OPEN MINGLE: Welcome to Thorne!

[magicalarchaeologist]

WHO: OPEN to all Summoned in Thorne
WHAT: A party, info dump, and magic study session all rolled into one! Eat, drink, mingle -- make some friends!
WHEN: A couple days after the newest Summoned start appearing
WHERE: A ballroom in Castle Thorne

NOTES: This is an open mingle log where everyone can tag one another! New characters may hear some gossip and chatter about recent important events that happened in Abraxas. They may have heard that the Summoned were invited to the Nether in October to help save the ailing dragons from extinction. Kyle and Rhy Maresh represented the Thorne Summoned in a negotiation with the Nether officials to exchange supplies for assistance with their navy. The dragons are alive and well, and the Draconae are very grateful.

Due to an announcement in November, the Summoned are invited to visit Borrel after Nocwich (the first weekend of the month) for the Maritime Fair. It is a three-day festival with lodging provided for the Summoned and a small stipend.



General.

With Rhy Maresth's blessing, Jill Warrick will be taking over his hosting duties on the celebration side of the mingle. Jill will have sent a written invitation to all Thornean newcomers within a couple of days of their arrival, inviting them to meet their fellow Summoned. Otherwise, there will be fliers posted in the dining area that anyone can see. If your character has CR with Istredd, Jill, or Rhy, you can assume they were told and got an in-person invite -- and you can even assume your character helped with setup if desired (decorations, helping set out food, etc.), since they needed the assistance. Up to you!

Istredd will also be hosting a group meditation to allow newcomers to access to the Horizon (and network). New Summoned who wish to learn how to step into the Horizon have an opportunity to have their connections to the Singularity activated. If preferred, they can also get one-on-one help from those who've been around for a bit. He will also discuss the magic in Abraxas and point them in the direction of teachers of magic, combat, or other things they may be interested in.

Banquet.

The large ballroom is bathed in warm, golden light from dozens of chandeliers above, reflecting off the gleaming inlaid floors and brass light fixtures along the walls. It is at once neatly sectioned, yet naturally open, allowing the length of the room to flow from one potential activity to another with ease.

In the center, a circular area has been left clear, and every half hour or so during the first half of the evening, two native Thornean (apprentice) mages come up to offer magic demonstrations -- mostly flashy elemental magic, adding sparks and atmosphere. If any of the Summoned who've been around longer wish to show off as well, they are welcome to do so.

Along the walls stand narrow refreshment tables, where one can serve oneself wine and liquor from large glass carafes. Hot tea and a variety of warm drinks are also available in a few flavors. For those looking to eat, a large dining table has been set out toward the center of the room, with plates and utensils and large platters of food in the center. Jill arranged for special refreshments to be offered in partnership with local businesses. Dante has also offered pizza for those who want something less traditional.

Both the handful of large tables and the smattering of small, taller tables for standing at are in full view of the demonstrations so the show can be enjoyed with food and drink, whatever your desire. Everything is decorated in Thorne's local winter flowers, filling the space with pleasant smells and pretty atmosphere. There is plenty of space to stand and mingle, walk around, and see what everyone else is up to. In the back of the room, the folding screens offer a quieter area, for more private conversation and meditation as desired.

Magic Studies.

Behind the folding screens made of tall, carved wood in intricate patterns, there are a handful of low sofas and chaise lounges around a fireplace at the far side of the hall. This sectioned-off area has been enchanted to provide some insulation from the sound of the banquet beyond, and once you step inside, the quiet is like a gentle blanket settling over everyone who chooses to spend some time here.

This is the best place to ask questions in some semblance of privacy, to learn about your new home, and to receive guidance on entering the Horizon and using the so-called network of telepathic notes only the Summoned can send one another.

Istredd is the one 'in charge' of this particular endeavor, but others who have been in Abraxas a while are likely also about, lending their assistance to those who are newly arrived and sharing thoughts on their experiences so far. Istredd recommends people visit his Horizon because he has a history of the Summoned and general helpful details written in there for anyone to see.

Just be careful -- even if the insulating enchantment is sturdy, there are still Thornean natives around, refilling refreshments outside and demonstrating their magic. You may want to be careful how candidly you discuss any displeasure toward Thorne or its crown, considering the Queen's notoriously explosive temper, and the rumors of the dungeons deep beneath the castle. It's hardly a secret, at this point: a conflict has been sparked, and the mood around the castle is a tense one, even amidst a celebration such as this.

(( ooc: Feel free to make your own top levels and tag around! This is meant to be an open mingle, with the above as mostly setting and flavor, so don't feel limited if you want your character to do their own magic demonstrations, for example, or even if your thread ends up moving outside the ballroom. Have fun!

It should be noted that if you would like to handwave your character's first experience to the Horizon, you can do so. It's a blanket permission from me / Istredd that he took your character there, helped them leave, and showed them how to go back in with their memory now. Your character can also know anything from the entries I linked to above that are in his library if you'd like to jump-start them into having information, or they can know none of it.

Thanks to Lena for originally designing this mingle every month, and Ammay for joining in on the fun now!))

Comments

magic

[ordinar]

She might recognize Wilhelm as one of the Summoned who was putting on a magic demonstration during the first stage of the banquet. Fire is his specialty — an ironic turn, after he had struggled with it for so long, after he had wished he could remove it from himself instead, but it's also the element that matches his temperament best. He had thrown controlled balls of flame into the air, stoking them twice as big in his palm and extinguishing them in the next breath.

Out of some sense of loyalty to Istredd, Wilhelm offered to stick around and help answer questions. Now he regrets it. He's terrible at explaining things, and he feels awkward about still being younger than pretty much everyone else here despite having stumbled through two birthdays since he arrived.

When the girl addresses him, he attempts to assemble the look of someone who knows what they're talking about.

"Um..." It's hard to answer when he doesn't know what she's tried. "Concentrating is important, yeah, but if you're using academic magic—" Which he assumes she is, if she's new. The Singularity likes to wait a little before it springs a surprise gift on you. "—you also have to say the words exactly right."

[theladyofwinterfell]

"Precise, then. I am a quick learner," Sansa assures him. "And I have gathered that this is very, very important to learn. I will do my best to try and learn from you if you're willing to work with me now."

There is no time like the present, after all, and if this boy can teach her how to harness the same fire he has (and the same Jon has), she thinks she'll be in a better position than she was when she arrived.

"Do you mind it?"

[ordinar]

Her confidence is a good first step. It took Wilhelm a long time to even reach the point where he believed magic's power could truly belong to him. Now his magic is a source of pride and strength, but once his shaky confidence, easily shattered, had made the path to where he is now so much longer.

"I don't mind," he shrugs. He passes a hand through his hair, scrubbing at the back of his head. "Uh, just so you know, the magic I use is a little different. They call it wild magic here. It just kind of...happens, you don't need to say a spell or anything. But Istredd taught me some academic magic too, so I know how it works."

Jesus, he hopes he's not confusing her already.

[theladyofwinterfell]

"Wild magic? Is it harder to control, then? Dangerously so?"

The idea of wild versus academic seems that it would be that way but Sansa knows so little about magic here in Thorne that she couldn't be counted on to even describe the kinds of magic you do, least of all which class they belong to. Still, this is someone that she can learn from.

"I do not mind the danger if it means I can learn it."

[ordinar]

It's strange, being the one who knows something — being in a position of knowledge when, not all that long ago, he was completely in the dark.

"Wild magic reacts to your emotions. I wasn't really trying to learn it, it just...happened all of a sudden. I had to learn how to control it."

He gestures to Istredd, who's answering questions somewhere nearby. If she hasn't met him yet, his height paired with his piercing bright eyes make him a memorable figure.

"Istredd helped me a lot with that too."

[theladyofwinterfell]

"Luckily I have very good emotional control," Sansa says. She hadn't always but she'd been a stupid girl then and she is no longer a stupid girl. She is removed from all of that now and able to keep herself tightly held together and behind the mask she chooses to wear.

"I spoke to Istredd," she confirms. "He taught me how to access the Horizon. It seemed to be a useful thing to know and I want to be able to blend in here as best I can. Not knowing how to access it might have been a hindrance."

[ordinar]

That makes one of them. Though, if he struggles to conquer his emotions, at least he has learned to channel some of them into his magic. At her assessment of the Horizon, he nods.

"Definitely useful. The Horizon is cool, you can pretty much do whatever you want there. It's a good place to start practicing magic, too. You don't have to worry about it going wrong."

[theladyofwinterfell]

"From what I understand, if something goes wrong there, it does not carry on outside of it," Sansa says. "And that makes it quite the perfect place to practice such things. From what I understand, you can bring others there as well? Like I could bring you there with me?"

Sansa believes that to be true based on what she experienced with Istredd but she hasn't tried it for herself.

[ordinar]

"Pretty much. It's kind of like it's all happening inside your head."

He leaves out that there have been times that the Singularity, the source of magic, has gone off kilter, and the Horizon has gone off kilter with it. It's not that he thinks she needs to be protected from alarming information; it's just that it's been a good long while since anything of the sort has happened.

"You can go there with someone else, but everyone can get there on their own after the first time. You don't have to, like, meditate together for you to both be there." Wilhelm glances around to make sure none of the castle mages or servants are nearby. "It's great for if you make friends with someone outside of Thorne. You can hang out with them whenever you want in the Horizon."

[theladyofwinterfell]

"I did not know that was possible. Is there a way to search it? To see if someone that I know is in one of the other places and I do not know they are there?"

Could there be more Starks out there in Solvunn or the Free Cities? It could be possible and, if so, Sansa would want to know it immediately. Jon would want to know, too, she thinks.

[ordinar]

"I mean, nothing's stopping you from wandering around the Horizon, but...the fastest way to reach someone is to send a message."

He taps the side of his head. Istredd probably already explained, but he figures that with so much new information getting thrown at her, it doesn't hurt to remind her:

"It's kind of weird, but basically our connection to the Singularity lets us text each other in our heads. You just have to think about who you want to send it to and what you want to say, and...boom."

[theladyofwinterfell]

"That is very strange and I do not think I will understand it until I have done it," Sansa admits. All of this place is very strange, to be honest, and as clever as she is it is a lot of information to process all at once. It will be something she will have to sort out on her own or with Jon's help later.

"We do not have magic like this where I come from. I have seen dragons and that is the closest to magic that I know."

[ordinar]

"It will make more sense when you've actually tried it," he agrees with a sympathetic nod.

The first few days here are overwhelming — at least, they were for him. But gradually, you hit a sort of equilibrium where the things that once seemed so strange aren't so strange anymore. You adjust to your new normal.

"I'm Wilhelm," he adds, realizing he never properly introduced himself. "Whenever you have any questions...I can try to answer them."

[theladyofwinterfell]

"Lady Sansa Stark," she offers in kind. She notes his name and while it seems like it could almost be a Westerosi name, it isn't, and she wonders where he comes from and how different this place is from his own home. Thorne seems like King's Landing in a lot of ways and that is familiar if not what she seeks most in life.

"If I have questions, I will be certain to find you, Wilhelm. I have learned so many names and faces in the past little while that I think my head will be spinning with them for hours."