[mission: hyrypia] then the holy paths we'll travel strew'd with rubies thick as gravel

[onemind]

CHARACTERS: EVERYONE
WHERE: Hyrypia - The Graze
WHEN: DAY :014 - 016
SUMMARY: Two days of horseback hunting training, followed by the second round of competition.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary. Need a warning added? PM this account please!

THE GRAZE
DAY :014 - :015
THE DAY FOLLOWING the festivities finds the majority of competitors and spectators still buzzing with the competition’s failures and successes, but there is little time to gloat or moan about the results. By the time the sun has risen over the graze there's a new announcement: there will be two days of additional training followed by another day of competition. Today and tomorrow will be dedicated to learning skills vital to the hunt.

0. TRAINING
THE TRAINING FIELD has become familiar, but the decor has changed- as have the the teachers. Unlike the previous riding and herding lessons which featured ropes and hooks, today's syllabus includes a series of more dangerous tools. The short spears that line the racks may be dulled but they still look painful, and the speed at which they're hurled from the intricately carved Sarvat - the traditional spear throwers - is intimidating.

At first glance, the slings of woven and stained Gryer leather are less impressive-- but the different ammo that can be loaded in them proves interesting: a bio-luminescent tagging liquid that stains the targets that it hits and leaves distinct trails, hard metal weights, and carefully handled poison globes.

Over the next day the envoys are are trained to use the weapons from Elinback in addition to being schooled in a number of simple traps and snares that leave little confusion as to the nature of the next challenge events...



THE GRAZE &
THE MINIATURE FINGER MAZE
DAY :016

I. THE CHASE
THE HERD of technomanced automaton Gryer sits idle in the knee-high silvery grass of the Graze. They're nothing like the Elin (who exhibit all the traits of live animals); these automatons seem to know only two basic concepts: don't run, and run. Right now they're practicing the former as the competing riders are divided into large, mixed hunting parties. Once the parties have been formed, they take turns taking their runs at the herd. Among the herd of thirty, four Gryer have been painted a brilliant sapphire. To strike one down requires either two metal weights to the head, a spear to the neck piece, or two spears to its midsection.

When the hunting parties take off so do the automaton Gryer. And they're fast, moving as of one mind - a school of mechanical fish through a sea of silver grass. It'll take cleverness, skill and a bit of daring riding to either cut the targets free of the herd or go crashing through among the running Gryer to strike a target down among its brainless brothers and sisters. Once struck enough times or in the right place, the sapphire Gryer will lose power and drive spectacularly into the earth.

The attentive audience (many of them armed with an array of binoculars from their personal belongings) might cheer when appropriate, but due to the distance at which much of the action takes place most of the observation is spent eating, drinking, and enjoying the shockingly pleasant weather.

II. THE 75th HUNGER GAMES PURSUIT
THE BREEZE GROANS through the shadowy pocket of the canyon system, whistling tiredly through the coral structures - along narrow bridges and between tight passages. Familiar to anyone who competed in the individual race on Day :013, this shadowy miniature canyon is crawling with automated creatures to 'kill.' The only problem? Beating everyone else to one of them. With the blare of that now-familiar horn, the hunters mounted on their Elin take off into the canyon and rapidly splinter into disparate groups or simply go off on their own into the tangle. It doesn't take long at all to lose sight of other riders, to begin to feel completely alone in the low light of early evening. Mist rises from the canyon floor and the breeze moans ominously through the pockmarked coral structures.

It'll take more cleverness and accuracy than high speed riding skill to claim a prize here. But best work quickly and quietly to avoid having your target poached out from under your nose…

III. THE AFTERMATH
THE SECOND CHALLENGE ENDS with a long, mournful cry of the now-familiar horn. All of the possible targets have been captured and to the victors go the spoils in the form of the accumulated scores, carefully kept by the judges. The losers are left empty handed-- at least until the spectators and competitors alike have made it back to the tent encampment. Then their hands are filled with the same liquor and a new spread of simple, filling, and delicious dishes expertly prepared by the servants of the manor.

There’s some ceremony to it - the meat they are eating is the same that they would have served if their hunt had been for something more than machines. However, mostly this seems to be a chance to relax sore muscles. That's aided by the addition of several leather-enclosed tents raised earlier in the day. Once the sun sets, these tents are filled with hot, relaxing steam and lined with benches: saunas! ...which might provide some comfort for anyone not stuck wearing a heavy robe. :(

---

((OOC Notes: This log covers the two days of mounted combat/hunting skills training and the competition which follows. 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 for the finale 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

[perroquet]

Oh? [ His interest is piqued, but with a bit of confusion. ]

Movie? I'm afraid I don't know what that is.

[otrazhenie]

[ Of course he wouldn't. Come on, Elena. ]

It's kind of like a play, but it's been... recorded, so it can be watched again and again. Like a memory being replayed in your mind, but one that can be shared with other people.

[ Explaining a movie to someone who isn't familiar with her version of modern technology is one thing. Explaining it to someone like that who is also blind? Help. ]

This particular movie was based on an old fairy tale, and it was made for children. Well, for families to watch together. I used to watch it with my mom, and my dad would always come in to dance with me during the scene with this song.

[perroquet]

[ He continues to eat from the plate she brought, balanced on him as he listens between bites of bread and dip and fruit. ]

Oh! Yes, I know of plays. Plays and operas. I wrote music for some when I was younger. Or rather, I had an assistant to write it.

[ He's sounding a little more energetic. The idea of a recorded play is lovely to him, even if he doesn't fully comprehend it. One made for children sounds even better. There are child performers - he would know, having been one - but he's never heard of children taking part in an audience. Going to the opera house or to hear a symphony is considered a pastime for adults, and rich ones at that.

That Elena could experience that sort of art at a young age surrounded by a loving family makes him very happy indeed. ]

That's wonderful. Let's hear it, then.

[otrazhenie]

[ Plays and operas. She'd never been to an opera before, and most of the plays she'd seen were school productions. Small town Virginia life might be filled with parties, but that's about as far as their cultural scene went; maybe that's why the school always went all out for their events.

Shifting a little against the pillow, Elena lets herself fall into the memory of the song, the opening violin and piano blending together perfectly in her mind as she shares the notes with Gil. Tale as old as time, true as it can be... The words follow not long after, accompanied by the sensation of standing on someone's shoes, of being twirled around at the crescendo, of being happy. But by the end of it, she isn't able to keep away the ever-present grief at the loss of her parents, though she tries to pull it all back as much as possible so it doesn't overwhelm him. He doesn't need to be burdened with all of that. ]

[perroquet]

[ Just like before, his mind latches onto the shared memory easily, absorbing it into his own note for note as long as the music continues. While the previous song was nice, he finds this one beautiful and almost familiar in that it's also a story. That it isn't shared as a distraction but given out of love makes it more special, though the sensations that come with it are less familiar to him. Being small and happy and surrounded by adults who love her - it's wonderful, but any sort of relation to it is missing from Gildor's set of experiences.

Dancing though - he knows how to dance. Badly, but there were some attempts to teach him, and some of those attempts are remembered. He feels her elation dipping into grief as the song fades to an end, and though he'd like to listen all the way through, the notes conveniently end in the same place they started. So his mind begins to replay it over again, louder and with a few added flourishes of his own. The piano is removed, as are the lyrics, replaced by a cello and three violins. A proper string quartet for a proper dance.

He sits up, pops the last piece of bread in his mouth, chews, swallows, and dusts off his hands. ]

Come here now, none of that tonight.

[ Before Elena can object, he's clumsily standing with both her hands in his. He's an ungraceful lead and he keeps his hands to her arms, but soon he's whisking her about the cots and kicking pillows out of the way. ]

[otrazhenie]

[ It's completely unexpected, and exactly what she needs. Dancing is something in Elena's soul, it's seen her through milestones in her life, through good and bad times, the connection formed with a partner one that she's always cherished. That's no different now as she follows Gildor's lead, letting herself be pulled into standing and twirled around the makeshift dance floor. After a few turns, she's even smiling, and a surprised laugh bubbles out of her at the first few kicks to the unfortunate pillows.

That laugh only grows when one of those pillows trips her up and threatens to send her sprawling onto a pile of them. Even as a vampire, she has her clumsy moments. ]

[perroquet]

[ Not clumsier than him, because while he is trying, he isn't a natural or practiced dancer like Elena. But Gildor isn't aiming for perfection, so he leans into it. Sends another pillow flying halfway across the tent, then twirls under her arm once, twice, three overly exaggerated turns. It's hardly fitting to the lovely music, but if there's a disgruntled teacher's voice telling him to be more mindful of his movements, it's drowned out in the thrill of knowing a new favorite song.

He isn't satisfied until he hears her laugh. Only then is it safe to slow it down, but before he can there's a pillow he missed tripping her and then him up and sending them toppling to one side.

At least it's a somewhat soft landing, and he finally laughs as well. It's a moment before he recovers and pushes himself up, smiling but recomposing himself quickly and catching his breath. ]

Oh my, I almost felt sixty again! Next time we'll have to clear the dance floor first.

[otrazhenie]

[ Perfection doesn't have to be practiced. It can be unruly and wild, sporadic and unplanned, a singular moment to forever hold close in their hearts. That's what this is for Elena, a bright spot in the darkness draped around her world now, and it's all thanks to her wonderful broodmate, someone she's been thrown together with who's accepted her the way she has him.

She stays where she's landed on the messy pile of pillows, stretching her arms over her head like a cat before relaxing languidly. There's a sense of peace and happiness settling within her as she looks over at Gil, a smile very firmly in place. ]

I don't know, you kicking them all over the place was pretty fun to watch.

[ Yes, she is teasing you a little, Gil. ]

[perroquet]

Oh yes, though I imagine that might upset a few of the others when they return. Ah well.

[ Having a host or two cross with him over a few messy cots is a cheap price to pay for dragging his broodmate out of a moment of grief. Dragged quite literally, but he'd do it again as long as she agreed to it. ]

Next time, I'll follow your lead.

[ He smooths out wild tangles in his hair that came loose in the fall with his hands, then moves to untie the sashes at his waist, intending to make himself comfortable. That burst of energy will be his last of the night if he can help it. He's still tired and needs rest, though the red irritation on his neck has nearly faded already. ]