acatalepsy_logs | SUMMER FESTIVAL: TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS

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SUMMER FESTIVAL: TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS

It’s something like summer here at the Temple of Beginnings, or close enough to it. The weather’s been rainy and hazy for the past little while, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find some way to enjoy ourselves, right?

The day dawns cloudy and drizzly, but people seem determined to carry on anyway. The space slowly takes recognizable shape as a festival, even if a small one. There are tents set up outside, some of which are transformed into game opportunities, complete with prizes (some of an...interesting nature), surprisingly sophisticated target shooting games, ring toss, and other activities of skill and chance. A few more become stations for the food and drink that had been prepared, and the rest consist of chairs under canopies for people to sit and talk in case the rain continues.

Luckily, as the day goes on, the rain stops and the clouds move on, until the blue of the sky is visible once again. By early afternoon, there are only a few scattered clouds still remaining, and it seems likely that the weather will hold true for the evening. Strings of paper lanterns and other decorations are brought out and hung between the different stalls, around the makeshift stage, and placed at the tables. Some pots of bamboo are brought out and set in two clusters at either end of the line of tents. Each cluster has a corresponding table with strips of colorful paper and pens laid out carefully on a table and weighted down with rocks to prevent them from flying off.

A handful of figures come out and inspect the set-up, focusing especially on a shallow ditch that had been dug earlier, now drained and lined with weighted down tarp and rocks, running parallel to the tents and curving to end abruptly just beyond the fire pit and the stage at both ends. After some discussion between them, there is a flash of flame, as though something were burning, and then the strangest thing happens. The ditch fills with fresh, clear water. Even after a few hours, the water doesn't drain away or grow stagnant, still flowing somehow despite having nowhere to come from or go to.

The sunset that day is a brilliant, auspicious red, and evening sets in with a cooling breeze refreshing everyone outside. As the first stars appear, the lanterns are set alight, the music starts, and the first performer steps out onto the stage, surrounded by floating light.

SUMMER FESTIVAL
Welcome to the summer(ish) festival for Astoria’s Circle! We hope you have a wonderful time.

Layout
Even from the buildings that are actually being lived in, the lights of the festival are visible. If you strain your ears just a bit, you may even hear some music being played in the distance, muffled by the stone walls. Why don’t you come join in?

Once arriving at the festival itself, you may be struck first by how bright it is. Light seems to be a theme, from the bonfire set up in one of the firepits closest to the rest of the complex, the lanterns strung up between the tents and stalls that are set up in a line leading from the other buildings towards the gated sparring area that you may already have availed yourself of. Just in front of that area is a makeshift stage, little more than a raised platform of wood and stone, also lit up well by additional lanterns.

Opposite the tents is the river.

It might not seem that exciting at first. It’s hardly a river, really, just a shallow trench of water about seven feet wide and one foot deep, lined with rocks along the bank closest to the tents, stretching in a not quite parallel path opposite the stalls and tents that have been set up, beginning at the stage and ending near the bonfire. The water is crystal clear and clean, and murmurs as if it is flowing from some unseen source, but it’s not clear where it is coming from at all. As the night goes on, and more people take the opportunity to make floating paper lanterns at the station located close by, the little stream itself lights up, the water reflecting the lights, and just beyond, the stars in the sky.

EVENTS:

Sign-in
While definitely not mandatory, in the direct path from the living quarters to the festival itself, there’s a table set up with sheets of paper and writing utensils where you can sign-in. Let us know (ICly!) who you are. Maybe add a fun fact about yourself. Or draw doodles all over the pages. Whatever floats your boat.

Wishes

As is traditional in the home countries of some members of the Circle, there are some bamboo trees in pots set up on either side of the little river, and tables close by with colored strips on loops of string and pens. Write down a wish, or anything you’d like, really, and hang it from the bamboo. Or, browse the bamboo yourself and see if you find anything interesting. Later on after midnight, they’ll be burned for luck!

Games
You’ll find the usual games in the various stalls, some with a decidedly cobbled together look, using what materials were available at the temple, and some with a little more sophistication, thanks to the particular gifts of those within the Circle. Try your hand at shooting a target, a game of chance, or take over a stall yourself and introduce your fellow Circle members to something you used to play at home. There may or may not be prizes involved, depending on which stall you find yourself at.

Food
You’ll find your usual fair fare, though with a decidedly cosmopolitan flair. The foods themselves are somewhat limited by what was easily obtainable within the Temple itself (or improvised), and some Circle members may have contributed decidedly experimental dishes. It really is a potluck, so take a look and see what interests you! Strike up a conversation with your fellow diners as you pick up your food and then find a table to sit at, but keep in mind that most of these are home made by others here, so the cook may be close by, listening…

Performance
What’s a festival without any entertainment? In addition to the music being played on speakers in the background by our very capable DJ, there is also a stage where you can show off your gifts. In addition to singing or other traditional performances, this is an opportunity to demonstrate any interesting abilities or gifts you might have, including new ones you may have gained upon arriving at the Temple! There is an additional sign-up sheet near the stage, so write your name down and what you plan to perform, and we look forward to seeing what you can do.

Bonfire

It’s a really big fire. Enough said (hopefully). Sit and relax, or chat with those around you. If you’re lucky, there may even be some additional entertainment. At a little after midnight, the bamboo bearing the wishes will be burned here and the festival closed for the night.

Lanterns
If you’d like to give it a try, there’s a small station set up where you can make your own lantern out of paper! You can choose from one that floats in the air or on the water (or both, no one’s policing this). Make your own design, and let it fly aloft or float on the water with the other lanterns, chat with others who are working, or just settle down by the water and watch the lanterns and the stars.

**If your character (even if you were just accepted!) would like to participate in the set-up for the impromptu festival at any point, or just wander around and ask what’s going on, please feel free! All the set-up would have been occurring in the space between the TDM and this post. If your character would like to handwave having helped set up, this post is also an option!

(( Set Up: Outdoors ✧ Set Up: Indoors ✧ Sign-In ✧ Bamboo Wishes ✧ Games ✧ Food ✧ Tables ✧ Performances ✧ Bonfire ✧ Lanterns ✧ Clean-Up ✧ or your own!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Fun.

[Not really. Dealing with the Q is never easy.]

What was that world like? I mean, what's really expected of us by her?

She wants us to investigate and figure out how the balance is tipping then restore it. Supposedly too many worlds are falling to war and darkness.

El Minha was a desert but the problem was the political atomosphere was so complex. We missed what was about to happen until it did. [Shiro stares at the flames with a frown on his face. That mistake won’t go away. He’ll turn it over and over in his head. Think of ways to prevent it.]

There were two visible factions. The rebel Syndicate that had taken down the old tyrannical king. The King himself new to the throne. And the people between them. What we didn’t know is the guards had planned a coup.

They used the accidental death of an innocent child to take the chance to imprison their king in a room he couldn’t use the magic he was blessed with. War broke out between the guard and the Syndicate. We worked to slow it down while some of us found out about the king and freed him.

Wait.

[Geordi holds up a hand, shaking his head and frowning rather deeply.]

Astoria thinks that interfering as an outsider is the best way to fix the internal problems faced by a society?

[This is something he very, very much disapproves of, and it's made plain by his suddenly more agitated tone.]

...That can have the opposite effect, and does, most of the time.

[He sighs and nods, looking unhappy.]

Yes, it can. And they're not asking for assistance. While we did make a difference last time...I don't think she realizes how bad things could go.

[His eyes go dark as he picks the stick back up and strokes the bonfire higher. It should let it burn off the stuff at the center and safely collapse it inwards.]

But from the sounds it there might be outside interference already. I'm not sure enough to call it. But it seems odd that she's bound here and her job used to be maintaining balance.

Yeah.

[Geordi twirls his own stick between his fingers, obviously concerned.]

An outside influence is not a good thing, but it's really the only way I can be involved in the first place.

[He sighs.]

I'm bound by the Prime Directive, the first rule of Starfleet. To not interfere with underdeveloped life and culture, no matter how grave. Because if we start getting involved, that's a dangerous and slippery slope.

[He looks at him, stick still in the fire. He pulls it back. The more he looks at the fire the more he thinks it might be better to be in another shape.]

...I like that directive. It would save my universe a lot of trouble but I doubt the Empire would follow it. They've been enslaving planets and stripping them of life for ten thousand years.

I'm going to change shape. Don't be alarmed. [He moves a bit away and drops the stick his form turning to light and expanding out into a truck-sized metal lion. He growls once, and thrusts his head into the fire. He's been meticulous and he knows it. But that beats thinking about all the ways they're forced to do things they don't want to.

His voice rolls into the mind in a gentle wave.]

I can still talk while I'm working. One of the benefits of being the Black Lion.

Well, that's just it. There are other stellar civilizations out there that don't have a directive like that. The Borg, the Romulans, the Cardassians...but that's what sets Starfleet and the Federation apart.

[He'd continue, but stops...when...uh...]

What are you...Whoa!

[Even hearing it in his head, Geordi can't help but speak out loud...]

Why are you a giant mechanical lion?

[He pulls his head out of the fire, turning glowing eyes his direction. ...he probably should have explained this. Whoops. Shiro sighs, the air escaping his metal jaws.]

...I noticed the logs weren't settling right, one side will burn before the other. I can fix it like this.

Unless you mean why this is my other shape?

A...little of both?

[He's not sure about the logs. But that's fine. Makes sense.]

This is the combat fighter I was flying back home.

[He sits back on his haunches and gestures with a paw from the large bonfire burning away in front of them to a ways away.]

Of course, it wasn’t this small. My human body wasn’t even as big as one of its claws. I don’t think Astoria or the magic could copy it exactly. The previous witch had even less success. At least the weapon systems seem to be online this time.

Previous witch?

[Okay, that's new. He can accept the design.]

There's more than one?

Some of us come from being in the hold of another witch, yes. I'm not sure if she is still active. The Qri was in a coma before we found ourselves here.

[He thrusts his head right back into the fire and uses his metal fangs to pull some logs over closer to their side. The pile collapses inward, sending sparks up into the sky.]

She wanted us to hunt for sources of magic for her to consume. It didn't matter to her what damage that could do to other civilizations. Or care if we did as she would briefly instruct us to do. I'm not sure she actually cared at all. About us or the magic.

Geez. Sounds like you've been caught up in Q shenanigans.

[Which, well, that's as much a statement as it is probing to see if he knows what the Q are. Astoria certainly fits the bill...]

Tell me about this Q? I can tell you if they’re similar.

[He doesn’t recognize this Q. But the more they compare things the more they might find a pattern. He snarls as he leans up and thrusts his paws into the flames. He uses his claws to keep the logs where he want them to be. As he uses his teeth to arrange the upper pieces.

It only takes a few tugs and he pulls himself out and uses his paws to sweep embers from his muzzle back into the fire.]

Not This. The. There is an entity called Q, but he's the one I've had the most dealing with. They're a collective of beings that live in a space between dimensions.

[He waves all around him.]

They can create realities all their own, and each one seems to have a personal sanctum. And perhaps most importantly, they have incredible, almost godlike power. They can bring people anywhere they want, they can grant abilities, and seem to have absolute control over real-space.

[Yellow eyes fix on Geordi. That sounds very like both witches. Could they be Q? He chews on that thought. There might be a connection.]

Are they always aware of what they are? Can they be hindered in any way? The Qri was hindered by an anti-magic drug that was fed into her by an iv. Astoria seems trapped in her temple.

And our abilities have limits.

As far as I know? No. They cant' be hindered, but that's something I've never really thought much about. Q was once hindered by other Q, so it's possible that if Astoria and the Qri are the same? Then other Q are interfering.

How likely is the possibility? Given what little you know right now.

[He can't form a bias. But knowing the possibilities will help him punch in the data into his own investigation and lay it against all the other possible answers.]

Right now, I want to keep an open mind. It could be they're Q. But it could be a number of other things. Still, I can keep an eye out for more evidence as we continue to work together and with her.

I don't wanna say one way or another, honestly.

Sorry, but I'm going to be a little biased and say yeah they are at least similar. But I'd rather not commit because that's just pointless speculation.

[His form returns to normal and Shiro winces, rolling his shoulders back.]

No need to be sorry. You have more experience in dealing with entities like this. I see how they're similar from what you're saying. [He returns to the log, sitting down on it.]

I think we're saying the same thing. We have ideas but nothing solid.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

SUMMER FESTIVAL: TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS

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