open | a merry meri mingle

[sterngaze]

Who: Meridians new & old!
What: Cookout mingle
Where: Alenroux
When: Mid-March, after Vander's rescue
Warnings: Potentially alcohol consumption and violence, for the rowdy

After the initiation of Springstar's invasion plans for Alenroux, tensions among the Meridian-aligned might be a bit strained. The move comes as a surprise even for many of the shard-bearers within the faction itself, to say nothing of those whose livelihoods depend on the farms here. It's not yet clear what Highstorm's response will be, but one will certainly be coming; when that happens, someone is going to come out on the bottom, and their blood will be at least partially on Meridian's hands.

At times like this, the importance of maintaining morale can't be understated. A call goes out to the newest generation of those harmonized with Meridian's light: it's time to have a party!

PREPARATION:

Those who can are invited to help with the set-up. There are drinks to procure, foodstuffs to acquire and prepare, canopies to erect for shade, entertainments to organize. It's not meant to be a grand affair — the gathering is private, intended to foster camaraderie among the shard-bearers after long days and nights of work — but it will be a comfortable one, with edibles and enjoyments to offer to those taking solace in the company of their fellows.

It takes one of Alenroux's long days to make all the necessary arrangements — and then, late the following morning, after the night's monsters have slunk back into the woods, things are made ready. All that's left is for the guests to arrive.

THE EVENT:

Spring is still in the midst of taking hold over Alenroux, so a tall bonfire at the centre of the gathering place offers a toasty place to linger and chat throughout the day. Hot drinks and a variety of fire-roasted foods are on offer, including an entire deer helpfully supplied and prepared by Liem. Logs and stumps provide simple seating, and nearby canopies provide shade around the tables of food and drink. A little further away, sturdy tents provide more private gathering places for those wishing for a break from the hubbub.

And there will be hubbub. To break the ice between unfamiliar faces, a variety of contests have been set up over the course of the gathering. These range from simple arm-wrestling competitions, to three-legged races, to friendly sparring matches for those so-inclined. Gathered Meris are encouraged to spectate and bet amongst themselves on contest outcomes — and better yet, to volunteer to participate themselves during the next round.

For those who have already had a chance to relax and let off some steam, the gathering is a perfect opportunity to get to know one's fellow sect-mates a little better, and to reaffirm why Meridian called to them in the first place. Those gathered are encouraged to take the chance to tell a few tales about the place they came from, and to share the visions inside their Sunbeam with those from other worlds. A favourite place, a cherished person, an unkept promise, even an old enemy: all could be worth revisiting for a moment with new comrades in arms.

Comments

3 i'm sorry lmao

[hyperpotamous]

[ john is quick to check out when the iliachtida start getting brought out because this isn't what he's here for. he doesn't need the inevitable questions. he doesn't need anyone trying to get close.

he doesn't expect the tent to be occupied. ]

Oh, for fuck's sake—... didn't know it was taken...

[ it's not exactly an apology but he's about to turn and leave when a thought clicks into place somewhere, and he looks back.

yeah.......... that's what he thought. centaur??? ]

Huh. Cool.

[warmare]

[It is indeed a centaur (or a creature comparable), a woman whose lower half resembled a dun mare.

But though she may look it, she doesn’t react to the intrusion in halves. Though she is a beat too slow for her tastes, distracted by what she was looking at privately in her sunbeam bead, the presence of another cuts the connection when her focus turns sharply outward, and as her fingers curl tight around the circular crystal her tail lashes out angrily, a hoof scrapes the tent’s dirt floor, and she rounds on the intruder with a curl of lip that reveals canines too sharp to look like they should be attributed to either human or equine.]

What do you want?

[- She didn’t actually hear what he’d said.]

[hyperpotamous]

Oh, hey—... yeah, you were pretty in the zone there, huh?

[ he at least has the sense to look embarrassed, although only so much can be done about his monstrous eyes. ]

I came in here by mistake, not realising the place was occupied. Couldn't help but notice...

[ at which point he should have just left, but there's no easy way to say he got held up because he'd noticed the other half of her. ]

I mean, people like you are legends where I come from, so I mean no disrespect.

[ he's a big fan. ]

sorry for the delay!

[warmare]

[Strangely? enough, this isn't Hayame's first time dealing with men with strange eyes with dark sclera and lighter irises. It's weird, now, but not shocking... and she shouldn't still be annoyed or shocked herself by the comparison to legends or myth, but-]

Are you another of the type who admire "centaurs"?

[She's heard the word more times now than she cared to count.]

I hate to disappoint you, but I am not one of them.

[... Strangely, her voice doesn't sound all that sorry to disappoint, but she does him at least the favor of polite veneer.]