Event #7 Crowning the Cat & The Celebration of Spring

[usirmods]

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🜙 Crowning the Cat: Deception of Aegas
	The Celebration of Spring is being held across Idan, and normally the City of the Free Peoples is at its heart. This year due to the fearful farmers suffering losses in their families and herds to werewolves and the broken city torn between its fears and loyalties, the first sprouts of crops planted during the thaw are significantly less impressive than past years and the hunters bring their hauls back to the cities find themselves facing even more dangerous odds in the wilderness, outwitted and outmatched more often than not. Feasting, dancing, music, staged entertainers of illusion and elemental magic, and heavy drinking still overtake the cities and small outlying villages, putting a temporary halt to any work or other priorities, but there is an air of uncertainty that can't fully be shaken, and an uneasy and unspoken fear of a famine year lies just beneath the lighter festivities. Among the celebrating, people go out of their way to honor the feline constellation deity called Aegas. The youngest of the Constellation Deities, he is known for many things. Aegas' stars are fainter in the skies than most, seen just off the left from the Great Golden Dragon Atromo. In April, Aegas is not honored so much as tributed to keep the fickle feline's wiles and tricks at bay. Children and younger citizens of the cities or those with playful or devious minds play tricks on one another, some harmless pranks and others far more dangerous or deceptive. Despite this uptick of shenanigans, however, for most Aegas' day is a day spent ensuring the secretive trickster cat deity that he has not been forgotten, as well as a celebration of Spring. Openly jealous of Atromo's status and reverence, and long overlooked in favor of the other star gods, the people of Idan learned to show their reverence for Aegas in a ritual known as the Crowning of Aegas. Cat sculptures, paintings, figurines, or idols can be found all across Idan for those who can't make it to one of Aegas' shrines, and offerings of fish, sheep or goat's milk, silver or gold bells, silk, or saucers of water are left out for the many wild, stray, or tame felines of Idan to take at their leisure. Known for being a deity over secrets, pleasure, trickery, and charm, Aegas is a favored god of rogues, assassins, bards, bandits, thieves, and charmers. An enchanted spring illness common in Idan has long been attributed to Aegas not feeling that his charms have earned him the favor of the people. The illness is known as The Aegas Affliction and is actually caused by the pollen of a flower that blooms in April after particularly harsh winters (the Golden Bellflower) Aegas' Affliction causes those who have caught the illness to be easily charmed. Their complexion is often flushed and they give in to their whims with very little self-restraint. The main symptoms are: Susceptibility to personal suggestion (Their own whims, thoughts, and desires), susceptibility to charm-based magic, a tendency to be secretive or deceptive, and a heightened sense of hunger. The illness usually goes away on its own within 1-3 days and has no known cure. It's possible to get infected by Golden Bellflower pollen from April 5th to April 30th anywhere in Idan. Only exposure to a nearby flower is necessary. During the Crowning of Aegas and for the rest of April flocks of lesser winged cats can be seen migrating from their winter homes in the Wavecrest Isles back to the unclaimed lands. Occasionally these flocks of small, canary to bobcat-sized winged cats are accompanied by fiercely protective and dangerous greater winged cat guardians while other flocks travel on their own. The playful smaller felines can be seen frolicking in fields and playing over the rooftops all across Idan while the greater winged cats stay far from the highly populated areas, hunting the wild forests, cliffs, and open lands to stock up food for them and their small flocks of fur and feathered friends.
🜙 The Bloom
	Among the celebrating the dangers of spring are temporarily forgotten. Not all threats come with fangs, talons, and claws. Creeping vines and sprouting plants lurk in the tall grasses of the plains and the dense forests. Some of the more dangerous varieties bloom and thrive in the earliest month of spring. Viperlily. A small free-roaming flowering vine with two thorns that protrude from the middle of its flower. The vine slithers along the ground in the grass toward sources of movement or sound and sinks its thorns into the feet or lower limbs of any living thing it encounters. The vine subsists on blood rather than water and uses the gathered blood to provide itself with the nutrients it needs to keep moving. It injects its victim with a venom that causes them to become weak, sluggish, and unable to use their magic so it can continue to drain blood. Most Viperlilys are too small to cause much permanent damage to their victim, but being left vulnerable in the wilderness does lead to many post-bite deaths, especially with the smell of blood in the air. Bloodthorn. A dying Viperlily that has gone dormant and taken root. Small Viperlily seeds grow all over its vines, each one prepared to drop off and grow into a new Viperlily. A thorn protrudes from the bloody sap-filled bulb of this vine. It points up toward the sun with a thorn as sharp and dangerous as a needle dagger. Those unfortunate enough to be stabbed by its thorn are injected with a modified Viperlily poison that causes victims to become feverish and reckless, encouraging them to remain nearby and engage anything near the Bloodthorn aggressively. The bloodshed caused by its victims or the Bloodthorn's own destruction causes the dozens of Viperlily seeds to sprout and take off to find their first meals. Creeping Dragontrap. A member of the carnivorous plant family, the Creeping Dragontrap is a fully mobile creeping vine with one to four heads that each have thorn-filled 'mouths' they snap down on the prey they find. The acidic toxins inside their mouths prevent their prey from being able to fight free on their own. An antitoxin is produced by the sap within their vines, but a victim captured by one of these plants will need help getting free and provided with the antitoxin before the vine escapes in a speedy retreat into the wilderness or ground. Rogue's Blush. The dense cover of this flowering ground vine is a network of sensitive thin vines can sense vibrations in the ground. The night-flowering vine is covered in dormant flowers that open in the darkness. They release pollen into the air when vibrations are sensed nearby. This pollen is collected and used in a common rogue tool: Flash Dust because eye contact with the pollen results in a blinding white flash that causes temporary blindness for 24 hours. Bramble Mimic can shape its vines into any form it has collected a template of. The thorny brambles rest in the form of a dense bush, usually settling itself partially into worn paths made by creatures or people. It uses the blood it collects from creatures or people that bump into it as a template to rearrange itself into their form, though its size is dependent on how large the original mimic has grown. It then uses its new form to hunt for food to sustain itself, holding a natural preference for predators, carnivores, and herbivores. The most common forms are those of predatory forest or swamp creatures such as jaguars, bears, wolves, and alligators.
🜙 A Mod Note
	A "Network log" will be going up the week of the 19th that will be paired with the next event log. The network log will contain courier messages from Queen Adira, King Ardis, King Sitka, Self-Crowned King Koroc, Resistance and Rebel Leader Lorna, Former Defenders Captain Lykos, and Former Defenders Lieutenant Alice. Player characters will be able to ask these leaders questions and attempt to communicate with them personally if they wish.

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[exaomori]

Wrestling is as good as chasing, or basically anything else. Aconite is not a picky dragon; play is play is play. But Red's bigger than she is, even if he's not used to being pounced, and Aconite will flee the fight after a few minute's wrestling, running to hide under a blanket so she can catch her breath for a moment and plot her next move.

If Shura wasn't in the middle of a very awkward situation with Strange, she probably would have laughed at Billie's reaction. She might have had the same face if the entire wife thing had been sprung on her suddenly, but Bell had been brought up the very first time Shura spoke with Strange. For all that she had never asked about her, Shura felt like she knew way too much about the woman.

"He said he's tryin', but I've never met a man who got over their first love." Two men who never got over the first person they fell in love with was hardly a good sample size, but to be fair, Shura never did much research after that.

[redwhaling]

That just leaves Red rolling back to his feet and stalking slowly towards the blanket.

"And I could count the men I've met who don't get over certain parts of it on one hand," Billie says, shrugging. It's not like she can honestly claim people get over first loves, considering her own hang-up. Unlike Strange, she isn't inclined to share that much just yet. Maybe after half a bottle.

"I'm sure he'll move on in some ways sooner or later but it isn't really our problem, is it?"

[exaomori]

Not our problem indeed. Strange's affection wasn't something Shura could really talk about, and so she'll will take the opportunity to change the topic. Some things were better discussed after a few drinks. There were safer things to talk about, like why Billie was in Krimnos.

"Did you find anythin' else in Krimnos?" It's good booze, Shura thinks, taking another sip.

Aconite stays perfectly still under the blanket as she plans. Except for the quick, whip-like movement of her tail. She hasn't quite figured out how to keep completely still yet.

[redwhaling]

It's a change in topic that Billie is totally fine with.

"Knights named Alice and Lorna aren't in the records for Krimnos," Billie answers easily enough. She found confirmation of one suspicion but what does it really mean? All it did was spawn more questions. "I went through eighty years of them and nothing."

A mystery that dragons don't care about where they are, down on the floor. Red watches the twitching tail where it moves under the blanket, betraying Aconite's location, then wiggles himself like a cat and then darts in, taking a running leap to land on that very same movement.

[exaomori]

"You deserve a drink for diggin' that far back. But I'm not surprised. Krimnos burned at the end of the war, didn't it? Woulda taken a bit for them to start keepin' good records again after that--" There's a yelp as Aconite is pounced on. Apparently, it hasn't occurred to her that just because she can't see Red doesn't mean that Red can't figure out where she is under the blanket. Shura turns to look at the mess. No blood, so she doesn't care. "Makes it convenient for me, I guess."

Aconite is much more distressed than Shura is. Fight like this is super hard!! But she's giving it her best shot, trying to buck Red off.

[redwhaling]

Even Billie pauses at the yelp but, like Shura, once it's obvious no one's actually hurt, she shrugs.

"Pretty sure it did. I was dead before that ever happened but even after a hundred years, you can tell how many of the buildings are more recent." Though how Shura mentions it being convenient, that has Billie tilting her head a bit, curious. "I take it those burnt records included your old life?"

There's more rustling around from the blanket as Aconite tries to get rid of Red. He'll try swatting at moving bits of cloth — which would be the other dragonet under there — a few times but, in the end, it's hard to keep any purchase on that particular fabric, so he retreats back to the floor with a tiny complaint.

[exaomori]

"Mm, yeah. Never heard of Alice or Lorna before, but that ain't really that odd." It wasn't as if Shura made an effort to befriend too many people back then.

With Red off of her back, Aconite decides that now is the time to bolt and find a better spot. She darts out from the blanket, quick as lightning, beelining to a place that she knows will be perfect, and in her rush, she slams right in the leg of the chair Billie's sitting in. It knocks Aconite right on her tush, and she stares at it, baffled. When did this get there and how dare it be in her way! Shura leans over to take a look and just sighs.

"She ain't the brightest."

[redwhaling]

"Pretty sure most babies aren't the brightest," Billie says with an amused little huff as she looks down at Aconite. With Red hot on her tail, she's about to ruin his plan by setting her drink down and leaning over, offering a hand — and arm — for the little green dragonet to clamber up if she wants.

"You're going to have to do better than that if you want to keep ahead of Red, kid."

[exaomori]

"She's not half-bad at huntin', at least with the crickets I put in her pen while I'm away." Shura knows this because Aconite would eat either the front half or the back half of the bug, never the entire thing. While it might not be the most intellectual challenge, Shura could at least try to get her to hone her hunting instincts if she ever had to be on her own for a while.

Billie's aid is readily accepted, and Aconite eagerly clambers up Billie's arm, clinging to the sleeve of her coat just above her elbow. She gives Red a glance and spread her wings out wide. Neener neener, she's out of reach!

[redwhaling]

"Crickets, huh?" Billie muses aloud over that tidbit. "That's a good idea. Hadn't thought of that for Red."

Red, who's currently raising a racket over Aconite touching his person all over again. He complains about it with trills and chirps at the legs of her chair before finally making the leap to her lap. He manages it easily, little claws hooking into red leather and pulling himself up.

And around that point, the conversation turns to what they've been up to regarding the dragonets thus far. For Billie's part, she admits to mostly focusing on obedience training. Teaching Red hand signals, to be quiet, to stay, go, fetch. Easy enough at this age, she's found. That trails on a bit longer, dovetailing into other topics, and an hour or two in, they've whittled away most of the bottle.

Billie's gone back to leaning her chair up on two legs, boots swung up to rest comfortably on the table's edge. Red's still in her lap and Aconite has joined him there for now, whatever little war they were waging before long forgotten in favor of a nap. Overall, everything feels relaxed for once, although she knows that's in good part to the brandy.

It also means less serious questions, Billie — tipsy though not exactly drunk — aiming for anything that doesn't involve, say, the local politics. Such as, "So, favorite thing about the future. You got one?"

[exaomori]

Shura will share what she's managed to do, though the most impressive thing she's managed is setting up the pen for Aconite to stay in. Seals to sound proof the enclosure, charms to distract anyone from noticing it. But it's something Aconite is going to outgrow before long, and Shura will admit she'll have to find a bigger place for the dragonet sooner rather than later.

But after a few drinks, her future home is the last thing on her mind. It's easy to fall into the brandy-fueled lull.

"A favorite thing? Mm..." Shura leans forward, setting her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her laced fingers. "That courier ain't bad. It's prolly a trap, but it's convenient~"

Hopefully, Red doesn't mind the fact that Aconite is an extreme cuddler with no sense of personal space. "And you? What's got you excited to be here?"

[redwhaling]

Red outgrowing where she's at isn't something Billie even wants to begin to worry over. As far as dragons go, they're still tiny, and as far as Red's concerned, napping in a huddle of wings and scales already ignores personal space boundaries.

"The ones we have? Yeah, wouldn't shock me if they deliver us poison next time..."

Whenever that next time is, but her answer?

"It's airships for me." Couriers are useful, dragons are... something, but the real wonder? Flying ships, in the sky. "I miss it, being on a ship, but going back to one on the open sea sounds like a real joke when you can get one that flies."

[exaomori]

"Nyaha! Sounds like you're in love!" With flying in an airship? Sure, probably stranger things to love. Shura reaches for the bottle, tops off their glasses.

"They're somethin' else, though. Dunno if that coulda happened back then. Would have been vulnerable with the big three ready to blow up whatever they thought might be a threat. But bein' able to get in and out of Krimnos during the winter without having to scale that damn mountain--that's something I never thought could happen."

[redwhaling]

"Wouldn't you be?" It's sappy to admit feeling that strongly about ships — air or otherwise — but it's safer territory than her other loves are and by far the most normal. Billie tips her refilled glass in thanks to Shura before taking another drink.

"I mean, maybe they would have. People used to trust dragons but they wouldn't have lasted long in the war, that's for sure. Now, though? Doesn't matter. Not even with these little guys." She nods down towards the sleeping dragonets. "But getting out of Krimnos easily is only a start. Those bigs ones, they don't look too maneuverable, right? But if you could make a smaller ship? Stock it properly and you can go anywhere. Over the mountains, into lands you've never even seen, go find all the places people have just forgotten about in the past hundred years, anything you want."

[exaomori]

This is almost sweet in a way. Shura has no doubt Billie wasn't doing legit business on whatever kind of boat stole her heart before, so she doesn't doubt that Billie wouldn't be willing to take that same kind of business to the skies.

"Far and away in just a few hours... Mm, it sounds nice. But they don't have smaller ones, do they? I ain't the kind of girl to know anythin' about engineering, so can they even make 'em that small?"

It'd be lovely, though. Leaving the trouble here.

[redwhaling]

"Yeah, well, I've heard rumors..." And this is where Billie would lean in conspiratorially to finish that, only swinging her boots down off the table and leaning forward disturbs the dragons in her lap that Red startles and lifts his head with an alarmed chirp at the sudden shift in angle.

Oh. Right. They're there.

"Tch, you're fine," she turns her attention down to them, "I didn't even knock you off!"

[exaomori]

Aconite reacts with a yelp, digging her claws into Billie's pants before she realizes that she's okay, the ground isn't about to fall out from beneath her. This might not be the first lap she's nearly fallen out of, and she snuggles right back into Red.

"Nyaha, what crybabies~" They're babies who have placed their trust in a couple drunks, gods help them. But more importantly-- "Rumors? You been keepin' an ear out for something', haven't ya~?"

[redwhaling]

"Hope they grow out of it. Pretty sure Strange's never will," Billie can't help but laugh herself over that. Yeah, she already doubts how self-reliant that particular dragon is going to turn out. Still, she'll reach down and pet the two on her lap. That, at least, soothes Red enough for him to settle down again.

Then they were talking about airships, right? And that's something she's quick to jump back into with what's the closest to innocent excitement that someone like her will ever have shining through.

"But yeah, I have. Heard a few when I was in Krimnos. Someone's been ordering smaller parts for the engines to be custom made. I just don't know who or for what exactly yet."

[exaomori]

Shura has the feeling Alistair's going to be bullied by every dragon out there with only Strange to comfort him. It wasn't good for his health in the long run, but what was she supposed to do abut that?

"Private travel, maybe? Some people would rather ride in style, right~? Or maybe a trading company." Or both. It was only a matter of time before private air travel became a demand.

[redwhaling]

"A trading company would have more information out there to find," Billie surmises, at least from her own experience. "Backers for funding, vested interests, so, that leaves private travel. Someone with either a lot of power or a lot of money must be commissioning something for their own use."

[exaomori]

"So it's a matter of figuring out just who would be that ambitious, hm? Ah, that's kinda a pain~ But it's as good of an excuse as any to make some new contacts."

One of the many pains of waking up a stranger in a new land. Good intel was damn hard to find, sometimes.

"So you find out. What're doin' next? Even if you snag the thing, it ain't worth much if you can't figure out how to get it up in the air and then back down without crashing it."

[redwhaling]

"Actually grabbing the thing is off the table, unfortunately. Too unique, everyone would know."

Which sucks but thems the breaks, even Billie knows it. She'll console herself on that by taking another drink.

"But just knowing we might be seeing smaller airships soon is good enough for now. Let them do a big reveal, find out who put it together in the first place, then just tool around the docks in Krimnos or work enough trips on one of the bigger ships to figure out what parts of airships are different from what I'm used to."

Although, that said, she settles back against her chair again and gestures around them with her glass.

"Provided this city thing ever wraps up, anyway."

[exaomori]

Shura groans, her shoulders dropping.

"Don't remind me of that!" Like she could really forget, but sometimes it wasn't on her mind! "I knew it was all going to be a trouble, but I wasn't expecting--" Shura goes quiet, thinking hard for the right word to use--

"This." She waves her hand, the last bit of her drink sloshing around as she waves her arm to try and encapsulate the feeling of This. It reminds Shura that she still has something to drink, so she'll down the last bit before thunking the glass down on the table.

"An' that doesn't include any of the other crap goin' on. You'd think we'd get some kinda hint or somethin', but we're stuck tryna guess what we're supposed to be doin' now."

[redwhaling]

"It got out of hand a lot faster than I ever expected," Billie admits. What she won't add is how they definitely should have just killed Koroc back before he garnered so much power but what do they say about hindsight again? Oh well.

Billie nurses what's left of her own drink a bit longer than Shura does, though that's gone sooner than later as well. She'll set her own glass down a tiny bit more gently, if only not to disturb the dragonets who've gone back to napping, curled up together on her lap.

"Supposed to be doing? Why are we supposed to be doing anything? I figure if no one wants to explain what the fuck we are, I'm just going to do whatever I damn well please."

[exaomori]

Whatever she damn well pleases. Shura's well acquainted with that sentiment. It's almost tempting to take the old rutted path she knew so well. But then she thinks of a few stupid faces, the dumb faces of the twins she left behind, and then Strange's crooked grin.

Even this pathetic shred of life is something she wants to try living.

"They're watchin' us--whoever or whatever brought us back." Shura says, almost serious enough to sound sober. "When I bit it a few months ago, I saw them. And I keep seein' them. Never long enough to get a good look, but it's the same guy."