[mission: hyrypia] give me my scallop shell of quiet, my staff of faith to walk upon

[onemind]

CHARACTERS: EVERYONE
WHERE: Hyrypia - The Graze
WHEN: DAY :013
SUMMARY: A day of competition begins, and Hosts put their newfound skills to the test.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary. Need a warning added? PM this account please!

THE GRAZE
DAY :013

A MOURNFUL SOUND passes across the Graze in the early hours of the morning: the mingling drone of the wind coming up across the flatlands and funneling into the depths of the Finger Maze. It saws, a tired, hollow constant noise. Carried with it up through the Great Flat are maybe forty visitors carried by a variety of carts and wagons, automated and incredibly austentatious live mounts. Apparently the events of the day are drawing a crowd from the surrounding farms and homesteads on top of the various diplomatic envoys already in attendance.

After a brisk, light breakfast the short blare of a horn cuts across the encampment. It seems it's time to saddle up.



I. THE SIDELINES
A CHEER SWELLS up from the assemblage of Rabadoceans as a team successfully completes their event. On a nearby platform, musicians takes turns striking up a series of fast paced, sparkling tunes and the tang of roasting meat is heavy in the air. There's a sense of festival in this that quickly becomes lively as the Hyrypians' official pleasantries cede encourage the Meradan's cheerful, competitive shouting and the Descendants'' entertained clapping and smiling. There might even be a few smiles to be seen among the typically grim faced Carpathan diplomatic envoy.

Get something to eat. Talk to a stranger. Make friends. Sabotage a competing team. Most importantly: keep your eyes and ears open. For every moment you might spend machinating, someone (or something) else might be doing the same.

II. THE SORTING
THE SUN HAS FULLY RISEN by the time the first event is ready to begin. There has been a constant bustle up until this point, people meeting up and splitting off again, members of Envoy’s checking in with each other, carefully discussing their strategies- or laughing the challenges off as a game. Now, all of the competitors are gathered together to be given their tools- the ropes and crooks of the Gryer wranglers- even as the spectators begin to gather at the edges of the large pen, some standing at the fences, other on long staggered benches along the edges. There are a flags strung up all along the fences and large banners fly from the outermost posts of the pen. When it is nearly time the teams are split- each of the members led to a different point on the outside of the pen, to the gates that will set them loose upon the false gryer within.

When it is time for the Hosts to begin, the gates are again reset, the Gryer are all released from their holding pens, and the spectators have become no less raucous. They’re so loud it’s almost hard to hear the horn that calls from the holding pen, but the gates that spring open in front of the hosts are signal enough for them to begin. They are afforded just enough time to make their way fully into the pen before the three Gryer are lit, scattered through the herd and still milling about. The clock- or whatever passes for a clock- is ticking, and the faster they manage the task- if they manage it- the better.

When it is over, the crowd cheers, either way- energized by the competition and the strong grassy flavored drink that seems to improve every Rabadocean’s mood.

III. THE MESSENGER RACE
A SERIES OF FLAGS marks the route of the relay race that runs along the edge of the outermost cliff faces - not that it's necessary. Spectators are strung along the sidelines that it might be possible to run the race using only them as a guide for where to go. The course itself is studded with obstacles - logs and ditches, stacks of brush and at least a few imposing walls made from coral harvested out of the Finger Maze. The riders of each team are dispersed along the length of the course toward the finish line, quiet and lonely (if you disregard the forty or so other riders from competing teams in your company) and waiting in the midday heat for--

The short burst of a horn. The first string of Elin and riders, each in possession of a ceremonial scroll, launch forward across the starting line. Hopefully. What would be even better? If they keep all their riders in the process.

IV. THE ELINMASTER RUN
THE FINAL EVENT comes late - so late that the sun is already beginning to move towards the high horizon of the clifftops, leaving a cool purple cast across the landscape as the competitors and spectators alike are gathered at the yawning entrance of the isolated splinter of the Finger Maze. Unlike the other events, there is no seating, no rows, no stretches of banners or strings of flags. The environment doesn’t allow for it. Instead there are ropes separating the milling crowds from the riders. There are no gates and no strict starting point; rather, there is an area the width of the entrance and forty feet behind it that the racers may begin from. A large number are clustered near the very front - eager but clearly at extra risk, the metal and rubber flesh of the Elin automatons pressed close enough to crush. In the stillness of the near-evening air, the anticipation for this event is more subdued. More hushed. It's clear that the majority of the race will not be visible to spectators or judges. There will be only a small party waiting at the end of the course, ready in the clearing to mark places, and no witnesses before that.

The most senior members of House Basittia stand on either side of the entrance, protected by the ropes and flashy in their officiator-wear. When the horn is blown, sharp and with very little warning, it echoes down the length of the waiting canyon walls. It echoes strangely, broken only by the sound of metal hooves pounding forward into the maze and out of sight.

The first challenge is immediate - beyond the wide entrance the canyon begins to narrow dramatically. Those who have chosen the front of the pack will be forced to either get ahead or muscle their way through the others around them. Those that have chosen to stay further back will find that the distance between them and the next rider ahead of them narrows. Before there is much chance to adjust to the new positions, there is the first obstacle - a ditch, narrow but sudden, ready to take the legs out from under an Elin that fails to jump. From there the course begins in earnest. A number of paths split off from the main line, each with their own challenges. Coral branches fallen in the path, others arching just over rider’s heads. The course is full of switchbacks and sudden turns and in places the ground is made of pebbles that slide beneath the metallic hooves of the mechanical beasts. The course narrows in sections, barely wide enough to allow one rider to pass, and as the race stretches on fewer and fewer are able to continue. Some riders simply fall, others are knocked off, others foul their mounts and end up as new obstacles for those behind them.

By the time the end is in sight - a large open clearing, the far end of which has a simple stage where the judges wait - many racers have been unseated and countless others have simply fallen behind. But for those who make it to the end, there is a note in an ancient looking tome and a ribbon to be tied around their wrists to show that they have completed their trial. They will linger there in the winner’s circle until the last of the racers trickle in. Once that happens, they will be allowed at a much more sedate pace to make their way out of the canyon and into the awaiting cheering crowd - into the beginning of night and the lighting of the great braziers and flames, the scent of a well-earned meal that awaits them carried across the Graze by the mournful sigh of the wind.

V. BEFORE, AFTER, AND BETWEEN
THE COMPETITION stretches long, each individual challenge met by scores of Envoys eager to impress or simply eager for something to entertain themselves with. But the day is made far longer by the time between the competitions which is filled with talk, general chatter, and some good- and less good-natured betting - all lubricated by a constant stream of the cool grass drink that’s growing rapidly more popular as the sun’s heat increases. There's plenty to do- and plenty to enjoy between the events themselves. People will have little trouble finding things to keep busy with. And after the competition is said and done there is dinner (of course), the great dining tents pulled open and even more crowded than before with the additional local color. It’s those locals, and perhaps the camaraderie born of shared experience, which seems to help encourage some of the Envoys to intermingle more than they have before.

Of course, not everyone is in a good mood. Some of the participants didn't perform as well as others. Bruised egos are as abundant as bruised bodies among some envoys... a potentially volatile situation considering the close quarters they share with other Rabadoceans who clearly think very highly of their own performances.

---

((OOC Notes: This log covers the competition events of Day :013 and any related sideline activities. You can find a full breakdown of the events/a place for mini-event specific questions HERE. Sign-ups will remain open until the next event log goes live, however going forward please make sure to either join the individual event or have a full team selected for the team events. Please be aware that signing up late won't give you extra time to finish your thread to qualify for the finale event.

Have more generalized questions? Drop them on the MISSION: HYRYPIA OOC POST or get in touch with us on the Mod Contact page.))

NAVIGATION • GAME CALENDAR • MISSION: HYRYPIA • FAQ • MOD CONTACT • GLOSSARY

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Comments

Closed to Kaji

[greentech]

[ Pidge's meeting with Kaji had been by chance, but after some discussion, they'd both agreed on one thing: they needed to ensure that their crewmates finished near the top of the lists at the competition the next day. Which meant that sabotage was clearly the best option. Besides, Kaji seemed very interested in hearing about what Pidge could do if she got her hands on something mechanical. Like, say, the Elin.

It's dark out now and they're both wrapped in their layers of cloth. She glances up at him as they pick their way through the sprawl of tents and campfires. Most of htem have burned low by now, but here and there there are still a few people awake and speaking in low voices. Overhead, the sky is a wonderful expanse of stars. ]

( I just want to make sure we don't get any that anyone from our side is going to be riding... )

[ Sides. However much she doesn't like being here, she still thinks of the Nest as "hers". ]

[ryohji]

[ for a man who frequently endeavored for secrecy and clandestine communication, one would think he would relish at the opportunity to communicate via telepathy. but kaji tended to slough off expectations whenever possible.

he'd found himself in need of help. an engineer capable of handling foreign equipment operation and basic troubleshooting. an engineer who could assist him in the disassembling of parts and olios without compromising the structural integrity of the machine. an engineer who could be as stealthy as he if the occasion called for it.

and it would be smarter to find one person who could handle all those duties at once.

it is just his luck, then, that such uniquely-qualified would present himself in the form of a young girl, sounding barely older than asuka or shinji. 'beggars can't be choosers' - a common theme to the recent events in kaji's life. ]

( Well, we'll just have to mark the defective ones somehow. ) [ he covers good ground until the stables are within sight. ] ( What was your name again? Pidge? I hope you don't mind me asking, but I'm curious as to how a young girl like yourself gains so much mechanical experience. )

[ far from unthinkable, especially with what he's used to seeing from teenagers back home. but there was a difference between piloting a biomechanical robot, which required little else than an above average proportion of fast twitch muscle fibers and one mother's soul, and having an encyclopedic understanding of its inner workings. ]

[greentech]

( Yeah, but it can't be too obvious of a mark. Really wish I had something higher tech to work with... )

[ Like infrared paint or something. That would work. But nothing doing here. She'll just have to figure something else out. She detours away from a group chatting around a fire, trying not to be too obvious. Nothing to see here!

She glances up at him as they walk. ]

( My dad and my brother were both really into tech. So's my mom. I guess it runs the family. Mostly i Just kinda picked it up on my own because I wanted something to do and because I wanted to be an astronaut one day. So I got good at. Really good at it.

And, yeah. Pidge. Pidge is fine. )

[ryohji]

( Let's suspend our complaints until we've handled them around for a while. )

[ in more immediate and practical terms, kaji was willing to take extra hour longer to actually set foot inside the stables if it meant avoiding detection. but as they thread through the throng of characters, their destination rapidly approaching line of sight, he realizes that the the hyrypians would be truly hard pressed to rival the level of security he was used to.

'standing guard' was something of an expression, because the individuals charged with the task looked more like tourists than wardens: chatting amongst themselves several feet off post. barring any disruptions, they could both sneak through the double doored ingress without difficulty. ]

( Runs in the family, huh? Not that I don't trust you, but seeing is believing. If you manage to help me pull this off, Pidge, I'll be impressed. ) [ his steps soften and slow, cueing pidge to follow his lead. ] ( Ah, one more thing. If anyone asks, you're my niece, and robots are just about your favorite thing in the... well, universe. )

[greentech]

( Hey, I'm used to computers and shuttle pods and space-ships. Give me a break! )

[ She slows slightly as they start to approach and her gaze slides over the guards. Or "guards", really. They're more there to keep an eye on the Elin then to keep people out, apparently. She glances sidelong at Kaji from under her veil and gives him a quick look. Impressed, huh? Looks like she'll have to give him something worthwhile -
her pride isn't going to let her do any less. ]

( OK, the first part is the only bit that's a lie so it should be easy. Hope you're as good at talking as you seem to think you are... )

[ She rolls her shoulders and then gives him a nod. Lead the way, Kaji. ]

[ryohji]

( If all goes well, I won't need to speak a word. )

[ even as the guards are committed to convince them of their incompetence, kaji isn't inclined to traipse through the entrance like they own the place. he is so fundamentally out of his element here that it forces him back into a more traditional spy mold, one that champions caution above the swaggering over-exposure more characteristic of his style.

for now. ]

( Let's circle around the perimeter to find any backdoors. But when we do, don't look up at me so much. Wallk with a purpose. You belong here. Follow the sound of my mind if you have to. ) [ as much as it pains him to say it. ]

[greentech]

[ Pidge isn't used to being a spy. Sort of. She was able to infiltrate the Garrison and she's actually not bad at sneaking around. It's the rest of the spycraft thing that gets to her. She gives him a mental nod in reply though and starts to walk, trying to act like she belongs.

Which is easy, actually. It's like the Garrison all over again. ]

( Got it. I'll see you on the other side? )

[ Looks like she's just about to pop off and do it. ]