kenoslogs | open | a merry meri mingle

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ his gaze flickers from the clearer view he now has of this woman, to — and this is the thing that catches his attention more — the bow in her hands. the weapon is enormous, even if it is low tech, and clearly powerful. she has to be incredibly strong to wield it, and he's sure she can. this is no bluff; this is real strength.

he makes himself pull his gaze off the bow, moving (up) to her face. on a gamble, he says, ]

I'm a Shard-bearer. Unharmonized, no side. I'm new. [ not zenith, in other words, even if he isn't meridian. not an enemy. ] I don't mean any harm by being here.

[The answer may keep her bow at her side rather than aimed at the intruder's head, but it doesn't seem to dial down the intensity or distrust she approaches with. As if in threat, she reaches for her quiver and pulls one long arrow from it to lay it against her bow grip, ready to be notched.

It is dangerous here in Alenroux at night when the monsters roamed, after all.]

Unfortunately, you may cause harm whether you mean to or not. We do not have the resources to rescue every person who decides they want to take a walk in the night.

[And the way she says it... makes it clear she doesn't think people are just planning on that for fun.]

Unless you allow me to inspect your shard for proof, I will have to escort you back to the cornerstone immediately.

[ someone with a hair less self-control than cassian might have accidentally given away the location of his shard right about now. he consciously doesn't move either of his hands, giving away the reason for his fingerless gloves, but he is abruptly very aware of the gemstone sunk into his skin. he's heard things about what it's like for someone else to handle your shard, and it's not an experience he's eager to have — to least of all with a woman who could probably crush it in her fist if she wanted to. who he doesn't know or trust not to do that. ]

I don't mind going back.

[ he says, carefully, watching her face. watching the arrow she's freed from her quiver. there's no way to interpret that motion, as far as he's concerned, besides as a threat. and he isn't unarmed, though it doesn't show, but he certainly doesn't have anything he could use to deflect an arrow. ]

But I understood that Alenroux wasn't closed off from anyone. Was I wrong?

[ there's good tactical reason to keep strays, even (especially?) stray shard-bearers away from encampments. he's pushing deliberately; how welcome, really, is anyone who isn't meridian? how far are they willing to go to hold this place? ]

[The arrow remains out, but the shaft rests against the bow. A threat, perhaps, yes, but not an imminent one. If he were to make a move himself, or if a monster were to appear, then he would see it put to use in an instant. Her body is still tense and ready beneath the veneer of cool.]

Alenroux is not.

[That answer is easy enough. The island was still open to all, especially the lands that have always been used by the people for farming and business.]

But this area of the wood is off limits to those unaligned with Meridian... and I do not recognize your face.

[And he has yet to present a sunbeam bead or his shard. The sunbeam, even, was only half-believable. They could easily be taken off a corpse, and one of those magic types could probably easily make it appear as if it were shining with Meridian energy.]

[ he could produce his shard. at least to prove that he really does have one, if nothing else. but there's no way to do so without showing her where his is, and that's a secret he's kept close to his chest. he hates the naked vulnerability of the stone set in his hand. jyn is the only one who knows, and he intends to keep it that way as long as possible. and so: he has nothing to offer her, no way of backing up his claim. can he really blame her for being suspicious? he's not lying now, but he so often is.

so he watches her for a long moment, and then he nods. ]

Okay. [ he lifts his hands, briefly, in a placating motion. ] Okay. I'm leaving. I'll get out of your way.

[ he'd wondered how seriously meridian was taking their security, and he's got his answer. so he slowly turns to go — not unwillingly, so much as an avoidance of making any sudden moves. ]

Unless you fancy running into a monster, you had best head for the cornerstone.

[And whether he went to Springstar or Highstorm...

Well, that was that. Hayame's arrow remains notched and her eye remains sharp, but... It seems their answer has been decided. Normally, she would just let him go, but... a certain dhampir tasked with improving Meridian's reputation in Alenroux flashes through her mind and causes a distasteful frown to flicker over her face, directed at the would-be-could-be threat's back. In her mind, his story was as suspicious as the eighth cold hell, but on the off chance it wasn't...

Tch.]

If you are not a warrior, I will escort you.

[ well, he has no particular desire to antagonize her. whether or not he'd intended on leaving alenroux entirely when he agreed to leave, it'd seem he's doing so now. especially given that offer, which catches him by surprise. he pauses and looks back at her, eyebrows raised. but "melshi," this persona, isn't a warrior, and maybe admitting at much would help take her off her guard. and maybe she does just want the excuse to see where he goes, in which case it'd be more suspicious to act like he has something to hide.

regardless, he shrugs. ]

I'd appreciate it, if you have the time.

[ is she. is she going to put the arrow down now, or... ]

[She is not going to put the arrow down.

But she doesn't point it at him. She unstrings it, and instead just keeps it out of her quiver and ready to be notched again. She wasn't making up the threat of the monsters in the area.]

I don't.

[Have the time. But despite what she says, she begins to walk in the direction of the cornerstone, on guard for threats from the woods... but not altogether relaxed about the man in her company either.]

Move quickly, but keep your eyes sharp.

[ well, he'll take what he can get. and if she's telling the truth about monsters — and he believes that she was — then it's good that she won't leave them two of them without protection as they go. he believes that she was telling the truth, because he's heard wisps of rumors about monsters on alenroux, most times he's asked about the place. because she has the warrior's demeanor of a woman above deception, by and large: too proud to stoop to it, and too strong to rely on it by necessity. he'd trust any word that comes out of her mouth as something she genuinely believes, whether or not it's objective truth, because he's met the kind before.

but she starts to walk and so does he, trotting to keep up with her and trying to look suitably cowed by the situation, the monsters, her. he takes a look around, mindful of attackers, but for now the woods are quiet. ]

What kind of monsters are around here?

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