EVENT | ALL HALLOWED REDUX - RITUALISM

[cherrywood]

Characters: Any affected by the ghosting and Losses, their sponsors and nosy observers anyone else who feels like tagging along.
Date: January 11-12
Location: Keeliai
Situation: A moonlight ritual designed to restore lost balance and return Losses and unwanted gains back to a neutral state.
Warnings/Rating: Please indicate content warnings in subject headers as applicable.

The kedan messengers who had originally brought the information to the various Foreigners who'd been affected will return to those same suites on Friday evening. They will let them know to arrive with their sponsors at a quiet field area just to the south of Palace grounds on Saturday at sundown so that the "cleansing" can begin. They don't need to bring anything to aid in the ritual itself though it's advised that they might consider having a spare change of clothes on hand.

The next evening is bright and clear as though the weather itself wishes success upon this strange endeavor. The Foreigners making their way to the field as instructed by their kedan guides will find a large area cleared of snow, right down to the grass and dozens of round pools constructed of what appear to be interlocking stone blocks, so carefully and precisely arranged that they're able to hold water without leaking despite not using any standard mortar or sealant. Each pool stands about three feet tall and is filled three quarters of the way full of water which shimmers in the moonlight, bearing a very similar sheen that people will remember from the iridescent paint.

Does this bode well? Only time will tell.

---

OOC Information

See the OOC plotting post for event details and this post for assorted subheaders outlining various parts of the plot. If your character wants to learn more about the rituals or ask Milyn questions, she will be tagging in the Case Studies thread. Otherwise, feel free to use general affected kedan and their respective sponsors under normal rules for players writing NPC interactions. Feel free to start your own thread header if none suit, or make your own logs for various threadings... this is just for a central post for the event. Any questions can be directed HERE. Thank you!

RESETTING THE STAGE
Pre-Ritual Mingling | Strike the Balance | Case Studies | Greeting the New Day

Comments

[iguanasolution]

"Who would be the one to study the samples though?"

He knows for sure now it doesn't show anything about the gods and his heritage, but the idea of samples still makes him feel a little wary. Not to mention knowing the Kedan have cloning facilities makes it pretty obvious that they have more technology than what they are letting on.

[cherrywood]

"Oh, you poor dear," Milyn says, peering at Frank -- more specifically at his throat as though she could actually see his vocals refusing to cooperate. "Whatever this nasty little glitch did, it got you pretty good didn't it? And I'd be the one looking into it. You're all such a good bunch, I really enjoy your being here on Tu Vishan."

[iguanasolution]

He gives her a little smile, unsure how to feel about what she's saying. Most people seem to just be glad they can understand him, and his friends were sad to see his frustration... but this is the first time someone has actually been sorry for him? And it isn't something he knows how to process yet.

"I'm really glad you guys are helping at all, it's nice of you to let us join this. Is a hair enough for a sample or what is it you need?"

[cherrywood]

If she notices his uncertainty, she doesn't give any indication of it. Instead she opens up the little notebook on her clipboard and writes something down in it, then gives him a smile.

"It's no trouble at all, with everything you're all here to do for us. Now for the samples, I'd really prefer to have both a blood and a hair sample, just a little pinch of one, nothing drastic and you'd hardly feel a thing. I promise I've been doing this longer than it might look but you wouldn't ask a girl her age, right?"

[iguanasolution]

He bites his lower lip. The lady is nice, and sweet- but she'd be the first Kedan he's willingly given his blood to test it too. Foreigners sure, they are trapped here just like he is but this feels like giving the enemy information about himself. Something a son of the war would never do.

Then again, weren't they basically clones? How could they clone him and not know everything about him already?

He holds his arm up, nodding once.

[cherrywood]

She beams prettily at him, obviously pleased that he agreed to her request. From her little medical bag (not so different from the ones used by olden physicians of Earth) she withdraws a clean needle and pushes up Frank's sleeve. A few quick taps to determine his strongest vein and then she slides the tip in; just as she claimed, it feels almost like nothing. It's a very small amount she withdraws and then the needle is capped and stored safely in an unbreakable container before she adds another notation to her book.

Then she puts a little dab of bright yellow gel on the injection spot with her thumb: the kedanese equivalent of a kid's bandaid.

"See? Quick as anything."

[iguanasolution]

He raises both eyebrows in a bemused expression as he stares at the dab in his arm, his quiet and silent way of saying 'huh'. It confuses him how their technology can be still so behind on some things, like the physician's bag Frank was pretty sure looked like an old Chinese one he'd seen between his grandmother's relics, and so advanced in others, like using sterile gel instead of bandaids.

When he's done staring after a second or two, he types again for the device to read.

"Now the hair?"

[cherrywood]

Milyn nods and withdraws a small pair of shears from the bag next, reaching up before discovering she was really too short to reach his hair properly. "Be a dear and bend down a little for me," she said before snipping off a small lock and placing the black hairs in a glass jar.

[iguanasolution]

Frank does of course as he's told, then rubbing the place she snipped some hair off. He hoped that didn't look weird, but to be honest he'd been due a haircut. He didn't look like a legionnaire at all, let alone a centurion.

"I did this for you. Will you answer some questions for me?"

[cherrywood]

Milyn looks surprised at the request. "Oh sweetling, I'd have answered the questions anyway, though I very much appreciate that you've indulged me. What is it you wanted to know?"

[iguanasolution]

"Right." Is sweetling condescending? Or Nice? Frank is honestly not sure, and it makes him pause for a second. Then he just decides to go with it.

"I want to know more about this balance. Is it tied to Asti in some way, on the metaphysical side of things? Are our powers related to it in any way?"

[cherrywood]

Given how bubbly Milyn is acting, it probably was not meant as condescending. In fact the expression she's wearing says that she's gearing up for an explanation that may actually be far more than Frank's asking about.

"Everything's tied to Tu Vishan," she answered. "We kedan, and the Foreigners, the great turtle has always provided and I do think that it affects that side of things, yes. But at the same time I believe it's written right into our genes, good strong genes. That's why some of us are better at changing shape than others. And it takes a certain amount of creativity to get everything right, not just muscle memory you know. Why, I needed a few of these rituals myself growing up. Tried to go a little too fast, that was always me. As for your powers, all your really marvelous powers, I have to say. Do I think having them might have interfered with whatever happened to you and turned those of you to that state? I think it certainly didn't help, oil and water as they say. Think of it as something like an allergic reaction."

[iguanasolution]

"You have to learn how to shapeshift?"

As soon as he's asked the question he feels stupid. Of course they have to, like a human has to learn how to walk and talk and speak. Animals have to learn as well- even though he's found some learn faster than others, some are born more mature.

But sometimes, after all these months he still catches himself stumbling over the fact that the Kedan can shapeshift as well, a gift he thought was only for his family back at home.

"Sorry, that was stupid. I'm still learning to shapeshift myself to that was weird to hear.

So your abilities are genetic? And some are better than others."

[cherrywood]

Milyn smiles, seeming not to mind the question with an obvious answer. "There aren't any stupid questions, dear. Everything is a little bit of knowledge and it's all important, so very important. We kedan learn from watching others and practicing. You've seen how many around the city have taken to emulating Foreigner's features, yes? You see in a place like Keeliai, where there aren't so many new things, it's hard to find a new challenge. You really do help us more than you know."

[iguanasolution]

"I thought that was simply to make us feel more at ease, more comfortable with the idea of staying here for a long time. Or that it was your actual form.

What do you really look like"

[cherrywood]

"Some of us do it for that reason," the healer responded cheerfully. "And as for what I really look like, this isn't very much off. No extra limbs or anything," she tittered lightly.

[iguanasolution]

That's not a real answer, Frank notes. He'll have to be more subtle about it- or tell Annabeth. Maybe she will find a way to make them show what they look like.

"Do you have schools for shapeshifting? Or rituals of some sort to get better at it? Maybe I should attend."

[cherrywood]

"Not specifically for that," Milyn replies, delighted that he's obviously taking such an interest. "Though sometimes it's touched upon in lessons. It's more taught at home, though. Would you like to learn?"

[iguanasolution]

He nods, smiling a bit awkwardly as he rubs the back of his head before reaching to type again. Having to speak like this has made him realize how many nervous ticks he has when feeling awkward.

"I would. I've only had a little less than a week of experience with my power, and then the months I spent here."

[cherrywood]

Milyn writes down an address on a corner of her papers and carefully rips it off, handing it to Frank.

"Come and see me after all this is taken care of," she said, gesturing around to the assemblage for the ritual. "I'll see what I can do."

[iguanasolution]

He grabs the piece of paper, staring at it as if he doesn't quite understand what it is at first. He feels like he's just given a piece of the puzzle but he doesn't quite know where to put it.

"That was easier than I'd thought it would be."

[cherrywood]

"What is?" Milyn asked, surprised. "Getting help? Have you really been going at this all by yourself?"

She studied Frank thoughtfully for a moment, then smiled and tucked her notes into her bag. "You're a dear boy who deserves a chance to learn, just like any other."

[iguanasolution]

He shrugs. Had this been the big Turtle secret, all this time? That if they wanted information they just had to ask? Or is Milyn special? Frank is pretty sure it's a bit from each column.

"I will appreciate any help you can give me, I'll contact you soon for sure. Do you need anything else?"

[cherrywood]

"I think that's all for right now," the healer answered. "I do have to go and check on the others though, so I will look forward to seeing you again."