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! If your character is interested, they can go help out in Nott instead/afterward!
WHEN: After the new people arrive
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. The most important one is that a few months ago, a coup happened in Castle Thorne that led to the former royal house being slaughtered. The new people in power are King Rudolph Sidwell, the former queen's uncle, his wife Queen Lia Sidwell, and High Mage Mace Hemmet. A war has broken out with the Free Cities and after a tussle in the Badlands to gain land, Thorne was forced back due to the combined forces of the Free Cities and apparently Solvunn's divine intervention.

Also, strange creepy dolls have been haunting the children and causing them to roam.



General.

While Istredd had former partners in this celebration, he is currently the only host, although he can only be found in one section of the room. The rest is working thanks to the kindness of staff who has been partnering with this a long time. He sent out a written invitation to all Thornean newcomers after their arrival, inviting them to meet their fellow Summoned. There will be fliers posted in the dining area that anyone can see. His invitation is much less elegant than Jill's used to be, but he tried to copy it to the best of his ability. You can assume your character was told and got in-person invites or heard about it. 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. It has been arranged for special refreshments to be offered in partnership with local businesses.

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 a 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 cautious how candidly you discuss any displeasure toward Thorne or its crown, considering the new royals may be more sensitive toward any perceived criticism of their actions and behavior. Especially with war now possibly being started with both major territories.

(( 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.))

Comments

sansa stark | ota

[theladyofwinterfell]

❥ Banquet

As she has for the last few banquets, Sansa helps to set things up. There are many things that others are better at than she is (e.g. magic) but she is very good at organizing a party and it is easy for her to help set up these parties to welcome the new Summoned. She puts the final touches on everything before she goes to mingle and she makes a point of finding someone new to talk to even if she does not ignore her other friends.

"Are you enjoying the party?" she asks the person closest to her, hoping that this is the case. She does not have much influence in Thorne, certainly not what she had at home at Winterfell, but she can still do this and do it well.

❥ Magic Studies

Sansa feels a little more comfortable now demonstrating magic than she had months ago and so now she demonstrates her own magic. She has not met anyone else who utilizes ice the way she does so she forms it in her hand and sends it flying forth a short distance in a spray of needles that easily dissipate when they hit the floor. She does not want to hurt anyone, naturally, but she does want to show one of the things you can do with magic, especially to those who do not have it innately.

"It took me a little while to learn this," she says to someone nearby. "But I am proud of it all the same."

( If you want something wildcard, please pp me at tessituras! )

Magic

[a_better_man]

Mat notices Sansa's little demonstration and grins.

"Nice trick!" He ambles over, dressed in fine brocade as opposed to his more usual linens, smiling broadly. Ice has long been his own specialty - even before he got control of his abilities. The number of hallways and stairs he'd accidentally frozen back in the day....

These days he uses it more for theatrics than anything else. And slides. He loves a good ice slide.

"Never tried that one myself. You ought to be proud of it, it's clever. Lots of folks don't realize how useful ice can be, don't bother to work with it much."

[theladyofwinterfell]

"Even my own brother uses fire," Sansa says. She does not know Mat terribly well but Jon trusts him and she trusts him by extension. Jon hasn't always had the best judgment in people but she feels that this one, this man, is a solid one.

"I have been working very hard on magic since I arrived. I am not as good as most but I am trying my best. I imagine I am much different than I was when I first arrived as a Summoned."

[a_better_man]

"That he does! Most use fire, or water's popular, too." Mat's seen plenty of mages utilize both, and plenty of Summoned as well.

"And fire is certainly useful, I can use it just fine, but...always gravitated to ice, for some reason. When I was first manifesting my abilities, that's what would happen. Things would freeze. I just kept with it."

There's probably some deep and meaningful reason for it, but he doesn't care to investigate that.

"And I would bet you are. I know I am."

magic studies ;

[seaweedbrain]

Yeah — you should be proud. This kinda magic is nothing to sneeze about.

[ Percy isn't considered a newbie anymore by any means, but he has kinda tried to put in the effort in magic wielding as of late. Partly so he could keep up with Annabeth, and partly because one of his teachers had put him on the spot, hoping that the added pressure of trying to demonstrate his abilities to the fresh faces would inspire him.

Unfortunately, that's not super the case.

Chiron would have a field day trying to explain how impossible it could be to teach Percy anything he didn't want to learn on his own. ]

I'm still kind of flunking out of my magic studies, and the tutors here keep telling me to stop cheating when it comes to the water-magic.

[theladyofwinterfell]

If you only stay with the things you are good at and are comfortable with, you will never grow. I am guilty of it myself, however, considering just how much time I spend doing needlepoint in my room.

( Sansa knows Percy's face from having lived in Thorne but she has never met him properly and so she dips her head a bit in deference. )

My name is Sansa. I do not believe we have met yet?

[seaweedbrain]

We've all got our strengths, you know? But you're not wrong. And probably why I was forced — uh, requested to do this.

[ He's grinning a little though, which proves that while he might be having a hard time keeping up, it's not really the worst thing in the world either.

He's been through worse. Doing poorly at a little magic is nothing. ]

And I think you're right. I've seen you around, but this place can be weirdly big. I'm Percy, and I hope you don't hold my magic skills against me.

banquet

[inventure]

Sansa catches Iris by the refreshments table, enjoying one of the only parts of fancy parties he's ever grown to like.

"Oh, uh!"

It definitely took him longer than it should have to realize she'd been speaking to him. He's grown far too used fo being ignored during these things. (During... anything, to be honest.)

"Oh, yeah, for sure." Unfortunate he's still got a mouth full of crackers. He hastens to swallow up as much as he can, so he isn't spraying her with crumbs. "Way, way better than any others I've been to."

[theladyofwinterfell]

"We certainly do know how to throw a feast in Thorne," Sansa says. "I cannot take credit for much of it. Istredd arranges them for the most part - I merely give him help where it is needed. I did not mean to interrupt your eating, however. It's always a good thing to come to a feast hungry."

Sansa had once tried not to eat terribly much for appearances sake, then there had been war and famine, but now there is plenty. She can understand wanting to eat your fill when it is before you.

"Are you new to Thorne or simply new to me?"

[inventure]

Oh, she speaks so fancy. And she carries herself so properly, too. Iris feels compelled to straighten up his back suddenly, maybe even pull his shoulders back like his mom would always try to make him do when he was much younger. He clears his throat again, hastily dusting off some wayward crumbs from the front of his shirt.

"Uh, the first one! Which I guess means I'm new to you, too, but it's definitely less your fault." Not that it would have been much of her fault in the first place? God, Iris, stop talking.

"I'm Iris." He holds out a hand, like he thinks is just the polite thing to do, except belatedly he realizes it's the hand that's all covered in crumbs from his eating. Hastily, he dusts that hand off on the side of his pants, then offers it out again for shaking...

Only to wince once more and pull it back to offer the other, cleaner hand instead. God!!

[ordinar]

It's funny, how he used to avoid these things, or show up just to hover around the food and duck out early with a bottle of wine tucked into his jacket. And now, while he's not ready to claim any responsibility for the party by taking on the role of Istredd's co-host, Wilhelm is at least willing to stick around and pitch in.

Honestly, Istredd is so fucking lucky that he likes him.

When the castle's mages come in to display their magic, he contributes to the show some of his own fireballs, growing the flames that spark in his palm and orbiting them around the space. While he hates the spotlight, the anxiety of it is dimmed by the presence of the mages performing alongside him, and by the fact that the room's attention is divided.

He finishes his demonstration by drawing a wall of shadow around himself. It's a little bit like lowering the curtain early. Every eye could be on him, but it wouldn't matter because they can't see him. He can relax.

Otherwise, Wilhelm makes himself available to answer questions, maybe even if you aren't fresh out of the summoning pool. He's probably most recognizable as that guy who's always clattering around town on two wheels, so if you're curious, he'll gladly extol the virtues of the humble bicycle.

[inventure]

Roommates though they might be, they don't, in fact, do everything together. Wilhelm's got his courier route, after all, and Iris himself has been wandering about the territory trying to find his own niche to fit into. All this to say — Iris hadn't seen Wilhelm since they parted ways earlier that day, but he makes himself easily known once the demonstrations began by shuffling towards the front so he can get the best view. He had only ever seen Wilhelm's magic used pragmatically (most often to light their fireplace now that the evenings are getting chillier) so it's a treat to see them with more flair.

By the end, he's jogging over to where he thinks Wilhelm had turned up, unknowingly ruining the other boy's hard-earned reprieve by literally just shoving himself into the space.

"Wille! The shadow thing is so cool! I mean so are the fireballs, but the shadow is new to me."

He's dressed the part — a neat pair of trousers, a nice dress-shirt with poofy peasant sleeves and a slim vest that matches the dark grey of his pants — the materials looks quite fancy, too, though by now Wille is aware all of Iris' clothing are just a result of his frivolous use of his own powers. Not a single cent spent, which is good, as he's barely got any.

[ordinar]

Cloaked in his shadows, he slips toward the edge of the party, so that by the time the column of darkness standing at the ballroom's center fades, he's gone. With so many glittering chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the disguise is flimsy, but the hope is that everyone is distracted by all the magic. No sooner has he shaken off the last wispy tendrils of shadow than Iris is beaming up at him.

Honestly, Wilhelm doesn't mind. He was eager to duck out of the spotlight, but the weight of one person's attention is easier to handle. Especially if it's the right person. Only a few days after Iris first appeared in his room, he's getting used to having the other boy around. Embarrassed by the earnestness of his roommate's compliments, he fusses with a strand of hair.

"Thanks." Then he tilts into a teasing tone, hands sliding into his pockets. "Or maybe you just haven't seen me do the shadow thing before because I'm too sneaky."

[inventure]

Iris hasn't got a lot of experience with other people, but it seems like he has a knack for either worming his way into people's tolerant side, or putting them off entirely from the start. Thank god it seems to be the former with Wilhelm, otherwise the whole roommate thing would be super awkward...

"Ha! That explains how you always beat me to the bathroom every morning..." It does not. Iris is simply not a morning person. An entire menagerie of animals could have paraded through their room before 8 AM and Iris would not have been the wiser.

He cants his head this way and that, as if inspecting Willhelm. Then he starts to circle around him, trying to find any lingering tendrils of shadow to — to what, exactly? Pluck at? Absurd.

"How's it work, anyway? Does it just — hide you?"

nikolai lantsov — shadow and bone

[parce]

01 BANQUET

( nikolai isn't sure how many of these he's been to now but he's definitely growing with each passing month. he knows he doesn't necessarily have to attend but it's good in that it helps give him an idea of who's still around and who's new.

he's picked up a glass of liquor from the refreshment table and now he's standing off to the side, watching people come and go. when the magical demonstrations start, he watches though too, picking up new things here and there.

but his attention is mostly on his drink, attention elsewhere. he's taken to wearing long sleeves and shirts with collars that he can turn up as the black lines from his injury have continued to grow, crawling down the skin of one arm and up his neck.

his thoughts grow dark, dangerous and that's when nikolai throws back the rest of the liquor and goes back for another. )

02 WILDCARD

( if you wanna do something different, here's the spot to do it. )

banquet

[inventure]

[ nikolai's hands bump against another just as he reaches for that next drink; turns out, iris had had the same idea. after his introduction to the wine from the previous thorne festivities upon arrival, and the lack of objection a more responsible adult might have given him, he's been growing more bold in sampling what sparks his interest. turns out, the flute of clear golden liquid that nikolai had had his eye on also caught iris' own. ]

Oh — my bad, go ahead.

[ he withdraws his hands with a polite smile. much like nikolai's own proclivities, iris is also fairly covered up, but peaking out from his collar and visible on his cheeks are the faint red marks he's still taken to hiding as best as he can. ]

[parce]

Good taste.

( since they were going for the same drink. nikolai let's go and offers it to iris before reaching for a flute of something else. he figures it's the nice thing to do and the drinks here aren't bad at all. he can stand to change it up. )

Go ahead. You take that one and I'll enjoy this...purple looking drink over here.

( it looked interesting enough. )

[inventure]

Thanks, I have no idea what this is.

[ but he sure is enthusiastic about trying it! he lifts the flute up nikolai's way, toasting his generosity, before taking a good, long sip.

it's — fine. it burns. is this what drinking liquid fire feels like? and this guy's been downing these all night?? iris isn't sure whether to be impressed or mildly afraid.

maybe first he should focus on not coughing. ]

—coff—Wow that—cuf!—s'got a lil'—cugghh—lil' kick to it... huh...

iris black | countdown to countdown

[inventure]

magic studies

practice makes imperfect — [ no offense to anyone involved in the banquet — actually? full appreciation and respect for all that are — but fancy dinner parties have never been iris' favorite mode of celebration or mingling. (no, it unfortunately conjures up far too many memories of galas of seasons past, trapped in large ballrooms within the tower where any sort of fun was greatly discouraged... and sometimes punished.) not that he's doing much mingling to begin with, having sought refuge from the party behind one of those folding screens. a low arm chair has been quickly commandeered, along with the coffee table placed right before it, to house a small workstation that quickly becomes chaos personified as iris works relentlessly on trying to recreate penny — the absolute best gal pal literal helping hand a dysfunctional teen like iris could hope for.

tough to say just how long he's been working on it, and any passers-by would likely have seen him trying to pull forth an arm straight out of a detailed drawing he'd drawn out on one of the many papers in front of him — but after several attempts, and more than seven lifeless mechanical arms later, all he's got to show for it is a crick in his neck and a strain in his eye. ]

Something's wrong.

[ this much is obvious, and has been obvious since his very arrival, but this is the first time iris is daring to say it out loud, actually putting voice to the fear and making it that much more real.

by now he's slid onto the floor in front of the coffee table, so when he tips his head back it thunks dully against the arm chair. with a rough sigh, he reaches up with ink-stained fingers to rub tirelessly at his shut eyes. if he digs in any harder, he'll pop each one right out... ]

Think, Black. What's missing...?

[ looks like baby's first brush with a power-nerf isn't going so well :( ]

[ushiri]

[ Kyle had been milling about earlier, checking to see if Istredd needed any help with the setup, though it seems like everyone else has handled everything. These parties always seem to get smaller and smaller, with those escaping to Nott, and fewer and fewer Summoned arriving in Thorne ever since the coup. He wonders how much that has to do with the ascension of the young new High Mage.

All of which means - new arrivals stand out even more than usual, especially ones surrounded by what appear to be prosthetic arms to him. Kyle might be a little more surprised had he not seen Jack's powers used daily - instead he wonders there's a pile somewhere under Jack's bed or in the closet of his roommate's failed attempts to make his own prosthetic leg. ]

A left arm, maybe? [ Kyle slouches where he stands over the coffee table, head canted to one side and a hint of a wry grin pulling at his lips. He's dressed nicely enough, though not entirely distinguishable from the staff - his longish hair tied back from his face. There's old, faint scars here and there on his face - on his hands too, but those are settled into his pockets. His naturally dark irises are ringed with a thin line of unnatural gold as he peers at him. ]

[inventure]

[ by now, the blue-green plumes of smoke that accompanied every manifestation have long since dissipated, so there's no reason for the wetness clinging to iris' lashes when he swivels his gaze from the ceiling over towards the older man hovering close to him. he sniffs, reaching up to rub the back of his hand over his eyes in what he hopes look like more of a gesture of exhaustion than anything else. ]

Penny gets jealous of lefties, [ he explains, as if kyle would have any context to work with at all. he sits up, only to slump back over his opened sketchbook, cheek flat to the pages. ]

That's her name, [ he explains, lifting one hand listlessly to gesture at the lifeless arms. then he reaches out, tapping each one to dispel them in a poof of blue-green smoke, effectively cleaning up after himself. ] Or it would have been, if she came out the way she was supposed to.

[ushiri]

[ If Kyle clocks the wet tracks, he doesn't give it away, focusing his gaze on the arm instead. The ritual, by intention of its caster (unlikely) or the Singularity's will (more likely, in his opinion), has a tendency to send the youngest of the Summoned to Thorne. He's yet to understand why, but it's not something worth lingering on. They end up here whether he knows the reason or not.

Kyle eyes the sketchbook, until the boy draws his gaze away with little poofs of smoke. He raises an eyebrow. ]

How is she supposed to come out?

[ He cannot even begin to guess where any of this is going, and seems fine to roll with whatever the boy means to explain. ]

[sophos]

[ the boy is slumped over on the floor by the time annabeth stumbles upon him, which means she looms above him even more than she might if he were standing. she takes a look at him in his despair, glances at the sketchbook, at the arms, and assumes there's something regarding powers going on here. ]

[ she remembers her arrival party. there had been a few more people, and she'd spent far too much time studying the interiors of the castle to meet everyone. ]

[ he's new, that much is clear. she remembers what that was like too. but she decides to not be helpful, at least by way of starting conversation. it could change later! ]

The rest of the body?

[inventure]

[ oh she got jokes? ]

Penny doesn't need a whole body to be perfect, Penny is fine just the way she is.

[ a pause, and then a rueful glance towards the graveyard of penny-duds. ]

Well... usually, anyway. [ he nudges one close to his foot with the tip of his boot, causing it to disappear with a poof! of blue-green smoke. ] There's been some technical difficulties this time around.

[sophos]

[ she's got so many when she gets such a good set up!! ]

[ but she does hold up her hands in apologetic surrender at his reaction. maybe the arm is sentimentally sentient, she doesn't know. she does follow his gaze towards the discard pile and tries very hard not to make a surprised face about it. ]

[ then she looks at the boy again, confirming that she's never seen him before. definitely new, and when the arm literally poofs away, annabeth thinks she might have a sense of what's happening. maybe. it depends on what penny the arm actually... is. ]

Is she magic? Or are you?