them almost too much for any of them to think on. It should concern her that so soon after waking she is being thrust into a fight, but it is what she had been trained for: to protect those that could not, to defend them, to care for them as best as possible. Seyra would be pleased with her, she thinks.

"I do not carry those drinks. I apologise." But she reaches out all the same and puts a hand on his shoulder - just a touch of her magic, something of a little healing, enough that he might feel better even if there is no wound to heal or cuts to soften into scarring.

Turning her head, Six pauses as Two leansd own, head tilting as his nose nudges at the head of the hare. "Be nice."

Strange is no stranger to the feeling of magic. So, as Six places her hand on his shoulder and her magic courses through him, he can't help but perk up a little in excitement. This person (with a bear???) knows magic. He can talk to her. He can be ridiculously nerdy about magic with her.

There's a bright smile on Strange's face as he gives Six a little nod. "Thank you. And, may I just say, that was a remarkably wonderful display of magic you just did. Quite subtle—that's always been my downfall. Did you study somewhere or are you self-taught?"

Hello there new person, you are now a new friend.

The hare is showing a stupid amount of bravery as she moves upwards slightly to sniff the bear's face, now that the nose is closer to her height. Bell is almost perched up on her back legs as she continues to inspect Two.

Magic is somewhat familiar to her - it came with worship, with an education, with what Adrian had given her. It was not necessarily a novelty to her now, not after so many years, but the way that he looks at her (excited, perked, unfamilar to her) has her head tilting just so, eyes flicking over his face before she settles back.

"Was it?" Her prowess with magic isn't the thing that Six has often been complimented on before: she can heal, and inspire courage, but there are a great deal of limits. Her strength against enemies and her abilities to turn back the undead are far more useful in her opinion, at least when there are other more powerful healers around, and she's not sure that she is going to be able to offer this man what he wants.

Glancing at her bear, who seems very excited to have a new friend, she breathes out.

"I was taught by the same man who taught me the tennants of becoming a Paladin. It is... Somewhat self-taught?"

The animals continue to do adorable animal things in the corner as Strange remains brimming with excitement at the thought of a conversation about magic with someone. Somewhat self-taught? Well, he can work with that. He gives Six a little nod before continuing to yammer on.

"I learned at university, myself. Jonathan Strange, pleased to meet you." He holds out a hand for Six to shake...and then just continues to fuckin chat up a storm. "So you're a paladin? I must confess, I've never actually had a chance to have a serious conversation about magic with someone of your profession before. What's your specialty?"

Six tries not to appear as genuinely baffled as she actually is, her eyes flicking over Strange as if trying to wrap her mind around what is going on. There are other people who might need her help - she's already rushed around and done what she could for the people here and there, healing and hefting and doing all kinds - but he seems curious in a way that does not necessarily allow for any kind of swift exit.

"I was never taught such things," not at home, at least, which leaves a bad taste in her mouth. "It is nice to meet you too, Sir Strange. I am Six." A pair of oddities with a pair of odd names to go with it, she thinks. "I am most proficient with healing and protection."

Strange is not very good at things like 'taking into account the concerns of other people' or 'realizing that other people exist when he wants something.' In his mind, he and Six are having a lovely conversation and he'd like to continue pressing her about her magic and her training...so he just continues to do that.

"What sort of protection? I'm an elementalist, so most of my protection is tossing up barriers of some sort."

There's a moment where Six thinks that she might be able to slip away and go back to her duties, helping people and doing what she can for them, but it seems that is not to be the case. Her eyes flick back to Strange and she breathes out gently, settling herself down and preparing for the inevitability of the discussion.

"Against fear and magical effects, for the most part, and a little against the undead or evil folk."

R.I.P. Six, you are not going to slip back to your duties for a while. Strange's eyes are just sparkling with excitement as he talks. Fear and magical effects? He's absolutely rubbish at that sort of thing! He could spend so much time just talking with Six, picking her brain with regards to that sort of theory in the hopes that he can apply at least a little bit to his own magic.

...especially since he can do necromancy. He's just keeping that bit to himself for the moment.

"How can your magic tell if something is undead? Are there certain markers? Do the undead have a specific aura?"

At least she is understanding enough to make herself comfortable now, settling and breathing out before she decides it might be in her best interests to at least try and get this conversation done. What worries her is getting to the complexities of how she does things; all she knows is she does. Seyra has guided her.

"I think some undead are more obvious, but there is a feeling, sometimes." A lift of her shoulders. "But it is not something I think I can properly describe."

Really? Well that's a bummer. Strange frowns a little but doesn't press too much about the 'can't properly describe' bit. After all, she doesn't have any formal training. This should be expected.

"Does all your magic tie into your faith? If you were to convert or lose your faith, would that mean you'd lose your magic?"

Everything she has shared with Seyra has been a depth of connection, a feeling, an emotion. She's not sure someone who learned magic from a book could understand it in the same way she is sure it would be impossible for her to recognise their magic simply by reading about it. Her mind would not connect the dots.

"It does. It comes as part of my worship, a promise to protect those that cannot protect themselves. I do not think I would lose it all, but it would break me to do it." Not something she would ever consider.

His expression shifts to a little frown. He can understand why Six might feel that her faith is important and why she might tie her magic to that...but as someone who's had his belief in certain things challenged before, the idea of connecting all one's magic to an outside force simply seems silly.

"In that case, I hope you keep your faith. I can't say that I would know what it's like for someone to lose their magic, but I can only imagine how terrible it might be."

"I have no desire to give up my faith, nor my love for Seyra. Why would I?" Six shakes her head, frowning. "Lives have been saved by her kindness. I would not lose that."

The idea of it is simply intolerable. She would fight for her goddess, completely and wholeheartedly, even if that lead to the loss of her magic in the end. It's the devotion that matters, not the power.

"I am not saying that you would," Strange quickly interjects. "Just that life can provide some challenges or situations that nobody would expect."

Case in point, this whole unable to die revival sort of thing. Looking for a change of topic, Strange looks over towards his animas...and finds that Bell is continuing to bother Two and is now trying (and failing!) to hop up on the bear's back. What a spoiled girl.

"On a different note, if my hare is annoying your bear, just say the word and I'll pick her up."

"I should imagine that I might die before I turn from her," Six says quietly, proud and devout even now. She lifts her head and watches Stange, a touch uncomfortable before she leans back. "I am sure there will be challenges, but I would sooner lay my life down once more."

Following his gaze, she fights back her little smile, reaching out to scratch at the scruff of her bear's neck before she shakes her head.

"I think that he would be glad to carry her. He is not bothered."

Strange walks over towards Two, picks Bell up, then puts Bell on Two's back. The hare looks so proud of herself, obviously enjoying being tall.

"He's more patient than I expected," Strange teases, as he quickly scratches Bell underneath the chin. "Most animals wouldn't be so kind to something so small and annoying."

Two pauses suddenly, keeping as still as a statue, looking over at Six with a look of brief panic before he makes himself comfortable. Slowly, he lowers himself down and settles, letting the hare stay there.

"He is very tolerant," she agrees, smiling softly. "I think he is enjoying the attention."

"In that case, I suspect it's mutual. As long as someone gives her attention, Bell will give it back in return." Which Strange knows somebody might make a comment about huh, animas reflect the owners, but he is keeping quiet about that, okay. The fact that his soul is needy has nothing to do with himself!

"Though I think he'll get attention no matter what. Most people don't choose a bear for a companion."

"Two will not be unkind to her, at least." Six is gentle with it, reaching out to scratch gently at the bear's ears, stroking under his cheek. He makes a soft, low noise before he turns his head to look over at the animal on his back.

"I did not choose him. I think he chose me."

Now that's interesting. Strange manages to keep his voice level as he looks over at Two and Six. He chose her? Perhaps this was like how Bell chose Strange? But one can't just ask 'hey, I just met you and this is crazy but did you die?' Even someone as tactless as Jonathan Strange realizes that.

"Oddly enough, I can say the same thing about Bell. I don't regret her, of course. But her appearing wasn't my choice."

As he talks, he reaches out from underneath his shirt to show his soul vial, a little over halfway full with the blue liquid. He lets it rest on his shirt.

Strange is not the first person she has met that has an animal companion and she doesn't imagine him to be the last, either. There's something to be said for the novelty of it, of not feeling entirely alone, but she just wishes she had a better understanding of why it had happened in the first place. She would like to lay it at Seyra's feet, but...

"I am sure she is far easier to keep around than a bear is," Six admits with a small smile. "But I would not trade him either."

The motion to the vial catches her eye and she pauses, hesitating, before she reaches down and touches her own.

"... You as well?"

Well, well, well. That answers that. Strange's expression shifts to a wide grin as Six touches her own vial. He knew it! She was an awakened, like he was!

"Me as well. I've been back for...mmm, four months or so?" Dates are hard when you've lost a bit of time to dying, though Strange is certainly not saying that part out loud. "I suspected you were the same when you mentioned not choosing your animas."

The grin does make her tuck her vial away again, hiding it under the folds of her clothes to make sure no one else might see it.

"It has not been so long for me," she admits, voice quiet. "I did not think there were so many of us."

There's a brief pause while Strange mentally counts heads. "There's...at least fifteen of us. Probably more. I don't think any of us have an exact number on our count."

His voice is also quiet as he tucks the vial beneath his shirt. There's really no good way to bring this up, but he feels he must: time to talk about the dying thing. "How much about our current state and this vial do you know?"

"Fifteen? That seems so few." Six could imagine there being more of them, but perhaps her having a bear means that those people are more attracted to her than they might be otherwise. She breathes out, shaking her head as she leans back.

It all seems so overwhelming.

"I know very little. I woke and started to aid people - I did not ask much about my situation."

Event #6 Arkoda's Awakening & the Wyrm Moon

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